Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice

Volume editors: Iliana Alanís, PhD, a native of South Texas, is professor of early childhood and elementary education in the Department of Interdisciplinary Learning and Teaching at the University of Texas at San Antonio. With over 20 years in the early childhood field, her work focuses on teaching practices in culturally and linguistically diverse early childhood contexts with an emphasis on the effect of schooling for language minority children in Spanish/English dual language programs. She is especially interested in forms of teaching that promote native language development and its correlation to second language acquisition. With more than 48 refereed publications related to dual language education, her recent research focuses on higher- order cognitive and linguistic interaction found in student–student exchanges. Dr. Alanís is former president of the Texas Association for Bilingual Education and former board member for the National Latino Children’s Institute. She has served as a NAEYC Governing Board member and an Early Childhood Advisory Board member for Scholastic Education. As a member of the Dual Language Training Institute, she facilitates professional development for teachers in dual language classrooms across the country. Dr. Alanís is coauthor of The Essentials: Supporting Dual Language Learners in Diverse Environments in Preschool and Kindergarten. Toni Sturdivant, PhD, is the vice president of early education at Camp Fire First Texas. She earned a PhD in interdisciplinary learning and teaching with a cognate in early childhood education. In addition, she has a master’s degree in early childhood and elementary education with a specialization in child development. She earned a BA in linguistics with a minor in African and African American studies. Dr. Sturdivant has taught prekindergarten in both an urban school district and a center- based setting, as well as kindergarten. She has served as a trainer for practicing early childhood teachers and taught preservice teachers in various institutions of higher education. Her research, which focuses on issues of racial learning and racial identity with young children and culturally relevant teaching practices, has been published in several scholarly journals, such as Early Childhood Education Journal, The Journal for Multicultural Education, International Journal of Early Childhood, and Young Children.  Series editor Susan Friedman is senior director of publishing and content development at NAEYC. In this role, she leads the content development work of NAEYC’s books and periodicals teams. Ms. Friedman is coeditor of Each and Every Child: Teaching Preschool with an Equity Lens. She has extensive prior experience creating content on play, developmentally appropriate uses of media, and other topics for educators and families. She has presented at numerous educational conferences, including NAEYC’s Professional Learning Institute and Annual Conference, the South by Southwest Education (SXSW EDU) Conference & Festival, and the School Superintendents Association’s Early Learning Cohort. She began her career as a preschool teacher at City and Country School in New York City. She holds degrees from Vassar College and the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

For early childhood educators, there are very few concepts as profound and far reaching as DAP. For me, it has long served as a north star and a measuring stick for program quality. But educators are always eager to have more insight into what it really looks like in day-to-day decisions, curriculum experiences, and teaching practices. That’s why I was so excited to read this new book! There is a great need for resources that translate research into practice in accessible ways, and this book does just that. Teachers will see themselves in these pages as they read about the real-life application of DAP through stories told by other teachers doing the same important work, examples that highlight challenges and opportunities, and ideas that spark new thinking. This book is a must-have addition to any early educator library!  —Rachel Robertson, Vice President, Learning and Development, Bright Horizons Family Solutions   Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice brings together a diverse collection of articles to highlight the many ways early childhood teachers can engage with the six guidelines of DAP. Voices from practitioners, researchers, and administrators weave together powerful narratives that expand our understanding of the role of DAP in teaching, curriculum, assessment, and work with families.  —Denisha Jones, Executive Director, Defending the Early Years, and Guest Faculty, Sarah Lawrence College    This book is a perfect introduction to what it means to work proactively to support young children through an equity-based lens. Children come to learning experiences with their own languages, identities, and approaches to learning. As educators, it is important to embrace these. This book provides tangible supports to assist teachers in doing so.  —Cecilia Scott-Croff, Executive Director, Early Childhood Center, Borough of Manhattan Community College    The trust that children and their families put in us is enormous. This book ensures each teacher’s success by supporting educators to use their understanding of how each child is developing, model developmentally appropriate expectations, and provide intentionally designed experiences and interactions to create joyful learning environments. Children deserve nothing less.  —Sherry Cleary, Retired University Dean, City University of New York    The guiding principles and best practices shared throughout the book deepened my understanding of effective teaching in preschool and inspired me to be more intentional in creating a classroom community where everyone is valued, heard, and seen. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to create a harmonious community using DAP.  —Ashley Harrell, Accreditation Facilitation Project Coordinator, 4C For Children

• About the Editors Focus on Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Equitable and Joyful Learning Book Series Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Preschool Part 1: Creating a Caring, Equitable Community of Learners Chapter 1: The Power of “Good Morning” | Sarah Calzone Chapter 2: Every Child Belongs: Welcoming a Child with a Disability | Pamela Brillante Chapter 3: Will You Pass the Peas, Please? | Nikki Waldron Chapter 4: Instead of Discipline, Use Guidance| Dan Gartrell Chapter 5: Preventing Exclusionary Discipline Practices in Early Childhood | Sarah C. Wymer, Amanda P. Williford, and Ann S. Lhospital Part 2: Engaging in Reciprocal Partnerships with Families and Fostering Community Connections Chapter 6: 5 Rs for Promoting Positive Family Engagement | Bweikia Foster Steen Chapter 7: Many Languages, One Community: Engaging All Families | Lorraine Cooke Chapter 8: Integrating Families’ Funds of Knowledge into Daily Teaching Practices | Iliana Alanís and Irasema Salinas-González Chapter 9: Building Relationships: The Key to Engaging Fathers | Lindsey L. Wilson and Holly S. SchindlerChapter 10: Learning with Families About the Contexts of Young Bilingual Children with Disabilities | Cristina Gillanders and Sylvia Y. Sánchez Chapter 11: Promoting Linguistic Diversity and Equity: Teaching in Multilingual Learning Spaces | Carola Oliva-Olson, Linda M. Espinosa, Whit Hayslip, and Elizabeth S. Magruder Part 3: Observing, Documenting, and Assessing Children’s Development and Learning Chapter 12: Practical Approaches to Informal Assessment of STEAM Experiences | Angela Eckhoff and Sandra M. Linder Chapter 13: Anecdotal Records: Practical Strategies for Taking Meaningful Notes | Celeste C. Bates, Stephanie Madison Schenck, and Hayley J. Hoover Chapter 14: Developmental Moments: Teacher Decision Making to Support Young Writers | Kathryn F. Whitmore and Lori Norton-Meier Chapter 15: Authentic and Meaningful Developmental Screening in Early Childhood | Marisa Macy and Stefano J. Bagnato Chapter 16: Learning Stories: A Framework for Authentic Assessment and Critical Pedagogy | Isauro M. Escamilla, Linda R. Kroll, Daniel R. Meier, and Annie White Chapter 16 Appendix: Ellie’s Learning Story: “種植 Planting” Part 4: Teaching to Enhance Each Child’s Development and Learning Chapter 17: The Power of Science: Using Inquiry Thinking to Enhance Learning in a Dual Language Preschool Classroom | Leanne M. Evans Chapter 18: A Guided, Exploration-Based Visual Arts Program for Preschoolers | X. Christine Wang, Keely Benson, Corinne Eggleston, and Bin Lin Chapter 19: Supporting Positive Racial Identity with Literacy-Based Math | Toni Sturdivant Chapter 20: Meaningful Talk: The Importance of Using Sophisticated Language at Preschool | Tracy Weippert Chapter 21: Using Nature Contact to Support Children Under Stress | Becky L. DelVecchio, Susan Ferguson, and Wesley Knapp Chapter 22: Timing Is Everything: Understanding the Importance of Timing, Length, and Sequence of Activities | Monica Lesperance Part 5: Planning and Implementing an Engaging Curriculum to Achieve Meaningful Goals Chapter 23: Never Too Young to Champion a Cause: Supporting Positive Identity Development Through Social Justice Curriculum in Preschool | Veronica Benavides, Roxanne Ledda, and Maimuna Mohammed Chapter 24: Diverse Children, Uniform Standards: Using Early Learning and Development Standards in Multicultural Classrooms | Jeanne L. Reid, Catherine Scott-Little, and Sharon Lynn Kagan Chapter 25: Preschool in the Park: Place-Based Learning in Unexpected Spaces | Rachel J. Franz Chapter 26: Metamorphosis: Life Cycle in a Box | Sara Starbuck Chapter 27: Listen to What We Hear: Developing Community Responsive Listening Centers | Emily Brown Hoffman and Kristin Cipollone Chapter 28: Walk with Us: Indigenous Approaches to Developmentally Appropriate Practice | Trisha L. Moquino, Joshuaa D. Allison-Burbank, Rebecca Blum-Martinez, and Katie Kitchens Part 6: Demonstrating Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator Chapter 29: Becoming Your Best: Building Professional Competencies | Meghann Hickey Chapter 30: Personalized Professional Development: How Teachers Can Use Videos to Improve Their Practice | Rachel E. Schachter and Hope Kenarr Gerde Chapter 31: Leading with LOVE: Leveraging Our Value Every Day | Chaz Simmons Chapter 32: Beginning (or Continuing) the Journey to a More Equitable Classroom | Janis Strasser and Llariley Coplin Chapter 33: Incorporating Anti-Racist Approaches for Asian American Children | Shu-Chen “Jenny” Yen References Index