ARC 002: Preschool and Kindergarten Methods

Course Description

This course provides an overview of current practices related to curriculum, instruction and assessments of and for young children ages 3-6. Candidates will also enhance their knowledge related to classroom environments as well as the relationship between appropriate classroom management strategies, adult-child interactions and children’s social and behavioral skills.

Candidates will become familiar with NAEYC’s Standards for Early Childhood Professional Preparation, Connecticut’s Common Core of Teaching, edTPA (teachers’ pre-service assessment), CEC (Council of Exceptional Children, Connecticut’s Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and the Connecticut ELDS (Early Learning Development Standards). Connecticut’s Common Core for Kindergarten content areas is included. Connecticut’s DOTS: Documentation & Observation for Teaching System (DOTS) will be used.

Prerequisite

Acceptance into the program.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

Design and discuss developmentally appropriate learning experiences for preschoolers and kindergartners that include all content areas (music, language/literacy, science, art, movement, numeracy) and that are aligned with the CT’s Early Learning Development Standards and/or CT’s Common Core for Kindergarten science, literacy and mathematics.
Apply the standards of Universal Design to analyze a preschool or kindergarten classroom to determine its effectiveness. Ask yourself, is this classroom conducive to learning for all children including those who have disabilities and/or those who are dual language learners.
Discuss the processes of how preschoolers and kindergarteners most effectively learn through interactions with their environment and caregivers.
Apply preschool/kindergarten learning theories to the curriculum cycle including engaging and supportive interactions.
Design and share standards-based instructional strategies that support the learning of ALL children including those who have special needs and/or those children who are dual language learners.
Craft and implement a plan for engaging parents that encourages a reciprocal relationship with the teacher, classroom, center and/or school.
Discuss appropriate and effective classroom management techniques for preschoolers/kindergartners.
Examine appropriate and effective uses of technology in the preschool/kindergarten classroom.
Analyze assessment data and use the data to inform instructional planning and implementation.

Course Activities and Grading

Assignments	Points	Weight
Discussions (11 @ 13 pts each)	143	38%
Universal Design Paper	56	15%
Task 1 (Week 3)	30	15%
Task 2 (Week 7)	45	15%
Task 3 (Week 11)	50	16%
Total	324	100%

Required Texts

Brown, Kathy & Sarah Martino. Kindergarten and the Common Core: It’s as Easy as ABC! Maupin House Publishing, Inc. North Mankato, MN 2015. ISBN-13: 978-1-62521-506-2
Kostelnik, Marjorie, et. al. Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum IN ACTION. Pearson Education, Inc. 2014. ISBN-13: 978-0-13-705807-5

Additional Resources

Connecticut State Department of Education publications: Early Childhood: Early Learning Development Standards: 2014

Course Schedule

Week	SLOs	Readings and Exercises	Assignments
1	3,6	Early Childhood: The Profession Readings: Brown: Chapter 9 Kostelnik: Chapters 1 & 2	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Schedule Universal Design (3) Visits Begin working on UD paper (due week 5) Begin working on Task 1(due week 3)
2	1,3,4,5	Developmentally Appropriate Practices and Principles Readings: ELDS: pages 5-9 Brown: Chapter 1 Kostelnik: Chapter 5	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the Lecture material Begin Universal Design Visits (3) Continue working on Task 1
3	1,3,4,5,6,7	Intentional, Systematic and Effective Planning Readings: ELDS: pages 12-20 Brown: Chapter 2 Kostelnik: Chapter 6	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Continue working on Universal Design visits Submit Task 1
4	1,2,4,5,6	Child Guidance and Classroom Management Readings: ELDS: pages 52-54 Kostelnik: Chapter 3	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Continue working on Universal Design visits Continue working on Task 2
5	2,3,5,6,7	Creating a caring community with appropriate environments (indoor and outdoor) and child guidance Readings: ELDS: pages 10-11 Brown: Chapter 3 Kostelnik: Chapter 7	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Submit Universal Design (3) paper – include checklist (bring to class) Continue working on Task 2, due week 7
6	1,4,5,6,9	Social, Emotional Development Readings: Brown: Chapters 10 & 15 Kostelnik: Chapters 10 & 15	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Continue working on Task 2, due week 7
7	1,3,4,5,6,8,9	Everybody’s IN: Intentional, Systematic & Effective Planning Readings: ELDS: pages 12-20 Brown: Chapter 4 Kostelnik: Chapter 4	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Submit Task 2
8	1,2,6	Teaching with Effective Feedback Readings: ELDS: pages 55-61 Brown: Chapters 4, 5 & 6 Kostelnik: Chapters 11, 12 & 13	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture materials Begin working on Task 3, due week 11
9	1,5,9	Language, Early Literacy and Creative Expression Readings: ELDS: pages 35-43 Brown: Chapter 6 Kostelnik: Chapter 9	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Video giving feedback to a student and submit Continue working on Task 3, due week 11
10	1,2,3,5,6,9	Assessment Readings: Review Task 3 in the Edtpa handbook Follow link and read: Assessing Kindergarten Children: What School Systems need to know	Read assigned chapter Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Continue working on Task 3, due week 11
11	1,3,4,5,8,9	Assessments Continued Readings: Kostelnik: Chapters 11 & 12 Read: https://teachthought.com/pedagogy/6-types-assessment-learning/	Read assigned chapters Participate in discussion Review the lecture material Submit Task 3
12	1-9	Putting it altogether for children and families Readings: Kostelnik: Chapter 16	Read assigned chapters Participate in one discussion Review the lecture material

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Charter Oak State College encourages students with disabilities, including non-visible disabilities such as chronic diseases, learning disabilities, head injury, attention deficit/hyperactive disorder, or psychiatric disabilities, to discuss appropriate accommodations with the Office of Accessibility Services at OAS@charteroak.edu.

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