Pedagogy: Early Childhood (Birth to Grade 3) Subtest 1
Subarea I.1. Child Development and Learning
0001
Understand development from birth through age eight and how to provide learning opportunities that support children's physical, social, emotional, moral, language, cognitive, and creative development.
- applying knowledge of major theories of early childhood development (e.g., Erik Erikson's theory of psychosocial development) and their implications for practice with young children from birth through age eight and their families
- demonstrating knowledge of developmental characteristics, milestones, processes, and progressions in the physical, social, emotional, moral, language, cognitive, and creative development of young children
- demonstrating knowledge of how young children differ in their development and how to support the development of individual children with given characteristics and needs
- applying knowledge of how a child's development in the first years of life affects subsequent development and learning and how development in any one domain (e.g., physical; emotional; language; cognitive, including brain development) may affect development and performance in other domains
- demonstrating knowledge of research and best practices for meeting young children's needs; promoting young children's growth and development in the physical, social, emotional, moral, language, cognitive, and creative domains; and building positive caregiving relationships with young children
- recognizing how various factors (e.g., sense of "belonging" and "family connectedness"; familial, cultural, and societal contexts; stress and trauma; resilience; supportive relationships; prior learning; talents) may affect young children's development, including development of mental health, and readiness to learn
0002
Understand learning processes and how to provide experiences that promote young children's learning and achievement.
- applying knowledge of major theories of learning (e.g., constructivism, Vygotsky's learning theory) in early childhood and their implications for practice with young children from birth through age eight and their families
- demonstrating knowledge of how development and learning are integrated; how young children's development influences learning; and ways to address developmental factors when planning and implementing learning experiences
- demonstrating knowledge of how young children learn, internalize knowledge, and develop performance and thinking skills and how to implement best practices for promoting learning for young children
- applying knowledge of strategies for using young children's strengths as a basis for promoting learning and children's errors as opportunities for learning
- demonstrating knowledge of strategies for helping young children build meaning (e.g., linking new ideas to familiar ideas; making connections to children's experiences; providing opportunities for active engagement, manipulation of objects, and testing of ideas and materials)
- demonstrating knowledge of factors that influence young children's learning (e.g., prior knowledge and experience, developmental level, health, economic conditions, teacher behaviors, family circumstances, community environment) and how to provide learning experiences that are responsive to children's varied experiences, characteristics, and needs
- identifying strategies for encouraging young children to assume responsibility for shaping their learning tasks and outcomes
- demonstrating knowledge of how particular instructional methods and procedures, including the use of technology, influence learning processes and outcomes
0003
Understand diversity among young children and how to provide learning opportunities that meet the needs of children with diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities and promote all children's learning and achievement.
- demonstrating knowledge of how young children differ in their approaches to learning (e.g., variation in learning styles and preferred performance modes, multiple intelligences) and how to support learning for each child
- applying knowledge of areas of exceptionality (e.g., special physical or mental challenges, perceptual difficulties, learning disabilities, gifts, talents) and strategies for promoting learning for young children with exceptionalities, including knowing when and how to access appropriate services and resources to meet a child's needs
- demonstrating knowledge of relationships among culture, language, and thought; the function of home language in young children's development and learning; the process of second-language acquisition; and strategies for supporting learning for young children whose first language is not English, including knowing when and how to access appropriate services and resources to meet children's needs
- demonstrating knowledge of how to use technological resources to facilitate learning for young children with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, needs, and abilities
- demonstrating knowledge of the contributions, characteristics, and lifestyles of people in U.S. society; the government, history, language, and culture of Minnesota-based American Indian groups; and ways to provide learning experiences that reflect and are responsive to children's diverse social, cultural, and family backgrounds
- demonstrating knowledge of cultural and community diversity and norms; how to learn about and incorporate children's experiences, cultures, and community resources into instruction; and how to bring multiple perspectives to content-area instruction
- demonstrating knowledge of how to recognize and respond to negative attitudes regarding diversity, including bias, discrimination, prejudice, and institutional and personal racism and sexism, and how to create a learning community in which differences among groups and individuals are valued and respected
- recognizing the importance for teachers of a belief in the ability of all children, regardless of background, to learn at the highest levels and a commitment to persist in helping all children achieve success as learners