ELED 335 Early Childhood Education Fall Semester 2006

Transcription

1 ELED 335 Early Childhood Education Fall Semester 2006 Instructor: Margi Coxwell, Ed.D. Class meeting time: T & Th, 9:30-10:45 Office: 200a Memorial Hall Room: 203 Old Main Phone: Office Office hours: M-F, 11-12, Home and by appointment margaret.coxwell@minotstateu.edu (office) margimouse@srt.com (home) Course Description: Study of early childhood learning theories, developmentally appropriate materials, classroom arrangement, observational technique, and curriculum planning. Actual experiences with materials, observation, and field experiences. Prerequisite: ED 320. Required textbook: Morrison, G.S. (2001). Early childhood education today (8 th edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall. Course objectives: The teacher as reflective decision-maker is the organizing theme of the teacher education program at Minot State University. To implement this theme, the acronym, ARK (Action, Reflection, Knowledge) is used to shape program development across the campus. The following objectives and assignments, therefore, are identified by A, R., or K, according to which of these component strands applies. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to: KR 1. Identify the authorities and theories that have shaped the early childhood field. RK 2. Locate and review early childhood resources. KR 3. Establish a positive classroom atmosphere and understand positive classroom arrangements by critiquing early childhood daily schedules, room arrangements, and center materials.

2 ARK 4. Demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate practice by choosing early childhood activities for ages 4 to 7. ARK 5. Develop, select, and use appropriate assessments by observing children in a kindergarten classroom during a shadowing day. ARK 6. Know computer applications for the classroom and be able to choose appropriate computer software and Internet programs for children ages 4 to 7. RK 7. Produce and teach early childhood lessons and unit plans. Attendance policy: As future educators of young children, you had a dedication and self-motivation to learn. Please call me if, for any reason, you cannot attend class. You may leave a message at my office, at my home, or on . Please endeavor to be in class at all times. Assignments: ARK 1. Read/Write/Discuss Journal (100 points) For each assigned chapter, choose five ideas that strike you as being particularly significant. Number and write about each of these ideas. Then write a personal reflection about the ways in which these ideas have an impact on you as an early childhood educator. The RWDS will guide our discussion of the readings. There are 11 RWD assignments, each worth 10 points. YO are required to complete 10 of them. Each RWD is due on the day the assigned chapter is discussed. ARK 2. Kindergarten Unit (150 points) Create a unit for half-day kindergarten. The unit should be theme-based and last for one week. Include the following components: a. A unit web. b. A letter to parents telling them about the unit theme. c. Center activities (at least 3)

3 d. Bulletin board ideas (at least 2) e. Lesson plans on: 1. Social studies 2. Language and literacy 3. Math 4. Science 5. Art 6. Music and movement 7. Games 8. Dramatic play (puppetry, finger plays) Activity plan forms will be provided for the 8 lessons. The units are due on December 5 th. ARK 3. Mini-teaching projects: (50 points) Beginning on October 3 rd, students will present mini-lessons in class on a rotating basis. Students will choose two different subject areas in which to teach their lessons. Only one lesson may use a book and only one lesson may involve an art project. Each lesson will last minutes. Two students may teach during each class period. The lessons should be designed to engage all of the students in whatever activity is planned. Each lesson is worth 25 points and will be graded using a teaching rubric. Make copies of each lesson to give to me and to distribute to the other students. RK 4. Journal article reviews: (50 points) Twice during the semester, students will access an article concerning current issues in early childhood education from an early childhood journal. Make a copy of the article. Write a onepage summary of the article. Include a half- to one-page personal reflection on the article. Each review is worth 25 points. The articles and reviews will be presented in class on September 5 th and October 10 th.

4 ARK 5. Shadowing Experience: (50 points) You will be assigned to observe in one or two kindergarten classrooms for a day. Observation guidelines will be discussed in class. Write a two-page reflection paper on your experiences which will be presented in class. The shadowing experience will take place on October 17 th, RK 6. Computer software analysis: (50 points) Examine two early childhood software programs. You may also access early childhood activities on the Internet. Analyze the programs for developmental appropriateness, ease of use (by children), educational worthiness, and visual appeal. Write a brief analysis, including the above information, about each program. This assignment is due on November 14 th. R 7. Philosophy of early childhood education: (50 points) Write a one- to two-page paper in which you state your personal philosophy of early childhood education. This paper is due December 7 th. Grading: 1. RWDS points 2. Kindergarten Unit points 3. Mini-teaching lessons points 4. Journal article reviews points 5. Shadowing experience points 6. Software analysis points 7. Philosophy of ECE points Total 500 points A = % points B = 88-92% points C = 82-87% points D = 76-81% points

5 ELED 335 Course Outline Date Topic Assignments for Next Class 1. T, 8/22 1. Course introduction RWD #1, Ch. 1, You and Early 2. Introduction to Childhood Education developmentally appropriate practice. 2. Th, 8/24 1. Discuss Chapter 1. Read NAEYC Code of Ethical 2. Review activity plan. Conduct, Appendix A in text. 3. T, 8/29 1. Discuss NAEYC Code RWD #2, Chapter 2, Early of Ethical Conduct. Childhood Education today 2. Case Studies. 4. Th, 8/31 1. Discuss Chapter 2. Journal Article Review #1 due 2. Discuss journals and next class. resources for early childhood education. 5. T, 9/5 Present journal article RWD #3, Chapter 3, The Past reviews in class. and the Present. 6. Th, 9/7 1. Discuss Chapter Early childhood activities. 7. T, 9/12 1. Discuss early childhood units. 2. Early childhood unit web. 8. Th, 9/14 1. Work on unit web. RWD #4, Chapter 4, Montessori 2. Early childhood activities. Education. 9. T, 9/19 1. Discuss Chapter Sign up for miniteaching lessons to begin on October 3 rd.

6 Date Topic Assignments for Next Class 10. Th, 9/21 1. Storytelling and RWD #5, Chapter 5, Piaget creative dramatics. and others. 2. The integrated early childhood curriculum. 11. T, 9/26 1. Discuss Chapter Early childhood activities. 12. Th, 9/28 1. Discuss organizing the First mini-teaching lessons learning environment. next Tuesday. 2. Early childhood activities. 13. T, 10/3 1. Developing EC centers. RWD #6, Chapter 6, Early 2. Art. Childhood Programs. 3. First mini-teaching lessons. 14. Th, 10/5 1. Discuss Chapter 6. Journal Article Review #2 2. Mini-teaching. due next class. 15. T, 10/10 1. Present journal article RWD #7, Ch. 11, Observing reviews. and Assessing Young Children. 2. Mini-teaching. 16. Th, 10/12 1. Discuss Chapter Assign observation K classrooms. 3. Mini-teaching. Tuesday, October 17 th, Observation Day. Thursday, October 19 th, No Class NDEA Conference in Bismarck. 17. T, 10/24 1. Discuss observation RWD #8, Chapter 12, Guiding experiences. Children s Behavior. 2. Mini-teaching.

7 Date Topic Assignments for Next Class 18. Th, 10/26 1. Discuss Chapter Behavior problems. 3. Mini-teaching. 19. T, 10/31 1. Discuss tech. assignment. RWD #9, Ch. 13, Technology 2. Mini-teaching. and Young Children. 20. Th, 11/2 1. Discuss Chapter Mini-teaching. 21. T, 11/7 1. Play in EC classrooms. RWD #10, Ch. 14, Multiculturalism. 2. Mini-lessons. 22. Th, 11/9 1. Discuss Chapter 14. Tech. assignment due next class. 2. Mini-lessons. 23. T, 11/14 1. Present tech. assignments. RWD #11, Ch. 15, Children with 2. Mini-teaching. Special Needs. 24. Th, 11/16 1. Discuss Chapter Mini-teaching. 25. T, 11/21 1. Developing newsletters. 2. Last mini-teaching. Happy Thanksgiving! No class November 23 rd!! 26. T, 11/28 1. Early childhood literacy. RWD #12, Ch. 16, Parents, 2. Science in the EC classroom. Family, Community Involvement. 3. Math in EC education. 4. Educational philosophies. 27. Th, 11/30 1. Discuss Chapter 16. Units due next class. 2. EC social studies. 3. Music and movement. 4. Nutrition.

8 Date Topic Assignments for Next Class 28. T, 12/5 Present units in class. Early Childhood philosophy due next class. 29. Th, 12/7 Present Early Childhood Philosophy papers in class. FINAL EXAM, TBA. CAVEAT: The procedures in this course outline may change due to unforeseen circumstances.