Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Purpose

For students to increase understanding of problem solving with young children and apply guidance strategies based on Developmentally Appropriate Practices.

What It Is

Students will demonstrate understanding of how to view children’s behavior from a strengths-based perspective and facilitate interpersonal problem solving among children. Students will rewrite scenarios to incorporate a strengths-based perspective and utilize DAP guidance principles.

What You Do

1. Review all material provided Unit 4.  Do not start on this project until you’ve reviewed all weekly lessons.  Note:it will not take as much time as some previous assignments.
2. Read through Guidance Scenes (above) and choose ONE that you will thoroughly analyze and rewrite. For the scene that you choose, complete the following:
   1. Identify the response used by the adults in your selected scene that are “non-professional responses” by highlighting (or underlining) it. Explain how the teacher’s non-professional response does not support learning and/or the development of independence, inner control or problem-solving skills. (Refer to the Nonprofessional Responses document.)
   1. Analyze the scene from a strengths-based perspective of the children and answer the following questions:
      1. Look at the situation from both children’s perspective, including the child who might appear as the “aggressor.”  Answer the questions for both children:
         1. What emotions do you think each child is feeling? 
         1. How would you feel if the teacher responded using the non-professional response listed in this scene?
      1. What are possible reasonable motives and reasons for each of the children’s actions and responses?  Explain what makes you think this for each child.
      1. (Refer to the Providing Positive Guidance document to help you consider the child’s perspective.)
   1. Lastly, rewrite the scene the way they would have been handled if the adult were using DAP conflict resolution principles to support the learning of independence, inner control and/or problem-solving skills. (Refer to the Adult Behavior Contiuum document.) Rewrite the scene from the point right before you highlighted the non-professional response. 
      1. Do not change the names of the children or rewrite the situation the children are in.  Rather, rewrite the teacher’s response and behaviors.
   1. Please review the Suggested Analysis Format and Example on pages 3 and 4 of this assignment guidelines.
3. Write a reflection paper – Write a one (1) page paper reflecting on what you have learned about appropriately guiding young children and how the guidance principles taught in this class will impact your practices guiding young children in a classroom setting.

What you will submit

1. Analysis and rewrite of one scene
2. Reflection Paper