Approaches to Learning

This domain recognizes that a child approaches learning in different ways and emphasizes the development of positive attitudes and dispositions to acquire information.

Curiosity, Engagement, and Persistence

Displays curiosity, risk-taking and willingness to engage in new experiences:

• Is curious about and willing to try new and unfamiliar experiences and activities within their environment

Engages in meaningful learning through attempting, repeating, experimenting, refining, and elaborating on experiences and activities:

• Experiments and practices to expand skill level
• Refines skills that have been successfully accomplished

Exhibits persistence and flexibility:

• Focuses on activity but may be easily distracted

Creativity and Imagination 

Engages in imaginative play and inventive thinking through interactions with people, materials and the environment:

• Watches and imitates the actions of others
• Uses objects in pretend play as they are used in real life and gradually begins to substitute one object for another in pretend play
• Recreates and acts out real-life and fantasy experiences in pretend play.

Expresses self creatively through music, movement and art:

• Shows a preference towards certain types of movement, music, and visual stimuli
• Explores the process of using a variety of artistic materials, music and movement
• Expresses self (ideas, feelings and thoughts) through a variety of artistic media, music and movement.

Diversity in Learning

Experiences a variety of routines, practices, and languages:

• Depends on adults to communicate about their routines, cultural preferences and learning styles
• Starts to notice differences in routines, practices and languages
• Asks questions of adults about the differences between various routines, practices and languages in a variety of settings.

Learns within the context of their family and culture:

• Understands and accepts diversity in other children and families.

Uses various styles of learning including verbal/linguistic, bodily/kinesthetic, visual/spatial, interpersonal, and intrapersonal:

• Tends to have a preferred learning style
• Explores other learning styles when introduced by an adult or peer
• Uses a variety of learning styles to meet their needs or achieve their goals.