RELATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Syllabus for SW 491 & PSYX 391
Kate Cremer-Vogel MS, LCPC (Therapist, Author, Trainer, Instructor)
University of Montana
Instructor Contact Information:
Office Hours: by appointment
E-mail: kate1.cremervogel@umontana.edu
Phone: 406-582-5480 (for quicker response, please use email)
C OURSE D ESCRIPTION
Few of us are formally taught how to parent, yet parenting may be the most important
thing we do in our lifetime. We especially need to be prepared for the challenging yet
rewarding endeavor of raising emotionally distressed children whose early experiences
deprived them of the nurturing they needed to develop the essential capacity to connect with
others. Relational Development will provide both developmental-relational theory and practical
application of strategies created especially to reach the hurt child and to heal emotional/
developmental delays. The learning activities in this course will also give you the opportunity to
look at your own life and how your capacity for relationship evolved from experiences in your
childhood. This self-reflective aspect of the course can help you improve your ability to see and
meet the needs of a child who uses the language of behavior to convey his needs. This dynamic
course is suitable for all parents, foster and kinship caregivers, students, childcare workers,
medical and education professionals, state social workers, legal advocates, teachers, church
leaders, and anyone else who has an interest in helping emotionally distressed children and/or
in supporting those who do. It is my sincerest hope that you will be able to apply the experience
and knowledge you gain through taking this course to your daily life and to the lives of those
who are in need.
C OURSE F ORMAT
The course is designed to cover the concepts of relational development in 13 main topics within
the 16-week semester. The topics build upon one another and require regular and active
participation in the class during each week of the semester. The assignments for each topic will
include reading, writing, reflection, forum participation, and/or video viewing with all work due
by midnight each Saturday at the end of the topic week. To maximize your success and to get
the most out of the course, I advise you to plan to work on the course every day, pay close
attention to the due dates and pace yourself accordingly, as this level of participation will allow
you to achieve the course goals and get the most out of the class for yourself.
As it is very easy to get behind in most online courses, I recommend you set aside a minimum of
1 hour per day for Relational Development and stick to a regular daily schedule that includes
sufficient time for both course reading and assignments. I also suggest that you create a space
for yourself to “attend the class” where there are no distractions so your time spent on the
course can be focused and productive. Keep in mind that you will be writing a final paper for
the course; therefore, set aside some time each week to address your stepwise plan for its
completion so you will not have to go into overdrive at the last minute.
Page 1
revised 8-19-14
COURSE OBJECTIVES
By the end of the semester, you will be able to meet the following objectives as well as have
practical knowledge you will be able to apply to your everyday lives and relationships.
1. Understand and describe the reasons for the use of relational-developmental parenting
and its specifics as a new paradigm that differs intentionally from traditional approaches
2. Identify and work toward healing aspects of yourself that may present obstacles to
effectively carrying out the tasks of relational-developmental parenting and working
with emotionally distressed children
3. Understand and integrate knowledge of brain and child development, “developmental
age” and development of attachment into the use of relational-developmental
parenting
4. Describe and demonstrate the process of attunement, of translating a child’s behavior
and of using that translation to build a child’s narrative as well as to be able to express
in writing why building a child’s narrative is crucial
5. Demonstrate working knowledge of Language of Supportive Control, relationaldevelopmental parenting interventions and preventative measures through written
assignments that target their application in real-life and/or assigned scenarios
6. Understand and apply the knowledge of the process of “working through”—the
progression of adjustment, attachment, and healing an adopted child and the adoptive
family experience when that child is becoming integrated into the family
7. Identify the aspects of healing a distressed child that are often overlooked, describe why
there is a vital need to address each of these and demonstrate how to integrate each
into the implementation of the relational development approach
8. Demonstrate the understanding of, the need for and the ability to identify resources
necessary for successfully parenting a challenging child, through developing a case study
9. Identify and discuss aspects of our modern culture that offer challenges to sufficient
relational development, and confer with classmates about possible solutions to the
growing problem
C OURSE M ATERIALS
Required Texts [preceded by the initials used throughout the course to refer to each]:



[TPH] The Parent Handbook, published by Intermountain
[PIO] Parenting from the Inside Out by Daniel Siegel and Mary Hartzell
[WPK] What Every Adoptive Parent Needs to Know: Healing Your Child’s Wounded
Heart by Kate Cremer-Vogel MS, LCPC and Dan and Cassie Richards
OPTIONAL (BUT HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) TEXTS:


[AFP] Attachment-Focused Parenting by Daniel A. Hughes
Unconditional Parenting by Alfie Kohn
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 2
revised 8-19-14


The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog by Bruce Perry, MD, PhD
Ghosts from the Nursery by Robin Karr-Morse and Meredith S. Wiley
Other Reading and Videos: as assigned
C OURSE G UIDELINES
Confidentiality: Due to the personal nature of this course, it is essential that the privacy and
confidentiality of everyone in the class be maintained, just as would be the case in any human
services professional setting. Unfortunately, confidentiality of uploaded material cannot be
assured, as there is no encryption applied to data, but if you are as protective others’ materials
as you would like others to be of yours (i.e. nothing is shared or forwarded on to anyone
outside of class), everyone can feel reassured that confidentiality is being respected to the best
of our abilities.
Please be careful to always speak from the “I” perspective when interacting with others on the
forums. This allows you to speak from your experience and will ensure that everyone feels
respected, thus safe to share openly in discussions.
Accessibility: The University of Montana assures equal access to instruction through
collaboration with Disability Services for Students (DSS). If you feel you have a disability
adversely affecting your academic performance and you have not already registered with DSS,
please contact DSS in Lommasson 154 (406.243.2243). As your instructor, I will work with you
and DSS to provide appropriate accommodations.
Student Code of Conduct: Students are expected to follow the Academic Code of Conduct, as
outlined in the Student Handbook. Any violation of this code related to academic dishonesty (or
other inappropriate student behaviors) will be followed by sanctions prescribed in that
document. It is expected that all work submitted will be the original work of the individual
student. Plagiarism may result in failure of the course. Please see UM’s Student Conduct
Code for more information. Students may also contact the Associated Students of the
University of Montana for assistance.
Technical and Other Assistance: For questions about NetID, your UMConnect email account, or
for computer technical assistance, please call the IT Central Help Desk at 406.243.4357 (8 a.m.5 p.m.) or email itcentral@umontana.edu. Technical support for Moodle and UMOnline is
available through the UMOnline Support Desk, 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday at
406.243.4999 or by email at umonline-help@umontana.edu.
Contacting the instructor: For questions regarding assignments, class materials, the syllabus,
grading and all other matters related to this specific course, please post your query on this
course’s “Just Ask” forum accessible through the opening course block, as it is likely that other
students may have the same concern. For personal matters or inquiries requiring
confidentiality, please email me at kate1.cremervogel@umontana.edu. You certainly may
contact me by phone (406-582-5480) anytime, but you will get a more timely response to an
email message than you will to leaving a message via phone. However, if you would like to talk
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 3
revised 8-19-14
by phone, please email me to set up a time so I can schedule sufficient and uninterrupted time
to spend with you.
P ARTICIPATION AND G RADING
Forum discussions and interactions with classmates are an essential part of this course, as well
as they are time-dependent, so you must participate in the assigned forum during the week of
its topic block to ensure you get credit. It is important that you keep up with the class in terms
of your partner and group assignments and forum discussions, because you will find that you
miss important aspects of class discussion and that it is very easy to get behind. While I am
sympathetic to the fact that “life happens,” I encourage you to stay on schedule relative to our
syllabus. If you find yourself slipping behind, or if a significant unexpected event occurs, please
email me immediately and we can problem-solve about how you can get caught up.
I will use traditional letter grades of A, B, C, D, and F and traditional letter-grade breaks (A=90%
or better, B=80% or better, etc.) with no plus, minus, on-the-curve grading adjustments or extra
credit. For each Topic generally, the number of total points possible for all assignments
combined will be ~200 points, and for graduate students in some Topics there will be additional
points. Since points translate directly into percentages in the Moodle grading system we will
use, counting points is not necessary. Your grade for any given assignment will appear as a
percent on your grade page.
Grading Scale
90% to 100%
A
80% to 89%
B
70% to 79%
C
60% to 69%
D
59% and below
F
If you have a concern about your grade on any assignment, please contact me ASAP so I can
discuss it with you—I am interested in you learning the material, so I prefer the mastery
approach instead of inflexible grading and will work with you to meet that objective. You will
always have the opportunity to resubmit work for an improved grade.
Graduate Students
Graduate students will be integrated in the class throughout the semester and will be
submitting the same or similar assignments as undergraduate students will be completing. In
addition, graduate students will have the opportunity to engage in forums as moderators, will
add depth to the discussions by referencing material they have assimilated from assigned
research articles, and will bring a perspective broadened by their experience as an
undergraduate in related fields.
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 4
revised 8-19-14
Non-Credit Students
Some students taking this course are enrolled as non-credit students, a designation that
generally allows these students to decide on their level of participation. Non-credit students are
expected at a minimum to complete the topical readings, participate in the forums, and view
videos as indicated by the red asterisks () on the syllabus and the assignment pages. Non-credit
students are also required to complete the self-reflective exercises. While full participation in
all class activities and assignments will allow non-credit students to get the most out of the
course, it is not required per se. In deciding the level of participation they desire, non-credit
students need to keep in mind that many of the forums have their foundation in specified
reading and writing activities; therefore, participation in group forums directly related to these
activities requires that non-credit students complete these activities to enable their forum
contributions to be substantial and of value to their classmates. Please note that at the
semester’s end, employers sponsoring non-credit students will receive a tally summarizing each
student’s weekly participation in the class assignments, activities, and forums.
A SSIGNMENTS
Reading Assignments: Reading assignments represent the foundational material of this course,
and there is considerable reading required. I encourage you to take notes on all of the readings
as well as on all of the videos throughout the semester, as you will want to refer to specifics
from your reading and video viewing in concurrent or future assignments. Taking useful notes
while completing the assigned reading/videos will save you time in the long run, as you will not
need to go back to the original material a second time to look for information or to cite
references.
Assignment and Grading Rubrics: Please access the “Rubrics & Resources” button on the
course header block for a link to the specific formatting and organizational guidelines for all
types of assignments and for specifics on submitting your work. A specific grading rubric for
written assignments will guide you and inform you about grading standards for all writing
during the course based on five criteria. Incorrect grammar, misspelling and/or incorrect paper
formatting will diminish your grade on even your best work.
F ORUMS
UM Online course guidelines include the need for instructors to provide an interactive
component in their online courses in order to give students an experience that enables them to
actively feel part of a class and to benefit from diverse points of view and other student's
experiences. Therefore, you will be participating in forums on a regular basis most Topics
throughout the course. Please see “Rubrics & Resources” for guidelines for interacting on
forums, as there are certain criteria students must abide by to make the forum a respectful,
engaging, and safe place to share.
FINAL PAPER
You will be writing a final paper of either the research or reflective type depending upon your
student status, which will be due at the end of the 15th week of class. If your requirement is for
a research paper, you may choose your own topic and write an APA-style referenced paper
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 5
revised 8-19-14
(undergraduate students—5 pages, graduate students—10 pages) that provides an
introduction, research into the topic, conclusion and recommendations for interventions or
ideas for change. Adherence to APA guidelines (access through the “Rubrics & Resources”
button on the course site) is required in formatting your paper as well as when citing
references. You may choose any topic that relates closely to the course objectives, including
any of the topics in the examples below. Careful choice of a sufficiently specific topic will be
reinforced, and the process of writing the research paper will unfold step-by-step on a weekly
schedule starting with the second week of class.
For non-credit students, your 5-page paper, if you choose to write one, will be less formal and
will consist of your reflections upon what you are taking away from this course (concrete,
specific with examples) and how you will use what you are taking in your everyday personal
and/or professional life.
Research Topic Examples:

A specific, more in-depth look at any of the topics/aspects of the topics covered in the
course during the semester

The effect of industrialized/American society on relational development; or the effect of
the resultant relational impoverishment on “first world” societies and how this
compares with other, perhaps more isolated, indigenous cultures

The effect of particular behaviors (such as texting, using electronic media, watching
violence via electronic media, playing electronic games), or of life style trends (such as
the rise in single parenting, teen pregnancy, extended family unavailability and
separation by great distance), or of the disintegration of interpersonal respect (such as
the rise in aggression, entitlement, breakdown in parent-child hierarchy) on relational
development and their implications for the future.

The potential problems in domestic adoptions (e.g. multiple moves prior to adoption,
access of birth parents, behavioral problems resulting from in utero exposure to drugs
and alcohol or from genetic sources of mental illness) or potential problems in foreign
adoptions (e.g. cultural/racial issues, lack of biological family history, developmental
deficits that arise from orphanage placement) and what can be done to intervene
successfully.

Address at least one of the following impacts of modern culture on attachment security
of children (e.g., day care, women in the work place, rate of divorce, rates of drug and
alcohol abuse in women, increase in adoption from 3rd world countries, rates of
permanent removal of children from families, rates of abuse/neglect, disintegration of
community, relational impoverishment). Give data on the trend of the variable, how
that variable theoretically might affect attachment security, data supportive of the
theory, recommended interventions

The strongest indicator of a child’s security of attachment is the parent’s ability to be
curious and self-reflective about his/her own history and motivations and to be able to
create a coherent, accurate narrative. Therefore, if the parent can increase these
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 6
revised 8-19-14
abilities, the parent is better able to help the child—the theory being that parents
cannot take the child farther relationally than they have developed themselves. Provide
some research that supports this claim. Given that the child is the presenting client, how
might a system successfully intervene with parents and children? What are some
evidence based-practices that support this?

Bruce Perry has stated that there is an inverse relationship between what we, as a
society, spend on “programs to change the brain” (e.g. taking kids into foster care while
parents try to complete largely ineffective treatment plans; mental health interventions;
juvenile justice system intervention; substance abuse treatment; incarceration; etc.) and
the brain’s capacity for change. That is, an alarmingly small amount of public funding
goes to support parents who are having children and programs for early childhood
intervention, while the explosion of brain growth and the need for adequate caregiving
during pregnancy and the first year of life tell us that this is the period where we would
get the most “bang for our buck,” and in fact would reduce the need for the more costly
and relatively ineffective interventions later in life. After researching evidence-based
programs currently being used to increase positive childhood outcomes, outline a
comprehensive plan, the elements of which are substantiated by research, which could
potentially replace the present “deal with it later” approach to societal dysfunction.
C LASS S CHEDULE The Syllabus is subject to change due to shifting needs of the class and will be
updated accordingly. Please see the course website for current, up-to-date information.
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Topic # 1
Topic: Preparing to Parent:
Why Do We Need to
Look at Ourselves First?
Assigned Reading:
 PIO Introduction
 WPK Introduction and Chapters
14, 15, 16
Graduate Students’ Article:
 Ainsworth & Bowlby’s
“An Ethological Approach to
Personality Development”
Relational Development Syllabus
Points
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Welcome to Relational
Development!
 TPH Introduction and Chapter 1
Assignments
1. Quiz: Scavenger Hunt
10
2. Forum: Self-Introduction and Response
50
3. Reading: Topic 1 Reading
2
4. Exercise: "Questions for Parental Self-Reflection"
100
5. Video: Topic 1 Video: “What Is Attachment?”
6. Research Paper: Preview the Resources and
“Research Paper Steps” (links under “Rubrics and Resources”
on pink opening course block)
7. Graduate Students OPTIONAL Comprehension SelfQuiz (optional but highly recommended for others as well) on
Ainsworth & Bowlby’s “An Ethological Approach to
Personality Development”
(70)
Page 7
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Assignments
Topic # 2
First Forum Entry due by Thursday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: Brain Development:
What’s Grey Matter Have to Do
with Relationship?
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 2
1. Reading: Topic 2 Reading
3
 PIO Chapter 1
 WPK Chapters 1, 2
5. Research Paper Step #1: "Select Your Topic"
Graduate Students (optional but highly recommended for
Comprehension Self-Quiz on either the Teicher
or Chugani article
others)
Topic # 3
70
1. Video 1: Creating Secure Infant Attachment
2. Reading: Topic 3 Reading
3
 PIO Chapters 5, 6
 WPK Chapters 3, 4, 5, 17, 18
Relational Development Syllabus
50
All Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: How Does the Adult’s
Attachment Status Affect the
Parenting Relationship?
Graduate Students’ Articles:).
 Hoffman et al “Changing
Toddlers’ and Preschoolers’
Attachment Classification: The
Circle of Security Intervention”
 Lyons-Ruth & Block “The
Disturbed Caregiving System”
 Haight et al “Understanding and
Supporting Parent-Child
Relationships during Foster Care
Visits”
100
4. Non-Credit Student’s Topical Forum
Optional for all Students:
“Psychopaths Have Distinct Brain Structure”
 TPH Chapter 3
2. Videos: “The Harvard Set of 3 Videos,”
“The Neurobiology of Secure Attachment,” and
“Trauma, Brain and Relationship:
Helping Children Heal” parts 1-7
3. Exercise: Case Study: Brain Development
Graduate Students’ Articles :).
 Teicher et al “Developmental
Neurobiology of Childhood
Stress and Trauma”
 Chugani’s “Biological Basis of
Emotions”
Assigned Reading:
Points
2
3. 3 Videos: "Science Bulletins: Attachment Theory-Understanding the Essential Bond," Attachment
Patterns, and "Circle of Security Parenting"
4. Reflections: "My Attachment Status"
100
5. Research Paper Step #2: “Develop a Working Thesis
Statement”
50
Graduate Students (optional but highly recommended for
Comprehension Self-Quizzes
from this Topic’s articles to complete for credit
70
70
others) Choose two of the
Page 8
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Topic # 4
Topic: What Is a Child’s
Developmental Age and Why Do
We Need to Know How to Assess
It?
 PIO--
Points
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
3
1. Reading: Topic 4 Reading
2. Group Exercise: Developmental Age - Tony & Val
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapters 4, 5
Assignments
100
3. Non-Credit Students’ Topical Forum
9
4. Research Paper STEP #3: “Gather Your Resources”
50
 WPK—
Optional Reading Online: Explore “BrainBased Parenting: The Neuroscience of
Caregiving for Healthy Attachment” by
Daniel A. Hughes and Jonathan Baylin.
First Quarter Relational Development Fall 2013
Student Feedback Questionnaire
Topic # 5
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: Nature/Nurture: What
Makes Each Child Unique?
3
2. Videos
a. David Shenk: “Nature, Nurture and Genes”
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 6
 PIO- WPK—
Graduate Students’ Article:).
 Felitti et al “The Enduring Effects
of Abuse and Related Adverse
Experiences in Childhood”
1. Reading: Topic 5 Reading
2
9
b. Childhood Trauma: The ACE Study
Optional Videos:
a. “The Bomb in the Brain: The True Roots of Human
Violence” Parts 1-4
b. Interviews with Gabor Mate
3a. Exercise: Valerie: Nature/Nurture
-or3b. Reflections: The ACE Study
4. Forum: The ACE Study: Nature/Nurture and the
Societal Implications
50
5. Research Paper STEP #4: “Read and Highlight”
50
Graduate Students’ Comprehension Self-Quiz (optional
but highly recommended for others) on Felitti et al article
Relational Development Syllabus
100
70
Page 9
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Topic # 6
Points
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: If Behavior Is A Child’s
Language, How Do We DecTPHer
It?
1. Reading: Topic 6 Reading
2. Video: “Listen”
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 7
Assignments
4
 PIO- WPK
Topic # 7
3a. Exercise: "Getting It”
100
4. Forum: "Remedy for Negative Behavior"
50
5. Research Paper STEP #5: “Gather Additional
Sources”
50
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: Attunement: Are You Really
“Getting Your Child” at Every Level?
1. Reading: Topic 7 Reading
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 8
 PIO Chapters 3, 4, 9
 WPK—
2. Videos: Topic 7 Videos on Attunement
4
All For-Credit Students’ Article:).
Tronick et al “Infant’s meaning
making and the development of
mental health problems”
Topic # 8
 TPH Chapter 9
Relational Development Syllabus
4. Research Paper STEP #6 “Read and Highlight New
Material”
50
5. Journal Article: Infants’ Meaning-Making
100
1. Reading: Topic 8 Reading
Assigned Reading:
 WPK Chapters 7, 8, 20, 21, 22
50
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: Intervention: What Is
“Language of Supportive Control”
and How Do We “Speak” It?
 PIO Chapter 3
3. Forum: Implications of the Still Face Experiment
5
2. Videos:
a) The IDEAL Response for Parents
b) Total Voice Control
Optional:
a. Video: Effective Discipline Strategies
b. Audio: Connecting While Correcting
3. Forum: Do Children Need Punishment to Learn
Right from Wrong?
50
4. Exercise: Create a Narrative
100
5. Research Paper Step #7: “Write Your Working
Notes”
50
Page 10
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Topic # 9
Topic: Intervention Nuts & Bolts:
How Do We Know What to Do?
1
Assignments
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
1. Reading: Topic 9 Assigned Reading
Assigned Reading:
2. Partner Forum: Rupture and Repair?
 TPH Chapter 10 through
“Problem Solving with Your
Child”
3. Reflections: Parenting Skills Self-Assessment: My
Perceptions of Myself as a Parent
2
 PIO Chapter 8
4. Research Paper STEP #8: “Revisit Your Thesis
Statement”
 WPK Chapters 9, 10, 25
3
 PIO--
5
 WPK—
3. Forum: “Parenting by Number”
4. Research Paper STEP #9: “Outline Your Paper”
Topic # 11
 WPK Chapters 11, 12, 23, 24
Relational Development Syllabus
100
50
50
1. Reading: Topic 11 Reading
2. Video: A Home for Maisie
3. Exercise: Synopsis of Healing
Assigned Reading:
 PIO Chapter 7
50
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic: Working Through:
What Can We Expect to Encounter
during the Journey toward
Healing?
 TPH Chapter 11
100
1. Reading: Topic 10 Reading
2a. Exercise: Intervention Practice
-or2b. Exercise: Through the 7 Lenses
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 10 beginning with
“Deciding to Intervene.”
50
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic # 10
Topic: Intervention Nuts & Bolts: …
and How Do We Know When (to
Intervene)?
Points
6
100
4. Forum: “What about Birth Parents?
50
5. Research Paper STEP #10: “Apply Your Gathered
Information to Your Outline”
50
Page 11
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Topic # 12
Topic: What Are the Aspects of
Healing an Emotionally Distressed
Child that No One Wants to Talk
About? (Core Shame, Grief & Loss,
Identity)
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 12
Points
All Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
1. Reading: Topic 12 Reading
7
9
 PIO—
 WPK Chapters 6, 19
Graduate Students’ Article:
Dozier et al, “Foster children’s
diurnal production of cortisol: An
exploratory study.”
2. Videos
a) Dr. Brené Brown: PBS Interview, Parts 1 & 2
b) “The 11th Commandment”
4. Exercise: Understanding Core Shame
100
5. Forum: Understanding Core Shame
50
6. Research Paper STEP #11: “Prepare Your Rough
Draft”
50
7. Graduate Student’s Comprehension Self-Quiz
(optional but highly recommended for others) on Article:
Dozier et al
70
First Forum Entry due by Wednesday noon
All other Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Topic # 13
Topic: Forming a Constellation—
It Really DOES “Take a Village!”
Assignments
8
1. Reading: Topic 13 Reading
2. Group Exercise: Community Support Plan
Assigned Reading:
 TPH Chapter 13
 PIO Reflections
9
 WPK Chapters 13, 26
Relational Development Syllabus
100
4. Forum: Peers or Parents?
50
5. Research Paper STEP #12: “Create Your Title Page
and References List”
50
All Assignments due Saturday by Midnight
Week #15
Completion of Research Papers
3. Video: Dr. Gabor Mate on Attachment and
Conscious Parenting
1-9
1. Research Paper Step #13: “Read Your Rough Draft
and Finalize Your Paper”
UG/G
100/200
Page 12
revised 8-19-14
Topic/Reading
Related
Objective
Final Week #16
[UM: Final Exams]
1-9
Students’ Reviews of Research
Papers and Course Evaluations
Assignments
1. Final Forum: Read at least one undergraduate/
Non-Credit classmate’s paper and one graduate
classmate’s paper and discuss it, giving constructive
feedback.
2. Complete UM’s and Relational Development’s
course evaluations
Floating Module:
Spring Break or
Thanksgiving Break Week
You have an opportunity to create a memorable
moment during this break by using what you have
learned about relational development.
Please note:
ALL ASSIGNMENTS ARE OPTIONAL
FOR ALL STUDENTS
This block is a modular element of
the Syllabus that will be inserted
amongst the Topics during one of
the above breaks, depending upon
which semester you are taking the
course:
Topic: Trying On Your Evolving
Perspective
2
Points
100
100
1. No Assigned Reading
2. Reflections: “Repair in Action” Experience
100
a) Spring Break Video: “On Golden Pond”
b) Thanksgiving Break Video: “Home for the Holidays”
(optional, but necessary if you choose
to complete assignment #2)
3. Research Paper NO ASSIGNMENT
Assigned Reading:
 TPH- PIO—
 WPK—
Relational Development Syllabus
Page 13