Wednesday Words- DAP
Wednesday Words Where each week we will look at the words that define us. DAP- Developmentally Appropriate Practice. This is a term you will hear frequently in early childhood education. This term means that the actions you are taking are within the appropriate developmental range for the children in your care. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) wrote a position statement on DAP in 1987 after noticing the trickle of expectations to younger children that is inappropriate for their developmental level. NAEYC set forth to establish these guidelines and continue to reevaluate them for those in the early childhood field. You can find out more about your specific age group and their expectations by searching the NAEYC website. http://www.naeyc.org/ How does this influence your classroom? With each action you take in your room you should evaluate whether it is DAP or not. While this sounds li...