1.2 Applies the process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation to support children's growth through developmentally appropriate practices.
1.2 b. Recognizes and addresses how developmental variations and family culture, language, and environment influence a child’s growth and development
1.2 c. Uses observation and assessment processes to understand children's strengths, interests, and the skills they are working to master.
1.2 g. Facilitates opportunities for children to learn and practice skills
1.2 k. Identifies children who may benefit from further professional support
1.3 d. Creates an environment and daily schedule that encourages trust and social interaction with other children and adults.
1.3 e. Helps children cope with separation and transition
1.3 f. Uses tone, words, and gestures to let children know they are respected.
1.3 g. Provides opportunities for children to help, to make choices, and to do things for themselves.
1.3 i. Recognizes when children show self-discipline and self-control.
1.3 j. Finds ways to help children feel successful, identify and pursue interests, and develop a sense of personal identity
1.3 k. Uses empathy to help children recognize and understand their emotions.
1.3 l. Helps children value their ethnic and cultural traditions, while respecting the views and experiences of others
1.3 m. Encourages children to value and appreciate each other’s strengths
1.3 n. Helps children build upon their strengths and work on their challenges
1.3 o. Models cooperative work and critical thinking skills to help children problem-solve and resolve conflict
1.3 p. Encourages cooperative work or play
1.4 b. Provides opportunities for children to make meaningful choices
1.4 c. Understands the parent’s/caregiver’s role in supporting the child’s development of self-regulation
1.4 e. Creates an environment and provides strategies that help children:
- Manage strong emotions and calm themselves
- Focus their attention to remain actively engaged with activities and materials
- Read the signals of the environment to learn how to respond appropriately
- Cope with fear, anger, and frustration
- Use language to share their needs
- Consider the needs of others
- Use problem-solving and conflict resolution strategies
1.4 f. Provides appropriate guidance to assist children in understanding the results of their actions
1.4 g. Recognizes that a child’s ability to exercise self-regulation and control over his/her body functions, emotions, and behavior emerges over time as a developmental process
1.4 h. Analyzes and adjusts expectations and activities based on the child’s ongoing needs and energy levels
1.4 j. Investigates and provides for children’s sensory preferences
1.7 a. Engages children in conversations
1.7 c. Creates environments that encourage developmentally appropriate exploration of toys, objects, and materials.
1.7 d. Plans experiences to support a child’s developing interests and build on previous learning
1.7 e. Engages children in activities to support the development of play and problem-solving skills
1.7 h. Uses open-ended questions to encourage child-initiated interactions
1.8 b. Creates an environment where children have access to a variety of developmentally appropriate objects and materials to support early and emergent literacy
1.8 c. Provides opportunities for children to see adults reading and using written language for a variety of purposes
1.8 d. Promotes an environment where children are encouraged to listen and communicate with others
1.10 a. Invites children to initiate and design their own play
1.10 b. Responds to children’s needs and interests as they play
1.10 c. Joins children’s play only when the adult’s participation will enhance the child’s play
1.10 g. Assists children in sharing toys and materials with one another and teaches children how to take turns.
4. 1 a. Knows and honors the beliefs, values, and traditions of all children and their families
4.1 c. Shows genuine interest in children’s experiences, ideas, and work.
4.1 d. Uses a variety of strategies for building relationships such as engaging in meaningful and extended conversations, respecting each child’s uniqueness, using children’s names, being at children’s eye level, and smiling at children.
4.1 e. Creates opportunities for children of different races, cultures, languages, abilities, and genders to work and play together.
4.1 f. Practices and models responsive, consistent, encouraging, and nurturing interactions that build positive relationships.
4.1 h. Recognizes strengths in every child and family and is able to communicate those strengths
4.1 j. Responds and adapts to each child, accommodating his/her temperament, personality, strengths, interests, and development pattern
4.1 l. Respects children’s choices and supports them in the decision-making process.
4.2 a. Plans, implements, and adapts a supportive learning environment that promotes children’s safety, positive interactions, and behaviors
4.2 b. Designs schedules that are predictable but flexible
4.2 c. Establishes clear, consistent, and realistic boundaries based on developmentally appropriate expectations
4.2 d. Makes sure expectations for routines and tasks are clear and purposeful for all children
4.2 e. Teaches the steps involved in routines and tasks (i.e., repeats directions, provides visual support while giving directions, uses visual and/or verbal prompts to help children follow through when necessary)
4.2 f. Uses a steady, calm tone and consistent, predictable signals when providing direction and redirection to children
4.2 g. Uses a variety of strategies to engage and maintain children’s attention and active participation.
4.2 h. Ensures materials reflect the languages and cultures represented in the program and uses them to reduce potential bias and discrimination
4.2 i. Keeps transitions to a minimum and makes them short, meaningful, and consistent using clear visual and auditory signals to support children
4.2 j. Uses positive guidance strategies to prevent challenging behavior from occurring and/or reoccurring
4.3 b. Supports environmental arrangements that promote social and emotional development (i.e., a quiet space for children to calm down)
4.3 c. Develops clear and developmentally appropriate expectations with children and states them in a positive form (i.e., “walk please” vs. “no running”)
4.3 f. Models positive social interactions, such as friendship skills, empathy, and respect
4.3 h. Provides children with time, space, trust, support, and guidance to assist them in finding their own solutions to social problems.
4.3 i. Supports children in communicating their thoughts and emotions with peers and adults in ways that help them feel competent.
4.3 j. Teaches children effective and socially appropriate ways to meet their wants and needs.
4.3 n. Allows time for the child to regain composure following challenging behavior
4.3 o. Addresses challenging behavior with the child, privately, with sensitivity and respect, following the incident
4.4 a. Designs an environment to include:
- personal space for each child to ensure his/her sense of belonging and security
- both active and quiet spaces
- large muscle activity and movement spaces
- adequate space for walkways, as well as gathering and work spaces
- clear boundaries in the physical environment that help children know where centers begin and end
- appropriate child-sized furniture
- unobstructed views of all areas within the space
- space for child selected grouping
- space that is inviting to families
- private meeting space
4.4 e. Uses visual signs, including pictures and word labels, to define play areas and storage of materials
