Teacher Reflects on Effects of DAP
from a letter to parents
by Vickie McMullen, kindergarten teacher, Mt. Union School District,
Mt. Union, PA
One activity in particular has helped me further realize the
importance of DAP and allowing kids to move
at their own pace. At the beginning of the year, I would never have
expected Rachel to be as involved as she is in our writing
activities.
When we introduce our special letter, the kids tell me words that
they think may have that letter. I write the words on a large chart,
we look for the letter, we circle it and if it's a word that can be
illustrated, such as "bike" I put the picture beside it.
Then the students have the chance to "play" with the letter. They
write it, paint it, make it with clay, feel it, search for it and
copy their favorite word/pictures from the chart.
Rachel has amazed me with her "letter papers." Many kids at the
beginning of kindergarten year will write only the letter or draw a
picture or two. Rachel chooses to fill her paper with words from the
chart. She just can't seem to get enough. We are both so proud of her
word filled pages.
I can't help wondering if this ever would have happened using a
traditional approach, where letters and their proper form were taught
in isolation using repetitive worksheets that had little meaning.
Would the children have been encouraged to use letters that hadn't
been "taught" yet? Would they have been asked to tell me some words
that they thought might include the letters we were talking about? In
October of the kindergarten year? I don't think so.
Developmentally appropriate practices address every child at his or
her level of development. They also inspire the children to go far
beyond our arbitrary learning objectives. The learning is meaningful
and long lasting.
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