CFD 353A: Parenting the Young Child
Department of Child and Family Development
College of Education
San Diego State University
SPRING, 2016
Instructor: Elinor (Nory) Behana, M.S.
Email: ebehana@mail.sdsu.edu FOR COMMUNICATION ABOUT CLASS CONTENT
Phone: (619) 729-1968 (cell phone) TO BE USED FOR EMERGENCIES
Schedule number: #20586
Class Meeting Time/Location: Online
Blackboard: https://blackboard.sdsu.edu/

Computer setup for Blackboard:
There are many video clips throughout the course which require that you have a strong (i.e., wired)
connection to the Internet. You will also need the following players if you don't already have them:
Quicktime (http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/)
Adobe Flash Player (http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/)
Additional course information will be posted on Blackboard.
Student Computing Center: http://scc.sdsu.edu/home.php FOR ALL TECHNICAL QUESTIONS
Student Disability Services: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/sds/index.html
CFD Mentor Center: http://coe.sdsu.edu/cfd/current/mentor_center.php If you have any difficulty earning the
grade you would like to have in this or any CFD class, consider checking out our excellent Mentor Center at this
website address and drop by the center on the 4th floor of the EBA building just down the hall from the CFD office.
PREREQUISITES
 Child and Family Development 135, 270, 270L (one unit)
REQUIRED TEXTS AND MATERIALS
Bigner, J. & Gerhard, C. (2013) Parent-Child Relations: An Introduction to Parenting, 9th Ed.
Newton, R. (2008) The Attachment Connection. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
APA Manual (Publication manual of the American Psychological Association) (6th ed.) (2010).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
TASKSTREAM ACCOUNT
CFD Majors who are enrolled in this course will need to have a TaskStream electronic portfolio subscription, and
be enrolled in the appropriate TaskStream "Program" which contains your program portfolio. More information
about purchasing a TaskStream subscription and enrolling into a TaskStream Program is available in the “CFD
Portfolio” section of the Child and Family Development website: http://coe.sdsu.edu/cfd/portfolio/index.php
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COURSE FORMAT
 Online
 Text and other readings
 Reading Application Reflections
 Discussion Boards
 Quizzes and Final Exam
 Demos, simulations, videos and more on Blackboard
 Power Point slides relating to lectures
 Recorded lectures (All sessions are archived for viewing—no sessions are “live.”)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
CFD 353A examines parenting from conception to age five through a lens of attachment, temperament, and
behavior regulation in a cultural context. The effects of parenting styles and interactions on child’s developmental
outcomes will be examined.
Expectations
I expect students to:
1.
Please read the assigned readings as you go through the course—don’t put it off.
2.
Study for exams.
3.
Write at a college level in APA style and follow directions on assignments.
4.
Participate in all activities as indicated in the directions for each week.
6.
Honor due dates.
You can expect me to:
1.
Treat you with respect.
2.
Be organized and ready for each class.
4.
Give feedback.
5.
Answer Emails.
6.
Grade exams and papers in a timely fashion.
Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html).
Cheating
Instances of cheating may result in failure of the course and referral for disciplinary procedures that may result in dismissal
from the university.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the use of others’ words and/or ideas without clearly acknowledging their source. As students, you are learning
about other people’s ideas in your course texts, your instructors’ lectures, in-class discussions, and when doing your own
work. When you incorporate those words and ideas into your own work, it is of the utmost importance that you give credit
where it is due. Plagiarism, intentional or unintentional, is considered academic dishonesty.
Examples of plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include phrases, sentences,
paragraphs and/or pages of work).
 Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own.
 Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit.
 Replacing words or phrases from another source with your own words or phrases.
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Submitting whole or part of a piece of work you did for one class to another class, unless you have explicit permission
from the instructor.
Submitting whole or part of a piece of work you did earlier in a class for a later assignment.
Submitting whole or part of a piece of work that is highly similar or identical to another student’s work.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this class and will result in an automatic zero on the assignment in question. Additional
courses of action may include:
 Receiving a zero on related assignments
 Receiving an F in the class
 Being reported to the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities
 Disciplinary review by Student Affairs
To avoid plagiarism, you must give the original author credit whenever you use another person’s ideas, opinions, drawings, or
theories as well as any facts or any other pieces of information that are not common knowledge. Here are some specific tips:
 Reference in quotations another person’s actual spoken or written words, even if just a few key words (along with the
reference)
 Reference a close paraphrasing of another person’s spoken or written words
 Accurately cite all sources.
Become familiar with the policy (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html). If you have questions on what is plagiarism,
please consult the policy: (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html) and this helpful guide from the Library:
(http://infodome.sdsu.edu/infolit/exploratorium/Standard_5/plagiarism.pdf)
Assignments
Your assignments must be written by you alone and not with another student from the class. The Photographic
Essay is an individual, not group assignment. Likewise, the photographs you submit must be taken by you at the
time of your observation and not by another student unless you are in the photographs.
Student Work Samples
Your work may be selected to keep on file. The work that is selected will be used solely for the purposes of
evaluation from higher education accreditation institutions (NAEYC, NCATE, etc.). If an assignment is to be used
as an example for future classes, you will be asked individually for that and names will be removed.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has 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 outline identifies how these standards are incorporated in this course. Visit the
following Web site for detailed listings of standards:
NAEYC Advanced Program Standards: http://www.naeyc.org/faculty/college.asp
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
1. Review the principle theoretical perspectives and research findings in a variety of cultural contexts that
shape our ideas and knowledge about the nature of infant/toddler development to address the issue of
universal versus culturally specific patterns of behavior. NAEYC: 4d, 5
2. Read and evaluate research, understand the associated scientific method and apply it to the understanding of
infant/toddler behavior and development within the relevant familial and cultural context. NAEYC: 2, 4d,
5
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3. Demonstrate knowledge of the continuum of infant/toddler development (prenatal through age three) in
relation to the interrelated topics of biological/physical, social/emotional and cognitive development of
children. NAEYC: 1, 5
4. Make connections between theory, research and practice considering the implications of research on
educational practice, intervention decisions, guidance strategies and the development of public policy.
NAEYC: 1, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5
5. Demonstrate the ability to conduct a systematic observation and analysis of infant/toddler behavior
addressing the continuum of development from prenatal to age three. NAEYC: 3, 4c, 4d, 5
The following table identifies how these Student Learning Outcomes are aligned with course assignments.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. The student will review the principle
theoretical perspectives and research
findings in a variety of cultural contexts
that shape our ideas and knowledge about
the nature of child development to address
the issue of universal versus culturally
specific patterns of behavior
2. The student will read and evaluate
research, understand the associated
scientific method and apply it to the
understanding of child behavior and
development within the relevant cultural
context.
3. The student will demonstrate
knowledge of the continuum of child
development (prenatal through age eight)
in relation to the interrelated topics of
biological/physical, social/emotional and
cognitive development of children.
Assignment
Signature Assignment
4. The student will make connections
between theory, research and practice
considering the implications of research on
educational practice, intervention
decisions, guidance strategies and the
development of public policy.
Signature Assignment
5. The student will demonstrate the ability
to conduct a systematic observation and
analysis of child behavior addressing
continuum of child development.
NAEYC Standards
NAEYC: 4d, 5
Quizzes and Final Exam
Discussion Board Posting Activities
Quizzes and Final Exam
NAEYC: 2, 4d, 5
Signature Assignment
Signature Assignment
NAEYC: 1, 5
Quizzes and Final Exam
Chapter Application Reflections
Discussion Board Posting Activities
NAEYC: 1, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5
Quizzes and Final Exam
Chapter Application Reflections
Discussion Board Posting Activities
Signature Assignment
NAEYC: 3, 4c, 4d, 5
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS & POINT STRUCTURE
Assignment
Points
5 section quizzes--20 points each
(combination of multiple choice and essay)
100
4
Attachment Analysis 40 points
Complete guidelines for this assignment are provided in the syllabus.
40
6 Reading Application Reflections--10 points each (You will receive a grade from 1 to 10 pts)
60
5 section Discussion Board Posting Activities—10 points each
50
Final Exam (combination of multiple choice and essay) 20 points will cover section 6 material;
30 points will cover the entire course and all class material
50
Total Points for the Course
300
TOTAL POINTS EARNED AND LETTER GRADES:
280-300=A 260-269=B+
230-239=C+
270-279=A- 250-259=B
220-229=C
240-249=B210-219=C-
200-209=D+
190-199=D
180-189=D-
179 AND
BELOW=F
Points commensurate with the following grades on assigned papers reflect the following criteria:
A=exceeds expectations in both quantity and quality D=fails to meet minimum expectations
B=exceeds expectations in some areas
F=drastically fails to meet minimum
C= meets minimum expectations
OTHER COURSE POLICIES
LATE AND MISSING ASSIGNMENTS
 Assignments are due on the date and time specified. Late assignment policy: 10 % will be deducted for
each week or portion of a week the assignment is late.
 Missing assignments will be counted as zero
DISABILITY ACCOMMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your
responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt of your
accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that
accommodations are not retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have
received an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
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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 need to identify the specific holiday or obligatory function to the faculty member. Students will not
be penalized for missing class due to religious obligations/holiday observance. The student should contact the class
instructor to make arrangements for making up tests/assignments within a reasonable time.
MILITARY PERSONNEL STATEMENT
A student who is a member of the National Guard, Reserve, or other U.S. Armed Forces branch and is unable to
complete classes because of military activation may request complete or partial administrative unrestricted
withdrawals or incompletes depending on the timing of the activation.
HARASSMENT PROHIBITED
SDSU policy prohibits harassment 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 disciplinary 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 feel another
student or an SDSU employee is harassing you based on any of the factors above.
GRADE APPEALS
The professional responsibility for assigning grades is vested in the instructor of the course, and requires the careful
application of professional judgment. A student wishing to appeal a grade must first meet with the instructor who
assigned the grade to try to resolve the dispute. If the dispute cannot be resolved directly with the course instructor,
contact the Office of the Ombudsman at SDSU Student Affairs at: http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/ombuds/index.html.
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CFD 353A COURSE CALENDAR, SPRING, 2016
DATE
TOPICS/ASSIGNMENTS DUE
(Please read these assignments early in the week)
Weeks 1-4
Transition to Parenthood
Jan 21-Feb 11
Section 1
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS FEB 11, 11:59 PM
 Section 1--3 postings
 Section 1—Reading Application Reflection #1
 Section 1—Quiz #1 (2/11: Opens 8:00 AM ; Closes 11:59 PM)
BIGNER CH 5
Weeks 4-6
Pregnancy and Childbirth
Feb 11-Feb 25
Section 2
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS FEB 25, 11:59 PM
 Section 2--3 postings
 Section 2—Reading Application Reflection #2
 Section2—Quiz #2 (2/25: Opens 8:00 AM ; Closes 11:59 PM)
BIGNER CH 6
Weeks 6-8
Parenting Infants and Toddlers
Feb 25-Mar 10
Section 3
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS MAR 10, 11:59 PM
 Section 3--3 postings
 Section 3--Reading Application Reflection #3
 Section 3--Quiz #3 (3/10: Opens 8:00 AM ; Closes 11:59 PM)
BIGNER CH 7
Weeks 8-12 The Attachment Connection
NEWTON INTRODUCTION AND CH 1-12
Mar 10-Apr 14
Section 4
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS, APR 14, 11:59 PM
 Section 4--3 postings
 Section 4--Reading Application Reflection #4
 Section 4--Quiz #4 (4/14: Opens 8:00 AM ; Closes 11:59 PM)
Weeks 12-14 Cultural Perspectives
Apr 14-Apr 28
Section 5
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS,APR 28, 11:59
 Section 5--3 postings
 Section 5--Reading Application Reflection #5
 Section 5--Quiz #5 (/: Opens 8:00 AM ; Closes 11:59 PM)
BIGNER CH 2
Attachment Analysis DUE WED, APRIL 20, 11:59 PM OR BEFORE
Week 14-16 Parent-Child Relationships in High-Risk Families
BIGNER CH 15
Apr 28-May 12
Section 6
All in blue to be completed & confirmed by THURS, MAY 12 , 11:59 PM
 Section 6--Reading Application Reflection #6
 Section 6--Weeks 15-17--No postings
 FINAL EXAM (QUIZ #6, plus comprehensive) (5/12: Opens 8:00 AM; Closes 11:59 PM)
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ATTACHMENT ANALYSIS
POINTS: 40
DUE DATE: WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 11:59 pm, 2016
ATTACHMENT ANALYSIS
REQUIRED CONTENT AND ORGANIZATION:
POINTS
5 points
Introduction: Include an APA format cover page. Then in a one-half page or longer essay,
briefly describe setting and the adult and child you focused on. The setting could be a childcare
setting of any type such as a center or family home childcare or it could be a home or public
setting like a park.
Running description of behaviors two page or longer essay,
10 points
Observe an adult (parent, other relative or childcare provider) and a child 1 month to 5 years of
age in an interaction together for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Describe the behaviors of the adult and the behaviors of the child in as much detail as you can
capturing the moments significant for analyzing attachment between the two of them.
You may orchestrate the setting or just observe.
Analysis of behaviors two page or longer essay,
Analyze the strength and type of attachment between the adult and child using very specific
attachment concepts as they are outlined in the Newton text. Examples of areas to cover
(depending upon the situation) can include:
 The 5 senses ( Include examples of all 5)
 Attachment types
 Secure base
 Separations/reunions
 Internal working model
 Temperament
 Goodness of fit
 Good enough parenting
 Attunement
 Effects on brain development
 Play
 Etc. (The areas to cover are endless, scour the Newton text for ideas.)
15 points
As you apply each concept to your observation, define and explain the importance of it.
5 points
Personal Reflection: Provide a one-half page or longer reflection on your experience with
this project. Comment on your own emotions and reactions.
5 points
Conclusion: In a one-half page or longer conclusion, discuss what you learned about
observing for attachment behaviors. Describe how that might help you in your future work with
families and children.
TOTAL
40 POINTS
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