Ages and stages

t a recent in-service training workshop Peggy Kelly complained about her group of 3-year-olds. " They just won't settle down. I feel like I spend all my time negotiating arguments, grabbing materials out of the closet , and managing transitions. Something has to change. " Genny Rudy, the workshop leader, prodded gently, " Tell me about how you arrange your learning centers. " Peggy answered, " Aren't learning centers just the places I put out toys? " Genny replied, " Not exactly…. " • • • L earning centers are the environmental skeleton of early childhood programs. They are designed to actively engage children in their own cognitive, language , physical, social, and emotional development. In a learning center—art, music, or dramatic play, for example—all children are invited to pursue their interests, learn to make meaningful choices, and build their skills. Equipment and materials are purposeful. They are designed and included to engage children in deliberate investigation and discovery. Whether the children are following a typical path of development or have special developmental needs, learning centers assert that every child can learn, every child can develop skills, and every child can engage socially. Teachers play an important role in early childhood classrooms. Through careful planning for individual children and for the group, teachers help children gain independence, learn how to help themselves, and accept that they are capable. Learning centers make the most sense, and are most successful, when teachers understand the sequence of children's play and learning. Infants and younger toddlers learn through their senses. They gain understanding and control of their environments by touching, tasting, smelling, hearing , and seeing things and people. With experience, they gain the muscle control, balance, and mobility that lead to new explorations and investigations. Older toddlers and preschoolers continue to rely on their senses for information but also begin to understand symbols—that one thing can stand for or represent another. Beginning symbolic play—hold-ing a unit block like a telephone, for example—and role playing— " You be the daddy, I'm the baby " —are the gateways to later skills such as literacy, math, and artistic creativity. Because every child develops at a unique pace, it's difficult to determine a child's developmental level with precision. What teachers regard as typical development actually covers a wide range of behaviors and skills. Both genetic background and the environment impact development. Temperament, personality, and interest influence developmental …