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Please refer to Handout 1, “NAEYC Principles of Child Development.”
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Caring for young children begins with an understanding of child development so that providers can anticipate the needs of infants, toddlers, preschoolers and school-agers up to age eight. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) offers the following advice:
“To guide their decisions about practice, all early childhood teachers need to understand the developmental changes that typically occur in the years from birth through age eight and beyond, variations in development that may occur, and how best to support children’s learning and development during these years.” -NAEYC Position Statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (1996)
The continuum concept is an idea, coined by Jean Liedloff in her 1975 book The Continuum Concept, that human beings have an innate set of expectations that our evolutionary process has designed us to meet. According to Jean Liedloff, the continuum concept is the idea that in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human beings — especially babies — require the kind of experience to which our species adapted during the long process of our evolution. For example, infants whose continuum needs are fulfilled during the early, in-arms phase grow up to have greater self-esteem and become more independent than those whose cries go unanswered for fear of "spoiling" them or making them too dependent.
The early childhood learning continuum indicators are the developmental steps that a learner performs to demonstrate knowledge. They are not academic standards, but reflect a continuum of skills that are needed for all learners to be successful. The indicators are based on child development theory and authentic observations of the steps young children move through. These measurable indicators provide educators with information concerning what the learners should know and be able to do across a continuum of age or grade ranges.
The link between school readiness and high-quality care for early childhood is evident in every developmental domain and in every content area. Caregiver practices and center policies determine whether or not children will leave their program with the proper foundation for school-readiness. Educational research has consistently proven that there is as strong correlation between the quality of early childhood experience and later academic success,
“To guide their decisions about practice, all early childhood teachers need to understand the developmental changes that typically occur in the years from birth through age eight and beyond, variations in development that may occur, and how best to support children’s learning and development during these years.” -NAEYC Position Statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practices (1996)
The continuum concept is an idea, coined by Jean Liedloff in her 1975 book The Continuum Concept, that human beings have an innate set of expectations that our evolutionary process has designed us to meet. According to Jean Liedloff, the continuum concept is the idea that in order to achieve optimal physical, mental and emotional development, human beings — especially babies — require the kind of experience to which our species adapted during the long process of our evolution. For example, infants whose continuum needs are fulfilled during the early, in-arms phase grow up to have greater self-esteem and become more independent than those whose cries go unanswered for fear of "spoiling" them or making them too dependent.
The early childhood learning continuum indicators are the developmental steps that a learner performs to demonstrate knowledge. They are not academic standards, but reflect a continuum of skills that are needed for all learners to be successful. The indicators are based on child development theory and authentic observations of the steps young children move through. These measurable indicators provide educators with information concerning what the learners should know and be able to do across a continuum of age or grade ranges.
The link between school readiness and high-quality care for early childhood is evident in every developmental domain and in every content area. Caregiver practices and center policies determine whether or not children will leave their program with the proper foundation for school-readiness. Educational research has consistently proven that there is as strong correlation between the quality of early childhood experience and later academic success,
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School readiness is often defined within only a few dimensions of development. True readiness for school should include a foundation of social and emotional competence and a curiosity to continually seek out “what, why, and how.” True readiness is not a measurable set of criteria, but a foundation for later learning built on rich experiences.
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Alternate links for pop-ups:
NAEYC Principles of Child Development
Continuum of Children's Development in Early Reading and Writing
The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Ages 3-5
NAEYC Principles of Child Development
Continuum of Children's Development in Early Reading and Writing
The Creative Curriculum Developmental Continuum Ages 3-5