Running Head: THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 1

Sharika Quow

AC1477936 2

Assignment 08

E01V Careers in Early Childhood Education

14th June 2021

Early Childhood Teacher

Part A: Using the major objectives identified in one of the four curricula discussed in
Lesson 5 (HighScope, Creative Curriculum, Core Knowledge, or Tools of the Mind), create
a short learning opportunity for a 5-year-old child in the kindergarten class that you teach.

First developed by David Weikart and his colleagues, the HighScope curriculum is a

validated one that has demonstrated its lasting positive effects on children's long-term success in

school and life. It has been proven to predict children's language, literacy, math, and social skills

during kindergarten. For this learning opportunity, the children will be involved in a pairing

activity aimed at highlighting the objectives of HighScope. Since this activity will be taking

place for the first time, I will utilize the scaffolding method to explain what must be done to

achieve the desired outcome. As encouraged in the HighScope method, where the child partakes

in the plan-do-review process, I will be sure to mobilize this technique. The students will be

allowed to choose their working peers, the materials that will be used, and have some input about

how the exercise will be carried out. As recommended by the HighScope method, sufficient time

will be given for the work to be completed, reviewed, and recalled along with expressing what

they have learned through discussion. The assignment will be geared at challenging the students’

language, literacy, math, and social skills. Students will be required to work in teams of two to

pair together capital and lowercase letters on an alphabet tree, aimed at strengthening their letter

recognition ability.

Begin by identifying three objectives that you might use for instruction.

HighScope promotes several learning objectives for students within the classroom. This

assignment would ensure that the students employ one of the major objectives of this type of

curriculum where they would be involved in active hands-on experience with others. Since this

assignment involves the students physically taking part in the assignment this goal is being met.

The pairing or teaming of students will stimulate the process of partners in learning through

cooperation thereby improving their social skills which is another objective of the HighScope
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 2

medium. It is also meant to improve their problem-solving skills/decision-making skills which

will be enhanced since they must utilize their critical thinking skills in figuring out what letters

correspond thus boost their learning experience.

Once you have determined your objectives, determine what adaptations to the curriculum
and to the environment you might make in order to reach these objectives.

To facilitate an active hands-on experience, I will arrange the letters on separate trees by

capital and lowercase letters. The students will then be required to go up to the front of the class

with a designated partner and pair the letters. This will provide the children to learn from

partaking in the activity rather than listening to a lesson taught. It provides an opportunity to

experiment through trial and error and gives them a chance to learn from their mistakes. To

improve social skills between the children, I will be certain to pair them into groups with

students that they do not socialize with regularly. Having proper social skills can improve

positive behavior, help them to cooperate, have good self-control, confidence, independence, and

assist in being able to communicate which tends to be a booster for students at this age which can

lead them in the right direction. To assist them in their decision-making/problem-solving skills,

the students will be left with the task of figuring out which letters go together. However, I am

mindful of the fact that errors may occur and therefore as the teacher I will act as a guide since,

“teachers and children play an active role in the HighScope curriculum, functioning as partners

in learning”(Bredekamp, 2017 p. 329.)

Next, write a plan of what special learning opportunities will prompt the child to explore
and discover new ideas and that support reaching the three objectives chosen.

The opportunity to sort and place the alphabet stickers with their corresponding letters,

the pairing of students together, and the requirement to figure out which pieces are required to

solve the activity meets all three objectives. The previously mentioned techniques give the

children the opportunity to socialize improving their social skills, strengthens their decision-

making or problem-solving skills, and uplifts their opportunities at hands-on experiences.

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 3

Part B

As a teacher, think about how technology could be used to help children in a preschool
class understand the following three concepts: Understanding Change, Cause-and-Effect
Relationships, and the Idea of a System (that a whole is composed of related parts that
affect each other).

 Choose one of the three concepts, and develop a sequence of three lessons that focus
on the concept you have chosen.

o How will you intentionally plan for student learning?

o What activities will children engage in?
o What materials will be used?
o How will you know if your students understand the key concepts?

1. The first lesson, the children will investigate will be the changes which the moon goes

through in its lunar cycle. I will first discuss the changes with the students and explain

what happens during each stage. Since the session will be an interactive one, I will make

a note of all the questions that are being asked so that the necessary answers can be

discussed at the end of the lesson. The students will have a supervised viewing in groups

of a projected video via computer, the entire phases of the moon will be portrayed. They

will be required to have writing material to draw images of the different phases. A

camera operated by me will be used to capture images of the students drawing to be a

part of the final presentation. All students will be involved in an organized open

discussion during class. The session will be an interactive one where questions and ideas

will be shared to see exactly what concepts were grasped during the lesson.

2. Another type of change that the students could experiment with is the changes that take

place in the life cycle of a caterpillar. The students would be given a briefing on what

would be discovered during the process. As utilized in the first lesson, a video would be

used to showcase the different stages the caterpillar goes through before it reaches the

butterfly stage. However, this lesson would involve the actual presence of a caterpillar

where the students will watch the caterpillar evolve. It will be placed in the Science

corner of the classroom and daily observations will be made by the students to make note

of the changes until the cycle is completed. To record the process, a camera will be used

to take photos. The final day of the experiment would require the students to make a

drawing of the butterfly which would need paper and pencil. A final presentation will be

depicted on the projector following the experiment to display the results showing what
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 4

happened during the cycle. At the end of the presentation, I will be certain to repeat the

relevant information so that all the students are clear about the process. There will also be

an open discussion so that students can share their ideas of what they learned or ask

questions about things that they are not certain about.

3. For this activity, I will be teaching my children about germination. As for each lesson, the

children will be briefed about what is required during the process. A short video

depicting the process will be played to familiarize the student with the process and give

them some guidance as to what is expected of them during this lesson. The activity will

see each student actively taking part which will allow them to learn so much more by

doing rather than from watching. For this lesson the students will be paired, they will be

given zip lock bags, seeds, and a moist paper towel. The students be will be required to

place the paper towel inside the bag followed by the seeds. Students will be given large

seeds since it will be easier for them to see. They will be guided to ensure that the seeds

are touching the paper towel. The bags would then be labeled with the student's names

and taped to a window where sunlight can be received. They will make checks within a

few days to see the progress. Photos will be taken on the first day of set up and each time

observations are made. A final presentation of the outcome will be made where students

will get a look at the photos showing the different stages. To check their understanding, I

will engage the children in a discussion where I will go into detail about the process and

allow them to share what they have learned and ask questions about what areas they seem

to have problems with. Observations will be made and the pictures taken will be

displayed to show the entire process during the interactive session.

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 5

Part C

Imagine that you are a teacher’s aide in a classroom of 2nd-grade children (7- to 8-year-
olds). In each of the following situations, describe the following.
a. The emotions the children involved might be experiencing
b. How you would use the strategies presented in the textbook to help the children
become more aware of their own feelings and the feelings of others
c. How you would help them cope effectively with the situation

 Manual and Damien are playing in the sandbox. Manuel wants Damien’s shovel, so
he takes it. Damien begins to cry, but Manuel continues to play, unaffected. Damien
comes running to you, saying, “He took my shovel!”

Within this scenario, this is what will be termed as a conflicting situation for Damien. These

scenarios are usually prevalent amongst children and are a part of social interaction between

children. Damien seems to be frustrated that Manual has taken away his toy without his

permission and is refusing to give it back to him. Manual on the other hand is probably unaware

of how his action has affected Damien. To help solve this situation, first I would acknowledge

Damien's feelings about what has happened. This can be done through responses like " Damien, I

know that you are mad because Manual took the shovel that you were playing with and refuses

to give it back to you”. Since Damien has already expressed his feelings to me, I would ask him

to explain to Manual how he feels that he has taken the shovel without his permission. A child in

this situation would most likely feel frustrated that he cannot get the toy that he was using. I

would ask the students involved to suggest a possible solution for the situation. If this suggestion

is not satisfactory, I would implement a suitable solution. In this scenario, I would explain to

Manual that he should ask for permission to borrow a toy that someone else is using. I would

also let him know that if this is not possible, he can search for an alternative toy or consider

working as a team with the person who has the toy he wishes to use by taking turns. What must

not be forgotten is to show Manual how his decision has affected Damien’s feelings. Therefore, I

would be certain to help the children to recognize their responsibility in resolving conflicts and

by coming to an amicable decision that would be beneficial to those involved. The final step

would be to help them to repair their relationship. It must be noted that apologies would be

encouraged to take place only when both parties are calm to ensure sincerity during the apology

process which would be aimed as a learning opportunity for both students.

THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 6

 Latoya has been standing watching the others climbing the rock wall. It seems as if
she’d like to join in, yet makes no move to do so.

In this scenario, Latoya might be experiencing a sense of fear or shyness. I would be certain

to discuss with Latoya her emotions and let her know that it is quite normal for her to feel in such

a way. I would assist her to express her emotions so that she feels more comfortable. A possible

response from her would be that she may be scared that she is not as skillful as the other children

in climbing or that she is afraid that the other children will refuse to play with her. To assist with

this response, I would encourage her about the benefits of her involvement in the activity. I can

use phrases such as, “I am certain you will be just as good as or even better than the other kids”,

or “There is no need for you to feel left out, the kids will love to play with you”. If this strategy

is unsuccessful, I can get Latoya to climb the wall by herself to boost her confidence in her

climbing and then gently allow a small group of students to join her so that she can get a chance

to be a part of a group. Another strategy that can be used would be to encourage the other

children to invite Latoya over with them when they engage in the activity to make her feel

welcomed.

 Tommy has a dilemma. He was just invited to a movie with Chuck, but his best
friend, Mohammad, has not been asked to come and asks him to spend the night on
the same date.

Tommy may feel confused and nervous to discuss the situation with either of his peers.

Tommy may feel empathy for his friend Mohammad for the fact that he was not asked to

attend the movie since he knows that this will make him feel left out. The fact that his friend

is a victim of peer rejection would have him feeling uneasy. He may be confused in deciding

which of his friends he should choose and nervous since his decision could affect both

friendships. I would explain to Tommy that it is okay for him to feel this way. I would

encourage him to make careful consideration and thought in deciding what decision he

makes. To help guide him to make a good decision, I can ask him questions like, "Who was

the first to give you an invitation?” or “Who do you prefer to go with?” I would also

encourage him not to feel pressured and to make the decision he is most comfortable with. I

can also suggest to him to seek permission from his friends for Mohammad to attend with

them. The final advice would be to ask Tommy to reschedule the sleepover with Mohammad.
 THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 7

Part D

Ethics is one of the most fundamental qualities of a competent early childhood educator.
Individuals have their own personal views about what they think is right or wrong and how
they should behave. Examine the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC) Code of Ethical Conduct
(http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSETH05.pdf) and create a concept web
identifying the core values, ideals, and principles of an educator, in your own words.
Include your personal views. (Refer to page 325 in your textbook for an example of a
concept web.)

This document sets forth a conception of early childhood program administrators’

professional responsibilities in five areas, some of which differ from those identified in the
NAEYC Code. Each section addresses an area of professional relationships: (1) with
children, (2) with families, (3) with personnel, (4) with sponsoring agencies and governing
boards, and (5) with the community and society. The items in each section address the
unique ethical responsibilities of administrators in early care and education settings

Children and
family needs Fairness /child
development
Professional
/Ethical Conduct

Ideals

Developmentally
Inclusive
(NAEYC) Appropriate
education
Code of Programs
Ethical
Maintain humane Conduct
environment

Core Values Principles of

an educator

Commitment to
Child
Professional Development
Safety Inclusive
resources
Commitment to
Stakeholders e.g.
Supportive
Children, families,
environment
governing Boards etc.
THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR 8

Reference

Bredekamp, S. (2017). Effective Practices in Early Childhood Education: Building a Foundation.

(3rd Edition). Pearson Learning Solution.

(n.d.). Why Social Skills Are Key to Learning. Retrieved from

https://www.scholastic.com/parents/family-life/social-emotional-learning/social-skills-
for-kids/why-social-skills-are-key-to-learning.html

(n.d.). Curriculum. Retrieved from

https://highscope.org/our-practice/curriculum/

(n.d.). The Importance of Hands-on Learning. Retrieved from

http://info.thinkfun.com/stem-education/the-importance-of-hands-on-learning
https://www2.ed.gov/pubs/parents/Science/Concepts.html