Prior to beginning work on this discussion, read Chapters 5 and 8 in your textbook and review the website Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. As the authors of our text note,

Since its founding in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has been an influence on early education in the United States, but never so strongly as it has been since it began writing position statements in the 1980s. (Estes & Krogh, 2012, p. 98)

One of the position statements that NAEYC created focuses on developmentally appropriate practice. Understanding what DAP is and how it will influence your work with children is critical to being a quality early childhood educator.

To deepen your understanding of developmentally appropriate practice, spend some time exploring NAEYC’s website. Pay particular attention to the section of the website dedicated to Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. While exploring the site, you can learn more about what DAP is, read NAEYC’s position statement on DAP, and learn how DAP can be implemented with different ages of children. When you are finished exploring the site, complete the following:

• In your own words, explain what the term developmentally appropriate practice means to you.
• Describe at least two personal connections you made with the DAP information you discovered on the NAEYC site.
• Summarize three main things you learned from exploring the site. How will they impact your career in early childhood education?