Best Practice Curriculum
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
The concept of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) originated with a position statement issued by the National association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The publication of DAP was an attempt to offer a set of principles that could guide the creation of curriculum and teaching approaches across the multitude of early childhood settings and programs that exist today. The essence of DAP is captured by the following three principles. These principles guide our every-day approach to learning.
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Early childhood programs and teaching approaches should be Age Appropriate Environments at Little Leprechaun are scaled to meet the needs and abilities of children. Planned activities, teaching approaches, and expectations for children match the developmental ages of the children.
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Early childhood programs and teaching approaches should demonstrate Individual Appropriateness No two children are alike even if they are of the same chronological age. Environments and teaching approaches at Little Leprechaun are responsive to the varying developmental levels present and to the interests of the individual child.
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Early childhood programs and teaching approaches should demonstrate Cultural and Linguistic Appropriateness virtually all early childhood programs have experienced increased diversity in terms of the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the children in their centers. It is not unusual for a child care center to have children for whom English is not their native language and who may have limited command of English upon enrollment in the center. Although it is a goal of Little Leprechaun Academy to help these children develop English language proficiency, respect for their native language is important in order to help that child integrate herself into the program and to develop a trust for the adults in the center.
Quality educational programs for young children recognize the importance of helping children develop healthy self-concepts and positive and rewarding social relationships. Drawing from the psycho-social developmental theory of Erik Erikson, Little Leprechaun programs are designed to foster the following feelings in children beginning with infants and moving right up to kindergarten aged children.
We help our children develop a sense of trust in their environment and in themselves.
As infants have their basic needs responded to, two important developments occur. First, they begin to develop a sense that the
environment and the people in their environment can be trusted to pay attention to their needs and interests. Second, children begin to develop an image of themselves as someone worthy of this care and attention. The sense of trust in the environment and the sense of self as a worthy individual provide the foundation for the emergence of autonomy and independence that follows.
We help our children develop a sense of autonomy and willpower
As children enter toddlerhood,they have developed certain abilities (e.g., motor ability and coordination, language and communication abilities) that allow them to exercise independence and autonomy. At Little Leprechaun, we recognize the need for toddlers to explore and try out their new-found independence (within supportive limits). By having their attempts at independence valued and supported, young children begin to develop a sense of themselves as autonomous beings who have the ability to fulfill their own desires and goals. This feeling of autonomy lays the foundation for the emergence of initiative and purpose that follows.
We help our children develop a sense of initiative and purpose
The healthy, young preschooler sees herself as one who can initiate activities, both independently and with peers. She moves from simply exercising her independence for its own sake to focusing on interactions with the physical and social environments. She begins to set goals and take on projects, whether that be building a block structure or creating a make believe drama with a friend. Inevitably, children experience some failures as they attempt to fulfill their goals and it is the role of the Little Leprechaun teachers to be supportive of their attempts so that they begin to develop the resiliency to bounce back from failures and setbacks.
We help our children develop a sense of industriousness and competency
Once children approach school-age, they are not only interested in pursuing activities and tasks that are self-generating and selfdetermined but they are also interested in mastering some of the competencies valued by the adult world. They show increased interest in reading, writing, and working with numbers. Since they are moving from an emphasis on the processes of their activities to the products, they develop feelings of competency from completing projects and solving manageable problems.