The educational ideology of Developmentally Appropriate Practices (DAP) in childhood education is influential, despite remarkably little empirical study. This article relates DAP to changes in achievement and receptive language among former Head Start children and classmates in Grades 1-3 (including between 1,564 and 4,764 children in 869 to 1,537…

The "2006 Agenda for Children Louisiana Kids Count Special Report on Child Care" documents and describes the supply and affordability of child care and early education in each of Louisiana's 64 parishes. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of Louisiana's children under the age of five are cared for by someone other than a parent or guardian on a…

This paper is about the millennial generation. Much has been written about the generation: their character; beliefs; motivations; values; and future potentialities. This literature has gained momentum as marketers, employers, and educators seek to understand the generation as they come of age and enter into positions of social responsibility. The…

Many individuals who work with young children between birth and age 8 assume that literacy activities must be planned and executed as elaborate, formal lessons. The increasing pressure seeping through national accountability measures and the renewed focus on early literacy is trickling down to this age group. The Division for Early Childhood of…

A rite-of-passage program as a course of action for successfully transitioning Black young people into adulthood and fostering positive outcomes in their lives is the focus of this study. The program draws upon African traditional culture to impart values, improve self-concept, and develop cultural awareness. Utilizing data from a larger study,…

Foucault's notion of "regimes of truth" (MacNaughton 2005, 30) provides an understanding of how some discourses operate and network together to reinforce a particular powerful view of the world. These can be in oral or written forms. Early childhood education practices are drawn on the discourse of a document developed by the National Association…

Performance-based assessments require teacher candidates to demonstrate proficiency on specific teaching tasks and apply knowledge in authentic settings. This article describes the development and use of performance-based assessments (PBAs) for advancing the learning and evaluation of teacher candidates in an early childhood special education…

Enhancing Developmentally Oriented Primary Care (EDOPC) is a formal didactic curriculum based on Healthy Steps materials that is designed to improve practicing pediatricians' knowledge and confidence in developmental screening within the medical home. We modified the EDOPC program to provide a formal curriculum to pediatric residents serving…

A 1987 publication of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), "Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8" (DAP), postulated that programs for young children should be based on a balance between expectations for age level and individual…

This brochure provides information for parents on selecting a good early childhood program for their preschool-age child. The brochure describes how 3- and 4-year-olds learn, and gives examples of how a developmentally appropriate program approaches intellectual, social, motor, and language development in 3- and 4-year-olds. The brochure also…

This study evaluated the effect a developmentally appropriate curriculum, implemented as part of a Head Start Transition Project for public kindergarten through third grade to maintain and enhance the benefits attained by Head Start children and their families. Participating were two cohorts of students in demonstration and comparison classrooms…

Because the kindergarten curriculum of a small, rural elementary school appeared to be inappropriate for some children, a school psychologist implemented a practicum designed to provide a positive school experience for those not ready to learn from formal reading materials. The primary goal of the practicum was to provide activities during the…

This article explores the relationship between notions of development and practice in early education. Through an interpretive study of the experience of the "gift of time," the article follows small groups of children who delayed kindergarten entry, those who were relatively young but entered on time, and children retained in kindergarten to gain…

This paper asserts that infant-toddler teachers, like preschool teachers, need to be cognizant of individual children's developmental levels, chronological ages, and general developmental stages, as well as infant-toddler theories and developmentally appropriate practice for infants and toddlers. In that spirit, the paper describes the purpose and…

This document provides an examination of criticism directed towards developmental education. Ten common myths regarding the impact and effectiveness of developmental education are addressed and refuted. Some of the myths reviewed include the history of developmental education; theory-based developmental education programs; faculty training;…