Early Childhood Education

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Actively engage in intellectual inquiry beyond that required in order to pass a course of study (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 4).
• Discuss and outline a proposal of study (that can be accomplished within one semester term) with a supervising instructor qualified within the discipline.
• Design an independent study (to be completed individually or by collaboration of a small group) to foster special knowledge, skills, and experience that are not available in any one regularly scheduled course.
• Use information resources to gather discipline-specific information.
• SLO #2: Utilize modes of analysis and critical thinking to apply theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study to significant problems and/or educational activities (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 3).
• Analyze and apply the knowledge, skills and experience that are involved in the independent study to theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study.
• Explain the importance of the major discipline of study in the broader picture of society.
• SLO #3: Communicate a complex understanding of content matter of the major discipline of study (College Wide Outcome – Area 3).
• Demonstrate competence in the skills essential to mastery of the major discipline of study that are necessary to accomplish the independent study.
• SLO #4: Identify personal goals and pursue these goals effectively (College Wide Outcome – Area 4).
• Utilize skills from the “academic tool kit” including time management, study skills, etc., to accomplish the independent study within one semester term.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Describe historical and current issues and global approaches for early care and education.
• Relate current perspectives on childhood, the care of children, and early childhood education to historical and cultural contexts.
• Identify and compare effective policies, practices, and environments in early care and education.
• Explain the role and value of play.
• Describe developmentally appropriate practice.
• SLO #2: Explain how theories of learning and development guide early childhood environment design, curriculum, and teaching strategies.
• SLO #3: Define and identify the role of observation, documentation, and interpretation of children’s play as a tool for planning curriculum for young children and assessing their learning.
• Validate the importance of documentation of children's work in progress as an important tool in the learning process for children, teachers, and parents.
• Explain the ongoing curriculum cycle of observation, planning, implementation, and assessment.
• SLO #4: Identify career paths, certification options, professional associations, and dispositions for working in the early childhood profession.
• Identify the role and responsibilities of an early childhood educator for curriculum and teaching, family engagement, ethical practice and professional interactions with others in the classroom.
• Develop an initial personal philosophy of early childhood teaching
• SLO # 5: Describe principles and practices that guide teaching when working with young children, to include the development of play-based learning environments, routines that involve children in applying emerging skills, and strategies that support young children’s social competence.
• Explain how foundational knowledge of child development and learning theories inform environments, pedagogy, and interactions in early care and education settings.
• Differentiate between various types of settings in relation to the ages served, regulations, and teacher requirements.
• Explain how theories of learning and development guide early childhood environment design, curriculum, and teaching strategies.
• Describe adaptations needed to support children with diverse abilities.
• Define the importance of establishing an anti-bias environment to support all children.
• Identify and compare the developmental stages and needs of children, birth through age eight.
• Compare and contrast principles of positive guidance and interactions.
• Identify supports for first and dual language learners in developing English language and literacy skills including support for the home language.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1 Identify and explain the historical, political, and legal development of bilingual education in the United States.
• Analyze federal and state mandates and their impact on current principles and practices that impact bilingual education.
• Research existing mandates for English Learners such as California's Proposition 227 and Proposition 58 and their impact on current practices and provisions for bilingual education.
• SLO#2 Identify and critique different program models of bilingual education instruction and their relationship to state English Language Development and English Language Arts content standards and framework.
• SLO#3 Analyze elements of public school curriculum and instruction that affect the achievement of emergent English Language Learners
• Design strategies that build on the strengths of Second Language Learners first language, family culture, background, and experiences.
• Promote student academic language growth through the development of inclusive practices.
• SLO#4 Identify the assessment measures for English Learners
• Review the purposes, content, and uses of the California English Language Development Standards and English Learner Proficiency Assessment for California (ELPAC).
• SLO#5 Appraise the attitudes of policymakers, educators, and the public towards bilingual education.
• Examine personal biases and attitudes toward the implementation of bilingual education and second language learners.
• SLO#6 Evaluate and implement curriculum and instructional practices to support Dual Language Learners.
• Recommend environmental supports and instructional practices to promote home language retention.
• Evaluate materials to support Dual Language Learners including, but not limited to, the Preschool Language Learner Guide, Preschool Learning Foundations and Framework.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Analyze the developmental progress of children from conception through adolescence in physical, social, emotional, and cognitive domains.
• Identify the typical progression of development from birth through adolescence across all domains.
• Differentiate between characteristics of typical and atypical development.
• SLO #2: Describe the impact of multiple factors on development and well-being, including those related to biology, environment, race/ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic status, family structure, and social interactions.
• Identify influences that support optimal development in school and at home.
• Review the importance of inclusive programs in supporting children from diverse backgrounds and children with disabilities and developmental differences.
• Validate the role of play and its relationship to development at various stages.
• SLO #3: Summarize major theories of development.
• Apply knowledge of development and major theoretical frameworks to child observations.
• SLO #4: Apply objective and ethical techniques and skills when observing, interviewing, describing, and evaluating behavior in children.
• Incorporate knowledge of the legal and ethical responsibilities, including confidentiality, related to assessment in early childhood education.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1: Analyze theories of socialization that address the interrelationship of child, family, and community including a comparison of historical and current theoretical frameworks of socialization.
• Compare historical and current theoretical frameworks of socialization.
• Describe contemporary social issues and their effects on families and children.
• SLO#2:Compare and contrast educational systems and practices, including strategies for family partnerships and building collaborations between early learning settings, schools, and community organizations and agencies.
• Identify community resources and strategies to support young children’s learning and development and to support families’ needs.
• Describe the legal requirements and ethical responsibilities of professionals working with all children and families.
• SLO#3: Identify how the child develops within a system and is influenced by multiple factors of socialization including the educational, political, and socioeconomic impacts on children and families.
• Compare and contrast diverse family characteristics and perspectives of children and families including parenting styles, culture, traditions, and values and their impact on children and youth.
• Evaluate the impact of one’s own experiences, values, goals, and sense of identity as they relate to and impact relationships with children, families, and the community.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1:Apply knowledge of academic discipline content, children’s growth, development, and individual characteristics to plan developmentally and linguistically appropriate, engaging, and supportive learning experiences for infants and toddlers through the early primary years.
• Explore various early childhood curriculum models, approaches, culturally appropriate curricula, anti-bias education, and professional practices to inform and evaluate curriculum and environments.
• Observe and evaluate teaching strategies, curriculum, and environmental designs.
• Observe children as a basis for planning curriculum and environments.
• Describe guidance and interaction approaches to support social relationships and learning.
• SLO#2:Plan indoor and outdoor environments based on knowledge and understanding of children’s development and needs.
• Develop plans for physical environments that are appropriate for children’s individual ages and stages, skills and abilities, needs, and learning goals.
• Explain how different teaching strategies could be used for a variety of curriculum goals.
• Explain how the principles of the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) are applied in various situations and how specific learning experiences could be adapted to address individual children’s learning and development needs.
• SLO#3:Develop curricula for all content areas to support children’s learning and developmental needs.
• Explain how the culturally relevant curriculum, anti-racist, and anti-bias education is integrated across all developmental domains and content areas.
• Describe various strategies for engaging and partnering with families to support children's development and learning

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1:Design and implement curriculum and environments that are developmentally and linguistically appropriate, engaging, and supportive of development and learning based on foundations of early childhood education and knowledge of individual children.
• Plan, implement and evaluate curriculum based on the needs and interests of young children.
• Demonstrate how to adjust curriculum, environments, routines, and teaching strategies to meet the individualized needs of infants, toddlers, and preschool children.
• SLO#2:Apply a variety of teaching strategies, manage the classroom, monitor children’s development and learning, guide behavior, and use reflection on teaching practice to guide future planning.
• Demonstrate how to provide a supportive learning environment for children's first- and dual-language acquisition, development, and learning.
• Use documentation and assessment to monitor children’s progress and to adjust learning experiences.
• Analyze the impact of the classroom environment and daily routines on children’s behavior as a basis for planning.
• SLO#3:Demonstrate the skills of a professional teacher including effective communication, ethical practice, responsibilities to children and families, and commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Identify and implement strategies to prevent and/or address young children’s challenging behaviors and to help children learn to resolve conflicts.
• Demonstrate developmentally appropriate, professional, and ethical practices in supervised early childhood classrooms.
• Demonstrate the ability to provide guidance and constructive performance feedback to other adults in the ECE setting.
• Evaluate student teaching experiences to guide future teaching and collaborative practices
• SLO #4: Apply current research and theories on learning and development to plan experiences for young children
• Incorporate principles of the Universal Design for Learning into a variety of curriculum experiences.
• Practice strategies for communication and collaboration with families and other adults in the classroom to support young children’s development and learning.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO 1: Integrate research based knowledge of child development theories and practices to support social-emotional development of young children.
• Analyze environments and schedules as they relate to healthy social development of young children.
• Identify elements of children’s and adult’s development, culture, dispositions or experiences that influence social and emotional interactions and potential biases of behavior.
• SLO 2: Analyze children’s social-emotional development as the foundation for all later learning.
• Review practices that emphasize positive emotional growth and support the early identification of emotional and behavioral difficulties.
• Explore practices that identify the underlying need behind each individual behavior.
• Analyze the connection between responsive relationships with adults and children as the basis for healthy emotional development and learning.
• Incorporate reflective practices as the organizational and responsive model to support the healthy social-emotional development of children.
• SLO 3: Acquire knowledge of the importance of verbal and non-verbal communication and the impact on social-emotional development.
• Describe the channels of verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Investigate the different ways in which children use both verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Evaluate the ways in which non-verbal and verbal behaviors communicate messages about relationships between adults and children.
• SLO 4: Recognize and model the ethical principles and educational values that are the foundation for early childhood education.
• Assess the difference between simple decision making and ethical judgments.
• Compare and contrast how program goals, strategies and standards relate to ethical judgment.
• Outline the skills, knowledge and dispositions related to the ethical code of conduct, day-to-day decision making and children’s behavior.
• Choose and practice elements of personal development that support early childhood educational professionals' ability to implement and model respectful relationships with co-workers, families, and children.
• SLO 5: Analyze the role of the adult in promotion of healthy emotional development of young children.
• Investigate a constructivist approach to foster moral classrooms that support the moral development of young children.
• Discuss strategies that foster social-moral atmosphere in the classroom that promote intellectual, moral, emotional and personality development.
• Propose how to use time, space, ritual and routines, and the physical play-based environment that foster positive social interactions and preserves the identity of children.
• Identify teaching and parenting practices that foster social-emotional skills and positive self-esteem.
• SLO 6: Develop a plan to support children when they face stressful situations.
• Construct an understanding of educational practices that support children's and adults' socio-emotional development, emotional regulation, social knowledge, moral development and social understanding.
• Apply knowledge of brain research theory when designing practices that support children social-emotional development.
• Develop strategies for helping children cope more effectively when they are under stress.
• Propose communication strategies with families who are facing stressful situations.
• Develop clear rationale for choosing guidance strategies based on best practices that support individual children.
• SLO 7: Confirm the importance and nature of play in the social-emotional development of young children.
• Analyze the relationship of play to other aspects of development.
• Review the developmental trends in various types of play.
• Evaluate how play contributes to each of the elements of social-emotional and moral development.
• Appraise the role of the adult in facilitating play-based environments that promote moral development.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Evaluate the characteristics, strengths, limitations, and applications of common assessment tools, including ethical and legal responsibilities.
• Discuss logistical challenges, biases, and preconceptions about observing and assessing children.
• SLO #2: Differentiate between various observation, documentation, and assessment tools according to their types, purpose, and validity, paying respect to children’s diverse cultures, home languages, developmental progression, and anti-bias principles.
• Demonstrate basic formative and summative assessment techniques.
• SLO #3: Complete systematic observations and assessments of children's health, well-being, development, and learning using a variety of data collection methods to evaluate quality, inform classroom teaching, environment design, care routines, interactions, and various content in the curriculum process.
• Review the importance of play-based environments. Use of standardized state and national observation and assessment tools such as Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS), Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS), Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS), and the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) to evaluate quality in environments, interactions and curriculum.
• SLO #4: Apply knowledge of development and other influencing factors to interpret observations and assessments.
• Demonstrate how observation and assessment are used to plan for and adjust learning experiences, including children's interests, strengths, and skills.
• SLO #5: Use observation and assessment to offer guidance strategies and behavior needs to inform referral and intervention.
• Differentiate between subjective and objective reporting factors and the purposeful use of each in an early childhood classroom.
• Discuss the role of partnerships with families and other professionals in utilizing interpretations of observational and assessment data.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Analyze early growth and development from conception to thirty-six months.
• Examine the various factors that influence infant and toddler development, including cultural influences, diverse family practices, socioeconomic conditions, and the interaction between heredity and environmental factors.
• Assess current research and demonstrate developmentally appropriate observation skills across all developmental domains, including physical, cognitive, social/emotional, and language development.
• Evaluate major developmental theories related to infant development.
• SLO #2: Differentiate the characteristics of typical and atypical development.
• Identify the major developmental milestones, including ages and stages, characteristics, and growth patterns of children from conception through 36 months.
• Identify and describe biological and environmental risk factors that can affect infant growth and development.
• Evaluate access to early intervention services and the use of observation tools for assessing potential developmental delays.
• SLO #3: Evaluate caregiving strategies and environments that promote optimal growth and development.
• Assess respectful caregiving strategies that respond to cultural diversity and support equity and inclusion.
• Examine the research regarding positive attention, approval, and attunement as the foundation of secure attachment.
• Analyze variations in temperament and their significance to parents and caregivers.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Understand that infants learn through active meaning-making and social relationships.
• Analyze policies that support relationships, including primary care, continuity of care, small group sizes, and culturally respectful care.
• Apply strategies that promote secure attachment, emotional regulation, and positive guidance.
• Assess the role of cultural competence in building trusting relationships with families and diverse communities.
• Understand and apply state and federal regulations, safety standards, and licensing requirements for infant and toddler care.
• SLO #2: Evaluate infant and toddler curriculum and environments based on observation, documentation, and reflection.
• Create learning experiences that foster physical, social-emotional, language, and cognitive development.
• Develop strategies for creating inclusive environments that support children with diverse learning needs and abilities.
• Use research-based practices to adapt curriculum for dual language learners and children from diverse cultural backgrounds.
• SLO #3: Create contexts for learning that optimize infant and toddler development.
• Understand how to create routines, play environments, and opportunities that engage children in conversations and interactions.
• Evaluate the role of family-centered care practices in promoting strong partnerships between families and caregivers.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1: Examine how young children learn mathematics and science concepts based on the knowledge of relevant research and child development.
• describe the constructivist and inquiry-based approaches to teaching in early childhood education.
• analyze key math and science concepts children build in early childhood considering modification to address age, grade level, and developmental stages of children.
• critique the important concepts in children's construction of knowledge in math and science while comparing inquiry based learning to product-driven repetition and drill practice.
• SLO#2: Evaluate curriculum in math and science for young children using a constructivist/inquiry-based approach.
• integrate knowledge of the constructivist/inquiry-based approach to design curriculum that is culturally respectful and inclusive as well as considerate of children's prior experiences gaining knowledge about the world.
• design and implement curriculum in math and science using the constructivist/inquiry-based approach.
• understand how to effectively implement California’s current science and math standards, foundations, and frameworks and use Universal Design for Learning (UDL) within a constructivist/inquiry-based approach.
• SLO#3: Assess effective approaches to teaching math and science in early childhood education.
• demonstrate teaching techniques that encourage and support children in actively developing understanding of the processes involved in mathematical and scientific knowledge.
• compare effective, appropriate, and intentional teaching techniques for supporting, scaffolding, documenting, and assessing young children's mathematical and scientific learning.
• analyze and implement strategies that help children make sense of problems, reason abstractly, and critique the reasoning of others.
• understand how to recognize and support individual differences in science and mathematical reasoning through the use of differentiated instruction and culturally rich, diverse materials/manipulatives to enhance learning for all learners.
• understand the vital role of the teacher/educator in creating a secure environment for children to take intellectual risks and fostering curiosity in math and science.
• SLO#4: Analyze important elements of the learning environment for young children to learn math and science concepts.
• design math-rich and science-rich learning explorations to provide meaningful opportunities for children to apply and master inquiry-based skills and concepts.
• understand how to build collaborative and respectful interactions among children as they engage in mathematical reasoning, problem-solving, and explanation.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1: Describe developmental patterns in early literacy learning and research-based teaching practices that help children build a foundation for rich vocabularies and language fluency for reading and writing.
• Compare and contrast literacy, emergent literacy and early literacy.
• Evaluate ways of assessing children’s language development and literacy learning.
• Review current research pertaining to the acquisition of language and pre-literacy skills in young children.
• Describe ways of involving families in their young children's emerging literacy skills.
• SLO#2: Analyze the developmental continuum of reading and writing and use it in determining developmentally appropriate practices for literacy in early childhood.
• Design and define developmentally appropriate goals and expectations for young children’s achievement in reading and writing including engaging children with age-appropriate literary and informational texts that connect to their cultural and linguistic backgrounds
• Incorporate developmentally appropriate teaching practices that support children’s language and literacy knowledge from birth through age five.
• Examine and assess the teacher’s role in promoting language and literacy development in young children including strategies for teaching comprehension and critical thinking through questioning, discussion, and close reading​.
• Evaluate and demonstrate strategies of collaboration with children’s families to implement projects that support children’s literacy experiences both at school and at home.
• Distinguish quality print-rich environments in which children can work and play.
• Apply principles of development in designing and implementing activities and curricula that promote language and literacy development.
• Compare and contrast opportunities for children to use language and literacy for authentic purposes in school, home and the community.
• SLO#3: Analyze strategies for adapting emergent literacy practices for individual and cultural differences, including multilingual learners, asset-based pedagogies, and inclusive approaches that support diverse learners and multilingual children​.
• Assess and propose literature and other learning materials for diverse learners, as well as cultural and linguistic variations among children.
• Articulate the components of developmentally appropriate literacy events inclusive of children with special needs and diverse backgrounds.
• Design adaptations to the environment and experiences to support diverse learners.
• SLO#4: Use authentic forms of assessment to identify progress in language and literacy skills.
• Examine different assessment methodologies to evaluate the development of pre-literacy and language skills.
• Critically reflect on best practices and current research in promoting language and literacy development in children.
• Evaluate and define program policies (program funding, staffing ratios, curricular resources and assessment) that support early childhood language and literacy teaching and learning.
• Reflect on ways to connect curriculum and experiences to language and literacy frameworks such as the California English Language Development Standards and Preschool Learning Foundations​ and Frameworks.
• Inclusive and Multilingual Literacy Instruction: Use of strategies to engage multilingual learners and how to integrate English Language Development (ELD) within literacy instruction​.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1: Examine the process of becoming an elementary school teacher.
• Identify the role and function of the teacher in the public school setting including examining the California Standards for the Teaching Profession and the aligned Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs).
• Identify academic requirements and experiences needed to obtain a teaching credential.
• Evaluate the attitudes, actions, and behaviors of the effective professional educator.
• SLO#2: Compare and contrast the various educational philosophies and theoretical frameworks related to human learning.
• Apply theories related to child development and learning to instructional practices and teaching in a field placement setting.
• Examination of one’s beliefs and assumptions about and experiences with teachers and teaching.
• SLO #3: Examine and assess issues in education and the implications and opportunities related to student diversity and societal change.
• Examine the needs and challenges facing diverse learners including strategies and accommodations for specific diverse populations as well as individual differences.
• Demonstrate cultural competency and positive relationships with other teachers, children, and families.
• Apply strategies that demonstrate inclusive and culturally responsive communication and classroom management skills.
• SLO#4: Use current research and observation to inform teaching practices that support students’ success in California Common Core Standards and are in alignment with California Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs).
• Apply knowledge of observation and learning theory through planning, teaching, and interaction with elementary school children.
• Identify students’ instructional needs and provide differentiated instruction.
• Assess one's own teaching experience through observation and reflection.
• SLO#5: Use current research and developmentally appropriate practices to establish classroom policies, procedures, and interactions.
• Familiarization with the Superintendent’s Quality Professional Learning Standards.
• Examine how children’s experience, culture, and dispositions influence their interactions and behavior and identify classroom practices and guidance strategies that promote positive interactions.
• Evaluate the developmental appropriateness of content, instruction, assessment, and homework.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Appraise the quality of school-age programs
• define the elements of a quality school-age program
• choose and use reliable assessment tools to assess and evaluate a variety of environments for school-age child care
• evaluate the implications of state regulations for program functioning
• analyze budgets and staffing patterns for use in before and after school child care
• SLO #2: Design activities for school-age programs
• plan, implement and evaluate age-appropriate activities for school-age programs
• develop schedules, routines, and activities for school-age child care, and employ non-bias attitudes to meet the needs of different ages, gender, and abilities
• SLO #3: Characterize school-age children as active learners
• apply an understanding of the characteristics of school-age children to conducting programs and activities
• analyze active learning techniques appropriate for school-age children
• identify the differences in programs for children of preschool-age from those of school-age

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1 Define creativity and identify educational practices and procedures which encourage creativity in children
• Evaluate and observe the developmental progression of children's exploration and use of the tools and media of drawing, painting, sculpting, and construction and their connection to creativity with children.
• Explore the role of the educator as a designer of visual and performing arts curriculum and pedagogy.
• Create the conditions for learning that are necessary to enhance and facilitate children's construction of his or her own powers of thinking through ideas, interest, and hypothesis.
• SLO #2 Demonstrate the attributes, selection, and use of expressive media and tools commonly used with young children.
• Design encounters with expressive art media and tools that present challenges and problems appropriate to children's developmental interests and abilities for each phase of development from infancy through eight years of age.
• Validate representational work as a way of promoting children's growth and development.
• Integrate the graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development.
• Promote presentation of concepts and hypotheses in multiple forms of representation -- print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play -- as they are viewed as essential to children's understanding of an experience
• SLO #3 Review the California Preschool Foundations in the Visual and Performing Arts, and the California Visual and Performing Art Frameworks (K-12)
• Plan, implement and evaluate art education for children in the lower elementary grades (K-3)
• Design creative explorations that support children noticing, responding to, and engaging in visual arts.
• Create interest areas within an early childhood classroom that provide developmentally appropriate media, tools, and settings for young children's independent exploration and use of a variety of expressive media.
• Plan, demonstrate and evaluate creative learning environment and experiences appropriate to children
• SLO #4 Evaluate classroom environments for their capacity to promote young children's comfort and competence in using expressive media to represent impressions, feelings, and experiences.
• Organize materials to help children make thoughtful decisions about the media.
• Support children to see the connections in learning and experiences.
• Design aesthetic environments that inspire children's understanding of the visual arts and promote art appreciation.
• SLO #5 Design documentation that supports reflective examination among teachers, families, and children of the aesthetic and cognitive dimensions of children's work.
• Summarize anecdotal observations of children's encounters with the tools and media of expressive art and make visible children's learning through developmental portfolios and displays.
• Design spaces to incorporate the documentation of children's work, plans, collections, and on-going projects.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO # 1 Define and apply the Reggio Emilia approach to education.
• Create the conditions for learning that are necessary to enhance and facilitate children's construction of "his or her own powers of thinking through the synthesis of all the expressive, communicative and cognitive languages
• Evaluate early childhood classroom environments for their capacity to promote young children's comfort and competence in using expressive media to represent impressions, feelings, and experiences.
• Define creativity and identify educational practices and procedures which encourage creativity in children
• Plan, demonstrate, and evaluate creative learning environment and experiences appropriate to children with diverse cultural, physical, social, emotional and cognitive needs.
• SLO # 2 Utilize documentation as an important tool in the Reggio Emilia approach
• Collect anecdotal observations of children's encounters with projects and make visible children's learning through developmental portfolios and displays.
• Design documentation that supports reflective examination among teachers, families, and children of the aesthetic and cognitive dimensions creativity in children's work.
• SLO # 3 Validate representational work as a way of promoting children's growth and development.
• Understand Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligence
• Integrate the graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development.
• Promote presentation of concepts and hypotheses in multiple forms of representation -- print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play -- as they are viewed as essential to children's understanding of an experience
• SLO # 4 Research the Project Approach, as, in-depth studies of concepts, ideas, and interests which arise within the group and which enhance children's learning.
• Record and analyze children's conversations and and emergent interest an support further exploration of the topics
• Understand that team planning is an essential component of the emergent curriculum.
• Value Collaborative group work, both large and small, as a way to advance cognitive development.
• Formulate Hypothesis about the possible directions of a project, the materials needed, and possible parent and/or community support and involvement.
• SLO # 5 Create aesthetic environments to promote learning
• Design spaces to incorporate the documentation of children's work, plants, collections and on-going projects.
• Organize space for small and large group projects and small intimate spaces for one, two or three children.
• Organize the classroom and materials to be aesthetically pleasing
• SLO # 6 Explore the role of the teacher as researcher and learner.
• Co-explore the learning experience with the children
• Define the teacher's role as they help children make decisions about the direction of study, the ways in which the group will research the topic, the representational medium that will demonstrate and showcase the topic and the selection of materials needed to represent the work.
• Provoke ideas, problem solving, and conflict management
• Support children to see the connections in learning and experiences
• Support children express their knowledge through representational work
• Foster the connection between home, school and community
• Organize materials to help children make thoughtful decisions about the media Support children to see the connections in learning and experiences

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Access and apply current research knowledge related to how infants develop.
• Identify conditions that cause birth defects and other developmental disabilities.
• Compare and contrast the unique strengths and needs of infants/toddlers with both atypical and typical development in all of the developmental domains: physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and communication skills.
• SLO #2: Evaluate the various techniques and instruments used to assess the physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and communication abilities of infants/toddlers with atypical development.
• Assess and practice the multi-disciplinary team process utilized in the development of an IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan), (birth - 3 years).
• SLO #3: Articulate the legislation and due process rights that apply to children from birth to three years old with special needs and to their families.
• Differentiate and recommend effective public and private program options and community resources available to support infants/toddlers with special needs and their families.
• Formulate an understanding, respect and sensitivity of the diversity in human characteristics that a child with special needs brings to different families.
• Support the development of families' self-advocacy and empowerment
• SLO#4: Analyze learning environments that allow infants with atypical development to discover and create through active exploration.
• Plan and implement activities that are supportive of natural environments, behavior management techniques and instructional strategies to meet the goals and objectives of the IFSP in an inclusive early childhood setting.
• SLO #5: Identify career and vocational opportunities in early intervention programs.
• Review the education and competency skills required of those who work with infants and toddlers with atypical development.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO#1: Examine the historical context and societal influences that have shaped laws, policies, and educational practices for children with disabilities, including key legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and assess their impact on inclusive education.
• Assess how policies and laws pertaining to educating individuals with disabilities impact access to inclusive education and services.
• Reflect on the ongoing challenges and advocacy efforts to achieve equitable policies for educating individuals with disabilities.
• SLO#2: Identify and describe categories of disabilities that qualify individuals for special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• Investigate prenatal, genetic, and environmental factors that can contribute to the development of disabilities.
• Describe how developmental disabilities impact a child’s learning, behavior, and social-emotional development, identify strategies to support the mental health and well-being of students with disabilities, and identify strategies for integrating Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) into inclusive classroom practices.
• Evaluate the use of assistive technologies and adaptive tools in supporting communication, learning, and access for students with diverse needs, including those with physical, sensory, or learning disabilities.
• Identify the unique characteristics and needs of gifted and twice-exceptional learners, and apply differentiated instructional strategies and supports to foster their cognitive, social-emotional, and academic growth.
• SLO #3: Apply appropriate teaching strategies, curriculum adaptations, and modifications using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) to provide accessible learning experiences for children and adolescents with disabilities, as well as those identified as gifted and talented.
• Analyze the impact of implicit bias in special education referrals and demonstrate strategies for applying an equity-focused, anti-bias approach to teaching and assessment.
• Analyze teachers’ roles and strategies for effectively supporting students in fully inclusive classroom environments, including the implementation of best practices for inclusion.
• Demonstrate the use of a strength-based approach when working with children with disabilities, focusing on their abilities and potential to promote positive development and foster a sense of self-efficacy.
• SLO#4: Understand the referral process and demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with families, caregivers, and multidisciplinary professionals to support the developmental progress of children with disabilities.
• Examine the legal and procedural requirements of Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), including confidentiality considerations, and evaluate the educator’s role in implementing these plans using a strength-based approach.
• Identify community resources and agencies that provide additional support and demonstrate how to connect families with these services.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO# 1: Describe strategies to maximize the mental and physical health of children and adults in care and education settings, for all young children in accordance with culturally, linguistically and developmentally sound practices.
• Define the broad concepts and practices of health safety, and nutrition,
• Describe a caregiver's role and responsibility in modeling good health, safety, and nutrition habits.
• Caregivers discuss their role and how to conduct themselves with integrity and model ethical conduct for themselves and others.
• Assess strategies to maximize the mental, physical and emotional health in programs for all children in accordance with culturally, linguistically and developmentally sound practice.
• Design and develop developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically sound health and safety curriculum to be introduced to children and their families.
• SLO# 2: Identify health, safety and environmental risks in children's programs
• Differentiate symptoms of common communicable diseases and other health conditions that affect children.
• Apply sanitation universal practices in order to prevent the spread of communicable diseases.
• Assess strategies to maximize the mental, physical and emotional health in programs for all children in accordance with culturally, linguistically and developmentally sound practice.
• SLO #3: Analyze the nutritional needs of children at various ages and evaluate the relationship between healthy development and nutrition.
• Differentiate the nutritional needs of various ages of children and plan economical and nutritional meals and snacks which meet current state and federal guidelines.
• Examine nutrition and health practices and different perspectives in culturally-diverse environments.
• Apply the recommendations for children's nutrition to the development of healthy and economical meals and snacks based on the age and individual needs of children.
• Examine nutrition and health practices and different perspectives in culturally-diverse environments.
• Evaluate current health hazards in the food supply and explain the control of foodborne illness.
• SLO# 4: Recommend regulations, standards, policies and procedures related to health, safety and nutrition in support of young children, families and teachers in the program.
• Describe the unique care, development, and learning needs of infants and toddlers and how to support their growth, development, and learning within the early childhood setting.
• Identify laws, regulations, standards, policies and procedures supporting health, safety and nutrition in children's programs and families. (e.g. Title 22, Title 5, Fire Code
• Create emergency response procedures utilizing the provisions required by federal and state laws.
• Demonstrate skill in maintaining standards of health and safety which protect the child from injury.
• SLO # 5: Infer aspects of quality in programs for young children as related to health, safety and nutrition
• Research current issues related to children and their families.
• Evaluate the teacher's role and responsibilities to model, health safety and nutrition appropriate for children and families.
• Formulate various methods of collaboration with teachers and families to promote health, safety and nutrition in settings for children.
• Identify characteristics of abuse and neglect and demonstrate knowledge of mandated child abuse reporting procedures.
• Evaluate environments for both positive & negative impacts on children's and adult's health and safety.
• SLO # 6: Describe culturally responsive strategies for partnering with families and the community in support of a healthy and safe environment for children.
• Communicate and collaborate in partnership with families in a culturally appropriate and responsive manner to support young children's development and learning
• Establish positive home relationships with young children and positive relationships with children's families.
• Recognize the effects of factors outside the setting on children's social-emotional well-being and are able to adjust the environment as well as classroom practice to help children and, as needed, to collaborate with families and service providers.
• Promote children's social-emotional growth, development, and individual responsibility using positive interventions and supports to foster a caring community where each child is treated fairly and respectfully by adults and peers.
• Explain how an effective home-school-family connection supports children's development and learning
• Develop specific plans for engaging and partnering with families in supporting children's growth and development
• Collaborate and communicate effectively with other professionals, where applicable.
• Explore community resources available to support children and families.
• SLO # 7: Plan developmentally appropriate, culturally responsive learning experiences and environments that support the topics of health, safety, and nutrition.
• Apply knowledge of children, including their prior experiences, interests, and social -emotional learning needs, their background knowledge ("funds of knowledge") and cultural, language, and socioeconomic backgrounds, to engage them in learning.
• Plan, design, implement and monitor instruction, making effective use of available time to maximize learning opportunities and provide access to the curriculum for all children by removing barriers and providing access through learning strategies that include: appropriate modifications for children with disabilities.
• Integrate movement and kinesthetic experiences within the curriculum to help young children's development and learning.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Recognize, identify, and appraise the components and measures of quality early care and education programs.
• reference and assess the legal requirements of child care centers according to the California Regulations for Title 22 and Title 5 Programs.
• examine and plan schedules, routines, and enrollment procedures to meet the needs of children and families.
• Review federal and state quality improvement mandates.
• SLO #2: Distinguish basic operational principles of administration in developing and planning a center facility.
• apply basic operational principles of administration in program planning, budgeting, equipping and staffing to meet the nutritional, health, and safety standards for children and families.
• identify required components of record keeping for enrollment and personnel documentation.
• describe the legal requirements and responsibilities of administering an early care and education program.
• summarize essential practices for collaboration with staff, families, and community.
• SLO #3 demonstrate effective practices for managing and leading staff and administering early care and education programs.
• implement ongoing professional development plans based on evaluation of staff and administrator needs.
• formulate strategies for compensation and professional growth opportunities in programs.
• SLO #4 Evaluate strategies to create a diverse and inclusive environment.
• articulate the importance of professional integrity and confidentiality.
• Implement the NAEYC code of ethical conduct to create culturally responsive early care and education environments.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Recognize, identify, and appraise the components and measures of quality childcare programs.
• examine and apply the legal regulations and requirements of publicly funded childcare programs under Title 5 of the Education Code.
• analyze and synthesize management issues in relation to budgets, working with boards and supervising agencies, writing grant proposals and developing business plans.
• SLO #2: Develop and demonstrate communication and collaboration skills with colleagues, children, families, and communities of diverse backgrounds.
• describe and analyze current leadership issues in child development program administration.
• SLO #3: Create policies and practices that recognize the importance of the family in the education of young children.
• appraise and evaluate the role of administrator and the interaction with staff, families, volunteers and community.
• identify potential issues and establish procedures involving the interrelationships of families, staff, agencies, and administration.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO# 1: Analyze the role and responsibilities of a mentor in an early childhood setting.
• Differentiate between the roles of adult supervision and mentoring.
• Investigate the importance of utilizing multiple learning styles when mentoring others.
• Analyze the developmental stages and learning strategies of teachers and supervisors.
• Develop reflective strategies to enhance their own practices and communication with mentees.
• SLO# 2: Recommend respectful interactions among all learners: children, staff and parents.
• Provide appropriate models, guidance and evaluation for a teaching team, children and families.
• Articulate and apply ethical principles to resolve complex issues.
• Construct ideas for a teaching team on how to develop and maintain a safe and developmentally appropriate learning environment for young children.
• Use evidence-based practice to plan and implement collaborative relationships amongst children, families and staff.
• Identify effective communication and emotional resilience strategies and practices that motivate and support staff, families and children.
• SLO# 3 Analyze the role of a mentor in leadership and advocacy in the field of early childhood education.
• Discuss advocacy strategies that facilitate positive outcomes.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the legislative process and laws impacting the early care and education field.
• Exhibit a commitment to ongoing professional development, career growth, and leadership skills.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Develop foundational understandings for teaching in a diverse society including historical and current perspectives on diversity and inclusion.
• Discuss how stereotypes, bias, discrimination, systemic oppression, and internalized privilege impact children's learning, development, and school experiences
• Identify and differentiate between various forms and types of diversity.
• Explore and define issues of cultural identity including factors such as language, ethnicity, religion, immigration, and economic class - in relationship to children, families, and early childhood settings.
• Evaluate the Anti-Bias theoretical framework and how it affects children's growth and development and describe strategies to promote an inclusive and anti-racist classroom community.
• SLO #2 Describe the ways that developmentally appropriate, inclusive, and anti-bias approaches support learning and development.
• Identify and assess the overt and covert social messages that impact and contribute to prejudice and biases.
• Demonstrate strategies for helping children negotiate and resolve conflicts caused by cultural, class and gender differences, with a focus on using anti-bias approaches in the classroom.
• Exhibit positive dispositions of caring, support, acceptance, and fairness toward all children and families, as well as toward their colleagues
• SLO #3: Identify the influence of teacher' own culture and life experiences on teaching approaches and interactions with children and families.
• Reflect on you own values and implicit and explicit biases and the ways in which these may positively and negatively affect teaching and learning.
• Identify approaches to help children negotiate and resolve conflict related to social injustice and bias
• Evaluate classroom environments, materials, and approaches for developmental, cultural, and linguistic appropriateness for infants and toddlers through the early primary years.
• Establish positive home relationships with young children and positive relationships with children's families.
• Describe strategies to build collaborative, respectful partnerships with families.
• Describe appropriate teaching strategies and potential curriculum and pedagogical modifications to help all young children access the curriculum.

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Assess childhood as a unique and valuable stage of the human life cycle
• compile information to base work with children on knowledge of child development
• evaluate the support for the close ties between the child and the family
• recognize that children are best understood in the context of family, culture and society
• defend the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member and colleague)
• apply information to help children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships that are based on trust, respect and positive regard
• implement new creative strategies and resources into their teaching in early childhood programs

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• SLO #1: Actively engage in intellectual inquiry beyond that required in order to pass a course of study (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 4).
• Discuss and outline a proposal of study (that can be accomplished within one semester term) with a supervising instructor qualified within the discipline.
• Design an independent study (to be completed individually or by collaboration of a small group) to foster special knowledge, skills, and experience that are not available in any one regularly scheduled course.
• Use information resources to gather discipline-specific information.
• SLO #2: Utilize modes of analysis and critical thinking to apply theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study to significant problems and/or educational activities (College Wide Learning Outcome – Area 3).
• Analyze and apply the knowledge, skills and experience that are involved in the independent study to theoretical perspectives and/or concepts in the major discipline of study.
• Explain the importance of the major discipline of study in the broader picture of society.
• SLO #3: Communicate a complex understanding of content matter of the major discipline of study (College Wide Outcome – Area 3).
• Demonstrate competence in the skills essential to mastery of the major discipline of study that are necessary to accomplish the independent study.
• SLO #4: Identify personal goals and pursue these goals effectively (College Wide Outcome – Area 4).
• Utilize skills from the “academic tool kit” including time management, study skills, etc., to accomplish the independent study within one semester term.