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DAP principles paper

DAP

DAP stands for developmentally appropriate practice but what does it really mean? DAP

is what guides teachers in their classroom. It is a set of 12 principles that helps teachers become

successful by giving children the best environment for learning. DAP means putting the child

first in the classroom, it means practicing what is best for the child, and it means being

intentional with teaching (Olsen). Developmentally appropriate practice is so important because

it can help teachers to think about why they are there, which is to teach children as best they can.

This in turn helps teachers be intentional in their teaching (Olsen). When teachers are intentional

the focus goes directly to the children (Olsen).

When teaching children DAP has 3 main guidelines for testing the appropriateness of the

activities or lesson which are age, individual, and cultural (Olsen). To test, they ask if it is

appropriate in each category, Age: is it appropriate for this age, individual: is it appropriate for

the each individual, and cultural: is it culturally appropriate for every child (Olsen). When using

DAP in a classroom it should be the goal to be as individually, culturally, and age appropriate as

possible (Olsen). Teachers are best at teaching young children when they are following DAP

principles (Copple). This means knowing each child as whole child and what helps them to learn

best. (Copple).

When practicing DAP it is important to know not only why the principles are important

but also what they are. When teachers know DAP well they can recall the information they need

in the moment (Olsen). By knowing and practicing DAP principles they come to know each
child, and what is appropriate for that individual child. This means knowing that because

children learn differently they need to be taught in different ways (Copple). These principles are

important in preparing them for all future learning (Copple). All 12 principles come back to

finding the best way to teach children and prepare them to have meaningful lives.

Domains of Learning

DAP principle number one talks about the importance of teaching in all the

domains of development, these domains are: Physical, Social and Emotional, and Cognitive

(Copple). When it comes to the classroom in order to be developmentally appropriate each

domain must be represented (Olsen). This will look differently in each age range in order to stay

within the ability of the children.

In a preschool classroom the children learn much from physical play this could be

represented in large dramatic play with hands on activities, and lots of outdoors time (Copple).

This gives the teacher the task of having good dramatic play materials each day and planning

according to weather. Cognitive development at this age is drastically different than the toddler

years, the children start to think beyond the here and now and begin to have greater recall,

because of this teaching should become more engaging in helping to hold the child’s interest, this

is one reason why intentional teaching is so important (Olsen). In social and emotional

development preschool age children are just starting to develop social interactions and create

friendships, to help with this, activities should be geared toward small groups where the children

can practice interacting with one to three children at a time (Copple). Teachers then have the task

of setting certain areas with just enough chairs to support this development and helping children
start those discussions with peers (Olsen). Each of the areas are important in the classroom and

none of them should be overlooked.

How have theorists influenced teaching in the classroom?

Each of the theorists over the last several hundred years have influenced teaching in child

development to some degree. Whether by teaching what not to do or by helping teachers to

understand children better, DAP is a foundation built on the research of some of the first

theorists. These beginning theorists are used extensively in classrooms for training and

understanding child development (Olsen).

One of the first philosophers in child development was John Locke, it was his belief that

children were born as “blank slates” and this helped teachers to focus on teaching children and

their whole development from day one. It is because of Pestalozzi that the first school was

created, without this child development classrooms may not be how they are today, and

Comenius was the first philosopher to talk about the extreme importance of play. Some of these

philosophers and theorists left behind programs, like the Montessori schools and the Waldorf

programs and others have just left behind their theories. It is because these philosophers and

theorists that there are so many great programs today (Olsen).

Maria Montessori is one whose influence can be seen in almost every classroom around

the world even today. Montessori brought in and talked about the importance of children feeling

comfortable in their learning environment and being able to use the space around them, this

brought the production of child size furniture (Olsen). Another huge influence was Rudolf

Steiner. Steiner created the first day care in the workplace which helped women to be able to
work, this eventually turned into the Waldorf schools (Olsen). Although not all these theorists

have good research that is used today each of them helped to start the discussion on why child

development is so important and why best practices should be implemented.

The Importance of play

Imaginative and creative play are being lost very quickly, every day children all over the

nation are playing less than in past generations (Moyer). Certain types of play tend to get

overlooked and deemed unimportant, and one of them is imaginative play. There are many

developmental milestones that are supported through this type of play and yet it goes

unrecognized (Moyer). Some different types of play include, physical or big body play, pretend

play, object or constructive play, and competitive play (Olsen). In imaginative play the child gets

to decide what they are playing, who they are playing with, what the rules are etc. in structured

play, the children have to follow rules set by others (Moyer). Imaginative play is so incredibly

important because it gives children time to be creative and express themselves. Free play can

help children develop social skills, creativity skills, problem solving skills, exploration skills, and

much more (Moyer). Play is a child’s own learning time. Time is the biggest enemy, children

need time to play and develop the social, mental, and emotional skills that come from free play.

Theorist’s contributions to play

One great theorist that contributed to building a better system for child education is

Rudolph Steiner. He founded the Waldorf schools and believed in teaching the whole child

which meant: head, heart, and hands (Olsen). Rudolf Steiner has been able to open the minds of

new generations by using eurhythmy, a type of full body dancing, to engage in the physical

aspect of play mentioned earlier. Steiner also believed in children being involved in nature while
they play so that they can explore and learn from their surroundings (Olsen). This had a major

impact on how play is perceived today, helping teachers to explore and spend more time with

play, especially imaginative play.

References
Copple, C. (n.d.). Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
McQuain, B. (n.d.). Giants in the nursery.
Moyer, M. W. (n.d.). The serious need for play.
Olsen, K. (n.d.). Class, Child 230.