EDUCATION 420:
CHILD DEVELOPMENT IN THE FAMILY, SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

Fall 2008

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web site: www.sonoma.edu/users/f/filp/ed420

PLEASE CHECK THE WEB WEEKLY FOR THE COURSE SCHEDULE, ONLINE READINGS, ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION

COURSE CALENDAR

   

 

Book Club Selections Book Club Questions

Assignment guidelines

Study guides

Grading Criteria

Sample Papers

 

Book Club Groups

 

Course Requirements
 Academic Honesty  Special Accommodations

General Education
Learning Objectives

Images Wernher Krutein. photovalet.com

Instructor: Johanna Filp-Hanke, Ph. D., Office: ST 3096-B Phone: 664-2280

E-mail: johanna.filp@sonoma.edu; Office hours: Thursdays: 4:00 - 5:00 pm, or by appointment 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

I have always been fascinated and intrigued by human beings, our development, our reactions, the worlds we create. Everyday I encounter people and events that puzzle me, "big" people, heroes, like Helen Keller, or Gandhi, and "little" people like me or the ones we encounter everyday. How did they become who they are, what circumstances shaped them? How can we explain tragic events -such as Columbine, child abuse- and beautiful events -the everyday caring of people, poetry, wisdom? How can we support the growth and development of children and human beings, so that they become healthy adults able" to work and love" ?

In this course we will explore the physical, cognitive, social, emotional, moral, and language development of children from birth through adolescence. Major theories of child development are studied and applications and critiques of theories as they relate to children from a variety of cultural and family backgrounds are discussed. Children's experiences in families, schools, and communities are studied as they relate to children's views of the world, including health and discipline practices. The impact of family and child rearing beliefs, gender issues, and language development are discussed as they relate to developmentally-based practices in educational settings. We also will discuss effective school-family communication practices for a diverse society, and community resources available to support families, including those that address issues of poverty and violence and the effects of these on children and their families.

  2. The Scientist in the Crib. What Early Learning Tells Us About the Mind .By Alison Gopnik, Andrew N. Meltzoff, Patricia K. Kuhl. HarperCollins, 2000.

  3. Additional articles will be assigned throughout the course to supplement and enrich the textbook information. These will be available on line, in a reader, or be handed out in class. Please check the course website for these readings.

  4. List of books for the book club

    RECOMMENDED TEXT

  5. Positive Discipline in the Classroom, Revised 3rd Edition: Developing Mutual Respect, Cooperation, and Responsibility in Your Classroom (Positive Discipline) by Jane Ed.D. Nelsen, Lynn Lott, and H. Stephen Glenn (Paperback - Mar 30, 2000)

    COURSE  OBJECTIVES

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development which occurs in childhood from infancy through adolescence.
2. Demonstrate understanding of the effects of the family, school and the community in the growth and development of the child, with special emphasis on special needs, multicultural issues, the impact of poverty, discrimination and equity.
3. Articulate ways in which the theories of child development impact educational programs, parenting and teaching strategies, and materials designed for children.
4. Identify a variety of community resources which are available to support children and families. 

GENERAL EDUCATION OBJECTIVES ADDRESSED

1.Acquire a foundation of intellectual skills and capacities including:
developing intellectual curiosity; developing research skills; writing and
speaking effectively to various audiences; evaluating everyday experiences
critically; working collaboratively; developing skills in using
information technology; imagining, designing and executing scholarly and
creative projects
2.Develop social and global knowledge including: understanding human
diversity and multicultural perspectives; actively engaging in the
community; understanding the global environment; understanding social
justice issues
3. Use multiple methods of inquiry and approaches to knowledge
4. Develop capacities for integration and lifelong learning: including
integrating general education experiences; engaging in responsible
citizenship

 COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. Class attendance and participation: It is important that you come to class regularly and stay for the whole period. It will be difficult for you to make up your absence by getting the class notes, because we will be discussing the readings and conducting different learning experiences. Our class meetings are designed with the expectation that you have read all of the assigned readings prior to coming to class. Be prepared to share your understandings and questions about the readings. In our class discussions, please remember to respect divergent ideas and that our different life experiences have shaped our views.  Also be sensitive to allowing your classmates equal access "to the floor", as well as actively listening to their comments.  

Please email me in advance if you will not be able to attend classes. If you are absent for more than one class meeting, your grade will be affected. If you miss more than three classes you will fail the class. Of  course, I will take into consideration special cases, such as illness, family emergencies or other unforeseen crises. These have to be properly documented. It is your responsibility to find out what you have missed when you are absent, and to make-up any in-class assignments that were given. Being absent does not excuse you from anything that was discussed or due in class.

2. In depth research study: Choose a topic which holds a personal interest for you and which relates to the content of this course. Formulate a question and research the topic in scholarly journals. Interview one person in the field regarding your topic. Present your final results in research paper format. Any of the ideas which we have discussed in class or are covered in the textbook are suitable to study. You may work with a partner or by yourself. If you work with a partner, the study must include more complex components than an individual study. Topics must be approved before beginning this project. Please let me know if I can help in any way. For more details about this assignment click here

3. Mid-term and final in class essay exam:

4. Mini-Assignments: At different points of the semester you will complete different types of small assignments, such as observe a child, interview a friend, bring a research article, etc. Check the course calendar for these assignments. Most of them will be posted on webct.

5.

GRADING CRITERIA

Your grade in this course will be based on your completion of all course requirements. Your written work will be graded according to how fully and completely you demonstrate understanding of the course content and how well you integrate your knowledge with practical examples. All of your writing should include your own analysis and synthesis.  Attention will also be given to the clarity and organization of your writing. Please check the Criteria for Good Writing.  Make sure that your papers follow professional standards of presentation. The format and presentation should be equal in quality as the work you are expected to submit as a professional. Proof read your papers for spelling errors, grammatical usage, sentence structure, and clarity. You can also go to the  Writing Center at  SSU  where you will receive excellent assistance in editing your papers (and it’s free). Useful  resources for your writing process are available on the Writing Center Web site. 

Late papers are not accepted. Your final grade will be calculated on the basis of your performance on the course requirements and will be weighted as follows:

Assignments

Points

TOTAL

500

The basis for letter grades is as follows:

A

Outstanding performance (you went the extra mile)

A-= 90-94 %

A= 95-98

A+= 99-100

B

Good performance

B-= 80-83 %

B= 84-87

B+= 88-89

C

Satisfactory performance

C-= 70-73 %

C= 74-77

C+= 78-79

D

Poor Performance

D-= 60-63 %

D= 65-67

D+= 68-69

F

Failing

Less than 60%

    

Note:Percentages are calculated on the basis of a maximum of 500 points. 

A brief reflection on grades: Please remember that grades are not a measure of the value of the students as a human being. They are a measure of demonstrated performance on specified criteria in a particular class. Please keep this in mind, because sometimes we tend to take grades very personally and our feelings get hurt unnecessarily.



Some important issues to keep in mind 

1. Special Accommodations:. If you have a disability that requires accommodation in this class, you must notify me before the end of the second week of class regarding the nature of the accommodation(s) you require. You must register with the campus office of Disabled Student Services, located in Salazar Hall. DSS will provide you with written confirmation of your verified disability and authorize recommended accommodations. This authorization must be presented to me before any accommodations can be made.

2. Use of Sources: In your writing for this class, you will be referring to ideas from the textbooks and other sources. Make sure that you cite the references; please follow APA standards for citation format.  (click on this link on the course website to obtain information about this citation style). If you are taking language directly from other sources, use quotation marks. If you are paraphrasing ideas, you must use your own words and list the reference following the sentence.

3. Hand in your assignments on time: No late assignments are accepted. Keep a hard copy of the assignments you hand in. I will write comments on your papers to give you feed back. Also, in the unlikely event that an assignment is lost, the burden of proof that you completed the assignment rests with you.  Some of the assignments will also be posted on the web, please check the guidelines for each assignment.

4. Academic Honesty: My relationship with you is based on honor and mutual trust. Your work should reflect your own learning, thinking and elaboration. Also, all work handed in needs to be prepared specifically for this course. If  you give me any reason to doubt that you have completed the work yourself or that the paper has been handed in for another course as well, I will have to proceed according to the  SSU  Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism. Make sure you cite sources appropriately; not crediting a source used can be construed as plagiarism. This includes sources from books, movies, the Internet, etc. If you have any questions about this issue, please come and talk to me before you hand in your work. All written papers should be submitted to Turnitin. More details will be provided in class.