Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction for Teachers of Children 3 to 7 (Basics series) - Softcover

Copple, Carol; Bredekamp, Sue

Softcover

ISBN 10: 192889626X ISBN 13: 9781928896265

Publisher: The National Association for the Education of Young Children, 2005

Synopsis

All early childhood educators need a solid understanding of developmentally appropriate practice.

While the basic concepts of DAP aren't difficult or complex, they can be understood wrongly or incompletely—and often are! This engaging little book describes the core concepts and makes them meaningful to everyday practice for preschool teachers. College instructors, directors, and trainers will find this an invaluable tool for introducing learners to the foundation of the early childhood field.

About this title

About the Author

Carol Copple is Director of Publications and Initiatives in Educational Practice at NAEYC. She taught at Louisiana State University and the New School for Social Research and at the Educational Testing Service co-developed and directed a research-based model for preschool education. With Sue Bredekamp, Dr. Copple is co-editor of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs (1997; 2009). Among her other books are Learning to Read and Write: Developmentally Appropriate Practices for Young Children (NAEYC) and Educating the Young Thinker: Classroom Strategies for Cognitive Growth (Erlbaum). She received her doctorate from Cornell University.

Sue Bredekamp is an early childhood education specialist from Washington, DC who serves as a consultant on developmentally appropriate practice, curriculum, teaching, and professional development for state and national organizations such as NAEYC, the Council for Professional Recognition, and Head Start. From 1981 to 1998, she was Director of Accreditation and Professional Development for NAEYC. She is the author of an introductory textbook Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation. Her doctorate is from the University of Maryland.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Our purpose in this short book is to give readers a brief introduction to the basics of developmentally appropriate practice, with a focus on children ages 3, 4, and 5. The term developmentally appropriate practice, or DAP for short, captures a set of core ideas that inform the work of early childhood educators. To gain a thorough understanding of DAP and use it effectively in the classroom, there is much more to learn and think about than is covered ere. As the box on page ix, Where Did DAP Come From?, describes, we have detailed the principles and guidelines of developmentally appropriate practice more fully and for children from birth to age 8 in a larger volume (Copple & Bredekamp 2009).

Edition details

• Publisher: The National Association for the Education of Young Children
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 192889626X
• ISBN 13: 9781928896265
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112