- Teach staff members how to plan and implement learning experiences and activities for children and youth.
- Model processes that include observation, planning, and implementation.
- Observe and provide feedback on the experiences and activities offered by staff members.
Learn
Teach
In the last 50 years, the U.S. and most global economies have transformed into “knowledge economies.” In these economies, many workers make a living from their ideas or cognitive work like writing, developing, or creating. The children and youth you serve today will rely on their brains in ways we can only imagine now. The experiences and activities your program offers will help them become critical thinkers and leaders wherever life takes them. As an instructional leader, you play a critical role in helping staff identify, plan, and implement a curriculum that is not only developmentally appropriate, but also joyful!
You are likely familiar with developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). Developmentally appropriate practice is an approach to teaching grounded both in the research on how young children develop and learn and in what is known about effective early education (NAEYC, 2022). At its core, developmentally appropriate practice is a decision-making guide in which teachers use their knowledge of “commonality, individuality, and context.” By so doing, teachers promote each child’s optimal learning and development through a strengths-based approach to joyful, engaged learning. Teachers implement developmentally appropriate practice by recognizing the multiple assets all young children bring to the early-learning program as unique individuals and as members of families and communities (NAEYC, 2022). As a trainer or coach, you will help staff members make thoughtful and intentional decisions about learning experiences for children and youth.
You have the unique opportunity to support staff members across their careers as they learn to make decisions about experiences and activities that promote cognitive development. For new staff, you may focus on the basic requirements of your program. For example, you will provide staff members with appropriate lesson or activity forms, teach them how to complete the forms, how and where to turn them in, and how they will be monitored. Most importantly, though, you will help them understand why the experiences they are planning or implementing are important for children’s development. Help them understand and follow your program’s curriculum and help them learn about children’s progress through that curriculum. Here are a few examples of the important cognitive development that happens through experiences and activities. Examples are from the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning, 2020):
Examples of Cognitive Development in Experiences and Activities
Infants and Toddlers
- Exploration and Discovery:
Twenty-month-old Charles, who needs head and trunk support to sit, is in his corner sitter looking at the colorful balls on the carpet. Ms. Wallis picks up a red ball and a yellow ball and offers them to Charles, saying, “I see you looking at the balls. Here’s a yellow one and a red one. Which ball would you like to play with?” Charles reaches for the yellow one, and Ms. Wallis hands it to him. He puts in on his tray and rolls it using his right hand. Then he throws it to Ms. Wallis. Ms. Wallis comments, “Balls are for rolling, throwing, and catching. I wonder what else you can do with the ball while you sit?” - Memory:
After breakfast, the toddlers join Ms. Cruz in the living room to play a simple game of concentration. Ms. Cruz made the game using photos of the children playing in her family child care home. She also used photos of their parents waving to the children from the farm where they work. The players must match photos of the children with photos of their mamas and papas. Porcia turns over two cards and says, “Ese soy yo y hay Papá y Mamá.” - Reasoning and Problem-Solving:
The toddlers have been very interested in the insects they find on the playground, but they are having trouble seeing them up close. Ms. O’Meara suggests bringing magnifying glasses outside so they can investigate. She shows the children how to hold the magnifying glass by the handle and says, “Hold it above the roly-poly bug, then move it further away. What happens when you move the lens?” She reinforces her use of the tool to solve the problem by summarizing, “The magnifying glass helps us see very small objects up close!” - Emergent Mathematical Thinking:
In the infant and toddler room, everyone uses colorful plastic links. The babies hold and shake them and the toddlers use them to fill containers and dump them out. The teachers attach toys to the links and then to the buggy used for walks in the neighborhood. Today, Umberto, 24 months, has made a chain. Ms. Frank asks, “Umberto, how many links are in your chain? Let’s count them together.” Umberto starts, “Uno, dos, tres, diez …” - Imitation and Play:
Ms. Pierce has finished feeding 6-month-old Raoul his bottle. Next, they play a game of “This little piggy/Este pequeño chanchito.” Ms. Pierce removes Raoul’s socks and touches each toe while saying the rhyme. Raoul smiles and gurgles. When the rhyme is done, she puts Raoul’s socks back on, picks him up, and gently puts him on the floor for tummy time.
Preschool
- Counting and Cardinality:
The taco truck in the preschoolers’ dramatic play area is busy today. Maria, age 4½, is at the counter taking orders, while Bruno, also 4½, makes paper plate tacos. She asks a customer, “Orlando, how many tacos do you want?” “Cinco,” he says. Maria pretends to write down the number of tacos Orlando wants on a piece of paper. Then she relays the message to Bruno, who counts out five small plates, folding each one as he goes. He places them in a basket, adds some green tissue paper lettuce, and hands it to Maria. “Here you go. Cinco deliciosos tacos.” - Operations & Mathematic Thinking:
The music area in the preschool room is stocked with a variety of drums—homemade and purchased. Today, Ms. Lansky models a musical pattern on a large gathering drum. A group of 4-year-old children listen to the pattern, then repeat it on their own hand drums. Ms. Lansky makes the pattern more and more complex to challenge the children’s listening, drumming, and patterning skills. - Measurement:
After reading the book, Actual Size, to the preschoolers, Ms. Trent and the children talk about the amazing facts pictured in the book. Four-year-old Charlie says, “The gorilla’s hand is all that would fit on one page, but the whole mouse could fit on another page.” Ms. Trent adds, “Gorillas are very big. How big are our hands? How could we compare them to the gorilla’s hand?” - Geometry:
Mr. Vance sets up a painting activity using three-dimensional objects. The group of 3- and 4- year-old children can dip cans, yogurt cups, cotton balls, and small boxes in paint and stamp them on a large piece of brown paper to make a mural. Later, they discuss and name the shapes of the objects they used and the shapes on the paper. “The spheres made circle stamps and the cubes made squares.” Mr. Vance writes notes about what each child knows to include in their portfolios. When they get to the next program, their new teachers can use the portfolios to plan the curriculum. - Scientific Inquiry:
Last week, a nurse practitioner from the health clinic visited the program to explain to the children what takes place during a check-up. She demonstrated how to use a stethoscope and let the children take turns using it. The clinic just updated their equipment, so she left several older stethoscopes behind for the children’s use. Hazel puts on a stethoscope and listens to Abel’s heartbeat. “Can you hear it?” Abel asks. “I can,” says Hazel. “It goes lub dub, lub dub, lub dub.”
School-Age
- Reading and Writing:
School-age children write, cast, and perform a play based on a graphic novel they’ve been reading at school. They design the set, practice roles, and develop invitations over a series of weeks. - Mathematics:
Ms. May encourages the school-age children to explore geometry while constructing a habitat for local insects. They study the kinds of objects beneficial insects like to shelter in. They construct a “bug hotel” by measuring, cutting, and stacking cylinders of wood. They measure the height and work to ensure it is balanced and stable. - Science and Exploration:
Youth notice a fallen bird’s nest and research how to help the baby birds. They make a plan and contact local wildlife centers. - Social Studies:
Children have become interested in photography and animation. They work with staff to craft family histories and community stories through photograph and online software.
Teaching staff these complex skills and decision-making processes can be difficult. You can build your skills as a coach to help teach staff members about cognitive development across their careers. Consider each of the staff members below and how you would help support their development through coaching:
See Say Do
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Scenario | What you see:Percy is on staff in the school-age program. He graduated from high school one year ago and is enrolled in the local community college. Percy comes to work on time, but he seems very forgetful. He often forgets important things like his ID badge and work shirt. He is very good at building relationships with the kids, but he is most often seen camped out on the couch in the videogame room. Sometimes, you feel like he is one of the kids. He has strong interactions, but he needs support around instruction. |
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Scenario | What you see:Trish writes excellent lesson plans for preschool. You have even asked her to share them with others as examples. While you’re observing in the classroom, though, you notice that the math activities she carefully plans don’t seem to happen. When you talk to her about it, she shares her anxiety about math. She wasn’t good at math in school, and she still avoids math any way she can. She knows what she is supposed to do and spends time on the Internet finding interesting ideas. When it comes time to do them, though, she gets nervous and finds something else to do (like guide a child’s behavior, monitor the art area, or spend time following a child’s interest in another area). All of these are important things, but she is not addressing math. |
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Scenario | What you see:Roderick runs your school-age science program. He spends a lot of time preparing experiments and is very conscientious about child safety. You have noticed, however, that the children don’t seem excited about the science program. Fewer and fewer children are choosing it. As you observe, you notice that Roderick seems to be very rigid in his experiments. He does not ask questions, he does not encourage the children to ask questions, and all experiments have one “correct” outcome. You are concerned that he doesn’t have realistic expectations for children’s experiences. |
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Scenario | What you see:Juana has developed an impressive investigation in her preschool classroom. After ordering some new furniture for the classroom, the children were fascinated by the boxes the furniture came in. Juana and her team worked with the children to develop a concept web about boxes. The children seemed most interested in how boxes were delivered, so the class investigated the topic. It culminated in a trip to the local post office. Juana’s documentation and planning process made sure every child reached learning objectives. Juana is ready to mentor others and might need support around sharing her expertise. |
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Scenario | What you see:Bryshon offers amazing learning experiences in his infant room. He is a responsive caregiver and seems to intuitively understand how to promote cognitive development during caregiving routines. Unfortunately, the lesson plans he turns in are always of very low quality. There is no documentation of the great work he is doing with the infants. You’re so pleased with how he is doing in the classroom, but you know paperwork is also an important part of the job. |
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Model
When you help staff members plan and deliver effective learning experiences for children and youth, you are modeling for staff members. You are collecting information about staff members’ practices or skill level. You are using that information to make professional development decisions. Then you are observing, providing feedback, and using observations to inform future planning. This is what we want staff members to do in their work with children. This parallel process is a very powerful tool for teaching adult learners.
It is also important to model curiosity, problem-solving, and data-based decision-making. To do so, you must be informed. There are many ways to stay informed about evidence-based practice. The Internet offers several reputable sources for learning more about up-to-date research. Much research to date has focused on school-age populations, but more and more research is dedicated to early care and education. Good places to look for information about evidence-based practice include:
- Penn State Clearinghouse https://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu
- What Works Clearinghouse http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/
- Best Evidence Encyclopedia https://bestevidence.org/
- Infant, Toddler, Preschool, and Home-based Curriculum Consumer Report https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/curriculum/consumer-report
As staff develop or design learning experiences, you might:
- Provide encouragement and feedback on conducting a lesson or collecting data.
- Model teaching strategies or interactions.
- Observe and note teaching opportunities. Share these at a meeting and brainstorm additional opportunities for teaching important skills.
- Meet with the team (teacher, assistants, specialists, families) to plan additional learning experiences based on ongoing assessment data.
- Help narrow the focus and plan for an individual child or small group.
- Review planning forms and provide feedback on how curriculum objectives were addressed during your visit.
- Problem-solve and brainstorm solutions for individual children who seem to struggle with curriculum activities.
You can also model playful, experiential learning for the adults in your program. Encourage adults to experiment with new materials and ideas. What sparks curiosity for them? What could they explore with the children? Staff members may enjoy learning how to code and teaching that skill to youth, exploring the habitat of insects in a green space, or investigating what happens to the recyclables collected in the building. Join with staff when they are trying a new, creative experience and learn alongside the children.
Observe
You should focus on getting to know each classroom or program’s needs. It is important to spend time observing. You may use observation tools provided by your program or those available commercially. It is also important to ask staff members what their immediate needs or challenges are. Their perspectives might be different from your own, and this is very important information to have.
Staff members offer a range of cognitive experiences to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children. These videos will explore the range of supports staff might need. As you watch, think about how you might support each staff member.
Promoting Infants' and Toddlers' Cognitive Development
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Promoting Preschoolers' Cognitive Development
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Supporting School-Age Children's Cognitive Development
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In conclusion, you have an important role in helping children develop and learn. You can help staff members develop appropriate learning experiences for all children. In so doing, you improve children's cognitive development and school success.
Explore
Staff members offer a range of learning experiences and activities to infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children and you play a critical role in sharing feedback on what you see. Use the Sharing Feedback activity to think about how you might support staff members in your program as you write your response to each scenario. Then compare your answers to the suggested responses.
Apply
It is important to help staff members reflect on the learning experiences they provide. Use the Questions to Ask: Experiences and Activities guide to help you talk to staff members as they plan for experiences and activities.
Glossary
Demonstrate
Best Evidence Encyclopedia: https://bestevidence.org
Buysse & Wesley (2006). Evidence-based practice in the early childhood field. Washington, DC: Zero to Three.
Child Care and Early Education Research Connections (n.d.). https://www.researchconnections.org
Copple, C. & Bredekamp, S. (Eds.). (2022). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8, 4th ed.. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Dodge, D. T., Colker, L. J., & Heroman, C. (2016). Creative curriculum for preschool (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.
Helm, J. H., & Katz, L. (2011). Young Investigators: The project approach in the early years. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Heroman, C. (2005). Creative Curriculum Study Starters. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.
Heroman, C., Jablon, J., Stetson, C., & Aghayan, C. Mack, B., & Martinez, C. (201309). Coaching to fidelity, 6th ed. The coach's guide to the creative curriculum for preschool. Washington, DC: Teaching Strategies Inc.
National Center for Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning. Effective practice guides: Cognition. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/school-readiness/effective-practice-guides/cognition
Penn State Clearinghouse: http://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu
U.S. Department of Education. Identifying and Implementing educational practices supported by rigorous evidence: A user friendly guide. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/pubs/evidence_based/evidence_based.asp
U.S. Office of Head Start. Curriculum consumer report: Reviews and ratings of comprehensive curricula. https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/curriculum/consumer-report
What Works Clearinghouse: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/