©Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 7 Designing Developmentally Appropriate Environments Inside and Out.

©Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 7

Designing Developmentally

Appropriate Environments Inside and Out


Behavior Types

• Prosocial– Improves welfare of others or has a generally

positive effect

• Antisocial– Detracts from welfare of others or has a

generally negative effect


Developing Prosocial Behavior

• Children need– Appropriate role models– A nurturing social environment– Positive interactions with peers


Antisocial Behavior

• Lack of ethical restraint

• Lack of moral control

• Impulsiveness

• Inability to experience feelings of guilt


Environment

• Physical surroundings that influence the child’s growth

• Surroundings that affect development and learning

• Everything child sees, hears, touches, or experiences


Developmentally Appropriate Environments

• Caring community of learners

• Teaching in a way that enhances development and fosters authentic learning

• Appropriate curriculum linked to children’s stages of development

• Assessment focused on children’s holistic development

• Respectful and reciprocal relationships with families


Nurturing Social Environments

• Foster development of positive self-esteem in children

• Supportive, warm, caring, and developmentally appropriate


Limits

• Children must learn limits– Be safe– Be respectful– Be responsible


A nurturing adult is…

• An honest, emotionally healthy person who is both assertive and caring

• Able and willing to make sure that children’s rights are protected

• Willing to help children behave responsibly• Generous with affection that is not intrusive,

overwhelming, or one-sided


Competition versus Cooperation

• Competition reduces cooperation• Cooperation is working with others unselfishly

toward a common goal• A cooperative environment is a learning

community in which children work collaboratively


Child-Directed Activities

• Children select from appropriate range of materials for exploration

• Children choose activities that match their own interests and abilities

• Children’s natural curiosity and desire to learn instigate activities

• Children’s choices are not influenced by adult coercion


Learning Activities

• Relevant– Matched to child’s experiences, capabilities, and

interests

• Active– Lively activities encouraging movement– Fostering large and small motor skill practice

• Sensorial– Appealing to five senses—touch, taste, smell,

hearing, and sight


Consistent Routines

• Provide reliable, predictable flow of events

• Meet children’s need for food, rest, and activity

• Help children develop self-control


Corporal Punishment

• Physical retribution (spanking or paddling)

• Known to increase children’s aggression

• Slows children’s moral development

• May risk overall mental health of children


Affirmation, Affection, and Acceptance

• Assurance to children that they are wanted

• Appreciating children for their own individuality

• Letting children know that they do not need to conform or perform to be loved


Set the Stage for Positive Behavior

• Provide appropriate activities, materials, and routines

• Give unconditional affection and affirmation

• Provide recognition, not gushy or insincere praise

• Encourage children to cooperate rather than compete

• Protect child’s individual rights

Praise vs. Encouragement

• Recognition and encouragement are appropriate.

• Overabundance of gushy or insincere praise is inappropriate.

• Article: Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!“ by Alfie Kohn

YOUNG CHILDREN September 2001

Praise vs. Encouragement

• To praise is "to commend the worth of or to express approval or admiration" (Brophy, 1981, p.5).

• Dreikurs and others (1982) say that praise is usually given to a child when a task or deed is completed or is well done.

• Encouragement, on the other hand, refers to a positive acknowledgment response that focuses on student efforts or specific attributes of work completed.

• Unlike praise, encouragement does not place judgment on student work or give information regarding its value or implications of student status.

Praise

• Is product oriented

• Is nonspecific

• places a judgment on the student

• gives some indication of the student's status in the group

Encouragement

• Offers specific feedback rather than general comments. For example, instead of saying, "Terrific job," teachers can comment on specific behaviors that they wish to acknowledge.

• Focuses on improvement and efforts rather than evaluation of a finished product.

• Uses sincere, direct comments delivered with a natural voice.

Encouragement

• Does not set students up for failure. Labels such as "nice" or "terrific" set students up for failure because they cannot always be “nice" or "terrific".

• Helps students develop an appreciation of their behaviors and achievements.

• Avoids competition or comparisons with others.

• Works toward self-satisfaction from a task or product.

• Is process oriented.

Praise Encouragement

Your are the best student I ever had.

You are a fine student. Any teacher will appreciate and enjoy you.

You are always on time. You sure make an effort to be on time.

You have the highest score in the class on this exam.

You did very well on this exam.

I am so proud of you. You seem to really enjoy learning

You're the best helper I ever had.

The room looks very neat since you straightened the bookshelves.

I'm so proud of your artwork.

It is nice to see that you enjoy art.

Praise Encouragement

stimulates rivalry and competition

stimulates cooperation and contribution for the good of all

focuses on quality of performance

focuses on amount of effort and joy

evaluative and judgmental; person feels "judged"

little or no evaluation of person or act; person feels "accepted"

fosters selfishness at the expense of others

fosters self-interest, which does not hurt others

emphasis on global evaluation of the person-"You are better than others."

emphasis on specific contributions -"You have helped in this way."

creates quitters creates triers

fosters fear of failurefosters acceptance of being imperfect

fosters dependencefosters self-sufficiency and independence

©Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 7 Designing Developmentally Appropriate Environments Inside and Out.

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