706 Teaching Young Children

Gr 9 - 12 | 1.5 Credits | Quarter-Long | 5x per Cycle

Teaching Young Children focuses on the study of developmental expectations for children, ages one to five, to prepare for direct contact teaching in the Child Development Lab School. Lectures, discussions, videos, readings, research, and hands-on activities help high school students explore the needs of the preschool child, the value of play, and the importance of managing a safe and healthy preschool environment. Students will prepare for actual involvement with the children through studying and planning lessons from several areas including literacy, creative art and STEM.  Upon successful completion of this course, students will have created a portfolio of activities that they may use when they enter Child Study Lab.

Essential Skills

1. Identify developmental domains and milestones for children ages 0-5, as well as activities that support those abilities and skills.

2. Describe and discuss the importance of play and the practice of“serve in return” to early childhood development.

3. Understand the progression of skills in the areas of literacy, writing, STEM and the arts for preschool and early elementary students.

4. Design, plan, modify and implement developmentally appropriate activities for preschoolers.