Developmentally Appropriate Practice

The concept of Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) has been associated specifically with the education of infants, toddlers, and young children, and championed by the National Association for Education of Young Children. However, it is relevant to the education of learners of any age. You may wish to contact any of a number of web sites, in addition to that of NAEYC (http://www.naeyc.org).

NAEYC position statement on developmentally appropriate practice (July 1996), at: http://www.naeyc.org/about/positions/dap3.asp

Application of developmentally appropriate practice in child care settings, at: http://www.cmu.edu/hr/child-care/position.html

More research studies on effectiveness of developmentally appropriate practice in kindergarten and the primary grades: http://www.icyber.com/excell/bktnq.html

National Education Goals

You may wish to access information concerning educational reform and consider how those efforts consider developmental characteristics and needs of children and youth.

National Education Goals Archived Information http://www.ed.gov/G2K/index.html

Cognitive Development Theories

The following websites provide insights into cognitive development theories and their most important theorists:

Jean Piaget: http://www.oikos.org/Piagethom.htm
L. S. Vygotsky: http://www.psy.pdx.edu/PsiCafe/KeyTheorists/Vygotsky.htm

Reggio Emilia Approaches

The following will give more information on the Reggio Emilia approach to the education of young children:

http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/poptopics/reggio.html
http://www.cmu.edu/cyert-center/rea.htm

Middle Schools

Contact these web sites for research and other information concerning middle school education:

National Middle School Association http://www.nmsa.org/
Middle School Commentary http://www.angelfire.com/mo/drmtch/

History of Kindergarten

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7905/web2003.html
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7905/fblkind.html

Children's Defense Fund

This web site provides a great deal of information on the status and condition of children in the United States http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Head Start Programs

For the history, values and goals of Head Start, see the Head Start page at:

http://www.ilheadstart.org/history.html

For research on Head Start Programs, see:

http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/research/