Chapter 1
A guiding set of moral principles.
ethics
Preschools, usually serving children from 3 to 5 years old, are typically formed and run by parents.
parent cooperatives
The process of observing, recording, and documenting children’s growth and behavior.
assessment
A specific span of time for the normal development of certain types of skills.
windows of opportunity
An automatic body response to a stimulus controlled by the lower-brain centers that govern involuntary processes such as heart rate and breathing.
reflex
A characteristic of people that means that they believe everyone else sees, thinks, and feels like they do.
egocentric
A person who creates and runs his or her own business.
entrepreneur
Having a certification that states a set of standards has been met.
accredited
The simplest form of direct observation; a brief narrative account of a specific incident.
anecdotal record
Vygotsky’s term that defines what children can do alone or with guidance and encouragement.
Zone of Proximodistal Development
The understanding that objects continue to exist even if the infant cannot see them.
object permanence
Qualities a child believes he or she possesses
self-concept
A framework to working with young children that is based on knowledge of how children learn and develop.
DAP - Developmentally Appropriate Practice
Schools located on a postsecondary or college campus with a primary purpose of training future teachers.
laboratory school
Designed to record the presence or absence of specific traits or behaviors.
checklist
The ability of an infant's brain to change according to stimulation.
plasticity
The strong emotional connection that develops between people.
attachment
The ability of three-year-olds to absorb the meaning of a new word after hearing it just once or twice in a conversation.
fast mapping
A person from a foreign country who lives with a family and provides child care.
au pair
A comprehensive child development program developed by the federal government for low-income families.
Head Start
Can be developed to gain information on specific aspects of children’s behavior.
participation chart
The ability to coordinate the small muscles in the arms, fingers, and wrists to complete tasks.
fine motor development
The values, beliefs, and practices of a particular group
culture
A person's understanding of language.
language comprehension
A national credential that requires postsecondary courses in child care education and a minimum number of hours of child care experience.
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credentia
Established standards to assess and acknowledge program quality.
quality rating systems (QRS)
Tool used to record the degree to which a quality or trait is present.
rating scale
-Principle noting that development of the body occurs in an outward direction.
proximodistal principle
A child’s difficulty in separating from parents.
separation anxiety
Behaviors that are expected of girls or boys.
gender roles
One of the most respected professional organizations for people who work with young children.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Services that hire workers who call the home to check whether the child has arrived safely.
check-in services
The process of reviewing the information and finding value in it.
evaluation
Growth in the mental processes used to gain knowledge, such as thought, reasoning, and imagination.
cognitive development
Quality and intensity of children’s emotional reactions to their environment, such as passivity, irritability, and activity patterns.
temperament
The ability to produce language forms and express thoughts to others verbally or in writing.
expressive language