Standards
Standard #1
Promoting Child Development and Learning
Students prepare in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs and of the multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.
Artifact: Theorist Paper
The theorist I have chosen to research on is, Jean Piaget. The purpose or goals of this research is to relate the theory of Jean Piaget’s cognitive development on how we as teachers and caregivers can apply this theory to our everyday environment as we professionally interact with children and families. Also, using Piaget’s theory to explain how children think, understand, and learn, and how we can use these methods to help us as teacher’s and caregivers to constructively be able to help children actively learn doing their developmental stages. His theory is basically a logicomathematical theory; that is, cognitive development is perceived as consisting primarily of logical and mathematical abilities, such as numeration, seriation, clarification, and temporal relationship (Morrison, 2009, p. 129). This theorist has been chosen to give descriptive information of Piaget’s theory which includes active learning, adaptation, schemes, assimilation, and accommodation when working with children. By reading this research paper, the reader will gain knowledge of how he/she can employ constructivist learning into our everyday environment.
Active learning is an essential part of constructivism. Active learning means that children construct knowledge through physical and mental activity and that they are actively involved in problem-setting and problem-solving activities. In Montessori classrooms active learning involves children using concrete, manipulative materials in order to learn concepts, knowledge and different skills. Another active learning practice is the High Scope educational model in which gears curriculum to children’s stages of development and promotes constructive processes of learning that broaden children’s emerging intellectual and social skills. According to Deborah McCarthy’s Journal of College Science Teaching, “Giants in education like Bandura (1971), Bruner (1960), Dewey (1967), and Piaget (1970) recognized the importance of students being active participants in real-world experiences. Such active learning promotes better understanding of science concepts according to Obenland, Munson, and Hutchinson (2012). Additionally, a meta-analysis of 225 studies comparing lecture to active learning strategies in STEM courses showed that active learning increased student performance and reduced failure rates”(1). By a teacher or caregiver actually incorporating active learning strategies into everyday practices research is showing how it increases a student’s performance skills and actually helps them instead of setting them up for failure. In the environment that we live today active learning is very Key when we are dealing with our young children.
The adaptive process operates at the cognitive level much as it does at the physical level. Adaptation is the process of building schemes through interaction with the environment. Schemes refer to the organized of knowledge in which children develop through the adaptation process. In the process of developing new schemes, Piaget ascribed primary importance to physical activity. Physical activity leads to mental stimulus, which in turn leads to mental activity. There is not a clear line between physical and mental activity in infancy and childhood. Consequently, early childhood teachers provide for active learning by arranging classrooms to allow children to explore and interact with people and objects (Morrison, 2009, p. 130). Adaptation also consist of two complementary processes—assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation is the taking in of sensory data through experiences and impressions and incorporating this information into existing knowledge of people and objects as a result of previous experiences. Through assimilation, children use old methods or experiences to understand and make sense of new information and experiences. Accommodation is the process by which children change their way of thinking, behaving, or believing to come into accord with reality. Accommodation involves changing old methods to adjust to new situations. Whereas Emily tried to eat the blocks, Madeleine wanted to stack them. Through accommodation she had learned not to try to eat them (Morrison, 2009, p. 130).
Piaget too focuses on The Stages of Intellectual Development in which he summarizes and provides examples of the first three. The first three are very important as they relate to early childhood and childhood education. When it comes to Axelsson, A. K., “Influences on development can be expected to be greatest when the child participates in everyday activities on a regular basis and over an extended period of time (Bronfenbrenner 1995). The child’s participation in family activities is therefore of great importance (Gallimore et al. 1989; Dunst et al. 2002). Family activities include routines as well as other activities such as play and family gatherings. Situation-specific experiences within family activities,‘activity settings’,offer contexts for the child to learn about his or her own abilities and capabilities and about others (Dunst et al. 2001). When incorporating characteristics of the individuals in these physical settings they could be defined as a niches (Wachs 2000) wherein proximal processes, which denotes the interaction, take place. Such proximal processes, including presence and engagement, promote the child’s development and well-being (Bronfenbrenner 1999)” (p.524). Not only should engagement be involved at a childcare setting it too should be involved in a child’s life from the moment they are born.
The first one is the Sensorimotor Stage, the stage that begins at birth and lasts about two years. The characteristics of this stage are that children use their innate sensorimotor systems of sucking, grasping, and gross-body activities to build schemes. Children also “solve” problems by playing with toys and using everyday “tools” for instants a spoon to learn to feed them. The sensorimotor period consist of these major characteristics: Dependence on and use of innate reflexive actions; initial development of object permanency; egocentricity, where children see their selves as the middle of the world and they too believe occurrences are caused by them; dependence on concrete representations for information; and ending the second year, fewer reliance on sensorimotor reflexive actions, and the use of beginning to use symbols for things that are not present
The second stage is the Preoperational Stage, the stage that begins at age two and ends at approximately seven years. The characteristics of these stage children depend on concrete representations and “think” with concrete materials. In this stage children enjoy accelerated language development. They are also very egocentric in their thought and action; therefore, they tend to internalize events. They think everything has a reason and a purpose. They are perceptually bound and therefore make judgments based primary on how things look. “Words and actions are basic elements in narratives, and narrative construction is a primal way of making meaning and sense of the world. Nelson uses the label "mental event representation" (MER) to describe young children using language to construct mental representations of familiar events. Language development correlates closely with MER development. Nelson also refers to scripts which rely on players learning semipredictable storylines. MERs and scripts become generalized models in the developing minds of children for abstractly organising and understanding the world” (Alcock, 2007).
The third stage is the Concrete Operations Stage, the stage that begins at age seven to seventeen years. The characteristics of these stage children, they are able to reverse their thought processes and they can conserve and understand numbers. They too begin to structure time and space and also to think logically. This is the stage children can apply logic to concrete situations. It is said that, “Emotionally, children develop in the direction of greater self-awareness—i.e., awareness of their own emotional states, characteristics, and potential for action—and they become increasingly able to discern and interpret the emotions of other people as well. This contributes to empathy, or the ability to appreciate the feelings and perceptions of others and understand their point of view. These new abilities contribute to the child’s moral development, which typically begins in early childhood as concern over and avoidance of acts that attract pain and punishment and progresses to a more general regulation of conduct so as to maintain parental regard and approval. A further shift in moral reasoning to one based on the avoidance of internal guilt and self-recrimination marks the passage from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. All of these emotional advances enhance the child’s social skills and functioning” (Psychological development, 2014).
Piaget was influenced and he became interested in child cognitive development as he watched his thirteen month old nephew, Gerald, at play. By chance, Piaget observed the toddler playing with a ball. When the ball rolled under a table where the boy could still see it, the nephew simply retrieved the ball and continued playing. After the ball rolling under a sofa out of his sight, however, the child began looking for it where he had last seen it. This reaction struck Piaget as irrational. Piaget then came to believe that children lack what he referred to as the object concept - the knowledge that objects are separate and distinct from both the individual and the individual's perception of that object.
My overall findings and thoughts of Jean Piaget’s theory is that when it comes to knowing whether or not children are learning I can determine it in a number of ways. I can determine by observing what each child is doing, by note taking how a child is interacting with other children and staff, by interpreting assessments from the child’s date of entry until the child’s end date, and by reading stories based on a child’s interest and level. Most importantly of all, making sure that as a teacher I continue to be and stay actively engage with all of my children as they come and go. For, active involvement is basic to Piaget’s cognitive theory, and we must always remember that “children learn through play.”
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my theorist paper demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of how the effect of my practice with children continues. As a teacher my roles are to make sure that I provide interactive toys; and provide varied multisensory toy’s that will promote investigation and sensory involvement by using real objects. I will provide environments in which early learners may be able to explore. I will also open the opportunity for early learners to explore. I too will make sure to provide many and varied kinds of manipulative materials, objects like puzzles, counters, and clay. I will make sure that I am teaching by providing many types of concrete learning materials and activities. In the future I will continue to provide developmentally age appropriate language opportunities that involves speaking, listening, reading and writing. I will also give my students a chance to manipulate and test objects; use familiar examples to explain more complex ideas; and give them opportunities to be able to classify and group objects and ideas on increasingly complex levels.
Promoting Child Development and Learning
Students prepare in early childhood degree programs are grounded in a child development knowledge base. They use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs and of the multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for each child.
Artifact: Theorist Paper
The theorist I have chosen to research on is, Jean Piaget. The purpose or goals of this research is to relate the theory of Jean Piaget’s cognitive development on how we as teachers and caregivers can apply this theory to our everyday environment as we professionally interact with children and families. Also, using Piaget’s theory to explain how children think, understand, and learn, and how we can use these methods to help us as teacher’s and caregivers to constructively be able to help children actively learn doing their developmental stages. His theory is basically a logicomathematical theory; that is, cognitive development is perceived as consisting primarily of logical and mathematical abilities, such as numeration, seriation, clarification, and temporal relationship (Morrison, 2009, p. 129). This theorist has been chosen to give descriptive information of Piaget’s theory which includes active learning, adaptation, schemes, assimilation, and accommodation when working with children. By reading this research paper, the reader will gain knowledge of how he/she can employ constructivist learning into our everyday environment.
Active learning is an essential part of constructivism. Active learning means that children construct knowledge through physical and mental activity and that they are actively involved in problem-setting and problem-solving activities. In Montessori classrooms active learning involves children using concrete, manipulative materials in order to learn concepts, knowledge and different skills. Another active learning practice is the High Scope educational model in which gears curriculum to children’s stages of development and promotes constructive processes of learning that broaden children’s emerging intellectual and social skills. According to Deborah McCarthy’s Journal of College Science Teaching, “Giants in education like Bandura (1971), Bruner (1960), Dewey (1967), and Piaget (1970) recognized the importance of students being active participants in real-world experiences. Such active learning promotes better understanding of science concepts according to Obenland, Munson, and Hutchinson (2012). Additionally, a meta-analysis of 225 studies comparing lecture to active learning strategies in STEM courses showed that active learning increased student performance and reduced failure rates”(1). By a teacher or caregiver actually incorporating active learning strategies into everyday practices research is showing how it increases a student’s performance skills and actually helps them instead of setting them up for failure. In the environment that we live today active learning is very Key when we are dealing with our young children.
The adaptive process operates at the cognitive level much as it does at the physical level. Adaptation is the process of building schemes through interaction with the environment. Schemes refer to the organized of knowledge in which children develop through the adaptation process. In the process of developing new schemes, Piaget ascribed primary importance to physical activity. Physical activity leads to mental stimulus, which in turn leads to mental activity. There is not a clear line between physical and mental activity in infancy and childhood. Consequently, early childhood teachers provide for active learning by arranging classrooms to allow children to explore and interact with people and objects (Morrison, 2009, p. 130). Adaptation also consist of two complementary processes—assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation is the taking in of sensory data through experiences and impressions and incorporating this information into existing knowledge of people and objects as a result of previous experiences. Through assimilation, children use old methods or experiences to understand and make sense of new information and experiences. Accommodation is the process by which children change their way of thinking, behaving, or believing to come into accord with reality. Accommodation involves changing old methods to adjust to new situations. Whereas Emily tried to eat the blocks, Madeleine wanted to stack them. Through accommodation she had learned not to try to eat them (Morrison, 2009, p. 130).
Piaget too focuses on The Stages of Intellectual Development in which he summarizes and provides examples of the first three. The first three are very important as they relate to early childhood and childhood education. When it comes to Axelsson, A. K., “Influences on development can be expected to be greatest when the child participates in everyday activities on a regular basis and over an extended period of time (Bronfenbrenner 1995). The child’s participation in family activities is therefore of great importance (Gallimore et al. 1989; Dunst et al. 2002). Family activities include routines as well as other activities such as play and family gatherings. Situation-specific experiences within family activities,‘activity settings’,offer contexts for the child to learn about his or her own abilities and capabilities and about others (Dunst et al. 2001). When incorporating characteristics of the individuals in these physical settings they could be defined as a niches (Wachs 2000) wherein proximal processes, which denotes the interaction, take place. Such proximal processes, including presence and engagement, promote the child’s development and well-being (Bronfenbrenner 1999)” (p.524). Not only should engagement be involved at a childcare setting it too should be involved in a child’s life from the moment they are born.
The first one is the Sensorimotor Stage, the stage that begins at birth and lasts about two years. The characteristics of this stage are that children use their innate sensorimotor systems of sucking, grasping, and gross-body activities to build schemes. Children also “solve” problems by playing with toys and using everyday “tools” for instants a spoon to learn to feed them. The sensorimotor period consist of these major characteristics: Dependence on and use of innate reflexive actions; initial development of object permanency; egocentricity, where children see their selves as the middle of the world and they too believe occurrences are caused by them; dependence on concrete representations for information; and ending the second year, fewer reliance on sensorimotor reflexive actions, and the use of beginning to use symbols for things that are not present
The second stage is the Preoperational Stage, the stage that begins at age two and ends at approximately seven years. The characteristics of these stage children depend on concrete representations and “think” with concrete materials. In this stage children enjoy accelerated language development. They are also very egocentric in their thought and action; therefore, they tend to internalize events. They think everything has a reason and a purpose. They are perceptually bound and therefore make judgments based primary on how things look. “Words and actions are basic elements in narratives, and narrative construction is a primal way of making meaning and sense of the world. Nelson uses the label "mental event representation" (MER) to describe young children using language to construct mental representations of familiar events. Language development correlates closely with MER development. Nelson also refers to scripts which rely on players learning semipredictable storylines. MERs and scripts become generalized models in the developing minds of children for abstractly organising and understanding the world” (Alcock, 2007).
The third stage is the Concrete Operations Stage, the stage that begins at age seven to seventeen years. The characteristics of these stage children, they are able to reverse their thought processes and they can conserve and understand numbers. They too begin to structure time and space and also to think logically. This is the stage children can apply logic to concrete situations. It is said that, “Emotionally, children develop in the direction of greater self-awareness—i.e., awareness of their own emotional states, characteristics, and potential for action—and they become increasingly able to discern and interpret the emotions of other people as well. This contributes to empathy, or the ability to appreciate the feelings and perceptions of others and understand their point of view. These new abilities contribute to the child’s moral development, which typically begins in early childhood as concern over and avoidance of acts that attract pain and punishment and progresses to a more general regulation of conduct so as to maintain parental regard and approval. A further shift in moral reasoning to one based on the avoidance of internal guilt and self-recrimination marks the passage from childhood and adolescence to adulthood. All of these emotional advances enhance the child’s social skills and functioning” (Psychological development, 2014).
Piaget was influenced and he became interested in child cognitive development as he watched his thirteen month old nephew, Gerald, at play. By chance, Piaget observed the toddler playing with a ball. When the ball rolled under a table where the boy could still see it, the nephew simply retrieved the ball and continued playing. After the ball rolling under a sofa out of his sight, however, the child began looking for it where he had last seen it. This reaction struck Piaget as irrational. Piaget then came to believe that children lack what he referred to as the object concept - the knowledge that objects are separate and distinct from both the individual and the individual's perception of that object.
My overall findings and thoughts of Jean Piaget’s theory is that when it comes to knowing whether or not children are learning I can determine it in a number of ways. I can determine by observing what each child is doing, by note taking how a child is interacting with other children and staff, by interpreting assessments from the child’s date of entry until the child’s end date, and by reading stories based on a child’s interest and level. Most importantly of all, making sure that as a teacher I continue to be and stay actively engage with all of my children as they come and go. For, active involvement is basic to Piaget’s cognitive theory, and we must always remember that “children learn through play.”
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my theorist paper demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of how the effect of my practice with children continues. As a teacher my roles are to make sure that I provide interactive toys; and provide varied multisensory toy’s that will promote investigation and sensory involvement by using real objects. I will provide environments in which early learners may be able to explore. I will also open the opportunity for early learners to explore. I too will make sure to provide many and varied kinds of manipulative materials, objects like puzzles, counters, and clay. I will make sure that I am teaching by providing many types of concrete learning materials and activities. In the future I will continue to provide developmentally age appropriate language opportunities that involves speaking, listening, reading and writing. I will also give my students a chance to manipulate and test objects; use familiar examples to explain more complex ideas; and give them opportunities to be able to classify and group objects and ideas on increasingly complex levels.
Standard #2
Building Family and Community Relationships
Students prepare in early childhood degree programs understand that successful early childhood education depends upon partnerships with children’s families and communities. They know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and to involve all families in their children’s development and Learning.
Artifact: Child Case Study
Introduction:
Child:
Armoni Elise Nelson is the child that I have selected to do my child case study on. Armoni sometimes goes by the nick mane of (Moni). Armoni’s date of birth is April 8, 2011 in which she is currently five years old. Armoni is a black African American female with physical characteristics of dark brown eyes, very dark brown medium length hair, a trim build, with the average height of a child her age. Armoni seems to be a young, smart, beautiful, and well-dressed girl. Armoni seems to be a very friendly and outgoing person. Armoni is the second born child in her family.
The reason I selected Armoni Nelson was because her teacher Ms. Sheffield told me that she would be a good candidate for me to do my case study on. Also during my observations I started to pay more close attention to Armoni to see if she would be a child that I would be interested in and if I would be able to determine some of her strengths and weaknesses as it relates to the KDI’s during my observation. As I observed Armoni Nelson I was able to determine that she did have some strength and at the same time she had some weaknesses that can be improved with encouragement of the adult staff and her parent.
Family:
According to my interview with Armoni’s mother the family’s composition is with mom herself, the older brother, and Armoni. Armoni’s mother does work and go to school at the present time. The ethnic background of this family is known as Black African American. At the present time according to Armoni’s mother there are no recent changes in the family at this time. Armoni has one older sibling that resides with herself and her mom who is known to be her older brother. According to Armoni’s mother the brother is the only other sibling that Armoni has at the present time. Armoni’s mother is currently employed and she works for Greek Town Casino as a Slot Floor Person. As of right now there are no present family problems or concerns that have to do with this family from my interview with Armoni’s mom. Armoni’s mother states that the family has no known family crisis or tragedies that they are experiencing at this time and that everything is going just fine as far as she is concerned. Armoni’s mom’s attitude as it relates to the school’s curriculum and how Armoni is developing and learning at this time is however going just fine with her. Mom is very happy and pleased with her child’s teachers. Mom feels that the teachers in the classroom are doing a very well job and that Armoni is actively learning. Mom has one present issue and concern as far as it relates to her daughters learning development and progression. Mom says that she and the teachers at the school are working with her daughter on identifying letters of the alphabet.
Overall Synopsis:
Physical:
Armoni’s overall physical development seems to be appropriate for her age level. I have observed her using her fine motor skills, gross motor skills, knowing body awareness, doing personal care, and she engages in healthy behavior. I have seen Armoni do things like bend, twist, rock, swing her arms, run jump, hop, march, and climb. She has moved with objects, expressed creativity with movement, shows action upon movement directions, feels and expresses steady beats, and she moves to a common beat.
My recommendations as far as it relates to Armoni’s Physical Development are that she continues to developmentally participate in all levels of active, physical play. Also that she continues to get practice of healthy and safe behaviors.
Social-Emotional:
Armoni’s overall social development is appropriate for her age level. I have observed her use a sense of competence, she is aware of her self-identity, she shows emotions, she has empathy for her classmates, and she builds relationships with her peers and adults, and participates in the community of the classroom, she’s always involved in cooperative play, she aware of moral development and she is aware of conflict resolution but, she does show some weaknesses in the area of resolving conflict resolution in other words she still requires the help of an adult when solving conflicts.
My recommendations for Armoni in Social Emotional Development are that she continues to be encouraged and engages in forming and sustaining positive relationships. Continue to experience, manage, and express her emotions. I also recommend that when dealing with conflict resolution she is encouraged by and adult to come up with more idea strategies to solving the conflict without the help of the adult.
Cognitive:
Armoni’s overall cognitive skills are appropriate for her age level. She has the ability to process information, reason, remember, and relate.
I do recommend that Armoni’s teachers continue to encourage Armoni to participate in more activities and play that would enhance her knowledge with more ideas of Science and Technology and Social Studies skills.
Language:
Armoni’s overall language skills are of developmental appropriate age level. She is able to talk with others about personally meaningful experiences, describe objects, events, and relations, she has fun with language, she listens to stories being read to her, and she writes using letter like forms. Her speaking skills are good she can comprehend things, her vocabulary is understandable, she has a concept about print, and what I have noticed is that she does struggle with her alphabet letter names and their sounds.
In Language Literacy, and Communications I recommend that where Armoni struggles with letters and their sounds that her teachers continue to encourage Armoni with the phonological awareness skills that she needs and also communicate with mom to give her different ideas and strategies to work with Armoni at home to improve her awareness of the alphabet. I also recommend that the teachers continue to encourage Armoni to continue to use all the language that she has been in the past for this too will help her to become more aware of her alphabet in due time.
Approach to Learning:
Armoni’s approaches to learning skills are appropriate for her age level. I have observed Armoni show imitative when planning where she would like to work and what she would like to do. While she is in work time she shows engagement in what he is doing, she uses her resources, and she also reflects on her experiences. She is able to make choices, plans, and decisions. She can solve problems encountered in her play.
In Approaches to Learning Armoni is doing what a child of her age level should be doing at this time. I recommend that Armoni’s teachers continue to enhance and encourage Armoni to experience more active learning that will further her ability to initiate, plan, engage, problem solve, use resources, and reflect on things.
Creative:
Armoni’s creativity skills are appropriate for her age level. She can express and represent what she is drawing, she can make models out of clay, blocks and other material, and she paints. Armoni can move to music, sing songs, and play simple musical instruments.
Armoni is one who tends to accomplish a lot from my observations of her. Being able to do so really does help Armoni as far as her active participatory learning.
Although Armoni is able to create things for her appropriate age level, I recommend that Armoni is encouraged more by her teachers to participate and show more interest as it relates to her wanting to use her creativity.
Closing Statement:
In closing I would just like to say thank you to the Mother and the staff of Marcus Garvey Academy for taking out the time and allowing me to come into the classroom to observe and further my career as it relates to Early Childhood Education. However, my time spent with this child has taught me strategies and techniques on how to observe a child and what to look for when taking observation notes.
Note: No parent permission to include photos of this case study
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my child case study demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of how I will aid in building family and community relationships by continuing to educate the parent on their child’s growth and development with active participatory learning. Doing so by making sure that there is adult-child interaction, a positive learning environment for the children, a consistent daily routine, adults as supporters of active learners, continuous usage of the KDI’s, using the ingredients of active learning, continuous observation and note taking, establishing supportive climates, making sure to involve families in active learning settings, home visits, parent teacher conferences, newsletters, monthly calendars, and notes to parents on upcoming events will all aid on how to build family and community relationships.
Building Family and Community Relationships
Students prepare in early childhood degree programs understand that successful early childhood education depends upon partnerships with children’s families and communities. They know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and to involve all families in their children’s development and Learning.
Artifact: Child Case Study
Introduction:
Child:
Armoni Elise Nelson is the child that I have selected to do my child case study on. Armoni sometimes goes by the nick mane of (Moni). Armoni’s date of birth is April 8, 2011 in which she is currently five years old. Armoni is a black African American female with physical characteristics of dark brown eyes, very dark brown medium length hair, a trim build, with the average height of a child her age. Armoni seems to be a young, smart, beautiful, and well-dressed girl. Armoni seems to be a very friendly and outgoing person. Armoni is the second born child in her family.
The reason I selected Armoni Nelson was because her teacher Ms. Sheffield told me that she would be a good candidate for me to do my case study on. Also during my observations I started to pay more close attention to Armoni to see if she would be a child that I would be interested in and if I would be able to determine some of her strengths and weaknesses as it relates to the KDI’s during my observation. As I observed Armoni Nelson I was able to determine that she did have some strength and at the same time she had some weaknesses that can be improved with encouragement of the adult staff and her parent.
Family:
According to my interview with Armoni’s mother the family’s composition is with mom herself, the older brother, and Armoni. Armoni’s mother does work and go to school at the present time. The ethnic background of this family is known as Black African American. At the present time according to Armoni’s mother there are no recent changes in the family at this time. Armoni has one older sibling that resides with herself and her mom who is known to be her older brother. According to Armoni’s mother the brother is the only other sibling that Armoni has at the present time. Armoni’s mother is currently employed and she works for Greek Town Casino as a Slot Floor Person. As of right now there are no present family problems or concerns that have to do with this family from my interview with Armoni’s mom. Armoni’s mother states that the family has no known family crisis or tragedies that they are experiencing at this time and that everything is going just fine as far as she is concerned. Armoni’s mom’s attitude as it relates to the school’s curriculum and how Armoni is developing and learning at this time is however going just fine with her. Mom is very happy and pleased with her child’s teachers. Mom feels that the teachers in the classroom are doing a very well job and that Armoni is actively learning. Mom has one present issue and concern as far as it relates to her daughters learning development and progression. Mom says that she and the teachers at the school are working with her daughter on identifying letters of the alphabet.
Overall Synopsis:
Physical:
Armoni’s overall physical development seems to be appropriate for her age level. I have observed her using her fine motor skills, gross motor skills, knowing body awareness, doing personal care, and she engages in healthy behavior. I have seen Armoni do things like bend, twist, rock, swing her arms, run jump, hop, march, and climb. She has moved with objects, expressed creativity with movement, shows action upon movement directions, feels and expresses steady beats, and she moves to a common beat.
My recommendations as far as it relates to Armoni’s Physical Development are that she continues to developmentally participate in all levels of active, physical play. Also that she continues to get practice of healthy and safe behaviors.
Social-Emotional:
Armoni’s overall social development is appropriate for her age level. I have observed her use a sense of competence, she is aware of her self-identity, she shows emotions, she has empathy for her classmates, and she builds relationships with her peers and adults, and participates in the community of the classroom, she’s always involved in cooperative play, she aware of moral development and she is aware of conflict resolution but, she does show some weaknesses in the area of resolving conflict resolution in other words she still requires the help of an adult when solving conflicts.
My recommendations for Armoni in Social Emotional Development are that she continues to be encouraged and engages in forming and sustaining positive relationships. Continue to experience, manage, and express her emotions. I also recommend that when dealing with conflict resolution she is encouraged by and adult to come up with more idea strategies to solving the conflict without the help of the adult.
Cognitive:
Armoni’s overall cognitive skills are appropriate for her age level. She has the ability to process information, reason, remember, and relate.
I do recommend that Armoni’s teachers continue to encourage Armoni to participate in more activities and play that would enhance her knowledge with more ideas of Science and Technology and Social Studies skills.
Language:
Armoni’s overall language skills are of developmental appropriate age level. She is able to talk with others about personally meaningful experiences, describe objects, events, and relations, she has fun with language, she listens to stories being read to her, and she writes using letter like forms. Her speaking skills are good she can comprehend things, her vocabulary is understandable, she has a concept about print, and what I have noticed is that she does struggle with her alphabet letter names and their sounds.
In Language Literacy, and Communications I recommend that where Armoni struggles with letters and their sounds that her teachers continue to encourage Armoni with the phonological awareness skills that she needs and also communicate with mom to give her different ideas and strategies to work with Armoni at home to improve her awareness of the alphabet. I also recommend that the teachers continue to encourage Armoni to continue to use all the language that she has been in the past for this too will help her to become more aware of her alphabet in due time.
Approach to Learning:
Armoni’s approaches to learning skills are appropriate for her age level. I have observed Armoni show imitative when planning where she would like to work and what she would like to do. While she is in work time she shows engagement in what he is doing, she uses her resources, and she also reflects on her experiences. She is able to make choices, plans, and decisions. She can solve problems encountered in her play.
In Approaches to Learning Armoni is doing what a child of her age level should be doing at this time. I recommend that Armoni’s teachers continue to enhance and encourage Armoni to experience more active learning that will further her ability to initiate, plan, engage, problem solve, use resources, and reflect on things.
Creative:
Armoni’s creativity skills are appropriate for her age level. She can express and represent what she is drawing, she can make models out of clay, blocks and other material, and she paints. Armoni can move to music, sing songs, and play simple musical instruments.
Armoni is one who tends to accomplish a lot from my observations of her. Being able to do so really does help Armoni as far as her active participatory learning.
Although Armoni is able to create things for her appropriate age level, I recommend that Armoni is encouraged more by her teachers to participate and show more interest as it relates to her wanting to use her creativity.
Closing Statement:
In closing I would just like to say thank you to the Mother and the staff of Marcus Garvey Academy for taking out the time and allowing me to come into the classroom to observe and further my career as it relates to Early Childhood Education. However, my time spent with this child has taught me strategies and techniques on how to observe a child and what to look for when taking observation notes.
Note: No parent permission to include photos of this case study
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my child case study demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of how I will aid in building family and community relationships by continuing to educate the parent on their child’s growth and development with active participatory learning. Doing so by making sure that there is adult-child interaction, a positive learning environment for the children, a consistent daily routine, adults as supporters of active learners, continuous usage of the KDI’s, using the ingredients of active learning, continuous observation and note taking, establishing supportive climates, making sure to involve families in active learning settings, home visits, parent teacher conferences, newsletters, monthly calendars, and notes to parents on upcoming events will all aid on how to build family and community relationships.
Standard #3
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence the development of every child.
Artifacts: Child Observations
Child Observations
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the table toy area, Jenale flattens play dough and says, “Hey look at my pancake.” The other children that were sitting at the table begin to look.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the table toy area, Kayla rolls play dough into a snake like shape and says, “Look, I made a hotdog.” The other children look her way.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During large group time in the block area, Kayla listens to the directions of the Hokey Pokey song and she turns her body around and waves her hands from side to side.
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During large group time in the block area, Jenale skipped from the block area over to the book area while listening to the song, Skip to my Lou.
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During small group time at the table, Jenale sits with her peers and Ms. Sheffield her teacher, and she begin to make a number book using markers, paper, and stickers.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During meal time at the table, after a peer passes out the place mats, Kayla places her napkin, fork, cup, and spoon on her place mat before she sat down at the table.
William S.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the house area, William pretends to be a police officer, he says to L.J., “I am going to take you to jail; you are not listening to your teacher.” He then starts to grab L.J. by the hands.
William S.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the block area, William was working with the assorted size wooden blocks. He then asks A.M. to come and help him to build a house.
Jermaine H.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time at the table toy area, Jermaine tries to place the puzzle pieces in the correct spaces, but when he was unable to do so he walked away and began to play in the block area.
Jermaine H.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During small group time at the table, after finishing making his number book, Jermaine starts to count the number of stickers in his book. He counts from 1 to 5 while pointing at each sticker.
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my observation anecdote notes demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways knowing whether or not children are learning. I can determine it in a number of ways. I can determine by observing what each child is doing, by note taking how a child is interacting with other children and staff, by interpreting assessments from the child’s date of entry until the child’s end date, and by reading stories based on a child’s interest and level. Most importantly of all, in the future making sure that as a teacher I continue to be and stay actively engaged with all of my children as they come and go. For, active involvement is basic to Piaget’s cognitive theory, and we must always remember that “children learn through play.”
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that child observation, documentation, and other forms of assessment are central to the practice of all early childhood professionals. They know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence the development of every child.
Artifacts: Child Observations
Child Observations
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the table toy area, Jenale flattens play dough and says, “Hey look at my pancake.” The other children that were sitting at the table begin to look.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the table toy area, Kayla rolls play dough into a snake like shape and says, “Look, I made a hotdog.” The other children look her way.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During large group time in the block area, Kayla listens to the directions of the Hokey Pokey song and she turns her body around and waves her hands from side to side.
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During large group time in the block area, Jenale skipped from the block area over to the book area while listening to the song, Skip to my Lou.
Jenale G.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During small group time at the table, Jenale sits with her peers and Ms. Sheffield her teacher, and she begin to make a number book using markers, paper, and stickers.
Kayla C.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During meal time at the table, after a peer passes out the place mats, Kayla places her napkin, fork, cup, and spoon on her place mat before she sat down at the table.
William S.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the house area, William pretends to be a police officer, he says to L.J., “I am going to take you to jail; you are not listening to your teacher.” He then starts to grab L.J. by the hands.
William S.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time in the block area, William was working with the assorted size wooden blocks. He then asks A.M. to come and help him to build a house.
Jermaine H.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During work time at the table toy area, Jermaine tries to place the puzzle pieces in the correct spaces, but when he was unable to do so he walked away and began to play in the block area.
Jermaine H.
2/9/2016
Marcus Garvey
During small group time at the table, after finishing making his number book, Jermaine starts to count the number of stickers in his book. He counts from 1 to 5 while pointing at each sticker.
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my observation anecdote notes demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways knowing whether or not children are learning. I can determine it in a number of ways. I can determine by observing what each child is doing, by note taking how a child is interacting with other children and staff, by interpreting assessments from the child’s date of entry until the child’s end date, and by reading stories based on a child’s interest and level. Most importantly of all, in the future making sure that as a teacher I continue to be and stay actively engaged with all of my children as they come and go. For, active involvement is basic to Piaget’s cognitive theory, and we must always remember that “children learn through play.”
Standard #4
Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teaching and learning occur. They understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Students know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
Artifact: "Example" Newsletter
Using Developmentally Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on children’s ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teaching and learning occur. They understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Students know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each child’s development and learning.
Artifact: "Example" Newsletter
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my example newsletter demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of continuing to educate age appropriate teaching practices and strategies to support each child’s growth individually as I continue to connect with their families by ways of personal notes, phone calls, suggestion boxes, activity calendars, child activity logs, sharing observations of child, parent bulletin board, and parent-provider conferences keeping them abreast of how their children are developing on a daily basis. In the future I will continue to plan meaningful experiences that will build on the children’s knowledge, interests, and skills.
This artifact of my example newsletter demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of continuing to educate age appropriate teaching practices and strategies to support each child’s growth individually as I continue to connect with their families by ways of personal notes, phone calls, suggestion boxes, activity calendars, child activity logs, sharing observations of child, parent bulletin board, and parent-provider conferences keeping them abreast of how their children are developing on a daily basis. In the future I will continue to plan meaningful experiences that will build on the children’s knowledge, interests, and skills.
Standard #5
Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs use their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for each and every young child. Students understand the importance of developmental domains and academic (or content) disciplines in an early childhood curriculum. They know the essential concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas, including academic subjects, and can identify resources to deepen their understanding. Students use their own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula that promote comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for every young child.
Artifact: Lesson Plan and Reflection
Planning Form
Name of Activity: Cotton Ball Painting
Originating Idea: I observed children finger painting in the art area and some were concerned about the paint being on their hands and wanted to wash them right away.
Curriculum Area: Creative Arts
Art: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two-and three-dimensional art.
Materials: Paper, muffin or brownie pan/small bowls, kids washable paint, cotton balls, and wooden clothes pins
Appropriate Age group: Toddlers to 5 years old
Beginning of Activity: I will select children to get the materials that are needed for this activity and place them on the table. I will take the materials and step by step I will explain what to do and show and demonstration of what should be done as far as pouring the paint into the pan or small bowls, placing the cotton ball into the paint, and attaching the clothes pins to the cotton.
Middle of Activity: I will allow each child the chance to do what I have demonstrated. I will let them begin the activity and use their own imaginations and creativity to paint whatever art they would like to. I will observe and begin to ask open ended questions. I will talk about what they are creating, what colors they are using, and the materials that are being used.
Early: Children may use their fingers instead of the cotton ball to paint. Some may mix the colors by putting cotton balls into other color paints.
Middle: Children may try to explain what they are painting and talk about their painting. Some might use just one color to paint with while others may use multiple colors.
Later: Children may actually begin to represent their ideas. They may begin to think and design accidental and intentional art work. Some can begin to make since of their drawings and can talk about what they have intentionally created.
End of Activity: I will give the children a five minute signal that the activity will soon be ending. I will encourage the children to clean up their areas and put the materials away in the appropriate places. I will explain that the material will be available to use again the next day. I will ask the children one by one to tell me something about their art and transition to the next activity.
Follow-up Ideas: We could bring the paint and a big oversized piece of paper outside and the children can use their body parts to paint on the paper. We can use a variety of colors to do so. The children will be allowed to be as messy as they would like while creating their art work. We could then take the oversized painting and display it in the classroom for others to see.
Reflection: During this activity the plans did meet my objectives. Children were able to create and discuss with each other their art work. They were able to articulate what their paintings were. They were able to explore by using a variety of materials and tools to paint with.
The children were able to experience putting the materials together on their own by using other tools to paint with. They use the material to create their paintings. The children gain knowledge that they can use a variety of tools and objects other than a paint brush to paint with. Yes the children did respond to the materials in the way anticipated. Some painted on their hands with the cotton balls, they were able to explore with the paints and use their creativity, and were able to represent their creativity. I would not have done anything different to this activity if I could do this again. My reason being is to not worry about them doing their art work the way it should be but given them control to use their own imagination when creating art.
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my lesson plan demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of furthering my knowledge about teaching the content areas in the early childhood grades. As an early childhood teacher I will remain teaching curriculum in the content areas such as language and literacy, science, mathematics, social studies, art and music and movement, and demonstrating my understanding of the knowledge base and methodologies of teaching in those areas. In the future I will continue to create meaningful age appropriate lesson plans based upon the children’s interest and knowledge of their play in the curriculum.
Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs use their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for each and every young child. Students understand the importance of developmental domains and academic (or content) disciplines in an early childhood curriculum. They know the essential concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas, including academic subjects, and can identify resources to deepen their understanding. Students use their own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curricula that promote comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for every young child.
Artifact: Lesson Plan and Reflection
Planning Form
Name of Activity: Cotton Ball Painting
Originating Idea: I observed children finger painting in the art area and some were concerned about the paint being on their hands and wanted to wash them right away.
Curriculum Area: Creative Arts
Art: Children express and represent what they observe, think, imagine, and feel through two-and three-dimensional art.
Materials: Paper, muffin or brownie pan/small bowls, kids washable paint, cotton balls, and wooden clothes pins
Appropriate Age group: Toddlers to 5 years old
Beginning of Activity: I will select children to get the materials that are needed for this activity and place them on the table. I will take the materials and step by step I will explain what to do and show and demonstration of what should be done as far as pouring the paint into the pan or small bowls, placing the cotton ball into the paint, and attaching the clothes pins to the cotton.
Middle of Activity: I will allow each child the chance to do what I have demonstrated. I will let them begin the activity and use their own imaginations and creativity to paint whatever art they would like to. I will observe and begin to ask open ended questions. I will talk about what they are creating, what colors they are using, and the materials that are being used.
Early: Children may use their fingers instead of the cotton ball to paint. Some may mix the colors by putting cotton balls into other color paints.
Middle: Children may try to explain what they are painting and talk about their painting. Some might use just one color to paint with while others may use multiple colors.
Later: Children may actually begin to represent their ideas. They may begin to think and design accidental and intentional art work. Some can begin to make since of their drawings and can talk about what they have intentionally created.
End of Activity: I will give the children a five minute signal that the activity will soon be ending. I will encourage the children to clean up their areas and put the materials away in the appropriate places. I will explain that the material will be available to use again the next day. I will ask the children one by one to tell me something about their art and transition to the next activity.
Follow-up Ideas: We could bring the paint and a big oversized piece of paper outside and the children can use their body parts to paint on the paper. We can use a variety of colors to do so. The children will be allowed to be as messy as they would like while creating their art work. We could then take the oversized painting and display it in the classroom for others to see.
Reflection: During this activity the plans did meet my objectives. Children were able to create and discuss with each other their art work. They were able to articulate what their paintings were. They were able to explore by using a variety of materials and tools to paint with.
The children were able to experience putting the materials together on their own by using other tools to paint with. They use the material to create their paintings. The children gain knowledge that they can use a variety of tools and objects other than a paint brush to paint with. Yes the children did respond to the materials in the way anticipated. Some painted on their hands with the cotton balls, they were able to explore with the paints and use their creativity, and were able to represent their creativity. I would not have done anything different to this activity if I could do this again. My reason being is to not worry about them doing their art work the way it should be but given them control to use their own imagination when creating art.
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my lesson plan demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of furthering my knowledge about teaching the content areas in the early childhood grades. As an early childhood teacher I will remain teaching curriculum in the content areas such as language and literacy, science, mathematics, social studies, art and music and movement, and demonstrating my understanding of the knowledge base and methodologies of teaching in those areas. In the future I will continue to create meaningful age appropriate lesson plans based upon the children’s interest and knowledge of their play in the curriculum.
Standard #6
Becoming a Professional
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
Artifact: Philosophy
Philosophy Document
My personal philosophy of early childhood consists of: Knowing the way that children construct knowledge through active participatory learning. I will provide children with assistance as they learn pathways or developmental trajectories as they relate to specific content and tasks. Assuring that I am a supporter of active learning by observing and interacting with children to discover how each child thinks and reasons. I will make sure that in my role as a Professional, I organize environments and routines for active learning; establish climates for positive social interactions; encourage children’s intentional actions, assist with problem solving, and verbal reflection; observe and interpret the actions of each child in terms of the developmentally base curriculum content domains and KDI’s; and plan experiences that build on the child’s actions and interests.
I will make sure that I use the ingredients of active learning and incorporate them into children’s everyday learning environment. In doing so I will provide enough material for the children to use in a variety of ways; giving children the opportunities to explore, manipulate, combine, and transform the materials chosen; giving the children choices of their own to pursue personal interests and goals; encourage child language and thought; and support the children’s current level of thinking, and challenge the children to advance his or her abilities to reason, problem-solve and create.
I want to support children and families by building blocks of human relationships. Making sure that there is a bond between myself and them, giving them a since of autonomy to be independent of their own explorations, encouraging them to initiate their own role of play and follow through, support with empathy as children understand the feeling of others by relating them to feelings they themselves have had, modeling self-confidence for children to believe in one’s own ability to accomplish things and contribute positively to society.
I will practice strategies for creating supportive climates by using the five key elements which are: sharing of control between adults and children; focus on the children’s strengths; forming authentic relationships with children, making commitments to supporting children’s play; and adopting a problem-solving approach to social conflict. I will take queues form children, participate with children on a child’s term, learn from children, relinquish control, consciously giving control to children, look for their interest, view situations from a child’s perspective, share children’s interests with parents and staff, and plan around children’s strengths and interests. I will make sure that I share myself with children, respond attentively to children’s interests, give children specific feedback, observe and understand the complexity of children’s play, be playful with children.
When dealing with social conflict I will: approach social conflict calmly and acknowledge children’s feelings, gather information and restate the problem, and ask for ideas to try, choose one together, and be prepared to give follow-up support.
I will also involve families in active learning settings incorporating real materials from home so that children can have the opportunity to imitate parents and family members, and giving them choices to reflect family life. I will interact with parents by conducting home visits, sharing anecdotes, having parent teachers conferences, conversing with family at drop off and pickup, encouraging family members to volunteer, sending home newsletters on a regular basis, and encouraging family members to join in when going on outings and field trips.
" Great teachers engineer learning experiences that put students in the driver's seat and then get out of the way." Ben Johnson, Educator
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my lesson plan demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of continuing to commit myself as a professional teacher in early childhood education; also to extend my professionalism by reaching out not only to the children, but, to their families and the community. I will continue using the ethical principles of early childhood practices with children and their families. I will demonstrate my ability when working with other professionals and with parents in support of the growth and development of children. I will engage in continuous, collaborative learning to demonstrate my knowledge and make decisions that integrate my knowledge from a variety of sources. In the future I will continue to advocate for sound educational practices and policies.
Becoming a Professional
Students prepared in early childhood degree programs identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
Artifact: Philosophy
Philosophy Document
My personal philosophy of early childhood consists of: Knowing the way that children construct knowledge through active participatory learning. I will provide children with assistance as they learn pathways or developmental trajectories as they relate to specific content and tasks. Assuring that I am a supporter of active learning by observing and interacting with children to discover how each child thinks and reasons. I will make sure that in my role as a Professional, I organize environments and routines for active learning; establish climates for positive social interactions; encourage children’s intentional actions, assist with problem solving, and verbal reflection; observe and interpret the actions of each child in terms of the developmentally base curriculum content domains and KDI’s; and plan experiences that build on the child’s actions and interests.
I will make sure that I use the ingredients of active learning and incorporate them into children’s everyday learning environment. In doing so I will provide enough material for the children to use in a variety of ways; giving children the opportunities to explore, manipulate, combine, and transform the materials chosen; giving the children choices of their own to pursue personal interests and goals; encourage child language and thought; and support the children’s current level of thinking, and challenge the children to advance his or her abilities to reason, problem-solve and create.
I want to support children and families by building blocks of human relationships. Making sure that there is a bond between myself and them, giving them a since of autonomy to be independent of their own explorations, encouraging them to initiate their own role of play and follow through, support with empathy as children understand the feeling of others by relating them to feelings they themselves have had, modeling self-confidence for children to believe in one’s own ability to accomplish things and contribute positively to society.
I will practice strategies for creating supportive climates by using the five key elements which are: sharing of control between adults and children; focus on the children’s strengths; forming authentic relationships with children, making commitments to supporting children’s play; and adopting a problem-solving approach to social conflict. I will take queues form children, participate with children on a child’s term, learn from children, relinquish control, consciously giving control to children, look for their interest, view situations from a child’s perspective, share children’s interests with parents and staff, and plan around children’s strengths and interests. I will make sure that I share myself with children, respond attentively to children’s interests, give children specific feedback, observe and understand the complexity of children’s play, be playful with children.
When dealing with social conflict I will: approach social conflict calmly and acknowledge children’s feelings, gather information and restate the problem, and ask for ideas to try, choose one together, and be prepared to give follow-up support.
I will also involve families in active learning settings incorporating real materials from home so that children can have the opportunity to imitate parents and family members, and giving them choices to reflect family life. I will interact with parents by conducting home visits, sharing anecdotes, having parent teachers conferences, conversing with family at drop off and pickup, encouraging family members to volunteer, sending home newsletters on a regular basis, and encouraging family members to join in when going on outings and field trips.
" Great teachers engineer learning experiences that put students in the driver's seat and then get out of the way." Ben Johnson, Educator
Rationale Statement
This artifact of my lesson plan demonstrates my growth as a professional and helps me to meet the standards by ways of continuing to commit myself as a professional teacher in early childhood education; also to extend my professionalism by reaching out not only to the children, but, to their families and the community. I will continue using the ethical principles of early childhood practices with children and their families. I will demonstrate my ability when working with other professionals and with parents in support of the growth and development of children. I will engage in continuous, collaborative learning to demonstrate my knowledge and make decisions that integrate my knowledge from a variety of sources. In the future I will continue to advocate for sound educational practices and policies.