Explores the physical, social, cognitive and emotional environments necessary for quality care of infants and toddlers. Child Development Associate (CDA) functional areas taught in this course are as follows: safety, health, learning environment, infant development, and observing children’s behavior as they pertain to infants and toddlers. This course addresses the intellectual development of children when their basic needs are met and when they are educated and cared for in quality settings that support their emotional well-being. This course can be used to satisfy part of the 120 clock hours of instruction required by the CDA Council.
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
- Physical development of infants and toddlers.
- Create an appropriate learning environment that supports all physical developmental domains of infants and toddlers.
- Social development of infants and toddlers.
- Create an appropriate learning environment that supports all social developmental domains of infants and toddlers.
- Observe children’s behavior and assess developmental levels.
- Observe children’s behavior and assess developmental levels.
- Create an appropriate learning environment that supports all developmental domains of infants and toddlers.
- Plan activities with specific objectives that stimulate infant and toddler learning.
- Emotional development of infants and toddlers.
- Identify strategies that create a climate of trust for infants and toddlers.
- Observe, record, and analyze children’s behavior as it relates to emotional development.
- Observation of children’s behavior.
- Observe, record, and analyze children’s behavior as it relates to development in the various domains.
- Observe and compare various infant and toddler settings.
- Safe, healthy environment for infants and toddlers.
- Develop strategies that promote a safe environment for infants and toddlers.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of healthy practices in an infant toddler setting.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the Michigan Licensing Rules for Child Care Centers as they relate to infants and toddlers.
- Parent Communication and Confidentiality
- Prepare communications for parents on various topics that demonstrate a working knowledge of child development.
- Prepare and present a parent informational bulletin board that supports the different developmental areas.
Assessment and Requirements
The assessment of academic achievement will be chosen by the individual instructor. The individual instructor will identify and implement appropriate methods to assess the learning objectives for the course. Methods may include but are not limited to:
- Exams on course content
- Written assignments, such as: Lesson Plans, Floor Plan
- Paper and Oral presentation regarding diversity in early childhood (infant-toddler) settings
- Group presentation on developmental stages and domains for children birth-36 months
Note: Grades for CHD-205 (lecture) and CHD-215 (practicum) are separate. It is possible to receive a passing grade in CHD-205 and not in CHD-215 and vice versa. Students must pass CHD 205 with a C grade or better.
The following NAEYC Associate Degree Standards are met by this course at the understanding or application level:
1.** Promoting Child Development and Learning**:
1a: Knowing and understanding young children's characteristics and needs.
1b: Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on early development and learning.
Building Family and Community Relationships:
2a: Knowing about and understanding diverse families and communities.Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families:
3a: Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment.
3b: Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches.Using Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families:
4a: Knowing, understanding, and using positive relationships.
4b: Knowing, understanding, and using effective approaches, strategies, and tools for early education.Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum:
5a: Understanding content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines.
Determined by department lead instructor.
Outcomes
Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Portfolios must be well organized into sections and are to include up-to-date material and information on infant and toddler growth and development, positive care-giving, and working with diverse families. Each section of the portfolio is to include:
- Activities that focus on developmental areas (Physical, Social-Emotional, Language/Communication, and Cognitive).
- Age appropriate finger plays and songs for infants and toddlers.
- Age appropriate book list for children birth-3 years.
The Children and Families Program Director will evaluate submitted portfolios and determine satisfactory submissions based on the evaluation rubric. Evaluation rubric and student checklist located in the Department Office.