Positive Guidance in Early Childhood Environments

Curriculum guideline

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Course
ECED 1241
Discontinued
No
Course code
ECED 1241
Descriptive
Positive Guidance in Early Childhood Environments
Department
Early Childhood Education
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
Not Specified
PLAR
Yes
Semester length
15 weeks
Max class size
30
Contact hours

Weekly Distribution:

  • Lecture/Seminar: 3 hours/week

 

Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Online
Learning activities

Lecture

Class Discussion

Audio-visual Aids

In-class Exercises

On-line

Course description
This course will explore current research and approaches in managing and guiding young children’s behaviour in early childhood programs. Guidance and discipline are considered within a framework of child development and developmentally appropriate practice. Methods including theoretical approaches, respecting diversity, understanding vulnerabilities, and analysis of behavioural concerns will be covered.
Course content
  1. Students use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children.
  2. Students know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.
  3. Students know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about and use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence children’s development and learning.
  4. Students integrate their understanding of and relationships with children and families, understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning, and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children.
  5. Students identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.
Learning outcomes

Students will gain knowledge in the following areas:

  1. Acquire knowledge on theories of guidance and discipline for young children.
  2. Use knowledge of typical sequential development of self-regulation to identify individual differences of young children in their development and demonstrate an understanding of the conditions that affect children’s affective development.
  3. Apply knowledge of cultural and linguistic diversity and the significance of socio-cultural and political contexts for development and learning.
  4. Observe, record, and assess young children’s development and learning, and engage children in self-assessment for the purpose of planning appropriate programs for individuals.

Students will perform skills in the following areas:

  1. Demonstrate ways that educators can contribute to the development of self-regulation.
  2. Develop and implement an integrated curriculum that focuses on children’s guidance and discipline needs and interests.
  3. Create, evaluate, and select developmentally appropriate materials, equipment, and environments and integrate learning experiences and guidance and discipline.
  4. Develop positive and supportive relationship with children through individual and group guidance.
  5. Incorporate knowledge into the design of intervention strategies and integrate goals into daily activities and routines.
  6. Establish positive, collaborative relationships with families.

Students will demonstrate their values, commitment, and professional ethics that influence behaviours toward children, families, colleagues, and communities and affect learning, motivation, and development as well as the educator’s own professional growth, guided by beliefs and attitudes related to values such as caring, fairness, honesty, responsibility and social justice in the following manners:

  1. Respect parents’ choices and goals for children and communicate effectively with parents about curriculum and children’s progress.
  2. Use informal and formal assessment strategies to plan and individualize curriculum and teaching practices.
Means of assessment

The course evaluation is consistent with Douglas College evaluation policy. An evaluation schedule is presented at the beginning of the course. This is a graded course.

Test(s)

Project(s)

Research Paper/Presentation

Textbook materials

To be announced.