Synopses & Reviews
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Curriculum and Development in Early Education, 3e is a thoughtful and comprehensive reference that is now even more effective with the addition of several new features and enhanced content. The book takes a topical approach and assumes some basic child development knowledge/experience, and is intended as a guide for thoughtful consideration of classroom and caregiver practices. In the first section, developmentally appropriate practice is discussed and explored, including an in-depth, extended section on the theory and research of play. Subsequent sections address environments such as physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language. The coverage of these important environments is comprehensive and individually addresses appropriate practice for all early childhood age groups. The fifth section moves into a discussion of making changes for the teachers and caregivers and how to gain support for those changes. Well-known curriculum approaches are also explored in-depth, allowing the reader to understand how these approaches fit into the principles of developmentally appropriate practice. Some new features include "What Would You Do?" and "Think About It" sections that encourage further thought and discussion, as well as current reference and reading suggestions to allow the reader to continue the learning process on their own.
Review
The text goes into great depth about each of the target age groups needs for physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language environments.
Review
The play section is well developed and provides excellent examples and theory
Review
Gestwicki's DAP is an excellent early childhood text. I think it is better than the text I currently use.
Synopsis
Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Curriculum and Development in Early Education, 3e is a thoughtful and comprehensive reference that is now even more effective with the addition of several new features and enhanced content. The book takes a topical approach and assumes some basic child development knowledge/experience, and is intended as a guide for thoughtful consideration of classroom and caregiver practices. In the first section, developmentally appropriate practice is discussed and explored, including an in-depth, extended section on the theory and research of play. Subsequent sections address environments such as physical, social/emotional, and cognitive/language. The coverage of these important environments is comprehensive and individually addresses appropriate practice for all early childhood age groups. The fifth section moves into a discussion of making changes for the teachers and caregivers and how to gain support for those changes. Well-known curriculum approaches are also explored in-depth, allowing the reader to understand how these approaches fit into the principles of developmentally appropriate practice. Some new features include "What Would You Do?" and "Think About It" sections that encourage further thought and discussion, as well as current reference and reading suggestions to allow the reader to continue the learning process on their own.
About the Author
Carol Gestwicki had been an instructor in the Early Childhood Education program at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, North Carolina, for more than 20 years. Her teaching responsibilities have included supervising students in classroom situations as they work with parents. Earlier in her career, she worked with children and families in a wide variety of community agencies and schools in Toronto, New York, New Jersey, and Namibia. She received her MA from Drew University. She has been an active member of NAEYC for many years, making numerous presentations at state and national conferences. Other publications include more than two dozen articles on child development and family issues, and script-writing and design of 14 audiovisual instructional programs.
Table of Contents
Preface. Acknowledgements. Chapter 1:Defining Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What It Is. Chapter 2: Defining Developmentally Appropriate Practice: What It Is Not. Chapter 3: Play in Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Chapter 4: Planning for Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum. Chapter 5: Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Infants. Chapter 6: Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Toddlers. Chapter 7: Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Preschoolers. Chapter 8: Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Primary Aged. Chapter 9: Developmentally Appropriate Cognitive/Language Environments: For Infants. Chapter 10: Developmentally Appropriate Cognitive/Language Environments: For Toddlers. Chapter 11: Developmentally Appropriate Cognitive/Language Environments: For Preschoolers. Chapter 12: Developmentally Appropriate Cognitive/Language Environments: For Primary Aged. Chapter 13: Steps Towards More Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Helping Teachers Change To More Appropriate Practice. Chapter 14: Helping Parents and Communities Understand Developmentally Appropriate Practice. Chapter 15: A Look at Developmentally Appropriate Programs.