Developmentally Appropriate Teaching Strategies
Brenda Harris
SOC 312 Child, Family & Society
Yvette Morelori
July 3, 2016

Developmentally appropriate practices refers to the concept that the teaching strategies should support children’s individual needs and interests according with what they are physically and mentally ready to learn (Jaruszewicz, 2013). Starting in the home, children get their mentality and ideals through acknowledging, encouragement, giving assistance and direction from the adult figure that they are in contact with at the time. The ways in which children learn and develop will ultimately affect how they process the messages they receive from their microsystems, thus play a role in their attitudes and beliefs (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). In Piaget’s second stage of developmental the preoperational stage children begin to develop their own attitudes and beliefs about the world around them (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). Children are continuously learning in the preoperational stage and learning to find their own way. Parents are critical agents of intentional socialization by explicitly teaching children specific beliefs and values that are part of the family’s cultural and religious values (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). Each of the strategies for teaching in a culturally diverse classroom go hand in hand so that if one of the strategies do not work you can use another to fit the children’s needs. Different strategies will help the children to develop appropriate so that they can be active successful members of society. Modeling is a very good strategy for children, as children will try to mimic what they see the adults in their life do. According to the NAEYC, “Modeling attitudes, ways of approaching a problem, and behaviors towards others by showing them how to do it rather than just telling them.” When Children see good behavior they will model this good behavior and learn for the models that are around them. Having bad habits could create a problem for the children if they exhibit these bad habits in the classroom. Challenge in modeling a good behavior is to know the children you are teaching and the backgrounds that they are coming from. Every family has a different way of doing things it is up to the educator to understand these differences and be able to help by modeling. Encouragement allows the educator to give a praise without necessarily having to give a reward. Encourage persistence and effort rather than just praising and evaluating what a child does (NAEYC, 2009). Encourage children to try new things that maybe out of their comfort zone this is how they will learn new and different things. Encouragement is also a way for a child to get a positive word of approval from the adult to let them know that they are doing a good job. Encouraging a child in a multicultural classroom encourages a child to accept uniqueness of other cultures (Gomez, 1991). The children will learn to appreciate other culture and the differences that each child brings to the classroom. The challenge with encouragement is to ensure that every child is receiving encouragement and no one is left out because they may learn faster than another child may. Every child needs to be encourage regardless of the way ho or she learns. It is important when acknowledging not only the good behaviors but also the bad one as well. We want to make sure to acknowledge the behavior the child is exhibiting not the child. Children are more likely to do things to gain attention. Give praise or encouragement when the child is exhibiting a good behavior to let the child know you are aware they are doing a good job. If the child is displaying a behavior that is that is not something he or she should not be let the child know and demonstrate how to do the behavior properly. Acknowledge what children say or do by letting the child know we have noticed by giving positive attention and sometimes through a praiseful word (NAEYC, 2009). Functionalism is based on the idea that society as a whole is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium (Mooney, Knox & Schacht, 2007). The strategies work together functionally to teach the children developmentally appropriate behavior. Children in Piaget’s preoperational stage will go through limitations. These limitations and advances have a great influence on a child’s cognitive development (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). One of these limitations is Centration in which a child focus is on one idea of the situation instead of the whole situation. For instance, giving a child a choice of five pennies versus five nickels. The child will likely choose the pennies because they believe it is more than the nickel. As an educator, you would need a lesson to show how each of these are the same amount. Using modeling, demonstrating and acknowledging the children will learn to understand that sometimes what seems like more is not. Cultural in central to learning for children of any age. In the early childhood years, children’s ideas about their own race and others race are forming (Wanless & Crawford, 2016). As educators, we need to be able to teach to the whole child and not just to the culture. Educators should use opportunities to acknowledge and model acceptable cultural diverse behavior among themselves and students. Showing children that we see and value all aspects of them including attributes related to race or cultural is a critical step in children feeling welcome motivated to learn (Wanless & Crawford, 2016). Children in the preoperational stage view their experiences through an egocentric lens which affects the way they develop understand and build their schema (Bojczyk, Shriner, & Shriner, 2012). By using developmentally appropriate strategies such as acknowledging, demonstrating and modeling educators can help children get through the preoperational stage and develop appropriately. Every child that comes in the classroom will have a different background, values, cultures and ideas that they have learned through their families. It is important that as an educator to learn about each child and their beliefs and language so you can better understand the child and how they learn best.

References

Bojczyk, K., Shriner, B., & Shriner, M. (2012). Supporting children’s socialization: A developmental approach. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
Gomez, R. (1991). Teaching with a Multicultural Perspective. Retrieved from http://www.ericdigests.org/1992-5/perspective.htm
Jaruszewicz, C. (2013). Curriculum and Methods for Early Childhood Education. Bridgeport Education Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUECE311.13.1/sections/copyright
Mooney, Knox & Schacht. (2007). the Three Main Sociological Perspectives. Retrieved from https://laulima.hawaii.edu/access/content/user/kfrench/sociology/the%20three%20main%20sociological%20perspectives.pdf
Wanless, S & Crawfod, P. (2016). Reading your way to a culturally Responsive Classroom. Retrieved from http://www.naeyc.org/yc/files/yc/Crawford_Reading%20your%20way.pdf