Eastern Michigan University
ECE 602 -Pre School Education (Implementing Appropriate Early Childhood Programs)

Department of Teacher Education                                           2 semester hours

Theme:            Inquiry, advocacy, and leadership in education for a diverse and democratic society.

Catalog_ Description:

Overview of program models and teaching strategies appropriate for children birth through age eight. Critical examination of developmentally appropriate practice, investigation of program goals guidance and management approaches, schedules, learning environments, sure of technology, and inclusions of diverse children.

Course Objectives:

1.         Identify the need for various types of program approaches for preschool children and the need for development of appropriate goals.

2.         Describe appropriate learning environments for infants and toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarten-third grade children.

3.         Develop a rationale detailing the need for the implementation of licensing and accreditation requirements in programs for children, birth through age five. 4.    Articulate a developmentally appropriate philosophy and goals to meet the needs and developmental levels of preschool age children.

5.         Observe and evaluate a preschool program in action including different types of programs serving young children from birth through age eight.

6.         Describe appropriate guidance techniques for programs for children under five.

7.         Select appropriate equipment and materials for use in a preschool setting.

8.         Identify appropriate ways for organizing space and equipment and materials in the preschool setting.

9.         Describe ways of communicating and interacting with the families of children involved in a preschool program, including children involved in a preschool program, including children and families with special needs and varied backgrounds.

10.          Articulate the implications of research that affects children in a preschool setting.

11.       Plan appropriate curricula experiences for preschool children that foster development in the physical, social, creative, cognitive, and emotional area.

Content Outline:

Instructional Procedures:

The course is primarily lecture/discussion. Students are responsible for outside readings and then contributing to both large and small group discussions and reflecting on observed and personal preschool practices.

Student Performance Activities:

1.         Observation in a preschool setting

2.         Selected project or paper

3.         Teaching reflection

4.         Reading reflection

5.         Final Exam

6.         Class participation

Assignments:

ECE 602  Preschool Education Reflection on Teaching Practices

1.  Write 2-3 pages in which you reflect on your past/current teaching practices in one particular area.  Use a teaching practice from the past if you are not currently teaching on a regular basis.  Based on class discussion and readings, what past or current teaching practice are you now considering changing?  What are you currently doing that you feel needs to be altered and why?  Based upon what readings are you making these changes?  Include citations from outside readings.

Choose only one area of teaching you want to address.  Your reflective change might  address: 

            Creative development

            Large group experiences

            Communication with families

            Special needs children

            Classroom environment

            Curriculum planning

            There are many other possibilities

2.  Write 2-3 pages and explain your planned changes.  Your plan must include a citation from three of the four books being used in this course (Annual Editions: ECE, NAEYC Accreditation Criteria,  The Lively Kindergarten, or Developmentally Appropriate Practices Guidelines).  Two other sources are to also be used.  The sources are to be listed on a separate sheet.  All citations should be quoted in full.  ** Note:  Quotations are not underlined when using APA style, but for this assignment underline for clarity and emphasis.  Example:  If you are wanting to change the ways in which you plan your curriculum, your quote from the DAP Guidelines might be:  "They (teachers) also recognize that learning experiences are more effective when the curriculum is responsive to the children’s interests and ideas as they emerge."   DAP Pg. 131 (Give book, (AE: ECE, DAP,  Liv. K, or NAEYC AC, or author of 2 outside sources) and page number. 

3.  Implement the change ( or plan to make the change) and describe how it went or your thoughts about the new approach.  Write approx. 2-3 pages documenting the change process and how it was received by the various constitutes the change affected.

4.  For the portion to be shared in class:  develop a 1 page handout.

Type the first section on “What I’ve been doing”  followed by a section on “How I changed/or plan to change”  and why.  This is the page you will make 5 copies of and share with others when you present your reflection on teaching practices.  You are encouraged to bring documentation of your change.  Evidence of student work,  photographs, or another form of documentation. 

This is worth 40 points

ECE 602 Implementing Appropriate Early Childhood Programs  

Selected Project Assignment      Choice A

Philosophy and curriculum plan

This assignment is designed to: 

1.  Develop the ability to formulate your philosophy and develop a curriculum web/plan for a group of preschool age children.

2.  Develop the ability to write plans and objectives and to provide experiences/activities in all curriculum areas.

1.  First:  Write your philosophy.  (about 2 pages) There are 20 children in your program.  The children are a mixed age group of 2 1/2 - 5 year olds.

            It is important to accurately describe your philosophy so the reader can see the correlation between the activities provided for the children and how you believe children best learn.    

2.  Second:  Develop a curriculum web based on the interest of the children where you are employed.  Show your web.  The web may need to be in 2 or more parts.  A large picture that shows where you were, and where you plan to go next.  As well as a more detailed view of a current topic. 

On another page, answer the following questions:

1.       How did you decide to explore the chosen topic?

2.       What is your brainstorm list?

3.       Develop a letter or newsletter article that will get the word out to families about your upcoming area of investigation.

4.       What anticipatory set will you provide to give the children more information about the topic and get them excited and asking questions?

5.       What is the list of brainstorm ideas from the children? What do they already know?  What do they want to know?

6.       What possibilities exist for the children to learn about the chosen topic through investigation? How

Will this information be gathered?  How do these activities allow for active learning by the children rather than merely completion of teacher prepared activities? 

3.  Third:  Write terms/facts for this area of study.  What do you want the children to know/find out about related to this topic?

The web will be much more fully developed than you will be able to show through your activities.  The web is a list of possibilities.  The activities will only be a sample of what you plan on accomplishing. 

4.  Fourth:  Develop four activities for each of the following areas.  Include objectives, materials, and method.

Physical-  climbing, locomotor, large transportation toys, bean bags, ropes,

jumping, large hollow and unit blocks, puzzles, pegs, beads, construction toys, pets, nutrition and care of one's body.

Creative/Aesthetic-   painting, printing, drawing, cutting, pasting/gluing, 3-dimensional art work, play dough, clay, family living center, dressing up, dolls, puppets, prop boxes, theme play, movement and music.

Cognitive/Language-  literature, listening, speaking, reading and writing readiness, games, living things, physical phenomena and experiences, number readiness, measurement, classification and matching.

Social- dramatic play, interaction with peers, puppets, tray table, play dough, clay, story telling.

Emotional -  sand, water, puppets, self-expressive materials.

You do not need objectives for the following areas but you will still plan 4 different snacks, 4 large muscle activities, and 4 large group experiences.

Snack-  What will be served for snack?

Outside or large muscle play in gym-  include activity

Group time-  plan for four group experiences.  Include songs, books, poems, stories, discussion etc.  How will the children be dismissed from group time?

5.        Fifth:  I am specifically looking for ways in which the activities can be adapted to accommodate

children of different developmental levels.  This is not necessary for each activity, but especially for the physical and cognitive activities you should adapt the activity to meet the different developmental levels in your class.

6.        How will the learning be documented for parents and administrators?  You can document the learning any way you choose.  Pictures, samples, written documentation, etc.   How can you throw a  “pot luck instead of a dinner party”?

Rubric:  See attached   

ECE 602  Implementing Appropriate Early Childhood Programs

Reading Reflection Assignment Rubric

After spending six weeks preparing for class and participating in class discussions, you will write a 4-5 page paper reflecting on the readings and the discussion to date.

1. How does what you have read and we have discussed conflict or coincide with your current teaching philosophy.   10%

2. Use a minimum of five quotes from readings that support your position.  5 %

3. APA style was consistently used.   3%

4. Paper contains no grammatical or spelling errors.  2%

Comments:

                                                                                                      Total______

                                                                                                                  20%

Suggested Texts:

Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (Eds.) (1997).Developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood programs.Revised Edition. Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Bredekamp, S. (Ed.) (1988). Accreditation criteria and procedures of the national academy of early childhood programs.Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Katz, L.G. & Chard, S.C. (1995). Engaging children's minds: The project approach.Norwood, NJ: Ablex.

Bibliography:

Almy, M. (1975).The early childhood educator at work.New York: McGraw-Hill. Beaty, J. (1992). Skills for preschool teachers, 4`" ed.Columbus, OH: Merril/Prentice

Hall.

Becker, J., Reid, K., Steinhaus, P., & Wieck, P. (1994).Themstorming: How to build your own theme-based curriculum the easy way.Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Bredekamp, S. & Rosegrant, T. (Eds.) (1992).Reaching potentials: Appropriate curriculum and assessment for your children, Vol. 1.Washington, DC: NAEYC

Fortson, L.R & Reiff, J. (1995). Early childhood curriculum: Open structures for integrative learning.Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Hendrick, J. (1992). The whole child: Developmental education for the early years, ^5"ed. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice-Hall.

Hohmann, M. & Weikart, D. (1995). Educating young children: Active learning practices for preschool and child care programs.Ypsilanti, MI: High/Scope Press.

Katz, L., & Hartman, J. (1990).The case for mixed-age grouping in early education.Washington, DC: NAEYC.

Kostelnik, M., Soderman, A.K., & Whiren, A.P. (1999). Developmentally aporopriate programs in early childhood education 2"" ed.New York: Merril/Prentice Hall.

Mitchell, A. & David, J. (1992).Explorations with young children: A curriculum guide from bank street college.Beltsville, MD: Gryphon House.

Spodek, B. & Saracho, O. (1994).Right from the start. Teaching children ages three to eight.Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Trostle, S. & Yawkey, T.D. (1989).Integrated learning activities for young children.Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Wortham, S.C. (2002). Early childhood curriculum: Developmental bases for learning and teaching.Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merril/Prentice Hall.