Mandated Curriculum vs. Developmentally Appropriate Practices

Introduction As a parent I have become concerned about the new state-mandated, textbook-based curriculum for Kindergarten. I have decided to write a letter to the school board to protest the new policy. In the letter I will define DAP, the benefits with examples, why I believe the use of the textbook-based curriculum may be inappropriate. I will give reasons for the potential negative effects of the textbook-based curriculum and how it can be developmentally inappropriate to literacy development. In my closing argument I will suggest an alternative approach to developing literacy skills.
What is DAP DAP stands for “developmentally appropriate practice,”
Textbook-based curriculum is developmentally inappropriate to literacy development because during the kindergarten years the cognitive development is crucial. If a child was to be seated with a textbook in front of him or her and was to only do schools work the entire day the child will miss out on the oral communication skills that are necessary for academic success in the future. Virginia’s Kindergarten Standards
Virginia’s standards of learning for kindergarteners involve the oral, reading, and writing.
Some are “demonstrating growth in the use of oral language, the student will use listening and speaking vocabularies, build oral communication skills, understand how print is organized and read, demonstrate and understanding that the print makes sense. He or she will also learn upper and lower case letters, learn how to write his or her first and last name, will write to communicate ideas, and explore the uses of available technology for reading and writing” (Kindergarten, n.d.). Conclusion I believe that children in kindergarten should not have a textbook-based curriculum. After my research and readings I have realized that children need the freedom to move around and develop the sensory skills needed to succeed in the future for life and school. If a child