University of Texas at Brownsville
College of Education
ECED 6302 Curriculum in Early Childhood: Fall 2013
Dr. Georgianna Duarte
Phone: O: 882-5710 H: 943-6503
Email: georgianna.duarte@utb.edu
COURSE SCHEDULE
Course No./Section
ECED 4389
ECED 6302
ECED 6307
EDCI 8380.4
Course Name
Environments in ECE
Curriculum in ECE
Emergent Literacy
Dissertation II
Time
4:25-7:05
4:25-7:05
7:15-10:00
6:00-9:00
Day(s)
T
W
T
M
Room
OFFICE HOURS
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
3-5
2-4
2-5
Thursday
Friday
Course Description:
This course will include the major principles of curriculum planning, organization, scope and sequence
of a constructivist model. Special emphasis will be given to research on developmentally appropriate
early childhood education environments and materials. A major portion of this course will include
community based experiences.
Please be sure to visit the utb.edu website, explore and examine the graduate school links for news and
information through out your academic program:
Required Texts:
Hendrick, J. & Weissman, P. (2010) Total Learning: Developmental Curriculum for the Young Child, 8th
Edition, Merrill Prenctice Hall, Columbus, Ohio
Optional Text:
Annual Editions , 2013-2014 McGraw Hill Contemporary Learning Series Dubuque, Iowa
Kostelnik, M.J. & Sodrman, A. & Whiren, A. (2010) Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum: Practices
in Early Childhood Education, Merrill Prentice Hall, Columbus, Ohio
Required Readings:
There will be a variety of assigned readings throughout the course. Please be sure to carefully
organize and save these readings for research, and the comprehensive exam. Also, I will be emailing
a variety of web sites regarding constructivism, and providing extensive materials on BB.
1
TBA
Course Objectives: The student should be able to:
1. Identify major theorists (past and present) and describe their research and contributions to the
field of early childhood education.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identify and describe the Standards for Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum as
defined by NAEYC, and the state of Texas.
Articulate through seminar the early learning standards, and the NCATE standards for quality
curriculum
Analyze and critique various curriculum models.
Compare and contrast different curriculum models and their theoretical foundations
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Objectives of Course
Standard One
Promoting Child
development
And
learning
Standard Two:
Building Family
and Community
Relations
Standard
Three
Observing,
Documentin
g and
Assessing
Standard Four
Using
Developmentally
Appropriate
Approaches
Identify major theorists
X
Identify and describe the
Standards of NCATE
Articulate the early
learning standards and the
NCATE standards
Analyze and critique
various curriculum models
Compare and contrast
different curriculum
models and their
theoretical foundations
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Standard Five:
Using Content
Knowledge to
Build
Meaningful
Curriculum
X
X
X
X
X
Standard
Six:
Becoming A
Professional
Standard
Seven
Early
Childhood
Field
Experience
s
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
COE Conceptual Development and Knowledge Base
The conceptual framework contains four core concepts, which are themes through which we
organize and deliver our programs; hence they are central to our vision of professional educators
and scholars. These include:
 Inter-culturalism
 Interrelatedness
 Inquiry
 Pedagogical Leadership
College of Education (COE) Mission Statement
 To prepare highly skilled professionals to assume roles and positions in teaching,
research, educational leadership, and human development.
 To provide undergraduate and graduate programs based on proven best practice,
knowledge acquisition, reflective inquiry, critical thinking, and respect for the cultural
and linguistically diverse learner.
 To continuously develop a dynamic local, state, national, and international, dimension
that promotes innovations and contributes to scientific educational, economic, and social
change.
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College of Education (COE) Vision Statement
The vision of the College of Education is to be consistently recognized as fully-accredited
and as a nationally and internationally respected college in the areas of science, mathematics,
educational technology and intercultural dimension (language, literacy, culture and
interdisciplinary studies in regard to preparing teachers, counselors, administrators,
educational researchers, and professional at all levels, not only for the school system but for
other economical and service areas which require training, human resources, development
and life-long learning.
Teacher preparation programs of the College of Education will be central to the mission of
the University and will have national prominence. It will be at the forefront in programs for
English Language Learners and, through teacher preparation, P-16 and life-long education
initiatives will be a model for helping to close the student achievement gap.
All of these will require the COE to be noted for the quality of its graduates, the scholarship
of its faculty, and the leadership and service they provide to the local, regional, and national
educational communities in the previously mentioned areas.
Note: Be advised that the College of Education conducts ongoing research regarding the
effectiveness of the programs. You will receive one survey in the final semester prior to
graduation regarding the operations of the unit during your time here. A second survey
will occur within one year following graduation from or completion of a program, and will
be sent to your employer. This survey will focus on the preparation received at UTB/TSC.
Please remember that your response to these surveys is critical to UTB/TSC excellence.
Description:
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Emphasis is on a curricular framework that included providing the environment, materials,
methods and practices that are developmentally appropriate for young children. Assessment,
classroom management, and lesson planning will be addressed. Field based activities will be
integrated within the framework of the course (birth through grade three).The UTB website is an
important resource of information, and I strongly encourage you to explore, use, and revisit for
updates on information, news, and opportunities.
Required Texts:
Required Websites for EDEC 6302
Please take the time and examine each website carefully for research, advocacy, and
service articles.
1. www.aera.org
2. www.ericdigests.org/2001-2/curriculum.html
3. http://www.casel.org/home/index.php
4. www.acei.org
5. www.teachingstrategies.com
6. www.naeyc.org
7. www.nectac.org/
Special Needs
Americans with Disabilities Act: Students with disabilities may request assistance
through Disability Services , an office of the Counseling Center. Students who need
help with registration should contact the office several days before registration.
Those who need special services throughout the semester should inform Disability
Services several weeks before the semester. Some of the services available include
volunteer note takers, taped notebooks, memos to faculty, special test conditions,
sign language interpreting and registration assistance. An Adaptive Technology Lab
and Testing Service is available for student use. To request services, students must
register with the Counselor/Coordinator of Disability Services. All services are
elective and must be requested each semester as needed. Permits for parking spaces
designated for the handicapped may be obtained at Campus Police, located at
Cavalry Hall. Proof of disability is required. TDD users who wish to contact the
University by phone may call through Relay Texas at 1-800-735-298. For more
information, Contact Disability Services. (956-544-8292)
Emergency Academic Continuity Program
In compliance with the Emergency UTB/TSC Academic Continuity Program,
academic courses, partially or entirely, will be made available on the MyUTBTSC
Blackboard course management system. This allows faculty members and students to
continue their teaching and learning via MyUTBTSC Blackboard
http://myutbtsc.blackboard.com, in case the university shuts down as a result of a
hurricane or any other natural disaster.
The university will use Blackboard to post announcements notifying faculty members
and students of their responsibilities as a hurricane approaches our region. If the
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university is forced to shut down, faculty will notify their students using Blackboard
on how to proceed with their course(s). To receive credit for a course, it is the
student’s responsibility to complete all the requirements for that course. Failure to
access course materials once reasonably possible can result in a reduction of your
overall grade in the class.
To facilitate the completion of classes, most or all of the communication between students and
the institution, the instructor, and fellow classmates will take place using the features in your
MyUTBTSC Blackboard and UTB email system. Therefore, all students must use Scorpion
Online to provide a current email address. Students may update their email address by following
the link titled “Validate your e-Mail Account” in MyUTBTSC Blackboard Portal. In the event of
a disaster that disrupts normal operations, all students and faculty must make every effort to
access an internet-enabled computer as often as possible to continue the learning process.
Academic Honesty
Students are expected to be above reproach in all scholastic activities. Students who engage in
scholastic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the possibility of failure in
the course and dismissal from the university. "Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to
cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination for another person, any
act designed to give unfair advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts." Regents'
Rules and Regulations, Series 50101, Section 2.2. Since scholastic dishonesty harms the
individual, all students, and the integrity of the university, policies on scholastic dishonesty will
be strictly enforced. (refer to Student Handbook for more information)
UTB/TSC monitors academic progress every fall and spring semester to identify those
students who are experiencing difficulty with their courses. Satisfactory Academic Progress
(SAP) is based upon two components: GPA of 2.0 or higher and successful course completion
of at least 70% of course work attempted. Students remain in good standing with the university
and Financial Aid when both criteria are met. Students who do not maintain these required
minimum standards will be placed on probation or suspension as appropriate. The complete
Satisfactory Academic Progress policy and the Undergraduate Satisfactory Academic Progress
for Financial Aid policy can be found in the current Undergraduate Catalog.
Class Participation
Outstanding Contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas offered are usually
substantive, provide one or more major insights as well as direction for the class. Arguments, when offered,
are well supported and persuasively presented. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of
the discussion would be diminished significantly.
Good Contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas offered are usually substantive,
provide good insights and sometimes direction for the rest of the class. Arguments, when presented, are well
supportive and are often persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of the
discussion would be diminished considerably.
Adequate Contributor: Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered are sometimes
substantive, provide generally useful insights. Arguments are sometimes presented, and are fairly well
supported.
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Non-participant: This person has said little or nothing in the class. Hence, there is no adequate basis for
evaluation.
Unsatisfactory Contributor: Contribution in class reflects inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are seldom
substantive; provide few if any insights, and rarely a constructive direction for the rest of the class.
Availability:
I check my voice mail and email frequently. Please be sure to leave your complete name, the
purpose of your call, and the date of the call.
Cell Phones and Pagers: Out of consideration for others, please turn your cell phone and pagers
to the silent mode. If you do not have a silent or vibrate mode, please turn them off.
Email: It is critical that you check you email account daily, and ensure that the address is
accurate, and your mailbox is ready to receive mail.
Course Requirements and Method of Evaluation:
Assignments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
8.
Chapter Quizzes
Three Lesson Plans
Reflection Journal on Curriculum Models
Unit Plan
Observed Lessons
Final Exam
140-130
129-119
118-108
107-97
96-
30
30
20
30
30
10
A
B
C
D
F
Plagiarism: It is plagiarism to go to the internet, find an article, copy it to the clipboard and then
drop it into your work processor. Listing the article as reference on the last page will not cover this
issue. This is also plagiarism. There are a couple of things you can do that will help prevent
yourself from being charged with academic dishonesty. Note the following:
1.
Any time that you use the words or ideas of another person without giving credit, it is
considered plagiarism.
2.
Differences between direct and indirect quotes.
A. Direct quotes: include the exact wording from the source.
B. Indirect quotes: Summarizes or paraphrases the content from the
source.
3.
APA in-text requirements:
A. Direct Quote: Author's last name, publication date, and page
number B. Indirect quote: Author's last name, publication date.
4.
Punctuation requirements: Al word for word quotations must be placed in
quotation marks.
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5.
Exception to the rule: Common Knowledge-if the same information can be found in three
or more sources and those sources don't cite an earlier source the information is
considered common knowledge. Also, commonly known facts (e.g., Washington D.C. is
the
Capital of the U.S.) Do not need a citation even if you had to look them up.
When in doubt, CITE
*****SECURE & MAINTAIN A CALENDAR & CHECK EMAIL DAILY
How to Evaluate Journal Articles
[Detailed version of How to Evaluate Journal Articles]
To evaluate a journal article look for:
Purpose of Article: Why was the article written? To: persuade the reader to do something?
inform the reader? prove something?
Type of Journal: For college-level term papers, information should be obtained mostly from
scholarly journals. See also Evaluation Clues for Articles Taken from the Web
Organization and Content: Is the material organized and focused? Is the argument or
presentation understandable? Is this original research, a review of previous research, or an
informative piece?
Bias (of the publisher)
Date of Article
Bibliography
Usefulness: Is the article relevant to the current research project?
Authority/author: Is the author an expert in this field? Where is the author employed? What
else has he/she written? Has he/she won awards or honors?
Coverage: Does the article cover the topic comprehensively, partially, or is it an overview?
Audience: For what type of reader is the author writing?
Illustrations: Are charts, graphs, maps, photographs, etc. used to illustrate concepts? Are the
illustrations relevant? Are they clear and professional-looking?
“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in
your spare time.”
Marian Wright Edelman
Unit development plan
For this assessment you will be asked to create a unit for implementation in the classroom. The
unit will be designed for a particular age or grade level. The unit will be multidisciplinary as you
will plan activities for all of the content areas. In addition, the unit plan needs a description of
how the needs of diverse learners will be met including, special education students, linguistic
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differences, cultural differences, socioeconomics and gender. The unit should plan activities for a
week of instruction.
Instructions for the Unit development plan
Each student will create a week long unit for a particular setting. Students may use their current
setting as the site of instruction.
Students will prepare a binder which describes a detailed description of
The setting
The age group
Contextual factors which are significant (gender, special education students, language of
the students etc.)
For each day of the week the student will prepare lesson plans which will include a description
of
The content covered
The method of instruction
The set up of the environment
The grouping of the students
The inclusion of technology
The assessment of the instruction
The unit plan addresses standard 1 in that students will need to understand children’s
development and the influences on students learning in order to prepare and appropriate unit. For
examples what age group are they preparing for and what linguistic background do they have?
The unit plan addresses standard 2 in that in order to create an appropriate unit students will need
to have knowledge of the children’s family and culture in order to create an appropriate lesson.
For example, children from a rural community may have specialized knowledge about farming
activities. This might influence how a unit is put together.
The unit plan addresses standard 3 in that the candidate will need to know appropriate methods
of assessment in order to evaluate the success of the unit. For example paper and pencil tasks
may be appropriate assessments for second graders but would not be appropriate in all cases for
preschoolers.
Standard 4 will be assessed using the unit plan in that the student will have to describe how
instruction is being delivered and why. For example, if they are using computers as part of the
instruction then they must describe how it is being done age appropriately.
Standard 5 will be assess using the unit plan in that students will be required to explain how
content is delivered and what content is covered. For example, how does the student integrate
content areas such as literacy and math during the school day?
Field Experience
Description of Assessment
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Field experience will consist of two placements. The first field placement will occur in ECED
6302 Early Childhood Curriculum. Students are required to be in the field for 10 hours. The
second placement will occur in ECED 6308. The field experience in this course is an internship
that will consist of a field placement in the candidates’ own classroom. The internship will take
place over one semester in which the candidate will complete 40 hours per week for 8 weeks.
The two placements will differ in type of classroom setting (preschool, Head Start and public
school) and in the age of the children (infant toddler, preschool, school age).
In Field Placement #1 (ECED 6302) students will:
- Observe to get a general understanding of the classroom environment
- Teach three lessons from the unit that was developed in ECED 6302
- Reflect on teaching
NAEYC Standards Assessed
Standard 1 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (1a) Understanding of young
children’s characteristics and needs, (1b) Multiple influences on development and learning, (1c)
Using developmental knowledge to create learning environments.
Standard 2 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (2a) Family and community
characteristics, (2b) Supportive family relationships, and (2c) Demonstrating cultural
competence and effective collaboration.
Standard 3 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (3a) Assessment goals, benefits
and uses, (3b) Using appropriate assessments, (3c) Practicing responsible assessment, (3d)
Developing assessment partnerships with families and colleagues
Standard 4 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (4a) Understanding positive
relationships and interactions with young children, (4b) Knowing and understanding effective
strategies and tools including technology (4c) Using a broad repertoire of approaches with a high
level of cultural competence (4d) Reflecting on practice to promote positive outcomes.
Standard 5 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (5a) Understanding content
knowledge and resources, (5b) Knowing central concepts, inquiry tools and structures of content
areas, (5c) Using knowledge to develop meaningful and challenging curriculum.
Standard 7 Advanced Early Childhood Educators are able to use, (7a) Opportunities of observe
in two of three early childhood age groups, (7b) Opportunities to observe and practice in at least
two of three types of settings
Lesson Planning ( NAEYC Standard 1 & 5)
Needs
Improvement
1
Still Developing
Proficient
2
3
Understands
content, knowledge
and resources
Understands how
9
Exceeds
Expectations
4
the following areas
of development
relate to planning
and organizing
instruction:
Pphysical,
Affective, Cognitive
Learning objectives
are linked to
standards and
reflect an
awareness of
student’s prior
experiences
Objectives are
developmentally
and individually
appropriate
Considers students’
cultural
background and
interests when
planning
Plans a variety of
effective teaching
strategies that take
into account the
needs of diverse
learners
Materials and
resources are
developmentally
appropriate,
individually
appropriate, and
culturally
appropriate
Total
Reflecting on Practice
NAEYC Standard 4 & 6
Needs
Improvement
Still Developing
Reflects on impact
of instruction on
student learning
and makes
adjustments
10
Proficient
Exceeds
Expectations
accordingly
Asks supervisor for
feedback
Utilizes
constructive
criticism
Total
Additional Comments:
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Assessment NAEYC Standard THREE
Needs
Still Developing
Proficient
Improvement
Exceeds
Expectations
Understands the
goals, benefits, and
uses of assessments
Uses assessment
results to develop
appropriate goals,
curriculum and
teaching strategies
Reflects knowledge
about and uses
observation,
documentation and
other
developmentally
appropriate
assessment tools
and approaches
Uses technology in
documentation,
assessment, and
data collection
Demonstrates the
ability to
collaborate
effectively to build
assessment
partnerships with
families and with
professional
colleagues to to
build effective
learning
environments
Total
Learning Environment Design (NAEYC Standard ONE)
Needs
Improvement
Still Developing
Uses developmental
knowledge to
create supportive
challenging
learning
environments for
young children
Provides and
maintains an
attractive and
orderly learning
12
Proficient
Exceeds
Expectations
environment
Maintains
classroom routines
and procedures
Develops an
atmosphere which
fosters self
discipline
Promotes positive
interper. relations
based upon mutual
respect
Total
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