DAP 1: Environment
Overview
How you structure your environment, the materials you provide, and how you welcome children and families all shape much of what you do every day. Children need time and opportunities to engage with one another in an environment where they feel welcomed and respected. Bringing a child’s culture, home language(s), and abilities into the setting helps create a culturally proficient environment for them and their families.
This page provides the DAP 1.4 and 1.5 requirements and instructions on how to review, revise or create a statement that describes your methodology for planning a developmentally appropriate learning environment that welcomes and meets the needs of all children.
Requirement
Levels 4 and 5:
Children are provided with opportunities to interact with their peers in a developmentally appropriate environment, welcoming of children of all abilities, that offers a balance of child-initiated and teacher-directed activities, reflecting the interests of the children, their primary language(s), and cultural background(s).
Documentation to upload:
- Statement describing the methodology for planning the learning environment
- Daily Schedule
The requirements for levels 4 and 5 are the same. If you meet the requirements for level 4, you will be rated as a level 5 in DAP 1.
Build a Statement
Develop a Statement that describes your program’s methodology for planning the learning environment. The Reflection Questions below will help you consider what you do in the program and why. After reflecting, you are ready to build your Statement.
Reflection Questions
- How does the program ensure that children of all abilities are welcome?
- How do you consider the environment to be developmentally appropriate for children?
- How does the program address the interests of children enrolled?
- How does the program address the primary languages of children enrolled?
- How does the program address the cultural backgrounds of the children?
- How do you balance child-initiated and teacher-initiated activities?
After reflecting, you have the option to download and save the Methodology Statement template to create your statement.
If you need more time to develop your Methodology Statement, use these Writers Tips and Prompts to find examples and get more guidance.
Next Steps
- Review your Methodology Statement and Daily Schedule to ensure that together they meet the requirements.
- Log into the Maryland EXCELS System to upload your program’s daily schedule and statement of methodology for planning.
- Submit for review
Additional Resources
- The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) includes helpful resources for developmentally appropriate practices for Preschoolers.
- Adapting the Environment for Children with Special Needs provides tips on creating an environment that meets the unique needs of children.
- Culture and Language provides culturally and linguistically appropriate learning resources for young children offered by the Head Start Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center.
