New York University
Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development
Department of Teaching and Learning
Professor: Maris H. Krasnow, Ed. D.
Office: 239 Greene Street, Rm. 536
Phone: (212) 998-5207
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Thursdays, 1:3-0 – 2:30 and by appointment
Graduate Program in Early Childhood and Early Childhood Special Education
ECE- GE 2002, Fall 2014
Integration Seminar in Early Childhood I
ROOM: Goddard B06
3:30 – 4:45
Welcome to the Class!
Course Description:
This course will re-introduce you to the world of young children in a variety of early childhood
settings. It focuses on early childhood development, cognition, play, observation of young
children and classrooms, and the many ways in which young children learn. Sessions will bridge
theory to practice as we explore student teaching experiences.
Course Overview:
This course will serve as an introduction to the process of observing and understanding young
children: how they manage their developing interests, interact with one another, with materials,
and with the adults in various early childhood settings. Your development as an observer of
young children will be enhanced through organized classroom observations, class assignments,
your growing knowledge base in child development and increased understanding of the
complexity of classroom dynamics. The day to day routines in your individual placements will
afford you multiple opportunities to observe young children in various scenarios, where you will
begin to recognize similarities and differences across the developmental domains, including their
developing personalities. These observations, in conjunction with your student teaching
experiences, will be discussed in class in the context of family backgrounds, beliefs, and values.
The readings are designed to foster the major themes we will be exploring throughout the
semester.
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
Learner Objectives:
Students will:
1. Develop an understanding of the value of classroom observation and an appreciation of
young children’s behavior in a variety of situations.
2. Participate in the process of commenting and questioning that prompt sustained attention
and engagement.
3. Monitor children’s progress in personal, social and language and literacy development –
frequently and systematically.
4. Examine and begin to interpret children’s behavior.
5. Develop various strategies of gathering observation data.
6. Recognize how play supports children’s growth and development cognitively, socially,
and emotionally.
7. Begin to develop an educated perspective to managing difficult situations.
8. Become familiar with early childhood standards.
9. Become familiar with the Education Teacher Performance Assessment, edTPA,
principles for NYS teacher certification.
Required Readings:
Dichtelmiller, Jablon, Marsden & Meisels. (2013). Omnibus Guidelines, Preschool
Through Third Grade, 5th Edition. Ann Arbor, Michigan: Rebus, Inc.
Dombro, A.L., Jablon, J., & Stetson, C. (2011). Powerful Interactions: How to connect
with children to extend their learning. Washington, D.C.: NAEYC.
Course Requirements: Assignments and Projects
Assignments and projects are designed to integrate the semester’s coursework and prepare you
for a teaching career upon graduation. Save your work – and with help from your cooperating
teacher – make copies or take photos of student work to be used in your portfolio when you will
be looking for a job.
1. Be prepared with readings. They will be important to help bridge the gap between
theory and practice. Bring the text/s we are working with to class. Prepare reference
notes for discussions with talking points and questions. Group discussion and not
lecture is the class format.
2. Check NYU Classes regularly. Assignments and readings may be added or modified.
3. Planning for Teaching and Learning: What are teachers thinking as they prepare for
the school year? What are their goals for children? This assignment will take place
during the first 2 months of the semester and will help you learn about the many
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
dimensions of your placement. It will also begin to prepare you for participating in the
edTPA process. For this assignment, you will interview your cooperating teacher to
learn about how s/he plans and prepares for instruction. Throughout the semester, we
will discuss how these procedures affect teaching and learning in the classroom. Due
10/9
4. Child Review based on Omnibus Guidelines: Select a child who is in your current
placement. This child should be of interest to you because of his/her cognitive, social,
emotional, language and/or physical abilities and challenges. Since you will be
spending considerable time gathering information on this child, be sure you make an
appropriate selection.
The written presentation for this assignment should follow the Omnibus
Guidelines format and should include each section of development as listed for each
grade level. YOU WILL FOCUS SOLELY ON SECTIONS I AND II, (PERSONAL
AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY) OF THE
GUIDELINES. Remember to write from an objective stance. We will discuss this
assignment in class.
In addition the Omnibus Guidelines format, please begin the assignment with a
“snapshot”/introduction of the child that highlights some of your initial impressions.
Your conclusion should include a reflection that discusses ways in which the assignment
supported your growth and development as an observer of children. DUE: 11/6
5. Create a Photo Journal of Children’s Behavior. (FINAL PROJECT)***
Using a series of photographs, you will develop a photo-journal that illustrates a particular child
or group of children involved in varied classroom and outdoor play experiences. These
photographs, taken in “natural” settings, should demonstrate the following behaviors:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
Attention/Engagement
Relating to Others/Social Skills
Communication/Language (include gestures and body language)
Range of Emotions
Problem Solving
Fine and Gross Motor Skills
Think about the daily flow of the classroom. Use your observations in all aspects of the day (art,
music, literacy, outdoor play, indoor play, dramatic play, and other daily routines as
opportunities to capture the behaviors listed above. For each photograph or group of
photographs, describe the context of the scenario and the behavior of the child/children.
Why/how does this photo represent the specific behavior/s? As you might guess, behaviors can
overlap. One photo might address a few markers. Describe as such. (con’t next page)
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
The final section of this Photo-Journal should be an informed summary of the ideas and
understandings that were generated as a result of this project. What did you learn about the
children? What surprised you? In what ways are these behaviors related to one another? We
will review and share these projects in class. DUE: 12/5
***Please select a child or small group of children in the first 2 weeks of school and follow up
immediately with the required permission slips for this project.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is mandatory. Each class session is interactive. Please contact the professor if you
cannot attend class.
Grading Policy:
1. Attendance and Punctuality (5%)
2. Class Participation (10%)
3. Planning for Teaching and Learning (20%)
4. Omnibus Guidelines observation paper (35%)
5. Photo-Journal of Children’s Behavior (30%)
Course Readings: Due Dates
As you prepare your readings for class, try to find ways to connect the themes to your placement.
September 4: Introduction to the class.
Review course outline, assignments, reading
Introduction to observation
September 11: Learning to Work With Young Children
Read: Powerful Interactions: pp.vi-viii; pp. 1-66; 67-99
Explore the NAEYC website. Download and read, under Position Statements,
the “Code of Ethical Conduct and Statement of Commitment.”
September 18: Learning from Observation; Intro to edTPA
Omnibus, Introduction and Chapters I & II – Read and bring to class.
Read “The Power of Documentation in the Early Childhood Classroom
Review Powerful Interactions,” in Teaching Young Children, Vol.2 #5,
pp. 12-15.
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
September 25: No Class! Watch the following videos with Dr. Alison Gopnik:
http://www.ted.com/talks/alison_gopnik_what_do_babies_think.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/video/kids-play10275716?&clipId=10275716&playlistId=10275716&cid=siteplayer
Be prepared to discuss next week.
October 2:
What Do Young Children Tell Us?
Vivian Gussin Paley: “On Listening to What Children Say,” (Course
Resources).
Angela K. Salmon: Tools to Enhance Young Children’s Thinking”
Young Children, September 2010, pp. 26-31. (Course Resources)
October 9:
Learning Through Play!
DUE: Part 1, Planning for Teaching and Learning
Sandra J. Stone, “Wanted: Advocates for Play in the Primary Grades,”
Young Children, September 1995.
Lisa D. Wood, “Holding Onto Play: Reflecting on Experiences as a
Playful K-3 Teacher.” Young Children, May 2014.
Alison Gopnick, “Why Preschool Shouldn’t Be Like School.”
(Handout)
October 16: Community: What’s in a Neighborhood?
Dana Frantz Bentley, “Fire Makers, Barnyards, and Prickly Forests:
A Preschool Stroll Around the Block,” Childhood Education,
May/June 2012, vol. 88, #3.
October 23: Learning to Work With Young Children (Continued)
Powerful Interactions, pp. 101-147
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
October 30: Understanding Diverse Learners
Chen & Shire, “Strategic Teaching: Fostering Communication Skills
In Diverse Young Learners,” Young Children, March 2011. (Course Resources)
November 6: Assessing Assessment
Omnibus Guidelines Observation Paper Due/Reflections on Assessment
November 13: Young Children and Challenging Behaviors
Coleman, J.C., et. al. “Preventing Challenging Behaviors in Preschool: Effective
Strategies for Classroom Teachers.” Young Exceptional Children, V16, No. 3,
September 2013.
November 20: The Role of Relationships
Essa, Taylor, Pratt & Roberts, “Illustrating the Complexity of Relationships in
Kindergarten and First Grade,” Young Children, November 2012. (Course
Resources)
November 27: Happy Thanksgiving!
December 4: “A Picture is worth…….!”
Photo-Journal Presentations
December 11: Let’s celebrate what we’ve learned
Reflections: The relationships among child development, cognition, play,
observation and learning.
Important Information from the Dean’s Office:
PLEASE READ THE INFORMATION ON THE FOLLOWING WEBSITES FOR YOUR
ACADEMIC GROWTH, RESPONSIBILITES, AND SUPPORT: (put website in browser to
open if necessary)
Students with Disabilities:
Students with physical or learning disabilities are required to register with the Moses Center for
Students with Disabilities, 726 Broadway, 2nd Floor, (212-998-4980) and are required to present
a letter from the Center to the instructor at the start of the semester in order to be considered for
appropriate accommodation.
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014
Academic Integrity:
Please note: All work turned in for this course must be ORIGINAL. When in doubt, cite a
reference. Adherence to the Academic Code of Integrity for All Students is expected. See
http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/dcc/undergraduate/Statement_On_Academic_Integrity.php. Penalties
for lack of adherence to the code will be enforced. Formal proceedings will be filed.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA): http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/policies/ferpa
Anti-Harassment Policy: http://steinhardt.nyu.edu/policies/ahp
Krasnow ECED GE 2002 F 2014