What is Developmentally Appropriate Practice?

The outcome of a process of teacher decisionmaking that draws on at least three critical, interrelated bodies of knowledge.

What teachers know about how children develop and learn.
What teachers know about the individual children in their group.
Knowledge of the social and cultural context in which those children live and learn.

• Show respect
• Open ended
• Diversity- learning styles
• Child Development
• Inclusive
• Positive Interactions
• Child Directed
• Repitition
• Process/ Not Product
• Age Appropriate
• Learn through Play