Reflective Analysis of Portfolio Artifact Rationale/Reflection NAEYC Standard:

STANDARD 4. USING DEVELOPMENTALLY EFFECTIVE APPROACHES Candidates prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on childrens ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teaching and learning occur. They understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Candidates know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each childs development and le arning. (NAEYC, 2011)

Brief Description of Evidence:

Creatively I designed 15 teacher-made activities for an early childhood classroom. I designed creative activities for young children to help them not only have fun but also learn. The activities match a certain category and characteristic. Making these activities provided a positive experience for the children in the classroom that can be used over and over. Some of these activities can also be used at home with the families. The activities influence the childrens development and learning ability. The activities included science, directional, literacy, gross motor, fine motor, and other educational areas that are required for the early childhood classroom.

Analysis of What I Learned:

Through completion of these teacher-made activities it allowed me to provide positive interaction and social skills for the early childhood classroom. These activities allowed me provide developmentally appropriate approaches in the classroom. Providing these teacher-made activities in my classroom will allow me to see what needs to change and to improve to benefit the children for their developmental need. I now understand the importance of creating activities in my classroom to provide supportive interactions for each student to engage in fun and creative activities.

How This Artifact Demonstrates my Competence on the NAEYC Standard:

This project is just one of many creative projects that allowed me to provide developmentally appropriate activities to connect with the students to influence each childs development and learning process. I created, implemented, and reflected these activities in the classroom and they gave me insight as to how each child learns and understands. Through spending time researching these activities I feel more involved and able to understand how to provide developmental approaches for the early childhood classroom.