The most widely used philosophy in early childhood education is the Developmentally Appropriate Philosophy (DAP). DAP can be defined as those practices which are 1) Age appropriate and 2) Individually appropriate. The model for learning and teaching centers around the four major components of early childhood development: Awareness, Exploration, Inquiry, and Utilization.
In a typical DAP classroom, the teacher would plan the activities that are suitable for the class that are developmentally appropriate, with the flexibility of the children leading into different activities. There is usually a circle time, free play time and group activity time. While a daily schedule is followed, the form and structure are kept flexible. Academics is not a priority in a DAP classroom, but interaction with teacher and other children plays a vital role.
www.naeyc.org/resources/position_statements/position_statement1.asp
|
