Running head: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE CURRICULUM 1

Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum

Carmen Garcia

Fresno Pacific University

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Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum

What is developmentally appropriate Curriculum within a classroom for young learners?

DAP for short is a way that teachers for young children teach their students in a classroom.

According to the video Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum the video said there were three

elements to know what DAP looked like within a classroom, they are what is age appropriate?

What is individual appropriate, and what is appropriate to children’s social/cultural world

(naeyc, 2009). In this assignment I will explain what each element means and what it might look

like in a classroom.

The first element of DAP is, age appropriateness? This might sound a little ironic to ask a

question like this, but it goes way deeper than one might think. Yes, most parents and teachers

know what age appropriate is but, have you ever stopped to think when it comes to teaching

young children. In a classroom of children ages 3-5 you should not see children waiting in line

to wash hands or to go outside to play. Children at this age should not be asked to wait for a long

period of time. They are too young to understand that they must wait to go outside to play. Still

another thing that is not age appropriate is to make a child participate in an activity he/she does

not what to. Once more children at this age know what they are interested in, and to force them

to participate in an activity is something teachers should not do in an environment that is

developmentally appropriate.

Next element you will see in a classroom that have adapted DAP in their curriculum is

individual appropriateness. As teachers of young children there are anywhere from 24-32 little

ones in a classroom, however some classroom’s might have extra support from an instructional

aide. Teachers know that every child is not the same in their development, just like adults learn

differently so do children. In a classroom that has a DAP curriculum you will see children
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working at their level and their teacher meeting them right where they are in their learning.

According to our textbook it says when a teacher individualizes for a child it helps then develop

to their full potential (Kostelnik et al, 2015, p.20). What this is letting us know that when

teachers meet the student in their development right where they are and work with them, this

brings confidents to the child to keep learning. For example something one might notice is in the

puzzle area there are different levels of puzzle pieces for the children to work with. Still you

might see different types of books in the library so the children can read.

The last element is appropriateness to the children’s social/cultural world. This is

important, because the social/ cultural part of the world shapes the child into who they are

(naeyc, 2009). Teachers need to learn how to respect every child’s culture. According to our text

book is states’ “Culture is defined by values traditions and beliefs that are shared and passed

down from one generation to the next” (Kostelnik et al, 2015, p.21). We as teachers should not

make a child feel ashamed for their traditions they believe, or allow other children too. In a

classroom one might see different kinds of print on walls, also we might have books in different

language, and still one could also hear teachers speaking in other languages.

In closing developmentally appropriate curriculum and these three elements, age

appropriateness, individual appropriateness, and appropriateness to the child’s social/cultural

world is a way of teaching that is good for the development of the young child. As a teacher for

the little ones it meets the child where they are in their learning and the teacher fosters their

development to assist the child to reach their highest potential with confidences in their ability to

learn.
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References

Kostelnik, M, K., & Soderman, A, K., & Whiren, A, P., & Rupiper, M, L. (2015)

Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum Best Practices in Early Childhood Education.

Upper Saddle River, NY: Pearson

NAEYC. (2009). Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Retrieved from:

mms://streaming.fresno.edu/young/new_developmentally_appropriate_practice.wmv