Childcare & Development II & III: Independent Study

Course Syllabus

Class Description: Childcare & Development II & III (CCDIS) provides an in-depth second year opportunity to study the growth & development of children. Students will work directly with the teacher(s) and students located at the Early Childhood Learning Center for two periods daily. Students will participate in daily classroom experiences including collaboration, observation and a variety of teaching opportunities.

IS Student: You will work with your ECLC cooperating teacher four days a week for two consecutive periods. You will spend one day a week and/or month at WHS to work on your independent study assignments as well as involve yourself with “behind the scenes” activities/observations. The “behind the scenes” practice will help you understand the time and effort needed before and after the children are present for learning. As an independent study course, you are expected to manage your time wisely – work on assignments when appropriate & complete all assignments on or before the due dates.

Supplies: Organization is a crucial part of being an educator. Always be prepared with pens, pencils, paper and a binder – you never know when you are going to learn something new! You are expected to keep a notebook/binder with your daily reflections and brainstorming for projects. You will also need to store this syllabus and completed projects.

Standards Aligned Grading: 21st Century Skills, Content, Application

Daily Reflections: You are required to write a reflection each day after attending ECLC. This is a personal reflection and can be about anything you want that relates to your daily experience. One day it will be a few sentences, the next day it may be a full page. Sometimes it’ll be a positive writing and other times it may be a venting session…put it all out there (appropriately, of course)! Whether you go over one day or all five days (schedule may change depending on HS activities), you are still required to write daily reflections. Examples include (1) what you noticed while observing or working with the children, (2) what you involved yourself with, (3) what you learned, (4) what lessons you liked, (5) a tough situation, challenge, or struggle and how you handled it, (6) the BEST DAY EVER, etc. This is something you will keep and look back on, this even may be something to use for a job interview or college experience! It is your duty to keep these up to date, organized and properly dated, and submitted at the end of each month for grading.

Projects: You and your CCDIS classmates will choose due dates for the attached assignments. Mrs. Micheletti will approve.

Cooperating Teacher Evaluations: Your cooperating teacher will submit an evaluation to Mrs. Micheletti at the end of each month. Questions/concerns with evaluations may be brought to Mrs. Micheletti or directly to your cooperating teacher.

Student to Cooperating Teacher Communication: This is a major part of the independent study course. You are expected to communicate effectively throughout the entire year especially if you have questions or concerns about your personal experience. If you are concerned, confused or having trouble with expectations from your cooperating teacher then you NEED to communicate with him/her. If you are having trouble with the communication piece it is important to talk to Mrs. Micheletti. Please be sure to swap e-mails and/or other forms of communication with your cooperating teacher so you can inform him/her if you cannot make it to ECLC due to important class meetings (need approval from Mrs. Micheletti), sickness, emergencies, etc. You also need to share this information with Mrs. Micheletti verbally and as a “carbon copy” on the e-mail to your cooperating teacher. COMMUNICATION is what keeps an independent study student and a cooperating teacher on the same page. If you are absent, you NEED to send an email to your cooperating teacher and Mrs. Micheletti. COMMUNICATION is a huge part of being an educator; practice it now.

WHS to ECLC Travel: Each day that you are traveling from WHS to ECLC you have to do the following. When the bell rings, head straight to the WHS main office complete the sign out process. When you arrive at the ECLC, sign in at the main office & head to your designated classroom. Leave ECLC five minutes before your next class. Sign out of ECLC, sign back in at the WHS main office, & head straight to your next class. DO NOT be late for class. You are responsible for timing it so that you get to WHS with enough time (but not too much time) to arrive to your next class. Always be weather prepared, drive safely, and park according to the school rules and state law. Constantly be careful and aware of your surroundings. All vehicle information and transportation permission forms need to be completed through the high school main office during the first few days of school.

Melissa M. Micheletti

Family and Consumer Sciences

Independent Study Layout of the Year – Semester 1

The following are assignment topics with brief explanations. You will find detailed requirements and explanations as you continue to study the syllabus. You are expected to hand in each assignment on or before the given due date. Daily reflections are expected to be submitted at the end of each month. All assignments are to correspond with the age/grade of the ECLC students you are working with.

Marking Period 1

1.  Introduction Outline

  1. Write a two-page outline covering introductory information.
  2. No personal information on any teacher/child is to be included.
  3. Become familiar with ECLC and the surroundings of your classroom – take notes.
  4. Become familiar with your cooperating teacher and the students in your classroom – take notes.

DUE DATE:

2.  Interactive Bulletin Board (explanation attached)

  1. Discuss this with your cooperating teacher – if possible and approved you may make the actual bulletin board and show Ms. Micheletti a picture of your completed work. If not possible then you will create an example using a poster board and other supplies to show your work.

DUE DATE:

3.  Teach One Lesson

  1. You are required to teach one lesson each marking period. The amount of time, theme and ideas are totally up to you – discuss with your cooperating teacher to make sure it is relevant and age appropriate. You may teach more than one lesson each marking period but that is up to you and your cooperating teacher.
  2. Discuss this project piece EARLY ON with your teacher, together you will chose a date to teach.
  3. Write up a lesson plan and make sure you are completely prepared to teach this lesson. Use any and all supplies that are needed – ask Mrs. Micheletti and/or your cooperating teacher for these supplies. You may also use your own supplies if you choose.
  4. Make sure you have all important parts of a lesson – Objective, Anticipatory Set, Main Lesson and Closure. Make sure you have a Title of the Lesson, Materials and Questioning ready.
  5. Include a formal copy of your written lesson plan in your CCDIS folder and make sure to talk about your lesson plan development and lesson plan turn out within your reflections!
  6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! DUE DATE: By the end of each Marking Period.

Marking Period 2

1.  Brown Bag Story (explanation attached)

  1. You will choose a story and retell it in a creative way.
  2. You will present your story to Mrs. Micheletti current CCD class and/or CCD Learning Lab.

DUE DATE:

2.  Caldecott Medal Book Exploration (explanation attached)

  1. You will read, evaluate and create an activity for a variety of children’s books.

DUE DATE:

3. Teach One Lesson

  1. You are required to teach one lesson each marking period. The amount of time, theme and ideas are totally up to you – discuss with your cooperating teacher to make sure it is relevant and age appropriate. You may teach more than one lesson each marking period but that is up to you and your cooperating teacher.
  2. Discuss this project piece EARLY ON with your teacher, together you will chose a date to teach.
  3. Write up a lesson plan and make sure you are completely prepared to teach this lesson. Use any and all supplies that are needed – ask Mrs. Micheletti and/or your cooperating teacher for these supplies. You may also use your own supplies if you choose.
  4. Make sure you have all important parts of a lesson – Objective, Anticipatory Set, Main Lesson and Closure. Make sure you have a Title of the Lesson, Materials and Questioning ready.
  5. Include a formal copy of your written lesson plan in your CCDIS folder and make sure to talk about your lesson plan development and lesson plan turn out within your reflections!
  6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! Due:

DUE DATE: By the end of each Marking Period

Mid-Year Project

1.  Children’s Books Creation (explanation attached)

  1. You will create your own children’s book based on prior learning and exploring

DUE DATE:

*DO NOT FORGET ABOUT DAILY REFLECTIONS*

Independent Study Layout of the Year – Semester 2

The following are assignment topics with brief explanations. You will find detailed requirements and explanations as you continue to study the syllabus. You are expected to hand in each assignment on or before the given due date. Daily reflections are expected to be submitted at the end of each month. All assignments are to correspond with the age/grade of the ECLC students you are working with.

Marking Period 3

1.  Anecdotal Record (requirements attached)

  1. You will write two separate papers on two separate children – real names may not be used.

DUE DATE – Student 1:

DUE DATE – Student 2:

2. Teach One Lesson

  1. You are required to teach one lesson each marking period. The amount of time, theme and ideas are totally up to you – discuss with your cooperating teacher to make sure it is relevant and age appropriate. You may teach more than one lesson each marking period but that is up to you and your cooperating teacher.
  2. Discuss this project piece EARLY ON with your teacher, together you will chose a date to teach.
  3. Write up a lesson plan and make sure you are completely prepared to teach this lesson. Use any and all supplies that are needed – ask Mrs. Micheletti and/or your cooperating teacher for these supplies. You may also use your own supplies if you choose.
  4. Make sure you have all important parts of a lesson – Objective, Anticipatory Set, Main Lesson and Closure. Make sure you have a Title of the Lesson, Materials and Questioning ready.
  5. Include a formal copy of your written lesson plan in your CCDIS folder and make sure to talk about your lesson plan development and lesson plan turn out within your reflections!
  6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! Due:

DUE DATE: By the end of each Marking Period

Marking Period 4

1.  “The Best Teacher I Ever Had” & why

  1. One page paper
  2. 1” margins, 12 font, double spaced

DUE DATE:

2.  CCD IS Testing

  1. In-class test relating to the course work that you have had in CCD I & CCD II/III – Independent Study
  2. Further information will be given in the future

DUE DATE:

3. Teach One Lesson

  1. You are required to teach one lesson each marking period. The amount of time, theme and ideas are totally up to you – discuss with your cooperating teacher to make sure it is relevant and age appropriate. You may teach more than one lesson each marking period but that is up to you and your cooperating teacher.
  2. Discuss this project piece EARLY ON with your teacher, together you will chose a date to teach.
  3. Write up a lesson plan and make sure you are completely prepared to teach this lesson. Use any and all supplies that are needed – ask Mrs. Micheletti and/or your cooperating teacher for these supplies. You may also use your own supplies if you choose.
  4. Make sure you have all important parts of a lesson – Objective, Anticipatory Set, Main Lesson and Closure. Make sure you have a Title of the Lesson, Materials and Questioning ready.
  5. Include a formal copy of your written lesson plan in your CCDIS folder and make sure to talk about your lesson plan development and lesson plan turn out within your reflections!
  6. PRACTICE! PRACTICE! PRACTICE! DUE DATE: By the end of each Marking Period.

Final Project for Course

Throughout the course, keep EVERYTHING that you completed and create a binder/folder/portfolio. I run the entire course similar to my college and student teaching experience and this will be HUGE in being one step ahead for college. Let’s just call it the start of your teacher library. J DUE DATE: June 1.

*DO NOT FORGET ABOUT DAILY REFLECTIONS*

The next few pages are the specific requirements for assignments above. Please make sure to read thoroughly! If you have questions/concerns ask BEFORE the due date that you chose.

Outline Guidelines

Directions - Follow the NUMBERS of information you will talk about. Use the LETTERS underneath for ideas and suggestions to write about. You may use all and/or any of the LETTER suggestions to write you outline. Use bullets/letters (outline form) to write each of your statements.

1.  School & Building