02 Feb Think about one or more

Unit 1 discussion

DQ1 Introductions & Influential Teachers

1. Introductions:

Please introduce yourself to everyone that you will be working with for the next 8 weeks! In addition to your name/nickname, please include the following:

Where you live (i.e., country, state, town);

Your experiences with young children – ages birth through 8 years old;

Your future goals;

What you hope to learn in this class; and

Your attitudes and beliefs about the importance of reading and writing for young children today.

2. Influential Teachers

Mimi Brodsky-Chenfeld states: “Whatever else good teaching is, it is teaching in which our hearts and minds are fully engaged in connecting with children’s hearts and minds. This is what I call “teaching in the key of life.” For nearly 60 years, Mimi has been “teaching in the key of life” and is still going strong.

Think about one or more teachers who had the greatest influence on your learning. What were some of their personal and/or professional characteristics that inspired or motivated you? Which of these characteristics will you try to emulate as a teacher? Please tell us why.

Note: Be sure to describe and discuss specific connections to professional standards and roles and responsibilities gained from the initial course readings and videos.

DQ2 Developmentally Appropriate Practice

For some of you, developmentally appropriate practice, known as “DAP,” may be a brand new topic. Others may have years of experience implementing DAP possibly since its inception in 1987. Using explicit examples from the Unit 1 readings and videos, describe your initial understanding of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) and gained insights about its fundamental value for children’s early education. If you are teaching, share one or two examples of how you implement DAP. If you are not yet teaching, give an example of how you might implement it in your future teaching. Discuss with your classmates how developmentally appropriate practice supports inclusive classrooms, multicultural curriculum, and/or effective family engagement.