Prepares students to work with infants and toddlers in a licensed private, early head start, or in home program setting. Students will utilize practical classroom experiences to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behaviors, and build a comprehensive understanding of children birth-36 months and their families. This 45 clock hour off-campus practicum is to be taken concurrently with the corresponding section of CHD-205.
Students seeking the Infant-Toddler Child Development Associate (CDA) Certification may use the completed 45 practicum hours to help fulfill the required 480 hours working with Infants and Toddlers. Students must complete specific requirements before beginning a practicum experience. (see General Course Requirements).
Goals, Topics, and Objectives
Students will learn how to work with infants and toddlers in a licensed private, early head start, or in home program setting.
- Professional and Ethical Conduct.
- Classroom management, supervision of children.
- Developmentally, culturally, linguistically appropriate practices.
- Organizing indoor play space.
- Positive child/adult interactions.
- Positive guidance techniques.
- Curriculum development and activities for Infants and Toddlers.
- Developmental Domains: social, emotional, cognitive, creative, language and physical.
- Establishing connections with families and the community.
- NAEYC and State of Michigan Quality Standards for Infant and Toddler Programs.
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
- Develop and maintain a healthy, safe, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environment appropriate to infant and toddler development.
- Apply age appropriate activities in the classroom using an infant and toddler curriculum.
- Use NAEYC Early Childhood and Michigan Infant and Toddler Standards in daily classroom interactions.
- Use and articulate classroom management/supervision skills.
- Apply positive guidance strategies with children appropriate to their temperament and age.
- Complete a classroom floor plan appropriate for an infant and toddler curriculum.
- Critically assess their own instructional experiences to guide and inform future teaching.
- Provide the care necessary to stimulate the cognitive, communicative, physical and social development of children birth-36 months.
- Plan, present and evaluate a variety of developmentally, culturally and linguistically appropriate , play based curriculum and activities for infants and toddlers.
- Identify and discuss development and growth in the following domains: social, emotional, cognitive, creative, language and physical.
- Discuss methods and strategies that support parent and caregiver relationships.
Assessment and Requirements
The assignments and topics in this course will be aligned with the Michigan Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Infant and Toddler Programs and the NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. Course assignments will be coordinated between the course instructor and the coordinating teacher. Students will focus on providing nurturing relationships, appropriate curriculum, keeping infants and toddler’s safe, family support, and the physical environment.
Assessment of academic achievement will include:
1. Complete a Self-Analysis(reflection) paper on working with infants and toddlers.
2. Complete an Infant-Toddler Quality Classroom Rating Scale.
3. Create and Implement developmentally appropriate Infant and Toddler lesson plans.
4. Complete two classroom observations and critiques on: Teacher/Child Relationships & Infant-Toddler in their Environment.
5. Journal entries on weekly practicum experiences.
6. Weekly Practicum Discussion Sheets.
*The following documents must be provided before starting this off-campus practicum: Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Clearance; Tuberculosis (TB) test record (must be in the last 12 months); Identification (valid driver’s license or State ID); and a HFC student ID card. Students are now required to complete fingerprinting before starting their field experience. Some practicum locations may request immunization(s), a physical exam and an ICHAT (Criminal Background Check). Students will be required to pass the criminal background check. Details are provided through the Practicum Coordinator. The student will be informed of any additional documentation needed by the child care program.
Students are required to complete all scheduled practicum hours throughout the semester. Documentation of field experience hours and either the program director or coordinating teachers' signature are required.
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. To successfully pass the CHD-215 field experience, students must receive a C or higher.
The following NAEYC Associate Degree Standards are met by this course at the understanding or application level:
1. Promoting Child Development and Learning:
* 1c: Use developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging learning environments for young children.
2. Building Family and Community Relationships:
* 2b: Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships.
* 2c: Involving families and communities in young children's development and learning.
3. Observing, Documenting, and Assessing to Support Young Children and Families:
* 3c: Knowing about and using observation, documentation, and other appropriate assessment tools and approaches.
* 3d: Understanding and practicing responsible assessment to promote positive outcomes for each child.
4. Using Effective Approaches to Connect with Children and Families:
* 4c: Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching/learning approaches.
* 4d: Reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child.
5. Using Content Knowledge to Build Meaningful Curriculum:
* 5b: Knowing and using the central concepts, inquiry tools, and structures of content areas or academic disciplines.
* 5c: Using own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally
meaningful and challenging curriculum.
6. Becoming a Professional:
* 6b: Knowing about and upholding ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines.
* 6c: Engaging in continuous, collaborative learning to inform practice; using technology effectively with young children, with peers, and as a
professional resource.
* 6d: Integrating knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on early education.
* 6e: Engaging in informed advocacy for young children and the early childhood profession.
7. Early Childhood Field Experiences:
* 7a: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three early childhood are groups (birth - age 3, 3-5, 5-8).
* 7b: Opportunities to observe and practice in at least two of the three main types of early education settings (early school grades, child care
centers and homes, Head Start programs).
No Text Required.
Outcomes
Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Students with a minimum of 45 hours of work or volunteer experience in the past 3 years in a licensed Infant or Toddler classroom may receive credit for the CHD 215 field experience. Verification of the 45 volunteer or work hours worked (within the last three years) will only be viewed and accepted if it is on an official program or school letterhead with contact information and a valid signature from the program director or principal.