Developing a Personal Learning Philosophy (Benchmark Assignment)

For this assignment, use your field experience hours.

Examine a variety of early childhood learning theories and begin to articulate your own personal learning philosophy. Use course readings on particular theories and theorists, as well as the GCU Library for scholarly articles that can be used in support of your philosophy.

Write an essay of 1,000-1,250-words based on discussion with the classroom teacher and research. Include the following:

1. The nature/nurture concept and debate;
2. What it means to be an early childhood professional;
3. The role of the early childhood educator as a professional in the teaching and learning of children;
4. The role of the early childhood educator as an advocate on behalf of children;
5. The meaning of teaching and learning for Birth-Grade 3 children, including your views on the statement “all children can learn” and key assessment practices;
6. The role of technology in the education of young children; and
7. The importance of environment to teaching and learning for Birth-Grade 3 children.

Use 3-5 scholarly resources.

Prepare this assignment according to the GCU guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center. An abstract is not required.

NOTE:  For a professional presentation please remember to include the Rationale and Standards that apply to this assignment.

There are 20 hours of field experience required in this course and submission. The form can be found at:

http://students.gcu.edu/Documents/Practicum-Field-Experience-Observation-Activity-Log-8-8.pdf

You will design a visual classroom environment plan (1,000-1,250 words) that includes the physical arrangement and organization of materials and resources. Be creative; there are no money or size constraints.

Review the instructor feedback on your “Classroom Management Tools” from Topic 5.  In 250-500-words, describe your classroom environment plan, including how you will revise each of the following areas as well as provide an explanation for each improvement:

• Define classroom management policy
• Reinforcements and consequences for behavior
• Consider individual differences in ability, culture, and language
• Family support, routines, and schedules

Create two classroom environment maps, one for Birth-PK, the other for K-3.

• Label both maps with materials, furniture, and other design elements. Maps can be hand-drawn or computer generated, but must be submitted in a PDF or Word document.

In 500-750-words,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        describe best practices for development of a healthy, supportive, and challenging environment for learning. Include the following in your description:

• Diversity of your students
• Students interests and special needs
• Families as partners
• Rationale for both environments you designed. Justify each item in your designs (e.g., materials, furniture, design elements, how they are arranged).

Use 3-5 scholarly resources.

NOTE:  For a professional presentation please remember to include the Rationale and Standards that apply to this assignment.

Instructional and Behavioral Support of Students in an Early Childhood Classroom

1. Using your practicum/field experience and in an essay of 1,000-1,250 words, identify, analyze, and critique the instructional and behavioral support strategies that affect the learning of a typical, an atypical, and a gifted student. 
2. Identify the developmental milestones of each student. Use research to support your identification. Describe how the mentor teachers differentiate their classroom instruction to meet the needs of these students.
3. Be sure to provide specific examples of the differentiation strategies.
4. Describe the classroom environment, including the diverse learners in the classroom, culture, gender, socioeconomic factors, etc.
5. Explain what incentives and positive behavioral supports are in place within the classrooms and how each student responds. 
6. Identify what ongoing assessments are used and which are necessary to mark progress for each student, including progress toward IEP goals for the student with a disability.

Prepare this assignment according to the GCU guidelines found in the GCU Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center

 NOTE:  For a professional presentation please remember to include the Rationale and Standards that apply to this assignment. 

Wellness Week

For this benchmark, you will design a four-lesson curriculum unit and an end-of-unit event plan for wellness week that comprehensively covers health, safety, nutrition, and fitness for the Birth to Age 8/Grade 3 age group you hope to teach in the future, or the age group in which you spent the most practicum hours.

Use the format of one of the “Lesson Plan Templates” as a resource and include the following for each of the four lesson plans:

1. Clear, measurable learning objectives that align to early learning standards (ELS) as well as your state’s subject standards;
2. Anticipatory set;
3. Vocabulary;
4. Relevant materials and resources including visual or audio resources;
5. Differentiation of instruction to address the diverse needs of students; and
6. Assessments.

Next, design a 100-250-word culminating end-of-unit event plan for families. Include information about the following:

1. Health and safety issues to be addressed;
2. Nutritional food that will be served;
3. Physical activities that will take place; and
4. Ways families can share multiple perspectives on health, safety, nutrition, or physical activities relevant to their child, their family, their community, or their culture.  Include a unique way to incorporate these perspectives into the event.

NOTE:  For a professional presentation please remember to include the Rationale and Standards that apply to this assignment. 

Volunteer Plan

For this benchmark, research established volunteer plans. From your research, develop a volunteer plan with the following elements: 

1. Volunteer schedule that details differentiated activities in which family and specialized community volunteers can support the school.
   1. Include adult- and child-directed activities including whole group and small group, both indoors and outdoors.
2. Family volunteer activities comprehensively provide differentiated examples of what family volunteers and specialized community volunteers, groups, and organizations can contribute to the early childhood educational experience, while detailing explicit directives for what volunteers will be doing to provide classroom support. Provide explicit directives for what volunteers will be doing to provide classroom support.
3. Community involvement specialized activities involving community members, groups, and/or organizations.
4. Advocacy/Community support resources for young children and their families.
5. Advocacy/Community support resources for young children provide families with support as well as school and community resources in the area of food, clothing, shelter, adult/family education, and student academic support/guidance.

Reflection Essay

Write a 750-1,000-word reflection essay analyzing how your Volunteer Plan addresses the following:

1. Understanding diverse family and community characteristics;
2. Involving families and communities in young children’s development and learning;
3. Supporting and engaging families and communities through respectful, reciprocal relationships; and
4. Engaging in informed advocacy to optimize the learning opportunities for young children, strengthen the learning environment, and advance the early childhood profession.

Prepare the Reflection Essay according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

While APA format is not required for the Volunteer Plan, solid academic writing is expected.

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit the Reflection Essay to Turnitin.

NOTE:  For a professional presentation please remember to include the Rationale and Standards that apply to this assignment.