| A | B |
|---|
| development | – change or growth in a human being and is usually measured in terms of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional growth |
| maturation | sequence of biological changes in a child giving the child new abilities |
| object permanence | an understanding that objects continue to exist even if a person cannot see them. |
| infant | term used to refer to a child from birth through the first year of life |
| separation anxiety | a child’s difficulty in separating from parents, often occurring between 9 and 18 months of age |
| preschooler | term referring to children ages three to six years |
| motor sequence | order in which a child is able to perform new movements…it depends on development of the brain and nerves |
| reflex | an automatic body response to a stimulus |
| temperament | quality and intensity of children’s emotional reactions to their environment, such as passivity, irritability, and activity patterns |
| deferred imitation | watching another person’s behavior, then acting out that behavior. This occurs between 18 and 24 months |
| attachment | the strong emotional connection that develops between people |
| telegraphic speech | two-word phrases used by toddlers when they first learn to combine words |
| cognitive development | growth in the mental processes used to gain knowledge such as thought, reasoning, and imagination |
| toddler | 1st year to the 3rd birthday |
| fine motor development | the ability to coordinate the small muscles in the arms, fingers, and wrists to complete tasks such as grasping, holding, cutting, drawing and writing |
| physical development | physical body changes in a growing individual, such as changes in bone thickness, size, weight, vision, and coordination |
| gross motor development | improvement of the skills involving arms, legs, and whole body movements |
| portfolio | a collection of materials that shows a person’s abilities, accomplishments, and progress over time |
| assessment | a process that involves observing, recording, and documenting children’s individual capabilities over time |
| participation chart | a tool used to gather information on specific aspects of children’s behavior |
| anecdotal record | notes kept by the teacher concerning children’s play |
| developmental norms | characteristics and behaviors considered normal for children in certain age groups |
| rating scale | tool used to record the degree to which a quality or trait is present |
| checklist | form of assessment designed to record the presence or absence of specific traits or behaviors |
| early childhood | the period of life from birth to nine years of age |
| ethics | a guiding set of moral principles, either those held personally or those determined by a professional organization for its members |
| au pair | a person from a foreign country who lives with a family and provides child care in exchanged for room, board, and transportation |
| entrepreneur | a person who starts his or her own business |
| nanny | a child care worker who usually provides care in the child’s home and may receive food and housing in addition to wages |
| licensing specialist | a person employed by a state to ensure that the state’s child care rules and regulations are followed |
| Montessori approach | schools provide children freedom within limits by a rather structured approach, and a fixed method in which materials are presented |
| accredited | having a certification that states a set of standards has been met |
| child care centers | full-day child care facilities that focus on basic nutritional, social, emotional, and intellectual, and physical needs |
| custodial care | type of child care that focuses primarily on meeting the child’s physical needs |
| Head Start | a program developed by the federal government to strengthen the academic skills of children from low-income homes, and designed mainly for three and four year olds |
| parent cooperatives | child care programs that are formed and run by parents who wish to take part in their children’s preschool experience |
| family child care | child care that is provided in a private home, the most common type in the United States |
| school-age child care | programs often sponsored by schools, houses of worship, or child care centers that provide care for children before and/or after school |
| checking-in-services | program assigning workers to call children in self-care to make sure there are no problems |
| laboratory schools | schools located on post secondary or college campus with a primary purpose of training future teachers and serving as a study group for research |
