Spring 2002                                                                                                             Sylvia Y. Sánchez, Ed. D.
Tuesdays,  9:00-4:00                                                                                              ssanche2@gmu.edu
Room A412, Robinson                                                                                            (703) 993-2041
3 credit hours                                                                                                           Tuesdays, after class and by
                                                                                                                                  appointment

Course Purpose:

This course is offered as the second course in the curriculum strand in the UTEEM Early Childhood teacher training program, an integrated approach to preparing teachers to work with young children.  Teachers are prepared to work with culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse young children and their families in a variety of inclusive community settings.  This course is offered in conjunction with three other courses and linked to a full-time field placement with infants and toddlers and their families.  Students participating in this course are enrolled full time in the UTEEM program, or are admitted by permission of the program coordinators.

Course Description:

This course provides students with an understanding of culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate programs and practices in community settings providing services to infants and toddlers with varied abilities and their families.  The students will explore, plan, and implement developmentally supportive activities with infants and toddlers and their families, using a triadic approach.  This course takes a family-centered perspective and emphasizes the role of collaborative planning with families and caregivers in preparing developmentally supportive environments.  Students are expected to become familiar with the cultural context of the infants and toddlers with whom they are working by gathering a family story.  They will also become familiar with the range of programs available to infants, toddlers, and their families and with cultural, linguistic, and developmental factors that may influence appropriately matching families with programs.  A special emphasis of this course will be providing home based services.

Relation to Program and Professional Standards:

This course is one of three curriculum courses that are offered as a part of the UTEEM master’s degree and triple licensure program.  The program specifically addresses the licensure standards established by the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as the standards for accreditation of teacher education programs established by the Council for Exceptional Children, the Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.  These include:

1. Curriculum and instructional procedures.
2. The ability to modify and manage learning environments and experiences to meet the individual needs of children, including
    children with disabilities, gifted children, and children with limited proficiency in English.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of the family in developing literacy.
4. Understanding of the link between child development and instruction.
5. The ability to understand children in the context of family, culture, and community.
6. The ability to establish positive and collaborative relationships with families as partners in teaching and learning.
7. Trends for service delivery to the birth-through-age-five population.
8. Understanding of the methods for providing instructional programs for early intervention.
9. Curriculum development to ensure developmentally appropriate intervention techniques.
10. Skills in service coordination with children and families.
11. Family-centered intervention.
12. Socio-cultural variables in the instructional setting.

Objectives:

Students taking this course will:
 

1.  Demonstrate the ability to plan curriculum activities that are responsive to the interests, preferences, motivation, interaction
     styles, developmental status, learning history, cultural variables, and levels of participation of infants and toddlers and their
     parents/caregivers.

2.  Demonstrate the ability to structure learning environments and activities that incorporate family identified outcomes and
     preferences.

3.  Demonstrate the ability to apply research and knowledge about families and communities, and about developmentally
     appropriate practices, to the process of working with families to teach infants and toddlers.

4.  Demonstrate the ability to select materials that have multiple purposes, are adaptable, are culturally and linguistically
     relevant, and that support infant/toddler and family interests.

5.  Demonstrate the ability to facilitate activities that support mutually pleasurable parent-infant interaction.

6.  Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural contexts of families, including community resources, and their  implications for
     structuring  supportive interventions.

7.  Demonstrate a family-centered approach to planning and implementing home visits.

8.  Demonstrate the ability to apply strategies of individual and group structured problem solving to meaningful dilemmas
     encountered in their work with children and their families in home and community contexts.

9.  Demonstrate the ability to learn from families in order to tell the family story in a way that is relevant to the family and assists
     the student to provide family relevant services.

Required Texts:

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

Fadiman, A.  (1997).  The spirit catches you and you fall down.  New York:  Noonday Press.

Gandini, L. & Edwards, C.P.  (2001).  Bambini:  The Italian approach to infant/toddler care.  New York:  Teachers College.

Lally et al. (Zero to Three).  (1995).  Caring for infants and toddlers in groups: Developmentally appropriate practice.  Arlington, VA: Zero to Three/National Center for Clinical Infant Programs. (Required).

Segal, M.  (1985).  Your child at play: Birth to one year.  NY: Newmarket.  ISBN 0-937858-51-X.

Segal, M. & Adcock, D.  (1985).  Your child at play: One to two years.  NY: Newmarket.  ISBN 0-937858-53-6.

Segal, M. & Adcock, D.  (1985).  Your child at play: Two to three years.  NY: Newmarket.  ISBN 0-937858-55-2.

Project Triad.  University of Illinois Model Inservice Project.  Handout.

Other handouts distributed in class.

Useful Resources:

Anderson, P.P. & Fenichel, E.S. (1989).  Serving culturally diverse families of infants and toddlers with disabilities.  Arlington, VA: National Center for Clinical Infant Programs.

Harry, B.  (1992).  Cultural diversity, families, and the special education system: communication and empowerment.  New York: Teachers College Press.  ISBN 0-8077-3120-X.

McWilliam, P.J. & Bailey, D.B.  (1993).  Working together with children & families: Case studies in early intervention.  Baltimore: Brookes.  ISBN 1-55766-123-5.

Zero to Three (December, 1995/January 1996).  Finding complexities and balancing perspectives:  Using an ethnographic viewpoint to understand children and their families.  Arlington, VA: Zero to Three/National Center for Clinical Infant Programs.

Course Format:

This course will meet for seven full days (9:00 - 4:00), every other week over the course of the semester. This enables students to continuously link what they are doing in their  field sites with what they will be learning in this class.  The class will have a seminar format, requires active participation of all students, and will utilize guest speakers from the community to support content from readings.  Two days during the final exam period will be used for student presentations of their semester products which integrate understandings from all of their classes.

Course Requirements:

1.  Attend all class sessions and participate actively in small and large group activities.

2.  Prepare for class by completing assigned readings prior to class.

3.  Complete written assignments.  It is expected that assignments be turned in on the due date.  A pattern of late papers will
     affect grading.

4. Maintain an ongoing reflective journal.  These are to be turned into the instructors during the week when classes meet.

5.  Record meaningful dilemmas which occur in the course of internship experiences.

6.  Maintain a story file to begin to better understand the process of collecting, reflecting upon, and retelling family stories.

Course Grading:

1.  Participation and preparation for class will be graded according to the following criteria:                 10%
     a) Attending all classes on time, unless prior arrangements have been made with the instructor;
     b) Completing all assignments on time;
     c) Participating in large group discussion and activities on a regular basis;
     d) Participating in small group discussions and activities on a regular basis;
     e) Working as a collaborative group member, supporting the participation of classmates;
     f) Maintaining a reflective dialogue journal, turned in each week of classes;
     g) Maintaining a story file.

2.  Meaningful Dilemmas  (5@3 pts each, Due: 2/12, 2/26, 4/2, 4/16, 4/30)                                       15%

3. Creating supportive learning environments: Observation, planning, implementation
    and analysis of  Triadic and Other Learning Activities  (Due: 4/27)                                                  25%

4. Group Presentation on Appropriate Practices for Infants and Toddlers                                           20%

5.  Family Story (Due:  Written product & in-class final presentation: 5/8&5/9)                                   30%

Assignment of Grades:
95-100  A
89-94  A-
83-88  B+
78-82  B
70-77  C
Below 70 F

 
 
 

Date	Topics,  In Class Activities, Assignments	Readings
Jan 23-25	Setting the Context for Infant/Family Services and Learning about Cultural, Linguistic, and Ability Diversity through Family Stories.  National Coalition Building Institute: Identity, Prejudice Reduction, and Conflict Resolution through Building Bridges. Book Group:  Examining cultural views of child rearing practices and family routines.	Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You.
Jan 29	Overview of course. Early Care and Education of Infants and  Toddlers– what we know, what we want to know. Relationship based practice. Preparing to be story gatherers and storytellers – where does the story  begin? Planning for field site work. Video:  Getting in Tune:  Creating Nurturing Relationships with Infants and Toddlers	Continue: Fadiman, The Spirit Catches You.
Feb 12 A.M. at ProjectFamily	The continuum of community services for infants/toddlers and their families. Developing a model for infant/family services.  The triadic approach for planning family relevant, developmentally appropriate activities. Story gathering and story telling – Listening to families from diverse cultures. Observing mothers and infants at play (Project Family, Arlington Mill, Columbia Pike) and debriefing. Begin a Story File.  Collect stories from newspapers, magazines, etc. that may help you understand the experience of diverse families or that helps you understand the process of effectively telling someone’s story from their perspectives.  For each story, briefly reflect  on what makes it effective and how it connects to your story.  Bring examples to share in class.  Gather information about your site.  As you go to your field sites, find out who funds your program, who is eligible for services, what legislation or guidelines shape your program, who delivers services, and how services are typically delivered and in what settings.  Come to class prepared to share. Meaningful Dilemma #1 Due.	Lally, Sections II and III Bredekamp & Copple, Part III
Feb 26 A.M. at Project Family	Practicing the Triadic Approach. Appropriate and inappropriate practices for infants and toddlers. Implementing the Triadic Approach - establishing the supportive context.  Relationships and Learning. Find opportunities to implement activities from a triadic perspective. Debriefing on Triadic session. In the context of observing infants and toddlers at Project Family in Arlington, you will practice using the triadic approach to learn from infant/parent dyads. Activity Analysis Due.   Part one completed prior to class, part two completed as in-class activity. Meaningful Dilemma #2 Due.	Review Triadic Handout Bredekamp & Copple, Part III
March11-15	No class - spring break (NOTE: If your field site is taking spring break during the week of March 25, you are to go to your site this week and take their break. In other words, you are entitled to only one week of break during this semester, not two, and you are responsible for attending all class sessions).	*
March 19A.M. atProjectFamily	Attributes of family stories. Review Triadic Handout.  Practice establishing a supportive context. Implementing the Triadic Approach:  Deciding on “topics”.  Designing community-relevant services.   In the context of observing infants and toddlers at Project Family in Arlington, you will practice using the triadic approach to learn from infant/parent dyads. Group 1 & 2 Present: Play and Peer Relations. Come to class with a plan for how you will continue to gather your family story in the coming weeks.	Review Triadic Handout.  Gandini, pp. 49-89.
April 2	Appropriate and inappropriate practices for infants and toddlers. Implementing the Triadic Approach - establishing the supportive context.   Review Triadic Handout.  Consider appropriate topics/focus for work with infants/toddlers and their families. Find opportunities to implement activities from a triadic perspective. Begin to review Segal texts for activity resources.  Groups 3, 4 & 5 Present Meaningful Dilemma #3 Due.	Triadic Handout Continue with Gandini
April 8-26	Full-time Internship	*
April 16(1-4pm)	Bring preliminary plan that supports learning for family-child dyad and for individual children in early care and educational setting.   Meaningful Dilemma #4 Due.	*
April 30	Implementation, reflection, and critical analysis of Triadic Approach. The child/family/community/service interface -putting the pieces together.   Come to class with your story folder.  Be prepared to share what you have learned about effectively telling family stories from different perspectives. Triadic Analysis Due. Be prepared to debrief and share. Meaningful Dilemma #5 Due.	*
May 8-9	Family StoriesPresentations Family Story Due	*
May 10	Program Evaluation and Reflections	*

Description of Assignments

1.Meaningful Dilemmas (15 points total) - a total of five due as noted on the syllabus.

Select a situation from your internship experience that has perplexed you, caused you anxiety, or made you wonder.  Describe the situation, using the dilemma form.  Bring two copies to class.  One will be for you to keep, and one will be retained by the program. These will be used to practice problem solving techniques and to assist you in analyzing issues in early care of infants and toddlers and their families. Due 2/12, 2/26, 4/2, 4/16, 4/30.

2.  Creating supportive early care and education environments: Observation, Analysis, Planning, Reflection  (25 points).

Part I-Due 2/26; Part II-Due 4/16; Part III-Due 4/30

Part I.

Observation and Practice (5 points)

Observe an activity being conducted by a caregiver/teacher which has been planned for a child or group of children at your site.  Take detailed notes to help you analyze and discuss this activity. Develop a brief paper, no more than three pages, in which you:

a.   Describe the activity.  Who was present, what were the materials, what appeared to be or were stated as the objectives?
     What happened?  (no more than one page)

b.   Analyze the activity from the perspective of each of the participants: e.g., the teacher, the parent, the intern, the child,
      siblings, etc.  (No more than one page)

c.   Analyze the activity from the perspective of the readings and class discussion to date: e.g., in what way was it demonstrative
      of the triadic approach, how did it relate to principles in Lally, Bredekamp, and to readings from last semester (anti-bias, de
      Melendez etc.) or other  classes, and what assumptions were conveyed?  (No more than one page) For this part, you must
      provide specific citations and use APA format.

d.   Bring parts a-c to class.  Part d will be prepared as an in-class activity.  As a small group debrief on the triadic practice
      activity.  Write a one-page reflection analysis.  What was easy, hard?  How does this approach differ from the activity you
      analyzed for the first part of the paper.

Part II.

Activity Guide (10 points)

Develop a preliminary plan for what you will be doing during your full time internship.  Establish a planning format appropriate to your site (groups, individual, home visit, etc.).  Write a brief paper to which you attach your planned activities.  In the paper: describe the context, the children and families, the setting, the frequency, and your rationale for what you have planned.  Attach activity descriptions/plans and strategies for evaluating the activities.  Demonstrate links to Triadic Approach, Lally, Lynch & Hanson, and Segal, Gandini.  Consider child and family appropriate play-based activities.  How will families be involved? Be prepared to share. Due April  16.

During the implementation phase, videotape yourself and share with your cooperating professional and/or university supervisor.  Ask for their feedback. Analyze and reflect on your practices and the assumptions that guide your practices.  Ask the question “why” in your reflections. Submit this reflective section with Part IV.

Part IV.

 Triadic Approach  (10 points)

a. Triadic Learning Log:
    Maintain a log of your visits, observations, and practices at Project Family. At the end of each visit, reflect on your
    assumptions, learnings, and questions. Be prepared to share your insights with your classmates.  Use the log to help you with
    the reflective process.

b. During the course of your internship, you are to implement the triadic approach on at least one occasion with the child and
    family with whom you are doing your family story.  For this assignment you are to videotape at least one planned triadic
    interaction.  Analyze the tape from the perspective of the triadic principles and other readings.  Reflect on your strengths and
    what you would change.  Reflect on the role of the parent, the child, and your role.

Your paper (submit two copies) should include the reflection of your practices during your full time internship, your reflection of the triadic approach, and a separate section comparing the two experiences. Also submit two VHS videos: one with both the triadic activities and those planned for your full time internship; and one with only the triadic portion (VHS only). The video with the triadic activity and one copy of your paper and learning log will not be returned. Be prepared to share. Due April 30th.

4.  Group Work on Appropriate Practices for Infants and Toddlers (20 Points)

Work with your group to research and present on one of the following topics:  implementing relationship-based practices; using songs, rhymes, fingerplays and movement; promoting play and peer relations; implementing effective features of early intervention; creating a supportive physical environment; promoting socioemotional development; encouraging intellectual growth; supporting the concept of story and beginning literacy experiences; creating safe and predictable growth promoting environments; focusing on home as the base for learning; and promoting early nurturing caregiving relationships and learning.

The half hour presentation should be creative, informative, research-based, and focused on the content. The session should reflect the work of all members in the group and shared leadership should be evident. Remember to include hands-on activities which encourage exploration, discovery, and practice.  A handout should be prepared and distributed to all class members. Due March 19 and April 2.

5.  Family story (30 points).

You will be richly describing a family/community/culture by becoming an informed participant observer in the context of that family’s life.  Over the course of this semester you will have many opportunities to interact with families.  This assignment asks you to identify a family from a culture other than you own with whom you are working and to get to know them.  Use the categories discussed in class; use what you learn in your research for the language class; use what you learn from your initial conversations with families for assessment.  Then establish with the family a plan to learn from them.  You will need to show evidence of at least three contacts.  You may offer to provide them a service, such as childcare; you may attend a community/cultural event with them - be creative.  Remember, you are not “diagnosing” them; they are teaching you about their family, their culture, their hopes and dreams for their children, their cultural practices.  Your final product should:

a.  Describe the family.  Tell their story.   How did they come to be in a place where you met them?
b.  Describe the cultural context of the family, including the formal and informal community network and system of supports.
     Family routines, celebrations, goals.  How did this help you better understand another culture?
c.  Describe your process for learning what you learned.
d.  Discuss implications for your work with other families of infants and toddlers.  How can you support family priorities?  What
     ways of interacting will you support?
d.  Reflect on yourself as a gatherer/teller of a family story.  What was easy, hard?
e.  Reflect on your own family story and how this experience has helped you learn about  your own story and its influences on
     you.
f.   Gather feedback from the families after completing the gathering of the family story
g.   Gather the perceptions of the cooperating professional before you begin this assignment.
h.  Include a tape recorded and transcribed log of your reactions before and after each family visit.  You do not have to include
     your field notes.

This assignment is linked to the assignments in all three other strands.  Please attach a copy of your family assessment project for assessment, and your cultural research for development and language, so that you can refer to those understandings as a part of this paper.

On May 8-9, you will present your family story to your classmates.  Consider the role of the story teller.  Prepare props. Decide on a format that will enable you to most effectively share what you have learned.