Early Childhood Care and Education III (2013)

Early Childhood Care and Education III

Demonstrate employability skills required by business and industry

Recognize, identify, and explore the benefits of child-directed play.

Determine activities necessary to support early childhood communication and language development.

Using observational and research methods, provide appropriate responses to children who might exhibit challenging behavior and employ various guidance methods for redirecting undesirable behavior in a positive, nurturing manner. 

Examine current trends affecting children and caregivers.

Explore the changing dynamics in family culture and diversity.

Examine the causes and effects of stress on young children

Explore appropriate technology integration for the young child.

Formulate concepts using Georgia's Better Brains for Babies training materials as background information to study the importance of early brain development.

Discover an infant's nutritional needs as well as foods to avoid.

Communicate effectively through writing, speaking, listening, reading, and interpersonal abilities

Demonstrate creativity by asking challenging questions and applying innovative procedures and methods.

Exhibit critical thinking and problem solving skills to locate, analyze and apply information in career planning and employment situations.

 Model work readiness traits required for success in the workplace including integrity, honesty, accountability, punctuality, time management, and respect for diversity

Apply the appropriate skill sets to be productive in a changing, technological, diverse workplace to be able to work independently and apply team work skills

 Present a professional image through appearance, behavior and language.

 Identify the types and stages of age appropriate play. 

Explain the difference between child-directed play and teacher-directed play.

Role play the teacher’s role in supporting children’s play. 

Analyze the value of play as children's work as it relates to learning and development.

Model open-ended questions that will extend children's learning and interactions with others. 

Explore gender differences relating to play

Investigate the requirements for organized play areas in the classroom that are found on typical classroom environment rating scales. For Georgia Industry Certification purposes the Georgia Early Childhood Education Foundation requires the Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ITERS-R) and the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (ECERS-R).

Plan and create a developmentally appropriate indoor environment that enhances play-based learning.

Plan and create a nature-based outdoor environment that enhances children’s discovery and learning. 

Describe the importance of recognizing and responding appropriately to infant communication (i.e. crying, eye contact, looking away, smiling, babbling, cooing) and caregiver response.

Examine appropriate caregiver responses that may include use of appropriate words instead of pointing, use of age-appropriate speech, and the role of the caregiver as a verbal “tour guide.”

Demonstrate effective techniques for shared attention between caregiver and infant.

Practice turn taking in play and “conversation” with infants and toddlers.

Explain the connection between motor imitation and verbal tasks for speech development (imitate the following motor tasks: clap, wave, blow a kiss, etc.).

Describe the importance of toddler sound imitation with movement to develop language (train: choo-choo). 

Describe the importance of reading to children from infancy throughout childhood.

Discuss typical "misbehavior" or "challenging behavior" exhibited by young children.

Recognize developmentally appropriate behavior that might be exhibited by children during each stage of the child's development: infancy, toddler, preschool child (4-5), school age child (6-10), pre-teen (11-13), and teenager (14-17).

 Explore the possible causes (e.g., change in family dynamics, change in typical activity patterns, economic or other social) for changes in children's behavior.

Identify appropriate and inappropriate methods of discipline and child guidance as it relates to the state laws of Georgia.

Analyze the importance of a caregiver’s efforts to establish a positive, warm, caring, and nurturing environment of mutual respect when guiding the behavior of children.

Research various methods and practices for working with children who exhibit challenging behaviors that allows the child to retain their dignity and self-esteem. 

Assess how children of differing ability levels (i.e. special needs, challenging family circumstances) may exhibit behaviors that are considered challenging and how approaches to guidance or discipline should be acknowledged and modified. 

Identify and explore elements of parenting including theories about attachment and specific practices that parents use (e.g., baby wearing, co-sleeping, etc.).

Research various parenting styles (e.g., authoritarian, authoritative, permissive, neglectful) and their effect on children's behavior and personalities.

Compare and contrast educational options for families who are choosing early learning environments for their children (e.g., family child care, center-based child care, Head Start, mother’s morning out, etc.).

Review recent news related to children and/or care giving (e.g., Georgia’s Quality Rating System, safety of child care environments, costs of child care).

Explain the role of families in today’s society and the influence on children’s development.

Explore modern families and their practices, beliefs, and experiences with children, including ethnic and racial demographics, role of economic sustainability, parental involvement, etc.

Model methods of appropriately communicating with families.

Devise methods of recognizing and incorporating a child’s home culture in the classroom.

Demonstrate methods to encourage children’s use of home language and, if not English, the development of English proficiency in the school setting.

Research a variety of cultures and demonstrate how to include the traditions and experiences of that culture in the classroom.

Discuss internal and external stressors (i.e. hypersensitivity to environmental conditions, over-and -under stimulation, poverty, hunger, pain, chronic/life-threatening illness, change in family composition, death, bullying, exposure to violence/terrorism, excessive expectation for accomplishment) that may be present in children’s lives.

Analyze the vulnerability of young children to stress, using the materials provided by the Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child http://developingchild.harvard.edu/ and assess the long-term consequences of severe and/or on-going stress on children's physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development.

Describe how stress manifests itself physically in children's behavior.

Identify appropriate caregiver responses to children in stress. 

Research community resources and services available to assist children and families dealing with stressful circumstances. 

Review and describe national position statements on the role of technology for young children (i.e., NAEYC Position Statement on Technology).

Discuss effects of unmonitored or excessive use of technology on the young child: social/emotional, intellectual, and physical development. Discuss appropriate limits for children’s time with technological devices. 

Analyze technology available and appropriate limits for the use of technology (TV, computers, cameras, iPads, assistive, etc.) while considering children’s developmental levels of young child.

Identify age appropriate technologies and software available.

Assess the caregiver role of monitoring technology use in the learning environment (screen time, age appropriate rating, live gaming, etc.). 

Review the basic organization of the brain and explain the cells that make the brain.

Describe the basic processes and timeline of brain development.

Explore how experience influences the brain's wiring and development.

Identify the connections between the brain and other areas of child development, such as: physical well-being, attachment, play, consistency, stress, and trauma.

Compare the benefits of breast milk and formula.

Recognize the many factors that contribute to the choice of a caregiver to choose breastfeeding versus bottle-feeding.

Explore factors that affect successful breastfeeding or bottle feeding.

Interpret breastfeeding challenges and solutions. 

Describe the process, safety factors, and recommended timelines to consider for introducing solid foods to an infant based on guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Identify food-related hazards for infants and young children.

Evaluate the characteristics of a high-quality children's book using developmentally-appropriate guidelines.