I

Approaches to Learning

A

Curiosity and Interest

Child approaches the world with curiosity and develops knowledge about specific topics.

4-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Learns details about a topic of interest, (e.g., after reading a book about sharks, reads more books about sharks and learns the names of many sharks)
• Collects objects that they are interested in, for example, sticks
• Tries to reproduce things they are interested in (e.g., looks at a book about a castle and then tries to build a castle in the block area)
• Asks for explanations of how things work (e.g., asks where the water in the faucet comes from)
• Makes connection between their experiences at home and in school (e.g., says, “I have paints at home too!”)

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Ask families what the child has expressed interest in at home
• Make those interests present in the learning environment
• Respect children’s efforts, and make special places to hold their collections
• Go to the library and check out several books related to a child’s interest
• Organize outings and field trips related to the children’s interests

B

Initiative

Child pursues their own goals.

4-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Gathers the materials that they need for a simple project, such as making imaginary soup
• Finds their own clothing in their cubby and puts it on
• Makes a plan for what they want to create (e.g., plans to draw a house)
• Makes a choice about which area of the classroom they want to play in
• Makes a new friend by playing alongside or with them and engaging in conversations

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Discuss with families ways in which children’s initiative is a value in their family, community, and culture. Acknowledge different perspectives.
• Recognize that a child may not demonstrate and express initiative in the same way in all settings (e.g., may take initiative with peers but not in the presence of elders)
• Use vocabulary related to initiative:
  • “You decided to…”
  • “You made a choice…”
  • “You were planning to play…”

C

Persistence and Attentiveness

Child focuses on tasks and perseveres in accomplishing them.

4-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Makes a bead necklace of their name and sorts through all the letters until they find those needed
• Puts blocks away in their designated places until every block has been put away
• Listens to a storybook read to the whole group from start to finish
• Asks for help from a caregiver to complete a task

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Offer the child genuine opportunities to care for the learning environment, indicating how important and meaningful it is to be mindful of such tasks as watering plants, putting materials away, or stacking objects
• Notice children’s accomplishments, patience, and persistence and describe why their efforts are important
• Provide opportunities for children to revisit experiences and materials again and again so they are able to deepen their understanding
• Encourage the child in their work, rather than solving the problem for them. Ask:
  • “How can you figure that out?”
  • “How can you fix that?”

D

Creativity and Inventiveness

Child uses their imagination to create and invent.

4-year-olds – See this age across all domains Preschool

What educators might observe

• Engages in detailed pretend play with peers
• Makes objects that they need for pretend play (e.g., makes a boat out of a cardboard box)
• Tries several ways to create the object they have in mind (e.g., child experiments with different foundations until they have found the one that will hold up a block bridge)
• Develops techniques for painting and drawing (e.g., makes fast and slow strokes, or thick and thin lines)
• Hears peers speaking a different language and makes up nonsense words and says they are speaking that language

Ways educators might support the child's development

• Allow children to save artwork and return to it. Have a place to keep projects if the child needs to transition to another activity and wants to continue to work on the project at another time.
• Display children’s art, at child’s level, around the room and in the hallway. Document and share the process in which the art is being created with children, through written descriptions and photographs.
• Provide child with access to artists and artwork from own and other cultures (e.g., pictures of famous artworks, sculptures, and artifacts)
• Include time in the day for children to experiment with musical instruments, song, and dance