Category: Early childhood education

Module 05 Content
Background
Cultural and linguistic differences can be seen as deficits, or they can be seen as strengths. Whether or not these differences are seen as deficits or resources is based on our own biases. Recognizing these biases, explicit or implicit, is critical to providing an environment which is developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate for each child. Review the “Case Study – Family Cultures and Values” about Ethan and the Moradoro family. Explore how your own biases may influence your interactions and expectations for their behavior if you were Ethan.
Case Study-Family Cultures and Values.pdf
Directions
Review the “Case Study – Family Cultures and Values” involving Ethan and the Moradoro family located in your Module 05 Lesson Content folder, or review the PDF file located directly above. Write a 2-3-page reflective essay by addressing the prompts and questions below.
Why do you think Ethan was quick to judge this family and their situation? 
What do you think informed Ethan to make this judgment and bias? 
Describe the kind of bias Ethan holds. Implicit or explicit?
Do you think Ethan’s bias originally got in the way of creating a positive solution for Nicolas? Why or why not? 
Describe the bias you might hold for the situation. Where might this bias come from?
Is your bias implicit or explicit? How might your bias influence the situation and solution?
What might you need to do to counteract your own biases or potential biases surrounding children in your program?
Make sure to include:
Include APA citations to all sources used for this assignment, and include a reference page, if necessary. Cited sources should be relevant, credible, and appropriate.
All work should be formatted professionally and use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Module 06 Content
Purpose of Assignment:
For students to be aware of where they report cases of child abuse and neglect and what their responsibilities are as a mandated reporter.
Instructions:
Content:
Provide all contact information (organization title, address, phone #s, email and website) for the agency where you would report child abuse and neglect.
Summarize your legal obligations as a mandated reporter according to your state’s laws.
Format:
Be sure the format and organization of your assignment are clear and includes the following information:
The title “Resource Collection RC-VI-3: Legal Requirements”
Your name
If you are applying for the CDA Credential: After you receive feedback from your instructor and make the necessary changes from that feedback, place this Resource Collection/Portfolio Assignment in your CDA Professional Portfolio. You can find instructions to set up your portfolio in the CDA Credential Guide at https://guides.rasmussen.edu/education/cdacredential

Module 05 Content
Purpose of Assignment:
As an educator, it’s extremely worthwhile to reflect upon your teaching methods. This sort of reflection often helps early childhood professional to recognize teaching practices that are working well and those which might need improvement.
Instructions:
For this assignment, please review the Standard below and create your individual Reflective Statement of Competence.
Establish and Maintain a Safe, Healthy Learning Environment
Begin your Reflective Statement with a paragraph describing how your teaching practices meet this Standard. Then prepare at least one paragraph on each of the questions below. The entire statement should be between 300 and 500 words in length.
Content:
CS-I-1: 
Describe how your teaching practices meet this Standard.
*Note: If you are NOT currently in a child care program or directly working with children, visualize and explain what you would do and how you would meet these standards if you were a teacher or educator.
CS-I-a: 
Reflect on the Weekly Menu submitted. If you designed the menu, how does it reflect your commitment to children’s nutritional needs? If you served the menu but did not design it, what are its strengths and/or what would you change?
CS-I-b: 
Reflect on a classroom room environment: How does the room design reflect the way you believe young children learn best? If the room was not designed by you, what do you see as its strengths and/or what would you change?
Additionally, for students focusing on Infant/Toddler age-group: Reflect on and describe the similarities and differences between room environments designed for infants as compared to toddlers.
CS-I-c: 
Reflect on the weekly plan you included in your Resource Collection from your previous course Early Childhood Education Curriculum and Instruction. How does this plan reflect your philosophy of what young children do on a weekly basis? If the plan was not designed by you, what do you see as its strengths and/or what would you change?
Additionally, for students focusing on Infant/Toddler age-group: Describe how you would adapt this weekly plan for use with each of the three age groups (young infants, mobile infants, and toddlers).
Format:
Begin your Reflective Statement with a paragraph describing how your teaching practices meet this Standard. Then prepare at least one paragraph on each of the questions below. The entire statement should be between 300 and 500 words in length.

Module 06 Content
Background
When children play, adults often try to control or take over certain types of interaction without realizing it. They can sometimes put their own fears and issues onto the kids. They say things like, “It’s not safe,” “That’s not nice,” “Here’s what you’re going to do,” or “I would feel such-and-such a way, so you can’t do this,” (breaking up a friend’s Lego creation, for example). These experiences are not the adults’ experiences to have. They are the experiences of the children. Children need to practice these types of skills and some adults unintentionally rob children of these learning benefits.
Directions
Watch the following video and then write a 2-page critical thinking reflection.
Video: Breaking to Build – Boys and Blocks (Time 6:00) https://streaming.videatives.com/playlists/share/555def0cc1f53384371acfdca7ae0c5c
Address the following in your reflection:
Identify four ways the boys interact with each other. What means of communication and interaction do they use? Explain and include examples from the video.
What executive functioning skills are being practiced/developed throughout the video? Describe five skills and include examples from the video.
Describe how you felt when the boys knocked down the block structure near the window? Why do you think you felt that way? Explain.
Describe what would not have been learned or experienced if the adult had taken over. Explain.
Make sure to include:
Include APA citations to all sources used for this assignment, and include a reference page, if necessary. Cited sources should be relevant, credible, and appropriate.
All work should be formatted professionally and use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Module 06 Content
Purpose of Assignment: 
Writing a Competency Statement will demonstrate awareness of best practices to maintain a commitment to professionalism, providing a reference for the educator’s understanding and application. This written reflective competency statement aligns with the Council for Professional Recognition’s Standard VI: To Maintain a Commitment to Professionalism, and is a required element in the CDA Professional Portfolio
Instructions:
Content:
Begin your reflective statement with a paragraph introducing how your practices as an educator meet this standard.
Then, write at least one paragraph on each of the items below, using the labels CS-VI-a and CS-I-b.
The entire statement should be between 300 and 500 words in length. Visualize and explain what you would do and how you would meet these standards as an early childhood educator.
Format:
Begin your reflective statement with a paragraph introducing how your practices as an educator meet this standard.
CS-VI-a:
Reflect on why you chose to become an early childhood professional.
CS-VI-b:
Reflect on what you believe are the most important indicators of professionalism that you possess.
Be sure the format and organization of your assignment are clear and includes:
The title Competency Statement: CS-VI (CS-VI-a, CS-VI-b)
Your name
Proper spelling and grammar
If you are applying for the CDA Credential: After you receive feedback from your instructor and make the necessary changes from that feedback, place this Resource Collection/Portfolio Assignment in your CDA Professional Portfolio. You can find instructions to set up your portfolio in the CDA Credential Guide at https://guides.rasmussen.edu/education/cdacredential

Module 05 Content
Purpose of Assignment:
As an Early Childhood Educator, it’s helpful to identify and express your own Professional Philosophy Statement. This statement is a summary of your professional beliefs and values about early childhood education.
Instructions:
Content:
This assignment is Final Phase of your Course Project:
In the 1st phase of the project, you brainstormed the many aspects of your beliefs about teaching and learning that you might include in a Professional Philosophy Statement.
In the 2nd phase of the project, you wrote a rough draft of your Professional Philosophy Statement — using your brainstorming session as a springboard and you received feedback from your instructor.
Now, in the 3rd phase of the project (Module 5), you take the feedback from your instructor and make the necessary changes from that feedback to produce your final Professional Philosophy Statement.
Your Professional Philosophy Statement MUST address/answer the following topics/questions:
Your personal values and beliefs as they relate to teaching and learning.
How you believe young children learn and how this has an impact on your role when providing a conducive learning environment
What you believe are other important aspects of your role in working with young children and their families
Format:
Your Professional Philosophy Statement should be a maximum of 2 pages in length and contain a title page, an introduction, content with 3 separate paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.
Be sure the format and organization of your assignment are clear and include the following information:
The title on your title page “Professional Philosophy Statement”
Your name on your title page
Proper spelling and grammar to present a professional document

Background
When we work with and educate/support children, we must be mindful of the dynamics of each child’s family. It is important to keep in mind what the children may experience in their daily lives. Because you understand the value of really knowing the children and families in your care, you decide to seek professional development opportunities on the subject. You enroll and attend a professional development session called Understanding Family Trauma in Early Childhood: Strong Relationships are the Key and learned some important information about trauma informed care. You would like to share information you learned with your staff and faculty.
Directions
Step 1: Watch the following video:
Exchange. (n.d.). Violence, abuse, and trauma [https://exchangepress-com.eu1.proxy.openathens.net/catalog/product/violence-abuse-trauma/7711025/. EdFlicks. (Time 10:17) 
Step 2: Professional Email
Write a professional e-mail to your director asking permission to share your learnings with staff and faculty. You need to write a persuasive email showing the benefits of sharing this information at your next professional development session.
In the email, include the following information to help justify your request.
Explain four signs of trauma and/or abuse children might display (including signs that might not be obvious). Provide a brief example of each sign and what you might observe.
Provide at least two benefits trauma-informed care provides for all children.
Describe five benefits of having strong, positive relationships with families when it comes to discussions about trauma.
Describe three developmentally appropriate strategies that you will include in your own practice to support children experiencing trauma. Include details and examples.
Your assignment will include:
Include APA citations to all sources used for this assignment. Use an in-text citation in your email and list the full citation at the end of your email beneath your signature line. Cited sources should be relevant, credible, and appropriate. No title page or separate reference page is necessary for this assignment.
All work should be formatted professionally and use correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Purpose of Assignment:
Students will identify the barriers and challenges that families face when trying to provide a healthy and active lifestyle for their children.
Instructions:
Content:
For this assignment review both case scenarios below and respond to the questions in a question and answer format. Be sure to answer questions in complete sentences and paragraphs. This is an exploration of the
Incorporate at least one credible resource from this course into your responses for each scenario…
Scenario #1: Bella is a preschool-age child who arrives at the child care program late every morning. By the time she arrives (after an hour bus ride), breakfast has already ended and children are actively playing throughout the environment. Bella consistently explains that she is hungry, but is told to wait until snack time which is in another hour. Additionally, she has been found to hoard food in her personal cubby after snack and lunch. Bella’s family often visits the community food pantry to feed their family of six. Their family lives downtown and in an apartment on the 10th floor of a high rise.
Describe the barriers Bella faces when it comes to her nutrition at home and in your program?
Describe the barriers Bella faces when it comes to physical activity at home and in your program?
Provide one suggestion for supporting Bella’s needs nutritionally and one for supporting her needs physically within your program. Basically, what can your program do to help?
Scenario #2: Bo is a toddler in a family child care setting. His family is a first-generation immigrant family from a country in eastern Asia. He wears multiple layers of clothing every day regardless of the weather and often sweats. He prefers to be carried, even though he can walk steadily. His grandmother has been staying with the family since he was born and is a primary caregiver. She will carry him or place him in a carrier even as he is able to walk steadily. Bo is also fed by his grandmother rather than being encouraged to use utensils or his hands for picking up food. Bo’s mother says that feeding him is customary and shows respect for his growth and nutrition. No food should be wasted when it is needed for his healthy development.
Describe challenges for Bo’s healthy physical development in a family child care setting or any group child care setting.
Describe challenges for Bo’s healthy nutrition in a family child care setting or any group child care setting.
Provide one suggestion for supporting Bo’s needs nutritionally and one for supporting his needs physically within your program. Basically, what can your program do to help while still honoring his family’s cultural preferences?
Format: Document – Question and Answer format
Include a title page and a reference page that includes the APA-formatted citations for the resources you used in your research
Resources:

Purpose of Assignment:
To explore current health, safety, and nutrition issues related to children, families, and early childhood programs
Instructions:
Content and Format:
Using this source  (https://www.usnews.com/topics/subjects/childrens-health)or another reliable, credible news source locate a current article related to children (ages birth – 8) in health, safety and nutrition.
Complete the following:
Provide a 2-3 paragraph summary of the article.
Provide a reference citation for the article in APA format.
Answer the following questions:
What do you agree with about the article?
What do you disagree with in the article?
How does this issue impact children and families or programs in your local area? If not, why not?
What makes this issue critical for the future of children, families and programs?
Resources:
https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/236933
https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/135510

Directions:
Background
We often hear adults say things like, “Spanking isn’t the same as beating a child. How else are they going to learn if they aren’t spanked?” or “I was spanked, and I’m fine.”
We never seem to stop and ask ourselves why it is acceptable to hit children when they behave in ways we do not like or think are inappropriate. Why is it that children are the only people in our society where this is considered acceptable?
Note: This discussion may bring up personal emotional experiences as you reflect on your childhood. We encourage you to share honestly and openly as you explore how punishment influences development. If you are uncomfortable sharing specific information, you are not required to do so. Please talk one-on-one with your instructor if you have concerns about this discussion.
Initial Post
In your initial post, address the following prompts and/or questions based on your reading this week about the damage that punishment does to children. Select one of the following sets of questions to respond to.
Questions A:
As a child, how did you feel when you were punished?
How do you feel it has impacted your adult life?
What are some things you struggle with today? (Anxiety, trust issues, depression, attention issues, etc.)
Questions B:
How have you felt when you saw a child being punished when you were out in the community?
In what ways do you feel that punishment might impact the child’s future as an adult? What things might they struggle with as an adult?
Questions C:
How have you felt when you have seen a family member or friend punish children?
Again, in what ways do you feel that punishment might impact the child’s future as an adult?
What things might they struggle with as an adult?
Reply Post
In your reply post, write a reflection on at least one student’s initial post and address the following prompts and questions in no fewer than six sentences. Reply to your peers using understanding, compassion, and empathy. 
Please be respectful and practice sincere, professional care, and empathy as you would in your practice with children and families.
This reply post is an opportunity for you to validate your peers’ feelings.
Use the open-ended protocol – “I wonder…,” “I notice…,” or “This reminds me of…” to share your thoughts.
What connections do you have with their post?
What clarifying questions do you have?