Ashford ECE642 Week 1 Discussion (dq1+dq2)

Ashford ECE642 Week 1 Discussion  

Dq1

The Connection Between Developmentally Appropriate Practice and Curriculum [CLOs: 1, 2, 4]. 1st Post Due by Day 3. There is a strong connection between developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) and planning curriculum. “DAP provides guidance for thinking about, planning, and implementing high-quality programs for young children. It informs our decision making and gives us a basis for continually scrutinizing our professional practice” (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 23). It is this process that allows us to ensure that the curriculum we are implementing is meeting the needs of the children we are working with. In this first discussion forum we will look at the connection between DAP and planning curriculum by taking a deeper look at the role teachers and administrators play in supporting a developmentally appropriate curriculum for teaching young children, including utilizing their knowledge of the principles of child development.

To begin, review the twelve overarching principles of DAP (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 23). Next, locate your assigned group from the table below.

Address the following items based on the group to which you were assigned:

• Compare and contrast the role of a teacher and the role of an administrator in implementing each of the

  overarching principles of DAP in a school or center.

• Explain how each of the overarching principles of DAP you were assigned align with the Principles of

  Child Development and Learning that are shared in Table 2.2 on page 47 of our course text.

Provide explicit examples of how the principles are connected and how understanding these connections will inform your curriculum decisions.

• Discuss how your knowledge of these overarching principles of DAP will allow you to build upon your knowledge in order “to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula for each child” (NAEYC Standard 5c).

Dq2

Overcoming the Challenges of Implementing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum [CLOs: 1, 2, 4]. 1st Post Due by Day 3. Consider the following: “Evidence is mounting that flexible curriculum models, which incorporate DAP principles into their programs, lead to positive educational outcomes for children” (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 29). While this may be true, implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum does not come without challenges. In this discussion, we will examine some of the benefits and challenges to implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum, along with the theoretical influences that support it.

To begin this discussion, read the article Yeah, But’s That Keep Teachers From Embracing the Curriculum: Overcoming the Resistance. Then, using the article and Chapters 1 and 2 of your primary text, address the following:

? Discuss three benefits and three challenges associated with implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Make sure to cite specific evidence from both the article and Chapters 1 and 2 of your primary text to support your thinking.

• ?  Explain at least two theoretical influences (e.g., Piaget, Vygotsky, Montessori, etc.) whose work would support the use of developmentally appropriate curriculum. Make sure to include how these theoretical influences help to refute the challenges associated with implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum. Use at least one scholarly or credible source to support your thinking.

• ?  Analyze the importance of considering individual appropriateness for each child in your care including children with individual education program and individualized family service plan accommodations (see Individualized Family Service Plan for more information).

• ?  Explain, as a leader in early childhood education, how will you guide the incorporation of a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is socially and culturally sensitive, despite the challenges that may arise.