After a quick post on developmentally appropriate practice (with a vivid analogy) ignited a list of questions from readers, I started this series to look more deeply into DAP — what it means, why it’s disappearing, and what the consequences are.
The Cost of Ignoring Developmentally Appropriate Practice
The previous installment of this series on DAP ended with a quote that really resonated with me. It perfectly encapsulates the ironic environment we find ourselves in today. There’s a well-intentioned rush to avoid failure, by putting kids in situations that actually increase the odds of failure.
What is Developmentally Appropriate Practice?
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
The latest Hot Topic post, DAP and Why We Don’t Push Kids Down the Stairs, definitely hit a nerve! The comments have been fascinating! Many shared examples of “too much too soon”, but some also wondered if it was OK to be supporting their precocious children in their advanced interests, while others wondered what the whole analogy even meant.
On Developmentally Appropriate Practice….And Why We Don’t Push Kids Down the Stairs
Toddlers can’t walk down the stairs with alternating steps. They just can’t. While your kindergartener bounds down the stairs taking each step in stride (or several in one super-hero bound, as mine is prone to do), your toddler will cling to the wall or rail as she takes a careful step down with one foot, then brings the other foot to that same step to stand firmly before venturing down in that same slow, tentative manner for another (step together), then another (step together), then another (step together).
What a Conversation About Divorce Taught My Family About Marriage
My eight year-old and I were snuggled on his top bunk when he started to talk about classmates whose parents were divorced. Someone has two moms and one dad. Someone else lives in a different house on the weekends. Another says Dad lives in a different state.
Hot Topic: The Bullying Equation
First Friday Q&A: What to do about boys playing in the girls’ dressups?
Should you worry about boys playing dress up with “girls’ things”? Short answer, “No”. But you didn’t come here for a short answer, right?
Child Behavior: Is it really about what they’re doing?
I have this internal alarm that goes off whenever I haven’t seen or heard my toddler for 60 seconds. The realization usually startles me and I wonder off thinking, “Oh great. What is he doing?” Usually I find him emptying the soil from the potted plants, scrubbing the toothbrush drawer with a (wet) toilet brush, or exploring the markers (which are thankfully washable) at the art table….and on every adjoining wall. It’s a tough job to keep up with kids, and all the things they DO.
A Learner’s Creed
Remember my brilliant niece? She’s now hitting the university grind as a future engineer. For one of her classes she was asked to create a mission statement as a learner. What she came up with inspired me, and I hope it does the same for you: [Read more…]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- …
- 28
- Next Page »
