1. The Role of a Teacher

2. Developmentally Appropriate Practice
“… is grounded in the research on child development and learning and in the knowledge base regarding educational effectiveness” (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009, p.33)
Our knowledge base consist of how children learn at different ages and what strategies work best for each age

3. Developmentally Appropriate Practice (Cont.)
Teachers exhibit this knowledge in every day decisions like…
Environment
Plan curriculum to reach goals
Teaching strategies for a group or individual children
Question “is this decision developmentally appropriate?”
It depends on children, families, context, purpose

4. What Does it Mean to Be an Intentional Teacher?
Creating a learning environment
Tailoring curriculum to individual children
Plan learning experience
Interacting with children
Interacting with families
Teachable moments

5. Excellence in all Areas of Practice
Community of Learners
Teaching
Curriculum
Assessment
Families

6. Community of Learners To create a classroom community
Get to know children and the family
Teacher plans cooperative play among children.
Bringing home culture into the classroom
Inclusion of all children
Teacher develops a warm, positive relationship with each child

7. Community of Learners (Continue)
Social and emotional competence are essential curricular goals
Guidance is effective when teachers help children learn
Model problem solving
Help children make better decisions next time

8. Teaching to Enhance Development and Learning
An effective teacher makes use of the strategy that fits a particular situation
She considers what a child already knows
Has different strategies and remaining flexible
Observes children to see which of these strategies might work

9. Strategies Acknowledge what the children do or say
Encourage persistence and effort rather than just praising and evaluating
Give specific feedback rather than general comments
Model attitudes, ways of approaching problems, and behavior towards others
Demonstrate the correct way to do something
Create or add challenge so that a task goes a bit beyond what the children can already do

10. Strategies
Give assistance to help children work on the edge of their current competence
Provides information directly giving children facts
Give directions for children’s action or behavior
Ask questions the provoke children’s thinking

11. Teaching to Enhance Development and Learning (Cont.)
Teachers engage children in problem solving and to generate ideas
As a child begins to acquire new skills the teacher gradually reduces her support (scaffolding)
Teacher use a variety of learning formats
Large group
Small group
Play/learning centers
Routine of the day

12. Curriculum
“The curriculum consists of the knowledge and skills to be acquired in the educational program as well as the plans for experiences through which children’s learning will take place” (p.41).
Curriculum has clearly defined goals understood by all
Curriculum is much more than a collection of activities
Activities need to be sequential

13. Curriculum (Cont.)
Young children learn best when the concepts they are learning about are related to something they are already know
Each skill should be introduced when prior learning has prepared children for it
Teachers adapt curriculum if necessary for children to have sufficient time to learn a topic

14. Assessment
Assessment is the process of looking at children’s progress toward goals intended in the curriculum
Assessment is essential to developmentally appropriate practices in order to:
Monitor children’s development
Guide planning and decision making
Identify children who need special services
Report and communicate with family

15. Assessment (Cont.) How do you assess a child?
Observation
Appropriate for the child’s age
Individually appropriate
Culturally appropriate
By observing children’s interests, exploration, and how they use the materials in their environment is used to modify the classroom routine

16. Families
Excellent teachers work hard to develop reciprocal relationships with families, communication and respect in both directions (p.45)
Families are wealth of information and knowledge regarding their child
Children feel more secure when they see the adults who take care of them share trust and respect

17. Families (Cont.) Intentional steps to build such partnerships
Making families feel welcomed
Open dialogue
Two way communication
Acknowledge parents’ choices
Be aware of cultural differences

18. Seeing the Bigger Picture

19. Seeing the Bigger Picture

21. Excellent teachers know… it’s both joy and learning
“Practice brings mastery; mastery brings the pleasure and confidence to once again act on curiosity. All learning-emotional, social, motor and cognitive-is accelerated and facilitated by repetition fueled by the pleasure of play.” (Perry, Hogan, & Marlin 2000)