Martha wanted to create a toddler classroom that had many opportunities for children to explore by themselves, with peers, or with teachers, as she believed that children wanted to learn and could learn through experimentation with materials. She had seen a toddler spend a great deal of time at a low water table, closely supervised, but given time to pour water out of containers, watch water pour out of a sieve, and try to hold water in his hands. Martha believed that because this child was closely attached to her, he could move away from her and feel safe exploring the environment. She believed that what the child chose to explore, play with, and investigate were the most important topics for the child to learn. However, some parents wanted her to teach the toddlers their alphabet letters so that they would be ready for preschool. They had heard that there was testing in the preschools that asked children to name the letters, and they were nervous that their children weren’t learning what they needed to learn in the toddler room so that they could be successful in the preschool room. Some parents also thought that there was too much play and not enough group lesson time.
In an essay, provide an answer to the following questions.
What is the definition of a developmentally appropriate curriculum for toddlers?
Why is it important to be culturally sensitive to the parent’s needs and wishes?
What would you do to be culturally sensitive to the parent’s needs and wishes while also providing a Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum?
The essay must be 1-2 pages in length, 5 paragraphs, 3-5 sentences per paragraph, written in APA format, and include a minimum of at least one reference from the article provided.