Section 26.180  Human Development and Learning

The competent early childhood teacher understands how individuals grow, develop, and learn and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of all children from birth through grade three.

a)         Knowledge Indicators – The competent early childhood teacher:

1)         understands how children from birth through grade three develop physically, socially, emotionally, cognitively, linguistically, and aesthetically.

2)         understands how to provide learning opportunities that support and enhance each area of development – physical, social, emotional, cognitive, linguistic, and aesthetic.

3)         understands how brain development from birth through grade three is promoted through developmentally and culturally appropriate learning experiences.

4)         understands how children from birth through grade three differ in their development and in their approaches to learning.

5)         understands how to support the development and learning of individual children from birth through grade three.

6)         understands the developmental consequences of stress and trauma on children and their families, including protective factors and resilience.

7)         understands the development of mental health and the importance of supportive relationships.

8)         understands the basic health, nutrition, and safety needs of children from birth through grade three, including specific procedures related to health, safety, and nutrition for infants and toddlers.

9)         understands appropriate procedures for responding to childhood illnesses and communicable diseases.

b)         Performance Indicators – The competent early childhood teacher:

1)         applies knowledge of development and individual differences when designing developmentally and culturally appropriate learning experiences for children from birth through grade three.

2)         analyzes and evaluates learners' performance in order to design and facilitate learning experiences that are responsive to children's interests, developmental levels, and learning styles.

3)         examines the developmental consequences of stress and trauma on children and their families and responds by designing learning opportunities that promote resilience and support students' well-being.

4)         applies knowledge of mental health and supportive relationships when providing learning opportunities for children from birth through grade three.

5)         follows appropriate procedures and designs learning opportunities that are responsive to the health, safety, and nutritional needs of children from birth through grade three, including specific procedures and learning opportunities related to the health, safety, and nutrition of infants and toddlers.

6)         follows appropriate procedures when responding to childhood illnesses and communicable diseases.