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| Developmental information based on what is known about ages and stages is only one of three bases of knowledge for making decisions about what children need; the early childhood educator must consult (1) developmental knowledge, (2) knowledge of the individual child, and (3) knowledge of the cultural context. Developmental expectations differ from culture to culture. Regarding the individual is also important for children with special needs because they may not progress according to norms or schedules. The early childhood program serves children from birth through age eight. Broken down into eight stages, young children's developmental needs are as follows (in brief): (1) young infants need a trusting relationship, (2) mobile infants need freedom to explore safely, (3) toddlers need freedom to expand their horizons (4) two-year-olds need freedom to become more autonomous (5) three-year-olds need opportunities for expanding competence, (6) four-year-olds need support for developing a sense of initiative, (7) five-year-olds need support to deal with their expanding world, and (8) school-age children need encouragement to regard themselves as good learners. |