 Teaching Practices
To staff of HighScope infant-toddler programs, taking care of these very young children involves more than just "liking babies" and meeting their physical needs. These caregivers see themselves as responsive professionals concerned about all aspects of children's development. Using the clearly defined teaching practices of the HighScope infant-toddler approach enables caregivers to develop close, supportive relationships with the children in their care.
► Teaching Practices: Guiding Principles
Based on child development theory and experience with infants and toddlers, HighScope has developed the following propositions that guide our work with very young children:
• Infants and toddlers learn with their whole body and with all their senses.
• Infants and toddlers learn because they want to.
• Infants and toddlers communicate what they know.
• Infants and toddlers learn within the context of trusting relationships.
In a HighScope infant and toddler care setting, caregivers lovingly, consistently, and creatively support children's natural desire to be active learners. Creating an active learning environment for infants and toddlers means consciously considering all their needs — their social and emotional needs for security and companionship; their physical needs for nourishment, bodily care, rest, movement, and safety; their cognitive needs for opportunities to make choices, explore interesting materials, and try out a range of challenging experiences; and their sociolinguistic needs to communicate their desires and discoveries to responsive caregivers and peers.
An understanding of HighScope's active learning approach guides the decisions infant-toddler caregivers make about every major aspect of their work — interacting with children and families, arranging and equipping the physical environment, establishing schedules and routines, and observing and planning for children. For more details about HighScope's teaching practices for caregivers of infants and toddlers, see the links and resources on this page.
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related training
2-Day Workshops
Supportive Adult-Child Interactions With Infants and Toddlers in Child Care Settings (WK543)
View complete descriptions and current training available in our online training catalog »»
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