Overview of Curricular Practices in Early Childhood Care and Education

Catalog description

Curricular practices in programs for infants, toddlers and preschoolers. Focus on developmentally appropriate practice, emergent curriculum and home/child care links. HD FS 230 Overview of Curricular Practices in Early Childhood Care and Education (3) This course, intended for current or future providers of early childhood care and education, examines curricular practices in programs for young children. It is required for the proposed Early Childhood Care and Education option to the associate degree in Human Development and Family Studies.The course addresses current practices in early childhood care and education programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. After a brief examination of the history of early childhood care and education, this course focuses on the use of developmentally appropriate activities and strategies to maximize children's positive growth and development. Each of the traditional early childhood curricular areas (involving physical, social, emotional, cognitive development) is considered, as is the importance of the connection between families and early care and education settings. Reading and discussion in each curricular area stresses diversity issues and inclusion of children with special needs in groups with normally developing children. There is an emphasis on applications of the project approach and emergent curriculum as appropriate for use with infants, toddlers and preschoolers.Students show mastery of the course material through tests over each topic of discussion, reports on outside reading related to current issues in early childhood care and education, individual and small group presentations about a specific curricular issues, and use of a reflective journal.The course will be offered once each academic year, with an enrollment of 15-25 students.