Thoughtful and comprehensive, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE: CURRICULUM AND DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY EDUCATION, 6th Edition, is designed to meet the needs of new early childhood students as well as experienced teachers, professionals, and parents. It provides an overview of the concepts and theoretical foundations of appropriate practices in every developmental domain and discusses the practical implications for teachers and caregivers. The text reflects the NAEYC position statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice and includes content on aligning early childhood teaching practices with national and state education standards, in addition to many student-oriented features and applications. Among other changes, this edition includes new integration of professional standards, model letters for communicating with families, real-world scenarios for practicing intentional decision-making, and the latest on brain research relevant to early education. The text covers the most widely used and regarded curriculum models, including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, High Scope, Creative Curriculum, Bank Street, and Waldorf.

Part I: DEFINING DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE.
1. Defining Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
2. Understanding Play: Its Importance in Developmentally Appropriate Practice.
3. Planning for Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum.
4. A Consideration of Various Curriculum Models.
Part II: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTS.
5. Developmentally Appropriate Physical Environments: For Infants.
6. Developmentally Appropriate Physical Environments: For Toddlers.
7. Developmentally Appropriate Physical Environments: For Preschoolers.
8. Developmentally Appropriate Physical Environments: For Primary-Age Children.
Part III: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL ENVIRONMENTS.
9. Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Infants.
10. Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Toddlers.
11. Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Preschoolers.
12. Developmentally Appropriate Social/Emotional Environments: For Primary-Age Children.
Part IV: DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS.
13. Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environments: For Infants.
14. Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environments: For Toddlers.
15. Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environments: For Preschoolers.
16. Developmentally Appropriate Learning Environments: For Primary-Age Children.
Glossary.
List of Useful Figures and Boxes.
References.
Index.

Thoughtful and comprehensive, DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE PRACTICE: CURRICULUM AND DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY EDUCATION, 6th Edition, is designed to meet the needs of new early childhood students as well as experienced teachers, professionals, and parents. It provides an overview of the concepts and theoretical foundations of appropriate practices in every developmental domain and discusses the practical implications for teachers and caregivers. The text reflects the NAEYC position statement on Developmentally Appropriate Practice and includes content on aligning early childhood teaching practices with national and state education standards, in addition to many student-oriented features and applications. Among other changes, this edition includes new integration of professional standards, model letters for communicating with families, real-world scenarios for practicing intentional decision-making, and the latest on brain research relevant to early education. The text covers the most widely used and regarded curriculum models, including Reggio Emilia, Montessori, High Scope, Creative Curriculum, Bank Street, and Waldorf. *NEW* "Family Communication" feature in each chapter presents a letter that may be used to communicate with families about specific classroom topics. Students may download the model letters, adapt them to fit their situation, and use them in the field. Topics include explaining curriculum choices, the importance of the outdoors, dealing with "No," and encouraging families to read to their babies. *NEW* "DAP Means Making Decisions" feature supports teacher intentionality. Students read a scenario of a typical dilemma, consider relevant information in their decision-making process, and then formulate a response as to how they would handle the situation. *NEW* Coverage of up-to-date brain research offers insights relevant to early childhood education. These discussions appear throughout the primary narrative and in new "Notes from Neuroscience" features, highlighted by a brain icon. *NEW* Integration of professional standards helps students make connections between what they are learning in the textbook and the standards. A list of standards covered appears at the beginning of each chapter. A complete list of the standards, including NAEYC, appears in the standards correlation charts on the book's inside covers. "Becoming a Reflective Practitioner" features encourage students to think about their own experiences and connect those experiences to their future practice as teachers. The "Advice from Master Teachers" feature highlights practical tips and techniques that teachers can use starting on their first day of class. A "Diversity Considerations" feature illustrates specific child rearing and caregiving practices that may vary across cultures and ethnicities, such as using infant floor play, fostering independence in young children, and interacting with teachers. In addition, references to teacher practices related to diversity are highlighted throughout. The text reflects the most recent position statements and standards, with frequent references to NAEYC and other professional standards. NAEYC standards are also listed on the endsheets. Extensive end-of-chapter resources include chapter summaries, "Think About It" activities, and "Apply Your Knowledge: Case Study" questions.