Developmentally Appropirate Practices: Right for each child individually (Part 1)

This is the first time I am planning to pen down my ideas and views on different topics. Hopefully you will find it interesting enough to read each of the subjects. I am welcome to all suggestions, ideas and criticism if any. It will only help me grow into a better writer.

The topic that i am going to write on today is Introduction to Developmentally Appropriate Practices.

To start with, what do you mean 'developmentally appropriate'? The easiest way that I can describe the methodology is that it is an approach to education where the child is the focal point and not the teacher. The teacher serves as a mere guide in the process of a holistic development of a child. The child being a developing human being right from its inception in its mother's womb till its death, is in continual process of learning. This methodology teaches a child to be a life long learner. It teaches the child how to catch a fish rather than feeding it with fish. Every aspect of the child's development is taken care of, be it physical, emotional, social or cognitive. Each of it is stressed upon with equal importance. The child himself is the catalyst of learning and growth. He gives clues to his guide as to how much he can learn and in what duration.