This post will look at how the early childhood community handles the individuality of children in the real world. It will specifically look at how developmentally appropriate practice influences this reality.
All Children Are Individuals
The previous statement should be a no-brainer. We all know that we are unique individuals with different personalities. However, when it comes to education that fact sometimes falls prey to the latest fad of the educational elite. Even the fad that involves individualizing instruction actually has a one-size-fits-all foundation. In early childhood speak, individualizing instruction usually involves the discovery style of instruction almost exclusively. I have yet to really see individualization of instruction occur outside of the homeschooling movement. I truly believe this is a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Standardization and the creation of an educational establishment have been baked into our national psyche to the point where we cannot reach true individualization. It is like removing an entitlement. Once it becomes an established idea, all future models must start from its foundation. But standardization and our present model of education are part of the problem. We believe we must group children according to age. We believe that group instruction is absolutely necessary for development. We believe socialization and education must be joined at the hip. All of these beliefs stand in the way of true individualization of education. The only group in this nation that defies all of these beliefs is the homeschooling movement. All "schools" that try to deviate from educational norms are demonized including homeschooling parents. We cannot fix this problem until we change the conversation on educational choice.
Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Now let us take this into the early childhood realm. What educational standards and norms have done for the public school system, developmentally appropriate practice does for the early childhood front. Everything in the early childhood world revolves around developmentally appropriate practice. It is preached at those studying early childhood at all levels. Anyone who dares question developmentally appropriate practice is considered a heretic at best. Some poor souls have suffered considerably for making that egregious error. However, if you look at the foundational principles of developmentally appropriate practice, you might begin to see the same issues with standardization. Those practices were built on norms. That means that they only apply to those children that fit the middle range of the tested population. Those children that fall outside the middle range on both ends do not comply with these standards. I have had my share of heated discussions with assessors over the application of these standards when dealing with autistic and developmentally delayed children. I had the same objections with advanced and gifted children but did not even attempt that war. Children with disabilities do have protected status in our culture to some degree. Unfortunately, advanced and gifted children have nothing. Even then with their protected status as children with disabilities, developmentally appropriate practice is the sacred cow that no one could touch. It does not matter that these standards did not fit the children. Developmentally appropriate practice is the irrefutable foundation that all practices in early childhood MUST be built upon. To even propose anything other than this is heresy. As I said before, this problem is like removing an entitlement.
How Does Developmentally Appropriate Practice Hurt Individuality of Instruction?
Because this concept is so ingrained in the psyche of early childhood professionals, I know I will have to really spell this out. Around the age of 2 children begin what I like to refer to as the split in ability. Some 2 year olds can speak in complete sentences and some children barely put two words together. This split increases in intensity as children age. Those children that are at the top of their age group outpace the rest of their age group, and those children that are at the bottom of their age group drag behind consistently. This widens the gap with the passage of time. By the time children are 4 years old the difference in actual ability can span what most consider two or three grade levels of instruction. This huge span of ability makes group instruction very difficult. As I have stated before, developmentally appropriate practice was built on norms. What is considered developmentally appropriate practice for each age group really only applies to the middle of the pack. Those children on the top and bottom end of this huge chasm of ability either are not challenged or cannot possibly keep up. A great deal of issues in group instruction can be attributed to those children that are not challenged or in over their head. They often disrupt because the instruction does not fit their need. Some four year olds are absolutely ready to start reading instruction and some four year olds barely know their body parts and basic colors. Developmentally appropriate practice acts as if these children do not exist.
How to Encourage Individuality of Instruction for Children
The first step is to acknowledge the huge spread of ability. That should seem obvious but our culture has a tendency to ignore the obvious when it does not fit their narrative. Remember developmentally appropriate practice is THE narrative in early childhood circles. Once you admit the obvious, you begin to group children by ability instead of age. Some four year olds should be grouped with 3 year olds with the same ability level. Some two year olds can hang with some 4 year olds easily. However, the best way to insure individuality of instruction involves actually teaching children one-on-one instead of in groups. This is the only method of teaching that allows you to tailor instruction to the strengths and weaknesses of each child. We really should not rely so heavily on group activities in the early years and let children develop group social skills during free play time. We could accomplish so much more with each and every child if the instruction were truly tailored to that child. When we do that, then developmentally appropriate practice becomes irrelevant. I like to use the term individually appropriate practice. What is appropriate for some two year olds would not be appropriate for some three year olds. Each child develops at his/her own pace regardless of how we want them to develop. This mindset frees up those with advanced and gifted children to teach them to read when those children are ready. It also frees up those with developmentally delayed children to let them hit the educational milestones when they are ready. This is a win-win situation for everyone.
Conclusion
As a former homeschooling mom of a gifted child and as a childcare provider that has had quite a number of children on the autism spectrum, I speak with years and years of expertise on this matter. Children are individuals. They need to be taught the way and pace suited for them and not some concocted standards.
I hope you have enjoyed this post. Goodbye and God bless!!
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