CFD 596 – EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Child and Family Development Department
College of Education
San Diego State University
Instructor: Dr. Don Myers
Email: donmyers@drdonmyers.com
Office Location EBA
Office Hours: Thursday 2:00-3:30
Class Meeting Time/Location: Th 2:00-3:30
Student Disability Services: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sd/index.html
COURSE DESCRIPTION
CFD596 is designed for prospective and practicing early care and education
professionals to learn and understand early childhood mental health theories and
research, and apply the knowledge in working with young children to support
behavior and emotion regulation in classrooms and home settings. Neurorelational
framework is used to establish the understanding of the effects of relationship on
brain development and on the foundation for early childhood mental health.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
1. Powell, B., Cooper, G., Hoffman, K., Marvin, B. (2014). The circle of security
intervention. The Guilford Press.
2. Hart, S., (2008). Brain, attachment, personality: An introduction to
neuroaffective development. Karnac Books.
3. Janko Summers, S., Chazan-Cohen, R., (2012). Understanding early
childhood mental health: A practical guide for professionals. Paul H. Brookes
Publishing Co.
BLACKBOARD ACCOUNT: All students are required to have a Blackboard account.
https://blacboard.sdsu.edu/webapps/login/
TaskStream ACCOUNT: All students are also required to have a TaskStream
electronic portfolio and subscription, and be enrolled in the appropriate TaskStream
“Program” which contains student’s program portfolio. More information about
purchasing a TaskStream subscription and enrolling into a TaskStream Program is
available in the CFD website:http://coe.sdsu.edu/cfd/portfolio/Index.php
Additional Support for Your Learning: Students wishing assistance with course
work may use the Mentor Center located in the Department of Child and Family
Development – Room 409 in the Education Business Administration Building at
SDSU.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the semester, students will be able to:
1. Exemplify the understanding of the neurorelational framework and the role
of parents/caregivers in the developmental outcomes and brain
development in young children.
2. Articulate the knowledge of early childhood mental health and emotion and
behavior regulation.
3. Link theory with application to exemplify application of knowledge to
working with a child at home or child care and educational settings.
4. Evaluate the role of parents/caregivers involvement and engagement in early
childhood education.
5. Plan and explain how to support and regulate children’s emotions and
behaviors.
6. Research and prepare an in-depth paper on an issue related to early
childhood mental health.
7. Integrate systems of care and services in the community.
ALLIGNMENT OF STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES WITH STATE AND NATIONAL
STANDARDS:
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the National
Council on Family Relations, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher
Education, California Early Childhood Educator Competencies, and the Revised
Training Guidelines and Personnel Competencies for Infant and Early Childhood
Mental Health have implemented Professional Preparation core standards for
Professional Teaching Standards for PreK-3 teachers. This course utilizes these
standards in identifying course goals/objectives, course instructional activities,
assigning course requirements, and creating assessments. The following links
identify how these standards are aligned with the Student Learning Objectives for
the course, as well as with each course assessment. Visit the following web sites for
detailed listings of standards:
NAEYC Advanced Program Standards”
http://www. Naeyc.org/ncate/faculty/advanceedprog
NCFR Content Areas:
http://www.ncfr.org/sitesdefault/files/downloads/news/FLE_Content_Areas_2011
_O.pdf
NCATE Unit Standards:
http://www.ncate.org/Standards/NCATEUnitStandards/UnitStandardsinEffect200
8/tabid/476/Default.aspx
CA Early Childhood Educator Competencies:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/documents/ececompetencies2011.pdf
Revised Training Guidelines and Personnel Competencies for Infant-Family and
Early Childhood Mental Health:
http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/pj/207
The course will employ multiple methods to assist students in accomplishing the
course objectives listed above. These methods include case studies, journals,
participation in individual, small group and large group activities, guest lecturers,
and out-of-class fieldwork experiences. Students will be expected to apply concepts
and knowledge gained from the course experiences to their field experience setting.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: 100 points
1. Class Attendance and Participation: Attendance at every class meeting is
expected and participation in the in-class activities and discussions. Three or
more absences and lack of class participation will negatively affect student’s
grades.
2. Midterm and Final Exams: Each exam will cover material from lectures and
readings and each will be worth 30 points, totaling 60 points. Exams will be
taken on line through Blackboard.
3. Research Paper: Students will write a research paper focusing on one issue
relevant to early childhood mental health and to young children’s emotional
and behavioral regulation, as well as neurobiological function. The paper
needs to include 12 references (peer-reviewed journal articles) and
incorporate the student’s field experience working with a child at home or at
an early care and education site during the semester into the discussion
section. In addition, the paper needs to include the systems of care and
services available in the community to address issues as presented in the
paper (10-12 page paper). 25 points ***Graduate students will include 24
references (18-20 pages)
4. Emotion and Behavior Regulation Plan for Parents and Caregivers – Each
student will develop a presentation for parents and caregivers based n=on
the focus of the research paper. Presentations will be 15 minutes in length.
The presentation needs to provide parents and caregivers tools and ideas
about how to support the child’s regulation of emotions and behaviors. 10
points
5. Students will submit journal entries every other week, which will be
reflections pertaining to in-class and out-of-class activities. 5points
GRADING SCALE:
A=100-93 points
A-=92-90
B+=89-87
B=86-83
B-=82-80
C+=79-77
C=76-73
C-=72-70
D+=69-67
D=66-60
F= 59 points or below
ADDITIONAL COURSE POLICIES – LATE WORK AND MISSING ASSIGNMENTS
-Assignments are due on the date and time specified in the syllabus. Late work will
not be accepted
-Make-up Exams will be allowed only for serious and verifiable reasons.
-Academic Honor – Instances of cheating will result in failure of the course and
referral for disciplinary procedures that may result in dismissal from the university.
Plagiarism is simply the use of other’s words and/or ideas without clearly
acknowledging their source. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered
academic dishonesty, and all instances will be reported to SDSU’s Office of Judicial
Procedures. To avoid plagiarism you must give the original author credit whenever
you use their ideas, opinions, or theories. Additionally, quotations of another
person’s actual spoken or written words must also be referenced. Accurately citing
all sources and putting direct quotations of even a few key words in quotation
marks are required. For further information on plagiarism and the policies
regarding academic dishonesty, go to the Course Catalog section on Standards for
Student Contact (41310).
-Disability Accommodations for students - Students who need accommodations for
their disabilities should contact the professor privately within the first few weeks of
the semester to discuss specific accommodations for which they have received
authorization. If you have a disability, but have not contacted Student Disability
Services at 619-594-6473 (Calpulli Center, Suite 3101), please do so prior to the
appointment with the instructor.
-Religious Accommodations for Students – Students who need to be absent from
class due to the observance of a religious holiday or participate in required religious
functions must notify the faculty member in writing as far in advance of the
holiday/obligation as possible. Students will not be penalized for missing class due
to religious obligations and holidays and will be allowed to make up missed
work/exams provided that arrangements have been made ahead of time.
-Military Personnel Statement- A student who is a member of the National Guard,
Reserve, or other U.S. Armed Forces branch may request complete or partial
administrative unrestricted withdrawals or incompletes depending on the timing of
the activation.
-Harassment Prohibited on the basis of race, sex, gender, identity, age, religion,
national origin, disability, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status and other
protected veteran status. Violations of this policy may result in disciplinarian
action, including termination of employees or expulsion of students. Contact the
Office of Employee Relations and Compliance
(http://oerc.sdsu.edu/discrimharasstoc.htm) if you fell another student or SDSU
employee is harassing you based on any of the factors above.
Grade Appeals – A student wishing to appeal a grade must first meet with the
instructor who assigned the grade to try and resolve the dispute. If the dispute
cannot be resolved directly with the instructor, contact the Office of the
Ombudsman at SDSU Student Affairs at
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/ombuds/index.html.