Course Syllabus

Week 1: Introductions

Please read and review all of the material and links in Week 0 “Course Resources” of our online classroom

Additional reading assignment is posted in the Week 1 Module of the online class.

Answer the following questions and anything else that you feel is appropriate to share with the class and post in the discussion tab of the classroom. Introduce yourself to the class: Who are you? What do you do for work? What is your major in school? How many online courses have you taken? What do you do for fun? What do you do for self-care? What is your interest in Development of Young Children ages 3-8 years? What do you hope to learn from this class?

What does “child development for children ages 3 – 8 years” mean to you and what does your research say the study of “child development” is? Why is researching about “child development” a valued aspect of psychology courses?

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

PLEASE NOTE – FOR THIS DISCUSSION AND ALL FUTURE DISCUSSION POSTS, YOU WILL NEED TO RESEARCH AND INCLUDE APA FORMATTED REFERENCES. Be sure to review the information in our online class modules “Course Resources” for examples for the research and writing expectations in class discussions.

Please read all of the contents in “Course Resources Week 0” which includes: “Expectations for Writing and Communication” “Grading and Assessment” and the “Syllabus” as well as the expectations for you, the student in this class and what to expect from the instructor

Please also read the syllabus and assignments in the “Syllabus” folder in “Course Resources Week 0” as well as the OWL Purdue APA guide posted “Course Resources Week 0” of our online classroom.

After reflecting on your own writing abilities and experience, write a one paragraph reflection about your questions, comments, or concerns regarding using the guidelines and APA as a format for all writing assignments in this course.

Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Remember to use the General Guidelines when completing this assignment and all future assignments.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 2: Culture and Ethics

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 2

Culture is a broad concept. Identify an idea, belief, or value that you learned as a child that came from the culture of your family, one that came from the culture of your community or neighborhood, one that came from your broader cultural or ethnic background, and/or one that came from your religious culture. Why is the ongoing discussion on culture important when thinking about child development?

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

After reviewing the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, please answer the following question in a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long). What does having a code of ethics mean to an early childhood educator? Do you disagree with any of the core values listed in the Code of Ethical Conduct? What are they? How would you change them? Why is self-awareness important for an early childhood educator?

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 3: Emotional Development and Complex Trauma

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 3

Create a lesson plan for a child between the ages of 3 – 8 years to help them in the area of emotional development. Use the template in Week 3 as a guide for what is expected to include in your lesson plan.

Knowing that children learn best through actively exploring their environment through play experiences, please consider making your lesson plan as playful as possible. What are children learning to support their emotional development through play? What is the adult’s role in the lesson plan and play experiences? The use of “Flash Cards” or large group teaching moments may not be the best choice to use in your lesson plan unless your research states what the child will be learning through these experiences. Use the Vermont Learning Standards and other child development assessment tools to choose an area of emotional development you would like to focus your lesson plan on. Then research playful ways children can challenge their current level of mastery in this area of development and make this your lesson plan.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

After researching “complex trauma” and “early childhood trauma”, please write a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), answering the following questions. What is “complex trauma”? How does trauma impact the child’s developing brain – socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively and with language? What is “resiliency” and how does this factor in to a child’s ability to heal from trauma? How can children heal from trauma?

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 4: Emotional Development and Erikson

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 4

After researching as much as possible about young children’s emotional development at the “CESFEL” website listed in this week’s reading, please create a question for the class about emotional development of a child ages 3-8 years that you will post on the Discussion board by Wednesday at 11:55pm. This question will ask your classmates to think further about how children ages 3-8 years develop emotionally.

Your responses to classmates will be answering two questions including research.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

In a 1-3 page paper or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), please describe Erikson's theory of psychosocial development. Include why Erikson’s theory is important to know when supporting the healthy development of children ages 3- 8 as well as any contraindications for this theory.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 5: Social Development and Children’s Integrated Services

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 5

Create a lesson plan for a child between the ages of 3 – 8 years to help them in the area of social development. Use the template in Week 5 as a guide for what is expected to include in your lesson plan.

Knowing that children learn best through actively exploring their environment through play experiences, please consider making your lesson plan as playful as possible. What are children learning to support their social development through play? What is the adult’s role in the lesson plan and play experiences? The use of “Flash Cards” or large group teaching moments may not be the best choice to use in your lesson plan unless your research states what the child will be learning through these experiences. Use the Vermont Learning Standards and other child development assessment tools to choose an area of social development you would like to focus your lesson plan on. Then research playful ways children can challenge their current level of mastery in this area of development and make this your lesson plan.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Compile a list of names and contact information from your community to create a referral list for you, the potential early childhood educator, to use when you assess that a child or family has needs beyond your area of expertise.

A completed list will have at least ten different contacts (name of professional, agency they are connected to, phone number, address, etc) and will cover all areas of child development (social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and language) and age groups.

Also answer the following questions in 1-2 pages and submit the answers as well as the completed list for your assignment. (There is no video option for this week’s assignment.)

Questions- Where did you get the information? Were the contacts easy to find? What is your community missing in order to meet all the possible needs of the families in your care? How did you decide what resources would be important to add to the list? Did you already know about the resources in your community? Would you feel comfortable referring families to these on your list?

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 6: War Play and Sexual Development

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 6

Is "war play" appropriate for children aged 8 and younger? Why or why not? What limits would you put on the play? Why?

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Review the information from this week’s reading on information regarding healthy childhood sexual development and how to talk to children about sex. Write a 1-3 page reflection paper or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), about your thoughts, feelings, and ideas on what you learned from these 2 links and the relevance to early childhood development.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 7: Discipline and Play

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 7

Choose one of the following ways of guiding children’s behavior and discuss what the lasting effects of these discipline strategies: redirection, ignoring, positive attention, time in, time out, counting to 3, spanking, setting limits, reinforcement, natural and logical consequences, choices, quiet time, chores, token economy, visual schedules, punishments/rewards, screen use, reflecting emotions through play, validating emotions, physicality, calmness, silence, responsibilities, social stories to illustrate behavior, or any other tool you know of and/or use in guiding child’s behavior. Discuss and compare responses with your classmates.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Develop a pamphlet or flyer or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), that shares information about the types of play and the importance of play for a young child's development. The hypothetical audience for this pamphlet will be parents/caregivers, early care teachers/professionals as a means to inform them on how young children learn best through play experiences. This topic is not cutting edge – there is a lot of evidence-based research out there to support these ideas, so be sure to use them in your research to add validity and reliability to your ideas about play.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 8: Caregiver Affect Management

Your weekly reading is posted in Week 8

Week 9: Language Development and Assessment

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 9

Create a lesson plan for a child between the ages of 3 – 8 years to help them in the area of language development. Use the template in Week 9 as a guide for what is expected to include in your lesson plan.

Knowing that children learn best through actively exploring their environment through play experiences, please consider making your lesson plan as playful as possible. What are children learning to support their language development through play? What is the adult’s role in the lesson plan and play experiences? The use of “Flash Cards” or large group teaching moments may not be the best choice to use in your lesson plan unless your research states what the child will be learning through these experiences. Use the Vermont Learning Standards and other child development assessment tools to choose an area of language development you would like to focus your lesson plan on. Then research playful ways children can challenge their current level of mastery in this area of development and make this your lesson plan.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Research everything you can about Teaching Strategies GOLD as well as other assessments used to track development in young children. Write a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), that describes the benefits of using Teaching Strategies GOLD, the problems with TS GOLD, who in Vermont uses this assessment tool and anything else that you learned in your research that you would like to write about.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 10: School Readiness and Communicating with Parents

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 10

How would you prepare for the preschool child to enter the school system? Please take all areas of development into consideration (social, emotional, language cognitive, and physical) as well as what to communicate to teachers and/or parents. What is the early care provider's role in the transition to school? What is the family’s role in the transition to school? What is the school’s role? What tools would you use to support the transition and why?

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Harrison is a five year old in your preschool class. His parents want him to read before entering kindergarten. David Elkind who says, “Don’t push children.” You’ve researched Lev Vygotsky who says, if reading is in the child’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) then it is okay to push a little. You’ve learned about Piaget’s stages of cognitive development and he says that play is the best way for a child to learn. You have to decide how to work with Harrison’s family to help him make the transition to public school. What do you need to know about Harrison before you decide what to do? What are some possible ways of handling the situation? How would you choose what solution?

Write a 1-3 page essay answering these questions or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), and anything else that you feel would be helpful to say to Harrison’s parents. Make sure you use supporting information regarding Piaget and Vygotsky in your results to helping Harrison and his family.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 11: Physical Development and Nature Deficit

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 11

Create a lesson plan for a child between the ages of 3 – 8 years to help them in the area of physical development (gross or fine motor development). Use the template in Week 11 as a guide for what is expected to include in your lesson plan. Consider linking your research on Nature-Deficit Disorder to this lesson plan.

Knowing that children learn best through actively exploring their environment through play experiences, please consider making your lesson plan as playful as possible. What are children learning to support their physical development through play? What is the adult’s role in the lesson plan and play experiences? The use of “Flash Cards” or large group teaching moments may not be the best choice to use in your lesson plan unless your research states what the child will be learning through these experiences. Use the Vermont Learning Standards and other child development assessment tools to choose an area of physical development you would like to focus your lesson plan on. Then research playful ways children can challenge their current level of mastery in this area of development and make this your lesson plan.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

In a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), please write about what you find interesting about the Nature-Deficit Disorder also include if you agree or disagree and why. You may want to add your own experiences and ideas about child development and the outdoors.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 12: Physical Development and Childhood Obesity

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 12

When thinking about childhood obesity in America, the child's health status involves individual, social, environmental factors regarding consumption and energy expenditure. Find an article about childhood obesity to read and then please discuss an aspect of these factors of childhood obesity and share at least one idea on how you would talk to children ages 3-8 (and/or their family) about solutions that are developmentally appropriate, logical and doable. Be sure to link what you have learned about child development as well as some outside resources to support your thoughts.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

After viewing the 1:26:36 video “Sugar: The Bitter Truth”, please write a 1-3 page reflection essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long). Include how this information relates to child development ages 3-8.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 13: Cognitive Development and Screen Time

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 13

Create a lesson plan for a child between the ages of 3 – 8 years to help them in the area of cognitive development. Use the template in Week 13 as a guide for what is expected to include in your lesson plan.

Knowing that children learn best through actively exploring their environment through play experiences, please consider making your lesson plan as playful as possible. What are children learning to support their cognitive development through play? What is the adult’s role in the lesson plan and play experiences? The use of “Flash Cards” or large group teaching moments may not be the best choice to use in your lesson plan unless your research states what the child will be learning through these experiences. Use the Vermont Learning Standards and other child development assessment tools to choose an area of cognitive development you would like to focus your lesson plan on. Then research playful ways children can challenge their current level of mastery in this area of development and make this your lesson plan.

Post an original submission to the discussion forum using research and references by Wednesday at 11:55pm and respond to 2 other submissions using research and citing your references by Sunday at 11:55pm.

You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Use APA format to cite your resources.

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Please choose a 30 minute TV program that is supposedly made for young children to watch and targets the early childhood ages. Then, take the time to actually watch the show with a critical mind.

In a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), discuss your thoughts and feelings regarding the television program you watched by answering the following questions: Would you consider the program “educational”? Why or why not? What does your research say about screen time for young children? screens and brain development? What other research can you find about the amount of screen use young children should watch (or not watch) per day? Give specific examples to prove your point. Interview other professionals. Be creative.

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 14: Personality Types and Course Evaluation

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 14

Course Evaluation assignment:

If 80% of the class completes the class evaluations by Wednesday at 11:55pm, every class member will receive 10 bonus points!

In a 1-3 page essay or a video presentation of yourself (no more than 5 minutes long), please answer the following questions: What does it mean to be an “introvert”? and “extrovert”? How do these two personality types process information differently? Why is it important to consider the how introverts and extroverts process and present themselves when thinking of child development? How does the extroverted adult support the introverted child and how does the introverted adult support the development of the extroverted child? What else needs to be considered when thinking of personality types in the early care and education setting?

Please refer to the General Guidelines for Written Assignments and the APA guide for proper citing of references. You will need to use other resources besides the weekly reading to support your work and remember to cite resources with APA format. Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm. Video presentations will also require a reference page.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Week 15: Goodbyes!

Your weekly reading for this week is posted in Week 15

Say your good-byes for this class. Thank you!

Discussions are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for discussions.)

Your final participation in this week’s discussion is due by 11:55 on Sun.

Class ends for the semester at 11:55 on Sunday.

In a 1-2 paragraph reflection of the class, please write me a letter stating your favorite part about this class, the top three areas of knowledge you gained from participating in this class, and your least favorite part about this class.

You do not need to follow any guidelines for this assignment! Submit by Sunday at 11:55pm.

Assignments are worth up to 10 points. (See “Grading Formula” and course rubric for details on points given for assignments.)

Your last assignment is due by 11:55 on Sun.

Class ends for the semester at 11:55 on Sunday.