Wayland Baptist University
Division of Education
Hawaii Campus
Mission: Wayland Baptist University exists to educate students in an academically
challenging, learning-focused and distinctively Christian environment for professional
success, lifelong learning, and service to God and humankind.
COURSE NUMBER AND TITLE: ECHD 3301 Principles of Caring for
Preschool Children
TERMS AND DATES: Spring 2011 April 4th to June 12th
OFFICE HOURS: Before/after class or by appointment.
CLASS MEETING TIME AND LOCATION: Mondays 5:30 to 9:30 Hale Kula Bldg.
INSTRUCTOR:
PHONE NUMBER:
E-MAIL ADDRESS:
Cynthia Shirota
808-348-0294
cynthiashirota@gmail.com
CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION: Overview of basic principles and best practices in
early childhood education; emphasizes an appropriate learning environment with
practical applications based on current research; observing developmental levels,
designing appropriate activities, and supporting children via learning.
PREREQUISITES: Access to Blackboard
REQUIRED RESOURCE MATERIALS:
Student Texbook(s):
1. Gestwicki, C. (2011). Developmentally Appropriate Practice: Curriculum and
Development in Early Education (4th edition). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage
Learning.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Complete required readings, activities and projects on time.
2. Demonstrate mastery of what are developmentally appropriate physical, social,
emotional, cognitive, language, and literacy environments.
3. Complete satisfactory one or more tests based on student outcomes.
4. Make in-class, small group teaching presentations that extend understanding of key
early literacy concepts.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
The university student will
1. Describe and explain developmentally appropriate practices through
understanding the misconceptions and misunderstandings these practices.
2. Show knowledge of play and its importance in developmentally appropriate
practice.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of planning the developmentally appropriate curriculum.
4. Describe and demonstrate knowledge of developmentally appropriate physical
environments from infant through primary-age children in the classroom.
5. Explain and apply the knowledge of developmentally appropriate social and
emotional environments for children ages infant to primary-age.
6. Provide knowledge of developmentally appropriate cognitive, language, and
literacy environments for infants through primary-age children.
MEANS FOR ASSESSING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT:
(Additional assessments may be added, but those listed will be utilized.)
1. Class assignments
2. Course tests
3. In-class presentations
ATTENDENCE POLICY:
Campus Attendance Policy
The University expects students to make class attendance a priority. All absences
must be explained to the instructor who will determine whether omitted work may be
made up. When a student reaches the number of absences considered by the instructor
to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file an unsatisfactory
progress report with the dean at the campus where the course is offered. Any student
who misses 25% or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a grade
of “F” in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the
instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the university’s attendance
policy. A student may petition the Academic Council for exceptions to the above stated
policies by filing a written request for an appeal to the provost/academic vice president.
EVALUATION: Grades for courses shall be recorded by the symbols below: (Point total
for each letter grade MAY be modified, but grading system MUST be maintained.)
UNIVERSITY GRADING SYSTEM:
A
B
C
D
F
900-1000
800-899
700-799
600-699
below 600
Cr
NCR
I
W
WP
WF
X
IP
For Credit
No Credit
Incomplete*
Withdrawal
Withdrawal Passing
Withdrawal Failing
No Grade Given
In Progress
A grade of “CR” indicates that credit in semester hours was granted but no grade or
grade points were recorded.
*A grade of incomplete is changed if the work required is completed prior to the date
indicated in the official University calendar of the next long term, unless the instructor
designates an earlier date for completion. If the work is not completed by the
appropriate date, the “I” is converted to the grade of “F”. An incomplete notation
cannot remain on the student’s permanent record and must be replaced by the
qualitative grade (A-F) by the date specified in the official University calendar of the next
regular term.
COURSE GRADING CRITERIA: (The grading criteria provided are a suggestion. Your
own format may be utilized, but you MUST provide the criteria within the syllabus.)
Points
1. Class-to-class assignments: for Credit/No Credit (CR/NC) will be
50
graded using a rubric. A percent will be calculated by dividing the
number of earned credits received by the total number. Example:
You received 18 credits out of a possible 25: 18/25 = 72% your earned
Portion: .72 x 50 = 36.
2. In class small group presentations will be graded using a rubric.
60
Each is worth 20 points.
3. Journal notebook: A collection of all journal writing and discussion
30
questions will be graded for completeness.
4. Four tests will be given during this course. Each test is worth 40
160
points.
Total:
300
ACADEMIC HONESTY:
Wayland students are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest
standards of academic honesty. Academic misconduct for which a student is subject to
penalty includes all forms of cheating, such as possession of examinations or
examination materials, forgery, or plagiarism. Disciplinary action for academic
misconduct is the responsibility of the faculty member assigned to the course. The
faculty member is charged with assessing the gravity of any case of academic
dishonesty and with giving sanctions to any student involved. The faculty member
involved will file a record of the offense and the punishment imposed with the dean of
the division, campus dean, and the provost/academic vice president. Any student who
has been penalized for academic dishonesty has the right to appeal the judgment or the
penalty assessed.
Plagiarism
“Plagiarism – The attempt to represent the work of another, as it may relate to written
or oral works, computer-based work, mode of creative expression (i.e. music, media or
the visual arts), as a product of one’s own thought, whether the other’s work is
published or unpublished, or simply the work of a fellow student.
1.
When a student submits oral or written work for credit that includes the
works, ideas or data of others, the source of that information must be
acknowledge through complete, accurate and specific references, and if
verbatim statements are included, through use of quotation marks as well.
By placing one’s name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies
the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate
acknowledgments. A student will avoid being charged with plagiarism if
there is an acknowledgement of indebtedness.”
Source: http://www.spijc.cc.fl.us/webcentral/admit/honesty.htm#plag
DISABLED PERSONS:
It is the University policy that no otherwise qualified person with disabilities be excluded
from participation in, be denied of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational
program or activity in the University. Students should inform the instructor of existing
disabilities the first class meeting.
COURSE SCHEDULE: Classes will be held on Mondays from 5:30 to 9:30 pm in Hale
Kula Bldg. unless otherwise stated.
Dates and Assignments: (these are tentative dates and assignments)
Date
Class Topic
Assignments
4/4
Introduction to Course
Ch. 1; Set up 1st Presentation
Assess learning questions for chpt. 1-4
Due 4/11; Pres. Due 4/25
4/11
Chapters 2-4
Review for test 1
Read chapters 5-8; Journal questions
Due 4/18
4/18
Test 1 over chapters 1-4
Class time to work in groups
Chapters 5-6
1st Presentations; set up
next presentation;
Chapters 7-8; Review for
Test 2
Assess learning questions for 5-8
Due 4/25; Journal questions
4/25
Read chapters 9-12; Journal questions;
Presentation due 5/16
5/2
Test 2 over chapters 5-8;
Class time to work in groups;
Chapter 9
Assess learning questions for 9-12;
Journal questions
5/9
Chapters 10-12; Review for
Test #3
Journal questions; read chapters 13-16
5/16
Presentation #2; set up next
Presentation; Test #3
Presentation Due 6/6; Assess learning
questions chapters 13-16; due 5/23
5/23 Chapters 13-16
Journal questions
5/30 Review for Final; class time
to work in groups
Journal questions
6/6
Final presentation; Final Test
Chapters 13-16