Hi everyone,
Just thought I'd add some more points from the position statement. We have been watching this conversation with interest and many thanks to everyone who has contributed their thoughts and ideas. We do encourage people to look at the recently revised DAP Position Statement itself. I have read the position statement many times and find that every time I consider a new question such as: "is saying age appropriate no longer something to do?" I find new insights and ideas.
Here are some thoughts and excerpts from the position statement that might provide some guidance on this conversation.
About using the term age appropriate:
Principle 4 from the 9 Principles on Child Development and Learning reads:
"Although general progressions of development and learning can be identified, variations due to cultural contexts, experiences, and individual differences must also be considered."
The section further discusses how child development takes place on a continuum and does differ among children of the same age:
"Development and learning also occur at varying rates from child to child and at uneven rates across different areas for each child. Children's demonstrated abilities and skills are often fluid and may vary from day to day based on individual or contextual factors. For example, because children are still developing the ability to direct their attention, a distraction in the environment may result in a child successfully completing a puzzle one day but not the next. In addition, some regression in observed skills is common before new developments are fully achieved.43 For all of these reasons, the notion of "stages" of development has limited utility; a more helpful concept may be to think of waves of development that allow for considerable overlap without rigid boundaries.44 "
We are tending not to use the terms ages and stages or age appropriate because of this. Of course there are still generalities that apply to age groups. These are commonalities, as described in the Core Considerations but these commonalities always need to be considered in relation to individuality and context which are also described in the core considerations.
Saying something is developmentally appropriate:
The section on History and Context describes why NAEYC moved away from the use of the term Best Practice.
Here is an excerpt:
"Unlike previous editions, this revision purposefully does not use the term "best practice." Rather, quality practices informed by evidence, research, and professional judgement are referred to as guidelines for early childhood educators' professional practice and are directly aligned to the Professional Standards and Competencies for Early Childhood Educators. This reframing reflects the concern that, especially when applied to specific practices, 'best' has often been used in the United States to reflect the dominant culture's assumptions."
I would emphasize that what is developmentally appropriate really does depend on the specific situation and contexts. What is developmentally appropriate in one setting with one group of children may not be developmentally appropriate in another. Perhaps this is what the person was referring to?
Susan Friedman
NAEYC
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Susan Friedman
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Washington DC
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-04-2021 11:51 AM
From: Alan Guttman
Subject: age appropriate
Dear Encian etal.,
Good morning. I hope you and your family are all well. Thanks so much for adding this valuable piece to the discussion. And thanks for the link to the position statement. Contextually Appropriate Practice reminds of me of Paulo Freire. Though Freire, in his book, "Pedagogy of the Oppressed, is focused on adult literacy, his principles and practices may be applicable in thinking about what is contextually appropriate when teaching young children. If you were not aware of or have not read this relatively short, easy to read book, first published in 1970, I highly recommend it.
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Alan Guttman
Baltimore MD
Original Message:
Sent: 03-04-2021 11:27 AM
From: Encian Pastel
Subject: age appropriate
DAP has a long history of critique, much of which has been addressed in its current iteration.
One alternative term I've heard from the field of childhood studies is "contextually appropriate practice." Here's a paper to reference: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Culturally-Inclusive-and-Contextually-Appropriate-Nganga-Akpovo/4e4970d519571dba919f2666e598e4f3b6e02ed5
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Encian Pastel
Children's Community Center, Gender Justice in Early Childhood, Bay Area Childcare Collective
Richmond CA
Original Message:
Sent: 02-26-2021 07:55 AM
From: Cynthia Mendez
Subject: age appropriate
Hi there! I am currently enrolled in a course that is teaching me how to become a certified CLASS Observer. In one of our breakout rooms yesterday, a person who is working on her doctorate in Education told us that it is no longer appropriate to use the terms "age-appropriate" or "developmentally appropriate". I was surprised to hear that. I tried to google the statement to see what I could read on the subject but I couldn't find anything referencing her statement. Is there anyone out there who has heard this and can elaborate on it? I am very interested in learning if this is true and the reasoning to go along with it if it is.
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Cynthia Mendez
Early Childhood Specialist
Smith Brown RCMA
Arcadia FL
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