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Hunter College, CUNY
Department of Educational Foundations and Counseling Program
Child Development QST 202
Prof. Lea Ausch Alteras
Fall 2008
Mon.. 9:10-11:00
E-mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mon. 11:00-12:00
Room W 1028
Text: M. Cole and S. Cole, The Development of Children, (3rd Edition).
Maxine Greene, Variations on a Blue Guitar, The Lincoln Center Institute , Lectures on
Aesthetic Education.
Maxine Greene, Releasing the Imagination, Essays on Education, the Arts, and Social Change
Wolf, Dannie Palmer, “ The Art of Questioning” Academic Connections: pp. 1-7, Winter 1987.
Suggested Readings:
Jean Piaget, Six Psychological Studies, Vintage Books, l968.
Calvin Hall, A Primer of Freudian Psychology, New American Library, l954.
Peter Blos, On Adolescence, The Free Press, l963.
Erik Erikson, Childhood and Society, Norton & Co., l963.
Mary Pipher, Reviving Ophelia, Ballantine Books, l994.
Carol Gilligan, In A Different Voice, Harvard University Press, l982.
Course Description:
The objective of this course is to enhance our knowledge of children’s development and to
convey to our teaching candidates the excitement that we feel from this experience as educators.
Our knowledge of what children can do and cannot do at a specific age and our understanding as to
why, is one of the key components that educators are faced with. Understanding how children
develop socially, cognitively, morally, emotionally, physically, can enhance our ability as teachers
to provide our students with the necessary tools for success.
Questions on individual differences, cultural differences, and gender differences will be
explored and relevant research analyzed. For example, are children shaping their own development
or are they passive recipients? Is development continuous or discontinuous? How does the socialcultural context influence development? How do children become so different from one another?
Being a teacher in our urban schools, makes diversity an important topic which a course like this
needs to emphasize. Class discussions and presentations will help students examine different theories
of child development under a microscopic light as well as bring to light relevant research.
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Course Objectives that Address NCATE Standards and the Hunter College Department of
Educational Foundations and Counseling Program
Evidence – Based Practices
The School of Education grounds its course content in the best-based research and practice. Faculty
review findings from their respective disciplines to provide our candidates with the strategies needed
for effective instruction. Our candidates master the theory and practice of effective pedagogy in their
subjects areas, and acquire the tools for reflection on and improvement of their professional work.
They achieve a solid foundation in the history, philosophy, psychology, sociology and methodology
of education that enriches their teaching. Candidates gain expertise in analyzing and using
assessment of student performance to guide their instruction and create optimal learning
environments for students.
Integrated Clinical Experiences
The School of Education ensures that its candidates understand and experience the realities of
school contexts. We establish strong connections with partnering schools in New York City and
surrounding areas. We provide extensive fieldwork with supportive supervision in these schools.
Our candidates engage in carefully sequenced and comprehensively assessed clinical experiences
prior to their graduation.
Educating a Diverse Student Population
The School of Education provides its candidates with the critical skills and understanding necessary
to be responsive to the multiple challenges of all learners: students with a wide range of
backgrounds, cultures, abilities and prior knowledge. We teach candidates to create humane and
ethical learning communities in their classrooms and schools. They gain the ability to collaborate
successfully with partners, families, community members, school faculty and staff in order to provide
this support.
Use of Technology to Enhance Learning
The School of Education prepares candidates with the practical and theoretical knowledge of
effective and judicious use of technology in a variety of school settings and for a broad spectrum of
learners. Formative and summative assessments of candidates’ technology competencies are a
critical component of preparing them for tomorrow’s schools. We believe that appropriate uses of
educational technology enhance learning, assessment and communication.
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Course Outline:
Sept.
8
Introduction
Sept.
15
Erikson’s eight stages of life cycle
Sept..
22
Piaget and Vygotsky’s cognitive development
Oct.
6
Oct.
14
Kohlberg and Gilligan’s moral development
Mid-term Exam
Group Projects—Individual student presentations
Students will be assigned to groups. Each student will make an oral presentation on one of the
Assigned topics and will substantiate their arguments with two research articles.
Group I
Oct. 20
Nov. 10
Infancy (ch. 4,5,6,7)
Lincoln Center Performance and Workshops
Oct. 27
Workshop with the teaching artist
Oct. 29
(Wed. 1:00 p.m. at the Rose Building—FLY)
Nov.
Performance follow-up workshop, 2-3 page paper, (combining Lincoln Center—
Experience and Child Development)
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Group II Nov. 17
Nov. 24
Early childhood
(ch. 8,9,10,11)
Group III Dec. 1
Dec. 8
Middle childhood
(ch. 12, 13, 14)
Group IV Dec. 15 Adolescence
(ch. 15, 16)
Dec. 22 Final research paper and thematic observation are due
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Group topics
:
I. Infancy
1. Initial Capacities and Changes. (Book, plus one article)
2. Achievements, the first years, social areas, cognitive areas, motor development,
(Book, plus one article).
3. The environmental, learning perspective, classical conditioning, operant
conditioning, ( Book, plus one article)
4. Social development, social smile, social feedback, (Book, plus one article)
5. Social world, communication, emotional relationships, (Book, plus one article).
6. New mode of thinking, a new sense of self, end of infancy, (Book, plus article)
II. Early childhood
1. Prelinguistic communication, language development, (Book, plus one article
2. Thought: Island of competence, cultural context, (Book, plus one article)
3. Social development, identity development, prosocial aggression, regulation
of emotions, Freud, Erikson, (Book, plus one article)
4. Context of development, family, community, friends, (Book, plus one article
III.
Middle childhood
1. Biological development, a new quality of mind, (Book, plus one article)
2. Context in which skills are taught, the special language of schooling, community
and family influences, cultural differences, (Book, plus one article)
3. Social development, rules of behavior, social relations, (Book, plus one article)
4. Moral reasoning, Kohlberg, Damon, social conventions, (Book plus one article)
5. Relations with other children, gender differences, ?similarities, social status,
competition/cooperation, relations with parents, (Book, plus one article)
IV.
Adolescence
1. Theories of adolescence, Book and one article)
2. Puberty, (Book, plus one article)
3. Social life, Book plus one article)
4. The psychological achievements, adolescent thought, self moral reasoning
(Book plus article)
5. Cultural variations in adolescence, (Book plus article)
6. Reviving Orphelia, (Book plus article)
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Requirements:
1. Classes will consist of lectures and individual student participation. Major emphasis will be
placed on students’ class participation to ensure students’ critical evaluations of all materials
discussed and read.
2. Mid-term Exam—will consist of two out of three essay questions dealing with the theoretical
framework presented in the first section of the course as well as its implementation in the classroom.
3. Class presentation—group presentation. Students will be responsible in choosing one area of
child development (infancy, early childhood, middle childhood) and choose one of the topics
provided in each area by the instructor. Students will be individually evaluated on their presentations.
In preparation for the presentations, use assigned chapters in the book and one research article to
Substantiate your arguments.
4.
APA Style Research paper
Students are required to write an APA style research paper based on the topic of their oral
presentations. The paper should consist of 10-12 pages in length and based on 7-10 research
journal articles.
Method of Evaluation
1. Class presentations and class participation= 55%
2. Mid-term Exam
= 15%
3. Research paper
= 30%
thematic observation journal
Please pay attention to the following:
1. The research paper is due on the last day of the semester. Papers not submitted on that date
will be graded “ F” automatically.
2. Fieldwork assignments must be submitted one week before the last day of class. Otherwise
an “Incomplete” grade will be given.
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Child Development
Field Assessment (75 Hours)
This course combined with the fieldwork, aims at providing you with a detailed overview
of the most significant changes in behavior and thinking processes that occur in the first few
years of life. The fieldwork will provide you with a first hand experience of a growing child’s
accomplishments in many areas of development, inside and outside the classroom. Through your
journal writing, class observations, teaching and inquiries, you will be able to understand students’
behavior and learning.
This knowledge will enable you to recognize hat to expect from a specific age group:
How to respond appropriately; how to recognize when departures from the norm are truly
significant: help you understand yourself, as well as make you a better advocate on behalf of your
students’ needs and rights.
Formal Observation
Teaching a Lesson
Steps to Remember:
1. State learning objectives: Tell students what they will be learning and why? Get them interested
by informing them how important and personally relevant the lesson will be to them.
2. Review prerequisites: Go over the concepts and skills students need in order to understand the
lesson.
3. Present Lesson: Give examples demonstrating concepts and so on.
4. Conduct learning probe: Pose questions to students to assess the level of their understanding.
5. Provide students independent practice: Give them an opportunity to practice new skills, or use
new information on their own.
6. Assess performance and feedback.
7. Make certain that the lesson is clearly presented, well-organized and explained.
What constitutes assessment of fieldwork:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Did the student have the required background knowledge to teach a model lesson.
Were segments in the lesson process broken into sufficient small steps.
Was each step learned before a new step was introduced.
Were the learning objectives and directions clearly stated.
Was the content well-organized and were the examples effective.
Were sufficient questions asked to determine if the class understood what was being taught.
Were all students involved.
Was there periodic review and opportunities for practice the new learning.
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Fieldwork journal:
Please complete the following assignment in essay format and in no more than five pages.
Thematic Observation
Thematic notes are a method of detailing specific classroom events with respect to predetermined
categories or themes. For this assignment I would like to identify various ways in which teachers
can support their student’s learning by focusing on the themes of self-esteem, emotional sensitivity,
and higher thought processes.
I. Self Esteem
In our lecture regarding the development of self-esteem we discussed research findings indicating
that students have a need to feel competent. In light of this need, we identified and discussed some
specific strategies that teachers can use to increase the self-esteem of students (including, identifying
the causes of self-esteem, identifying domains important to their students, providing students with
support/approval, and helping them to cope with any frustrations.)
a. From your observation, please provide two specific examples of how your cooperating teacher
supports her/his students esteem needs.
b. How did the students react to the teacher’s actions or comments?
c. Please provide two specifics examples of how your cooperating teacher helps students to cope
with their frustrations when they are unable to solve a problem or successfully complete an
assignment.
d. How does this support the students’ esteem needs?
II. Emotional Sensitivity
When we discussed the topic of emotional development, we discussed specific things that parents
should do to support the emotional needs of their children. These things included displaying
sensitivity to the individual characteristics of their children, being flexible in responding to children,
and avoiding negative labels.
Please describe a specific example of how your cooperating teacher displayed sensitivity to the
emotional needs of an individual student. In your response,
a. please describe the student in terms of his or her displayed emotional “problem.”
b. please describe what the teacher specifically did, and
c. state how it displayed sensitivity.
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III. Higher Thought Processes
When we discussed the issue of esteem needs we stated that it was important students feel
competent. One way to help students feel competent is by helping them to think about their lessons
in complex ways. Teachers often use probing questions to help students think more deeply about
issues. In this way, they are supported in their efforts to exhibit higher thought processes.
Please describe the kinds of opportunities students have to engage in higher thought processes.
a. White kinds of probing questions does the teacher use to encourage higher order thinking on the
part of students?
b. Please give three specific examples of questions and identify their levels within Bloom’s
Taxonomy (please refer to the next page for sample questions).
Question for Reflection
From your observations with respect to each of the three themes, please provide one suggestion
for how your cooperating teacher could be more supportive of the learning of their students.
Grading:
Informal observations
Formal lesson,
Cooperative teacher’s
evaluation,
40%
50%
10%
Grading criterion:
A
A-/B+
B
B-/C+
C/D+
F
= Superior, exceptional, outstanding attainment.
= Very good attainment.
= Good, above average.
= Competent, average
= Minimum, passing
= Failure to pass
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CHILD DEVELOPMENT
FIELDWORK ASSESSMENT
(75 HOURS OF SUPERVISED FIELDWORK)
QST 202
Prof. Lea Ausch Alteras
Fall 2008
Rubrics for Evaluation Purposes
The fieldwork provides candidates with first hand experience in classroom teaching. During
Both observations and actual teaching in their classrooms, candidates will be able to apply their
school knowledge, i.e., real experience in teaching. Also the candidates will understand the
relationship that exists between book knowledge and life experience.
Assignments:
50% of the grade consists of informal observation and journals.
50% of the grade consists of a formal lesson. (A formal lesson on the subject of students’
interest will be part of the course requirement. The format of the lesson is clearly outlined in the
syllabus).
RUBRICS’ DEFINITION
Outstanding:
Grade (A+)
Score (1)
Candidate demonstrates exemplary performance in all areas: Knowledge of content and its
implementation in the classroom. An ability to use all instructional materials and resources
in preparation for all assignments, presentations, and exams.
Above Standards:
Grade (A/A-)
Score (2)
Candidate demonstrates above average performance in all areas, knowledge of contents and its
implementation in the classroom, using all instructional materials and resources in preparation
for all assignments, presentations and exams.
Meets Standards:
Grade (B+/B)
Score (3)
Candidate demonstrates an adequate degree of knowledge without full clarity in all areas:
knowledge of content and its implementation in the classroom. The candidate is using only
part of the instructional materials and resources in preparation for all assignments, preparations,
and exams.
Below Standards:
Grade (C+/C)
Score (4)
Candidates demonstrate only a minimum degree of knowledge in all areas: knowledge of
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content and its implementation in the classroom. A less than adequate use of materials and
resources in preparation of all assignments, presentations and exams.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT
QST 202
Prof. Lea Ausch Alteras
Fall 2008
Rubrics for Evaluation Purposes
1. Classroom Assignments:
55% of the grade consists of:
a) class participation
b) individual class presentations (teaching a lesson)—individual conference presentation
c) seventy-five hours of fieldwork
d) attendance
e) co-operative group work
f) being an active learner with an open critical mind
g) being able to integrate classroom knowledge into action knowledge (useful knowledge),
i.e., being able to use all materials learned in their classroom teaching.
30% of the grade consists of: “APA style” research paper and the thematic observation.
Being able to conduct research is a necessary tool that our candidates need to possess in order to
acquire accurate information on topics of interest and journal.
15% of the grade consists of: Mid-term exam which focused on the implementation of major
theories of development into classroom teaching. Knowledge of what a child can and cannot do
will enhance our understanding and awareness as teachers and in turn will allow us to create a
curriculum that will enhance both the cognitive and social aspects of learning.
RUBRICS’ DEFINITIONS
Outstanding:
Grade (A+)
Score (1)
Candidate demonstrates exemplary performance in all areas: knowledge of content and its
implementation in the classroom. An ability to use all instructional materials and resources
in preparation for all assignments, presentations, and exams.
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Above Standards:
Grade (A/A-)
Score (2)
Candidate demonstrates above average performance in all areas: knowledge of content and
its implementation in the classroom, using all instructional materials and resources in
preparation for assignments, presentations and exams.
Meets Standards:
Grade (B+/B)
Score (3)
Candidate demonstrates an adequate degree of knowledge but without full clarity in all areas:
knowledge of content and its implementation in the classroom. The candidate is using only
part of the instructional materials and resources in preparation for all assignments, presentations,
and exams.
Below Standards:
Grade (C+C)
Score (4)
Candidate demonstrates only a minimum performance in all areas: knowledge of content and its
implementation in the classroom. A less than adequate use of materials and resources in
preparation of all assignments, presentations and exams.
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A.P.A. STYLE RESEARCH PAPER
Hypothesis:
What is the question you are trying to answer?
Research paper:
Answer your question by summarizing 7-10 research articles you
Selected to answer your questions
What articles do
I select?
The most current ones, the ones that deal with your topic, the ones
you can find a connection with, a common theme
My own ideas
and interpretations
No “I” statements in the body of the paper. Everything you say must
come from one of your research journals. (For example: Smith (2003)
found gender differences in social interaction…)
Appendix:
Your experiences or interpretations on the topic in the Appendix
APA Manual:
Reference diction of the library
Length of paper:
10-12 pages
Topic:
The same as the topic of your oral presentation
Plagiarism
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What It Is and How to Recognize and Avoid It
What is plagiarism and why is it important?
In college courses, we are continually engaged with other people’s ideas: we read them in texts,
hear them in lectures, discuss them in class, and incorporate them into our own writing. As a
result, it is very important that we give credit where it is due. Plagiarism is using others’ ideas
and words without clearly acknowledging the source of information.
How cam students avoid plagiarism?
To avoid plagiarism, you must give credit whenever you use:
* another person’s idea, opinion, or theory
* any facts, statistics, graphs, drawings—any pieces of information—that are not common
knowledge,
* quotations from another person’s actual spoken or written words, or
* paraphrase of anther person’s spoken or written words.
For more on the subject, see, Student Code of Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct
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Sept.
4
Introduction and course outline
Sept.
5
Erickson’s eight stages of life cycle
Sept.
18
Piaget’s cognitive development
Sept.
25
Kohlberg’s moral development
24
Oct.
2
Gender Research–Gender equality vs. gender differences
Oct.
9
Cultural research– Cultural awareness and understanding
Oct.
Oct.
23
30
Infancy
Ch. 4,5,6,7
Infancy Group 1 (class presentation)
Nov.
Nov.
.
Nov.
Nov.
5
13
Early childhood
Early childhood
20
27
Middle childhood Ch. 12,13,14
Same
Group 3 (class presentation)
Dec.
Dec.
4
11
Adolescence Group 4 ch. 15,16
Same
(Class presentation)
Dec.
18
Ch. 8,9,10,11
Group 2 (class presentation)
Final class and evaluation
GROUP TOPICS
I.
.
Infancy.
1. Initial Capacities and Changes, (Book plus one article)
2. Achievements, the first years, social areas, cognitive areas, motor development
(Book plus one article)
3. The Environmental, Learning perspective, classical conditioning,
operant conditioning, (Book plus one article)
4. Social Development, social smile, social feedback, (Book plus one article)
5. Social World, communication, emotional relationships, (Book plus one article)
6. New Mode of Thinking, a new sense of self, end of infancy,(Book plus one article)
II. Early Childhood
1. Prelinguistic Communication, Language development, (Book plus one article)
2. Thought: Island of Competence, Cultural context, (Book plus one article)
3. Social Development, Identity development, prosocial-aggression, regulation of
Emotions, Freud, Erickson, (Book plus one article)
4. Context of development, Family, Community, Friends, (Book plus one article)
III. Middle Childhood
1. Biological development, A new quality of mind, (Book plus one article)
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2. Contexts in which skills are taught, The special language of schooling, community
and family influences, cultural differences, (Book plus one article)
3. Social development, Rules of behavior, Social relations, Games,(Book plus one
article)
4. Moral Reasoning, Kohlberg, Damon, Social conventions, (Book plus one article)
5. Relations with other children, Gender Differences/Similarities, Social Status,
Competition/Cooperation, Relations with parents, (Book plus one article)
IV.
Adolescence
1. Theories of Adolescence, (Book plus one article)
2. Puberty, (Book plus one article)
3. Social life, (Book plus one article)
4. The Psychological achievements, Adolescent Thought, Self moral reasoning,
(Book plus one article)
5. Cultural variations in adolescence, (Book plus article)
6. Reviving Ophelia, (Book plus one article)