The Preschool Years

Developmentally Appropriate PracticeBy Carol Copple and

Sue Bredekamp, Editors

The National Institute for Early Education Research-NIEER (5 minutes)

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=or10f-YcM8Q • NIEER's five-minute video, "Growing and

Learning in Preschool," shows the essential features of a high-quality preschool program. You'll see how a preschool curriculum based on solid research builds school and life-related skills, why well-qualified teachers are so important, and how play is integrated into learning.

An Overview• 3-5 year olds

• Over half preschoolers – enrolled

• Important period not kindergarten

• Optimal learning– positive & caring relationships

• Critical – developmentally appropriate – Share dev. appropriate observations of sites visited?– Reminder no site names, no children’s names

An Overview

• ALL Preschoolers – strengths & areas to improve

• Poverty– Children vulnerable– 4-year-olds, 18 months behind– 43% in US low income– 3.5 million affected– 16%-disability

• Summary-magical thinking years– playful, imaginative, delightful– Observations confirming this?

Physical Development• Preschoolers - extremely physical – moving, jumping,

running

• Goal-quarter school day - physical activity

• Viewed clumsy, spills (body changes)– Ouch Reports– Book- (Band-Aid Will Help)

• 3-year-olds/uncoordinated

• 4-year-olds/greater control, not fluid

Physical Development continued• Able to perform basic gross motor skills

• Gross motor– lowered center of gravity-hop, balance

• Fine motor – still developing; handedness by 4– Paper/pencil activities less useful than hands-on!– Types of grasp (pincer, fist)– Short pencils

• Girls-advanced fine & gross (skipping, hopping)– Findings surprise or confirm?

Physical Development continue• Boys –advanced – force & power, running,

jumping

• Nutrition-5-6 meals (List)– energy, less headaches, more focused, enjoy play

• Physical growth varies– per year/3-4 inches, 5-6 pounds– Prominent in trunk & legs

Physical Development continue

• Childhood obesity– Involve pediatricians– Scope of practice

• Sensation/perception-well developed – sense of taste compared to adults

Social & Emotional Development

• Great advances-still struggles.

• Positive social and emotional foundation = cognitive competence.

Social Development• Social interactions

• Relationships/teachers and peers• Are teachers “friends” to the teachers?

• Levels of Play:• Solitary• Onlooker• Parallel• Associative• Cooperative (4-5 years of age)• Teachers give ideas, help with rules of pretend

play, then back away

• Prosocial behavior developing

Social Development• Understanding other’s perspectives

• Aggression –physical, relational• Looking at gender – girls? Boys?• Anticipate consequences of physical actions • Strategies: turn taking, using words, using empathy, self-

regulation skills

• Sense of self in relation to others• Who are they?

– Younger-I have two fish– Older-I’m nice to my friends

• Research Study-Supports Play• Free-choice activities, variety of equipment and materials• Findings: better cognitive (and language) abilities

Emotional Development

• Positive and negative impact development domains

• Express and talk about their emotions

Emotional DevelopmentContinued

• Development of emotional competence.• Development of conscience.• Stress, coping and resilience• Saying good-bye to parents

– Group activity– Parent sneaks out

each day– What might you say

to parent?

Investing in the Emotional and Behavioral Development of Preschoolers

(6 minutes)• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4txcMjlzH8 • Young children who can interact well with

teachers and peers are more likely to succeed in preschool and beyond. This six-minute video, produced by The MacArthur Foundation, profiles MDRCs Foundations of Learning Project, a demonstration in Newark and Chicago that is testing an innovative program that combines teacher training with in-class clinical consultation to support children's emotional and behavioral development in preschool.

Cognitive development• Important changes-influence all other domains

• Form representations world - future and past tense

• Create fanciful scenes– make-believe

• Piaget “preoperational” stage: illogical, egocentric

.

Cognitive development continued

• Brain – cerebral cortex – functions regulate attention and memory not fully developed – limitations

• Attention – short, distractible, better over time – Attention improves so does memory – Practice strategies (recall events)

Cognitive development continued

• Mental representation (internal depictions)– Mind manipulates images or mental pictures – Later advances – objects serve both as an object or as a

symbol of something else.– Age 3-pictures serve as symbols

• Teachers start labeling even scribbles– “Worms wrestling” or “Me and mommy playing”

• Reminder-holistic view of learning – When teacher talks to family what developmental domains would be

emphasized using a holistic view?

Promoting cognitive development• Teachers can help by:

– Cues, modeling, questions (open/closed), positive guidance, ample play time-choices, plan/review work

• Teach math and science in preschool

Math• Best math develops language/ vocabulary

• Sequencing concept: if wear red, get coat first

• Promote math skills• Page 139 – 4 bullets

• Different ways to solve problems• Math, social situations; share play dough on table

• Question: children riding tricycles get stuck on incline. How do teachers help connected to allowing children an opportunity to solve problems

• Terms • Compare/contrast, more, less, tallest, numbers,

one-to-one correspondence

Science

• Science table is a start

• Embedded in children’s daily work/play

• Builds on prior experiences, backgrounds

• Draws on children’s curiosity

• Engage children in in-depth exploration of topic over time

• Reflect on experiences, document experiences

• Provides access to science experiences

Language and Literacy Development• Language & communication

• Role oral language in all domains– Imagine a 4-year-old limited language abilities friendships– Early Intervention

• Sustained conversations– Adult expands thoughts– Child: A white bear. – Adult: Yes, there’s a white mama bear with her baby, her little cub.

Language and Literacy Development

• Predictor-reading success

• Private speech – Connected to problem solving

• English language learners– Importance of family’s primary language– Under age 10 – best time to teach other

languages

• Promote by reading!!!!!

Examples to Consider Chapter 5

•Creating a caring community of learners

•Teaching to enhance development and learning

•Planning curriculum to achieve important goals

•Assessing children’s development and learning

•Establishing reciprocal relationships with families

Maria Montessori

"Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can

succeed."