Cincinnati Christian University s2

Cincinnati Christian University PCC 240 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PRACTICUM I Spring 2010: 8 credit hours Instructor: Dr. LaShelle Edmerson

CINCINNATI CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Cincinnati Christian University is to teach men and women to live by biblical principles and to equip and empower them with character, skills, insight, and vision to lead the church and to impact society for Christ.

Office: Rine Hall Home Phone: (859)-384-8631 Office Hours: Mondays-Thursday 1-2:00; Cell: (859) 802-8175

Fridays by appointment Office Phone: (513) 244-8626 Office e-mail: [email protected]

1. Course Description A field experience featuring participation in an early childhood program under the supervision of an experienced early childhood educator.

2. Course Goals & Objectives You will begin to develop the following skills:  Observing children and stimulating development in all areas through appropriate interactions  Implementing curriculum planned by the supervising teacher  Guiding children using positive guidance techniques  Working as a team member  Developing professionalism  Developing an understanding of families from a variety of cultural backgrounds and children with special needs  Developing a positive attitude toward the field of early childhood education

Students completing the practicum experience will be able to plan and implement curricular activities which are developmentally appropriate, collect data on students through the use of anecdotal records, and demonstrate professional behavior in the early childhood classroom.

3. Course Requirements

PRE-PRACTICUM PAPERWORK Before entering the classroom, you must turn in the following completed forms to Lianne Pierce: Copy of high school diploma 3 References Medical Statement Fingerprint card Child day care convictions statement 2

On the first day of practicum, give the following papers to your supervising teacher: Student information sheet Two evaluation sheets

CLASSROOM EXPERIENCE

You will spend 3 hours a day, 5 days a week [or a total of 15 hours] with your supervising teacher. You are expected to be at the center during your regularly assigned hours unless you have an emergency situation or become ill. You can miss three days of practicum for illness or emergencies without having to make up the missed days. If you miss more than 3 days, you must make up any days over and above the 3 excused days during the week of finals. If you are going to miss your practicum because of illness or an emergency, call the center and tell them you will be absent, then call Dr. Edmerson at 244-8626 and leave her a message concerning the reason for your absence. Make these calls as soon as you know you won’t be able to attend practicum that day. If you need to miss for more than one day, call the center and every morning you are absent. Chronic tardiness demonstrates a lack of responsibility and professionalism that will be reflected in your final grade.

If the center is closed, you will not report to the practicum site.

WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH SUPERVISING TEACHER

On your first day of practicum, arrange to meet with your supervising teacher at a scheduled time, once a week, for at least 15 minutes. During your scheduled meetings, be proactive. Ask questions, share observations, and seek suggestions and advice. Be aware, though, that sometimes your supervising teacher will be unable to meet with you due to circumstances beyond her control. Try to reschedule canceled meetings for another time during the week, but be flexible if rescheduling cannot be arranged.

OBSERVATION AND EVALUATION OF STUDENT

Dr. Edmerson will observe you at least three times during the semester. It will be your responsibility to arrange the days and time. You and Dr. Edmerson will meet directly after your observation. If not, another meeting time will be arranged. Your supervising teacher will be welcome in this meeting, if her schedule permits her to attend.

At the mid-point and end of the semester, you and your supervising teacher will complete evaluation check sheets and meet to discuss your progress. These check sheets and meetings must be completed by the end of your 8th week of school and the end of your last week in the field. Turn in your completed check sheets 3

to Dr. Edmerson. If possible, your final conference will be a three-way conference with you, your supervising teacher, and Dr. Edmerson.

If on the day you are to be observed you become ill, call Dr. Edmerson ((859) 384- 8631& (513)244-8626) before 8:00 am and leave her a message saying that you will not be at the center.

JOURNAL

A written journal should be kept of your preschool experience. You will be expected to write a weekly response from the journal questions that are in planning guide. We will discuss the responses in our seminars.

ANECDOTAL RECORDS

During the 10th, and 12th week of your practicum, you must identify two children to observe. Write at least 5 anecdotal records per week, per child in the correct format. You will be given information in our first seminar. Include observations in the areas of physical, cognitive and socio-emotional development. Your observations should inform you about the child’s development. These are not just too record “cute” or “funny” incidents. The observations should be systematic and aimed at answering specific questions you have about a student’s strengths and weaknesses. The due date is listed in the planning guide and assignment. You will make a copy of your records for your supervising teacher.

DOCUMENTATION BOARD

All students in the Practicum I and II classes will create an individual documentation board. This Documentation board will be displayed in various places in the IRC area. It should have pictures of you and the children engaged in various activities. You will need to talk to your supervising teacher about the procedure(s) that will need to be followed to take pictures of the children. The pictures can be returned to you at the end of the semester.

PLANNING ACTIVITIES

You must plan and implement 3 group activities during the semester. Your first activity should be with a group of three to six children. The other two activities should be with all of the children. The activities must be in three different curriculum areas including multiculturalism. Your activity plans must be completed in the format provided and approved by your supervising teacher before implementation in the classroom. Talk with your supervising teacher about the activities he/she would like to see you do. Follow the same format that your supervising teacher follows. You will have to be 4

proactive and ask to see lesson plans, etc. However, I will gladly work with you if you need suggestions. You need to write a two page summary of the activity and the outcome following each activity. You may attach samples of student work or a copy of your plans.

1st activity completed by 2/19/10 2nd activity completed by 4/2/10 3rd activity completed by 5/7/10

**Submit lessons to Dr. Edmerson at least two days before you present them at your practicum site.

Other Important Information

YOUR ROLE IN THE CLASSROOM During your practicum, you should take an active role in the classroom. Of course you will be observing the teacher and children, but you should do your observing as you interact with the children and practice your teaching skills. You may want to view yourself as a teacher’s aide, an integral part of the teaching team who always works under the guidance of the classroom teachers.

As you interact with the teachers, work on your communication and teamwork skills. Ask questions if you are unsure of the routine, and follow the example of the teachers in your interactions with the children.

PROFESSIONALISM

Professionalism as a Christian early childhood educator requires that you treat your supervising teacher, other teachers, administrator, and children with respect. As a professional, you will be expected to be prompt and responsible, to work hard, and to learn as much as possible from your classroom experiences. Although professional conduct does not require that you agree with your supervising teacher in all areas, it does require that you ask questions in a respectful manner and honor the requests of the teacher while you are in her classroom.

PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE

You must dress professionally every day of your practicum. There should be nothing in your personal appearance that will cause your supervising teacher, parents, children or other people that work with you on a day to day basis alarm or concern. All of your body parts should be sufficiently and appropriately covered. Non- compliance to this could result in failure of the class or a need to repeat the class at another time. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE MULTIPLE WARNINGS. 5

Always keep in mind that you are a representative of CCU, its early childhood program, and Christ. Your appearance and actions reflect not only on yourself but also on CCU and your relationship with God.

SEMINAR

Prior to entering the field, a Friday morning introductory seminar will be held at 10:00am on the first Friday of the term. Our first seminar is Friday, January 21, 20010 at 10:00. All paperwork for your practicum is due on or before that Friday. There will be at least three seminar sessions during the semester. This will be a roundtable discussion of the classroom experience. You will need to leave your practicum early on those two days. The dates are listed in the planning guide. Additional seminar sessions may be required.

Evaluation:

Points: Practicum 200 ( overall performance) Journal responses 100 (submitted as a portfolio) Anecdotal Records 100 (20 x 5) Activities (3) 300 (100 x 3) Documentation Board 100 Lesson Plans & Evaluations 50 Pre-practicum paperwork 25 Total points 875

Computation of Final Grade:

All scores of assignments are totaled for the final score. The grades are awarded on a point system/scale which is equal to a percentage letter grade on CCU’s grade point system, for example if A equals 800 points:

100% of 800 points = A ( 800 points) 92% of 800 points = A- ( 800 x .92 = 736 points) You would have to earn at least 736 points to earn an A-, etc.

** ALL INFORMATION FROM YOUR CHECKLIST MUST BE SUBMITTED AND COMPLETE BEFORE YOU CAN RECEIVE A GRADE.

This is a class and should be treated as such. It is extremely important that you do your best work for this assignment. Your eight hour grade will greatly influ- ence your GPA. 6

PLANNING GUIDE AND ASSIGNMENTS

Date Assignments Journal Questions Week 1 Seminar First day of Note: All of your pre-practicum paperwork 1/19/10 #1 practicum. is due at this time. You will not be allowed Time to start your practicum until all papers are 10:00 complete and submitted and this does 1/21/10 affect your final grade. Rine Hall Week 2 Begin journal entries How do you feel about your placement? In your 1/25 opinion, is this a multicultural setting? What is your impression? Week 3 What are you learning from your placement 2/1 environment?

Week 4 What strategies are you using to build 2/8 relationships with the children? Are those strategies effective? Lesson should be Week 5 taught on or before What strategies are you using to build a 2/15 2/19 relationship with your supervising teacher? Are the strategies effective?

Week 6 Activity #1 Which children are you most attracted and least 2/22 Reflection due after attracted to? Why do you think you are drawn to your lesson by 2/26 these children? What could you do to form a more positive relationship with the children you are least attracted to? Week 7 Discuss situations in your practicum that make 3/1 you uncomfortable. Then discuss possible reasons to overcome these feelings. Week 8 3/8 SPRING BREAK: MARCH 8-12

Week 9 Seminar Midterm evaluation What guidance techniques and strategies does 3/15 #2 due your supervising teacher use in the classroom? 3/19 on or before 3/19 Are the strategies effective? 10:00

Week 10 Describe the classroom schedule and room 7

3/22 Anecdotal Records arrangement. What do you like/dislike about #1 due on or these two classroom components? before 3/26

Week 11 Activity #2 on or Discuss the impact of information that you have 3/29 before 4/2 received from professors, supervising teachers, resource persons and classes at CCU. Give three Reflection due after concrete examples of how you have been able to your lesson by 4/9 apply this to your classroom experience?

Week 12 Anecdotal Records What interaction does your supervising teacher 4/5 #2 due on or have with parents? Discuss what you observe before 4/9 with your supervising teacher.

Week 13 What aspects of the program, as a whole, to you 4/12 like? Which aspects do you dislike? Explain.

Week 14 4/19

Week 15 Seminar Activity #3 on or Reflect back over the semester. What would you 4/26 #3 before 4/30 change about your experiences? How have these 4/30 experiences touched your life as a Christian? 10:00 Reflection due after What attributes make an early childhood teacher your lesson 5/7 successful?

Week 16 Final evaluation All assignments should be submitted in a 5/3 due on or before two-pocket folder. One side of the folder 5/7 should have your journal responses and the other side should have all other paperwork. This information, including your typed journal responses, is due by Friday, May 7, 2010. Finals Week: May 10-13, 2010

Please review the Cincinnati Christian University’s policy on plagiarism.

American with Disabilities Act Statement

Students who require academic accommodations due to any documented physical, psychological or learning disability should request assistance from the Academic Support Director within the first two weeks of class. The Academic Support 8

Office is located in the Lower Level of the Worship and Ministry Building (room 153). You may also contact the office by phone (244-8420).

The professor reserves the right to change anything in the course, including curriculum, schedule, assignments, and grading procedures.