Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Teaching the Whole Child

This professional learning workshop supports early childhood educators in implementing developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) to nurture the whole child—socially, emotionally, physically, and cognitively. Through interactive activities and case studies, participants explore how to design environments, routines, and instruction that align with children’s developmental stages and cultural contexts. The session emphasizes the teacher’s role in scaffolding play, observing learning, and fostering inclusion and family partnerships to create equitable, responsive classrooms.

• Difficulty distinguishing what is developmentally appropriate for children at varying stages.
  
  
• Overemphasis on academics without attention to play, culture, and individual differences.
  
  
• Limited strategies for inclusion, language access, and equitable family engagement.
  
  
• Ineffective observation and documentation practices that miss opportunities for formative teaching

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1. Understanding and Applying DAP Principles
   Participants will learn to design instruction that fits each child’s age, individual needs, and cultural background, ensuring learning experiences that are meaningful and engaging.
   
   
2. Creating Play-Based and Inclusive Environments
   Educators will gain strategies to design classroom spaces, routines, and daily schedules that promote exploration, independence, belonging, and equitable participation for all learners—including multilingual and special needs students.
   
   
3. Using Observation and Family Partnerships to Inform Practice
   Teachers will strengthen their ability to observe, document, and use student behaviors and interactions to guide instructional decisions while building authentic partnerships with families to support learning continuity between home and school

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