Quality Rating 2: Developmental Progress
Instructions
To meet the requirements for Developmentally Appropriate Learning and Practice: Developmental Progress: DAP 9.2, you will upload a statement that describes:
- How your program conducts observations
- Who conducts the observations
- When and how often observations are conducted
- How information from observations is used to inform program activities
The Policy or Statement Builder is a step-by-step guide for creating your statement.
Observation
Without even noticing, you watch children and you learn about them. You listen to children and you learn about them. You talk with children and you learn about them. You use what you learn to provide a nurturing environment with materials, activities, and opportunities that encourage the children’s growth, development, and learning. Observation is one important way to monitor the children’s developmental progress so activities can be adjusted to offer new challenges and learning opportunities, and support their success.
Learn more about conducting objective observations and using observations to plan meaningful learning experiences in Enrichment Resources.
What does the documentation look like?
Your statement clearly describes:
- How your program conducts observations
- Who conducts the observations
- When and how often observations are conducted
- How information from observations is used to inform program activities
Policy or Statement Builder
Develop a statement that describes how your program uses observation to learn about, plan lessons for, and monitor the developmental progress of the children in your program. The Reflection Questions below will help you think about what you do in your program to capture it when creating your statement. Once you have spent time reflecting on the questions below, you’re ready to write your Developmental Progress Statement.
Reflection Questions
- How are observations conducted?
- Who conducts the observations?
- When are observations done?
- How often are observations conducted?
Optional Level 2:
- What tools do you use for ongoing assessment?
- How are the different tools used?
Did you know that if you include the Optional Level 2 Questions in your Statement that you may be approved for Level 5 in DAP 9?
Statement Builder Resources
Use these optional resources to reflect on your program’s practices and complete the statement required for DAP 9.
Technology Tips
Choose the way that the provided resources will be most useful to you.
You can:
Download the PDF.
Save the PDF.
Print the PDF.
Edit the PDF.
Where can you learn more?
- Wondering with Children: The Importance of Observation in Early Childhood Education This paper asserts that through the process of observation, documentation, and interpretation of children’s goals, strategies, and theories, teachers gain insight into children’s thinking. As a result of this process, teachers are better able to engage children in conversations and investigations that have the potential to extend their learning.
