Philosophical Inquiry and Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood Education
Educational Theories of Early Childhood Education
For this unit, we worked on developing an understanding of the evolution of Early Childhood Education through a timeline on Padlet and recognizing the key contributors whose theories have significantly impacted it. We made a video connecting a philosophical theory of Early Childhood Education with our own philosophy of education and selecting one that resonated most with us. We also compared and contrasted educational theories influencing Early Childhood Education. Padlet and Video links.
Issues and Strategies in Multicultural Education
In this unit, we examined our own unconscious biases and created a plan for confronting and overcoming any innate biases we have. The project was an infographic about identifying, confronting, and overcoming bias. Additionally we collaborated and analyzed how to intentionally embrace diversity in the ECE classroom. I created a detailed plan for an open house event and reflected on how that plan would help me create a culturally inclusive learning environment as well as help my students embrace multiculturalism and diversity. Infographic and Open House Plan links.
Home, School, and Community Relationships
For this unit, we analyzed the importance of parental partnerships in the in-person and online early childhood classrooms. We also analyzed the impact that school shutdowns have had on ECE students and explored possible solutions to the problems the shutdowns have caused. I created a Powtoon presentation in order to dive into this theme. PowToon link.
Analyzing the Impact of Parental Support in Early Childhood Education
In this unit, we discussed the varying levels of parental support and involvement we have seen in the early childhood classroom. I created a one page handout that could be sent home to parents sharing research on the impact that parental support has on a child’s success in the classroom and simple ideas that parents can incorporate into daily routines to help their child in school. Additionally, we explored possible reasons for lack of parental support, brainstorming solutions to meet the needs of early learners.
Creating Positive Learning Environments in Early Childhood Education
Elements in the Learning Environment
In this unit, we researched and discussed elements and approaches that contribute to a positive early childhood learning environment. I created a blog about How to Create a Positive Learning Environment in the Early Childhood Classroom that includes information about the elements of a positive classroom environment, compared and contrasted Maslow's and Skinner's ideas, and deeply analyzed Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs by examining how this school of thought can help foster a positive learning environment in my Early Childhood classroom. You can find the blog post linked here.
Issues of Culture in Classroom and Curriculum
For this unit, I collected and reviewed demographic information on the students in my 2nd grade classroom at my international school in Dubai. Using this information, I created a Biteable presentation that outlines how to create a positive classroom climate that embraces and celebrates the cultural diversity in my class. I also reviewed and analyzed children’s literature and made a video about determining how to choose appropriate books for the Early Childhood Education classroom and how to help students access virtual books when homebound. The video is linked here.
Fostering Positive Attitudes toward Learning
In this unit, I examined supportive tools to determine their purpose and function and how they can help foster positive attitudes towards learning in an early childhood setting. From these tools, I identified twelve that can be regularly used in-person or online to support my students and created an infographic highlighting how they can help foster a positive attitude towards learning. I also explored how to communicate with families in a variety of educational settings and focused on fostering positive attitudes about learning in parents and families. I collaboratively researched effective ways to communicate with parents of Early Childhood students in differing educational settings and created a matrix about communicating with families in each of the learning environments. You can find my infographic and matrix here.
Educating Students with Challenging Behaviors
For our first assignment of this unit, we researched challenging behaviors in Early Childhood and compiled strategies to combat the behaviors. As a a group, we created a mind map that outlines several challenging behaviors in the ECE classroom along with appropriate responses according to the behavioral theories of Pavlov, Thorndike, Skinner and Watson. For my second assignment, I applied my knowledge about Behaviorism and other theories when addressing challenging behaviors, and created a blog post that detailed the strategies I can employ and actions I can take to increase the engagement of a challenging student in classroom activities. You can find the blog post linked here.
Learner Differences and Commonalities in Early Childhood Education
Content Area Instruction for Students with Varying Abilities
For this unit, we examined how to maximize instruction for students with varying abilities in a variety of settings in the classroom. In a small group, we created an “Early Childhood Education New Teacher Guide” that outlines best practices for meeting the needs of students with varying abilities. You can find the guide here.
Ethical Considerations in Early Childhood Education
In the first assignment of this unit, I distinguished between aggressive behaviors in young students and purposeful bullying, and discussed strategies to address both types of behaviors appropriately. I researched and explored the responses of different schools around the world to “bullying” in the Early Childhood classroom and wrote an article analysis about Preschool Bullying. For the second assignment, I explored different ways to address aggressive behaviors in Early Childhood, noting that children of different ages require different management techniques. I developed a plan to manage three specific aggressive behaviors in the Early Childhood Classroom and created a handout to share with caregivers based on my plan.
Developmentally Appropriate Practices in Early Childhood Education
For this unit, we made connections between childhood development and appropriate practice in the classroom to enable us, as teachers, to better maximize the learning potential of each student. We examined the connection between childhood development theories and Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the Early Childhood classroom. I created a Biteable video that explored Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP), a detailed overview of Piaget's childhood development theory and how this theory aligns with Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the Early Childhood classroom. The Biteable also includes examples of Developmentally Appropriate Practice in the ECE classroom related to Piaget's theory. You can find my Biteable here.
Differentiation and Scaffolding in Early Childhood Education
For this topic, we explored how Differentiated Instruction allows the teacher to alter the content, process, product, or learning environment to better meet the needs of all students. Understanding what Differentiated Instruction looks like in the Early Childhood classroom enables the teacher and students to be more successful. I made a PowToon with five ways to differentiate instruction in the Early Childhood classroom and gave specific examples of differentiation in different subjects.
Curriculum and Instruction in Early Childhood
Considerations in Designing an Early Childhood Curriculum
During this unit, we examined how social experiences can benefit student learning and how it can be integrated into an early childhood curriculum with and without the use of technology. I created a presentation through Genially that explored the benefits of Social experiences in the Early Childhood classroom, how social experiences can enhance learning in young students,
how we can design a curriculum around social experiences in the brick-and-mortar classroom and how we can utilize technology to create or enhance social experiences within and outside a virtual classroom. Also, I was a member of the 'Pros' team for a class debate about educational technology in early childhood educational setting. You can find our team's debate notes linked here.
Early Childhood Curriculum Development
For this unit, we explored the options available for curriculum in Early Childhood Education programs and analyzed the effectiveness of the different options. We explored the benefits of an education that goes deeper and explores essential themes, and the importance for teachers to increase their awareness of the themes that could most benefit their students now and in the future. I wrote a blog post that analyzed two different themes that can be incorporated into an interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education curriculum.
Infusing Diversity and Culture into the Early Childhood Curriculum
For this module, we did a deep dive analysis of a lesson plan and annotated the plan to include a deeper infusion of diversity and culture. We also examined how to incorporate character development into lessons in the Early Childhood classroom. You can find my annotations in red and pink on the lesson plan linked here.
From Curriculum to Instruction: Best Practices in Early Childhood Education
For this unit, we reflected on our previous units and designed our ideal early childhood program that encompasses my own philosophy of education. I wrote a blog post to share my ideas.
The Culture of Schooling
Tomorrow's Teachers
For this unit, we explored laws and policies that affect the day-to-day functioning of schools, students, and teachers. I made a video about Wadeema's Law from the United Arab Emirates. In this video, I described the law, discussed the historical and current perspective on Wadeema's Law as well as its strengths and weaknesses, and reflected on how the law affects schools in general and teaching and learning in particular.
Student Diversity and Data Analysis
For this unit, we worked on a case study about one of our students and analyzed how differentiated instruction could be used to meet the needs of this student. We discussed our case studies in small groups over Zoom and made suggestions to our partners about how they could implement additional strategies. We also analyzed John Hattie’s research on the ‘Influences and Effect Sizes Related to Student Achievement’. I created an infographic that highlights how teachers can utilize Hattie’s effect size to make more impactful decisions in the classroom. I provided examples of how I am applying Hattie’s research in my classroom, new approaches I could take based on Hattie’s research, and a possible school approach to take based on Hattie’s research.
Students with Special Needs
In this Unit, I had the chance to interview teachers in my school. It helped me understand how the special education referral process works in my school, how to identify and determine when struggling students should be referred, how to involve parents in helping those students and how differentiated instruction could be used to assist struggling students. I created a flowchart illustrating the Special Education Referral Process that I would like to follow based on my school's process.
The Learner and Learning in a Digital Age
Understanding the Learner
In this unit, I observed and interviewed students to learn more about their characteristics, uniquenesses, issues, concerns, and capabilities. I also interviewed educators to broaden and deepen my understanding of how the right type of technology can enrich the students’ educational experiences and learned how differentiation can be personalized by incorporating specific technological tools. I summarized my interview findings and recorded a vlog. I also collaborated with my classmates to create a Padlet about student-centered learning. We researched learning theories and approaches and used this knowledge to create effective student centered learning experiences.
Learning in a Digital Age
For this unit, I reviewed a case study of a student named 'Maya'. In the case study, I described ways to practically apply student-centered activities, approaches, and practices I researched to effectively address this student’s learning needs. I examined ways to enhance my strategies and activities with a variety of ways for the student to use technology.
I presented these approaches to 'Maya's' case study using an Emaze Presentation to demonstrate how the student’s needs are being fully met.
Digital Skills for Learning
This was a two week unit in which we went through the design process to create a game for learning and a collaborative STEAM Project-Based Learning assignment. In the second week, we used the feedback we received from our peers and instructor to update the scope of our game and projects.
For my game, I created an interdisciplinary Role-Play game using mathematics and economics, in which the students will be able to identify and count American money as well as understanding the difference between goods and services. You can find a PDF of my game design here.
For our collaborative STEAM PBL, we designed an interdisciplinary project for students to build a community zoo. We showcased our project on a website that you can find here. I also dove a little deeper into the math standards to build upon our group work which you can find here.
Managing the Learning Environment
Climate and Culture of the Learning Environment
In this unit, we researched and discussed with our cohort ways to build a positive classroom climate and culture that we can implement in our classrooms. I made a collaborative list of examples and non-examples of norms for creating a positive classroom climate along with strategies that can be applied to an in-person and online environment, which can be found here. I also started developing the first part of my 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment' by writing a reflection on my idea of a positive classroom climate, including strategies that I researched and would like to implement in my classroom, which can be found here.
Strategies for Managing the Learning Environment
In this unit, we focused on planning norms, expectations, procedures, and routines for our 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment'. Our norms and expectations should be positively framed, clearly communicated and agreed-upon by all stakeholders in the classroom in order to create a safe, engaging, and student-centered learning environment. My ideas for norms and expectations can be found here. We also focused on planning routines and procedures to help effectively manage physical and online learning environments. To have a classroom conducive to learning, it is important to have routines developed so that students know what to expect and what to do in the classroom. My ideas for routines and procedures can be found here.
Plan for Improvement in the Learning Environment
For this unit, we focused on transitions for our 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment'. These transitions are to make the best use of instructional and learning time by developing, planning, teaching, and practicing procedures for all activities in the classroom, which also take into consideration ELL and students with special needs and physical impairments. My ideas for transitions can be found here.
Managing Student Behavior
For this unit, we explored different ways of managing disruptive student behavior, including social-emotional learning and whole brain teaching. I collaborated on developing case studies of disruptive student behavior in the physical and online classrooms and strategies for dealing with that behavior which can be found here.
We continued this unit by researching different types of traumatic stress, the symptoms in students, and how we could respond to different events. I developed my 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment' about this topic, which can be found here and our class produced a Coggle Mind Map to show our findings.
Role of Families and Technology for Managing the Learning Environment
For this unit, we reviewed various technology applications that can be used to support our classrooms. I created a presentation that analyzed Newsela, Quizizz, and IXL and discussed what the apps are, how they can be used in an online and physical environment, and their effectiveness in managing the learning environment.
We applied this concept for our 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment' by discussing the rationale and use of various technology applications for the physical and online learning environments, which can be found here.
This week we also discussed the importance of communicating effectively with students’ families and involving them in creating a system of support for our students. We finished our 'Plan for Managing the Learning Environment' which can be found here.
Managing Challenging Student Behavior
For this unit, we worked on identifying the learning management techniques that can be used to enhance the culture of the classroom as well as ideas to handle challenging behavior of students. To explore this topic more, we designed a behavior management plan case study for a disruptive student.
Student Assessments
Designing Assessments
We started this unit by examining different types of assessments to determine the purpose and role that assessments play in student learning. I collaborated on a Coggle Mind Map about different types of assessments that can be used in the classroom, why they are used, examples, and other useful information. Later in the unit, I designed and modified three formative assessments to meet the needs of all learners in the classroom. You can find descriptions and modifications of my formative assessments here and links to each assessment below.
Formative 1 - Forming Regular Plural Nouns by adding s or es Kahoot
Formative 2 - Fluently add and subtract within 5
Formative 3 - Correctly name shapes regardless of their orientations or overall size
Evaluating Student Performance
For this unit, we created rubrics to assess performance in a project-based learning unit. I based my rubrics off my collaborative zoo project from the Digital Skills for Learning section above. I described the project in more detail and designed two rubrics; one that the students can use to self and peer assess and one that I would use to evaluate their performance, which can be found here. I also examined how to monitor and provide feedback throughout our zoo project and plan for remediation and extension for students after evaluating a student project. This can be found here.
Data Driven Instruction
For this unit, I work with my group to learn more about the RTI framework and identify resources and strategies that can be used to support students throughout the process. Then I described how I would apply the RTI process to a student case study to meet student academic needs, which can be found here. For the next part of this unit, I created a spreadsheet and analyzed the data to inform instruction, differentiation, and student grouping. I explored how homogenous and heterogeneous groupings could be utilized for my class and support differentiation of instruction for these students. I created an infographic about the groupings which outlines the strategies I would utilize with each group and includes direct links to the activities I would use with each group.
Differentiating Assessments and Communicating Results
For this unit, I designed differentiated assessments for an English language learner and a student with special needs in an inclusive classroom based on a case study I wrote. Based on the original assessment, I created an alternative assessment for the ELL student and created a graphic organizer to modify the assessment for a special eduction student, which can be found here. I also collaborated on a document that evaluates strategies for communicating assessment results to parents/caregivers and building partnerships for setting high expectations and using positive reinforcements to improve student performance. We created a Storyboard to show a possible parent communication scenario.
Planning and Preparation for Learning
Standards
For this unit, we unpacked standards to identify the knowledge and skills that students must demonstrate to meet the standards. I chose a KG math standard from the Common Core State Standards and made a video in which I explained why I chose the standard, the big ideas of the standard, the skills that students should develop in meeting the standard and the verbs in the standard to help identify the skills and inform the learning objectives. I also included activities for in-person and online that engage students who can show that they are learning the knowledge and developing the skills identified in the standard and a description of how I would assess students’ mastery of the standard and how I would monitor the progress towards mastery, including students with varying literacy skills. For the second part of this unit, I wrote the sequence of three units for a Curriculum Map, including the unit for the standard I unpacked in the video about, the unit preceding it and the unit following it. For the curriculum map, I included prerequisite skills from the previous unit, proficiencies for what students will be able to do by the end of the unit, literacy skills for the vocabulary and other literacy skills will the students learn by the end of the unit, formative and summative assessments for how I would monitor progress and evaluate mastery, projects & activities for how students would learn the topic (both in-person and online) in order to achieve mastery, and next steps for what I would do after completing the unit, such as review, re-teach, extend or move to the next topic.
Unit Planning
For this unit, we explored the difference between goals and objectives and created overarching goals and objectives for the standard from my previous unit. We then planned an objective-oriented unit that outlined summative and formative assessments, and designed projects and activities with differentiation, for all the lessons within the unit. My unit plan can be found here.
Lesson Planning
For this unit, we wrote an innovative lesson plan that requires students to use 21st Century skills based on one of the lessons from our unit plan above. In my lesson plan, I included the standards and lesson objectives, literacy skills including vocabulary and oral development, student diversity and differentiation, assessment strategy, and technology and 21st century skills.
Teaching Practice and Proficiency
Clinical Practice
Lesson Plans
My first lesson plan is based on Social-Emotional Learning and ELA standards around the book "Fill a Bucket".
My second lesson plan is related to Math standards for students to recognize and extend patterns.
My third lesson plan is related to Science for students to explore their senses and investigate the challenges of missing the sense of sight.
My fourth lesson plan is related to Math standards for students to classify objects using at least one attribute and describe how they classified it.
My fifth lesson plan is related to our Social Studies topic of Community Helpers combined with our Math topic of counting.
Reflection
After each lesson, my mentor and I discussed her observations from my teaching. We analyzed my teaching of my lesson and reflected about my strengths and areas of growth. You can find my recorded mentor debriefs below.
Lesson 1 (Fill a Bucket) - mentor debrief video.
Lesson 2 (Patterns) - mentor debrief video.
Lesson 3 (Senses) - mentor debrief video.
Lesson 4 - (Sorting) - mentor debrief video.
Lesson 5 - (Community Helpers and Counting) - mentor debrief video.
Presentations
Throughout this unit, we worked on various projects. I created an interactive, student centered presentation that lead to a detailed discussion with my cohort about Standard 2 (Learner Differences) from the Teach Now Clinical Rubric.
I also created a presentation for a case study about a student struggling with academic achievement and behavioral issues in the classroom from my clinical classroom. I gathered data from this student, discussed her with my mentor teacher on an ongoing basis, and presented about her for my cohort to discuss and provide suggestions for next steps in working with her.
We also collected data over the course of our 12-week clinical practice period and reflected on the progress your students have made overall. For this assignments, I compared the data I collected in the diagnostic assessments throughout your clinical practice. I used the student achievement data to determine overall student performance and growth during the clinical practice program, which can be found here.
I also completed a scavenger hunt as a professional development activity with my peers to initiate our own continuous learning and development process. Please find my Canva presentation here.