Upon successful completion of this course students will:Course Requirements:Journal articles review/presentation 2@10 each = 20Grading scaleImportant NotesEARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULEJournal #1 due today. Be prepared to share insightRead chapters 8&9Guest Presenter: Professor Betty Smith-Banks ( Budget)GROUP PROJECTSGROUP #1AQUINAS COLLEGE Early Childhood Education, School of Education The Mission of Aquinas College School of Education is to facilitate the development of competent, compassionate and committed educators of integrity. COURSE SYLLABUS AND CALENDAR EN 621 – EARLY CHILDHOOD ADMINISTRATION Fall 2004 Professor: Dr. Nkechy Ezeh Office: Browne Center Room 120 Home Number: (616) 475-7861 Office Hours: By Appointment Office Number: (616) 632-2431 Fax Number: (616) 732-4465 Class Time: Q2: Tuesday 6:30- 10:30PM Prerequiste: EN 201, EN 304, EN Email: [email protected] 320 & EN 322 Textbooks and Instructional Materials: Required Text: Taylor, Barbara (2002) Early Childhood Program Management – ople and ProceduresPe. Merrill – Prentice Hall - Fourth Edition Course Description: Students will examine the early childhood administrator’s role in directing a quality and successful early childhood center. Topics include personnel and finance management, policy development, accreditation standards, ethical decision-making, safety, childcare licensing laws, communication skills, professionalism, sound health and nutrition practices and business practice. The collaborative systems of management in Reggio Emilia, Italy and other quality early childhood programs will also be explored. Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course students will: 1. Explore the skills necessary to be a successful administrator of an early childhood center; 2. Describe the process of selecting and retaining qualified staff, 3. Understand the relationship and importance of policy development , personal management, staff development and communicating with the public; 4. Identifying the requirements of child care licensing laws; 5. Understand the importance of Early Childhood Accreditation;6. Define a budget, list expenses, and sources of income and describe financial planning. Method for Instruction Classes will be a mixture of lecture, discussions and cooperative learning activities focusing on central topics. Students are responsible for all assigned material. Class discussions may not completely address all issues; however, supplementary sources and outside speakers will enrich the classroom experience. Students are expected to be active participants in class discussion, both within the small and large group formats. To achieve this, it is important to read assigned material and be prepared to discuss the topics. Course Requirements: A. Attendance: The most efficient way to learn course material is by attending class. You also have a responsibility to your team members to be present and do your fair share of project work. When a class is missed, the student is responsible for securing all the information and completing missed assignments that are due at the following class unless otherwise noted by the professor. Please notify me in advance if you must be absent. The ourse final grade includes attendance. c B. Personal philosophy of early childhood education, In no less than two pages tell how you believe children learn, include in your thoughts on the role of the administrator, teacher, parents, the environment, material and families in early childhood education, What do you see as your style of leadership? How will that help you to accomplish your philosophy in your school? C. Review two professional journal articles on topics related to the administration of early childhood programs. Write a (two pages) summary of each article. (Main points, strength, weakness, and faulty reasoning). In addition, write a one-two paragraph reflective statement of your reaction to the ideas presented including how you will apply the ideas in your setting. Include a copy of the journal article. Keep in mind that this is to be a scholarly journal. “Parents Magazine” or “ mailbox” are not Professional Journals. They are good information resources but do not provide research based on information too professional. Prepare a 5-7 minute (interactive) class presentation on the gist - of the articles you reviewed. Describe the main points of the articles and the implication it would have for your practices as the director of an early childhood development program.D. Site Visitation - The purpose of this assignment is for you to shadow/talk individually with a center program administrator or director. The individual must be employed a minimum of one year and supervise two or more employees Write up a report of your findings and impressions. Use the following as a guide: Describe the setting. Include a description of the environment, number and ages of the children, hours of operation, and anything else you believe are significant. Describe the administrator. Include the individual’s qualifications and previous experiences with children. Why did she/he become an administrator? What are his/her responsibilities at the site? What are his/her greatest struggles and how do they deal with them? How does he/she hire and train new employees? How did he/she develop a business plan and budget? What advice would he/she give to someone who is a new administrator? What are some of the ways that parents are actively involved at the school? Use your imagination in coming up with more questions. Be sure to call ahead to make an appointment at the connivance of both you and the program. Be prepared to share your insight/ experience in class E. Group project: This assignment is covered in a separate andout and will be discussed at length during the course. h F. Graduate Requirement: Term Paper: This is a formal paper and should be 8-10 typewritten pages. Choose an administrative topic or management of an educational program of interest to you. Topics must correlate with the subject matter covered in this course. Please do not write on a topic you have already used in another class. Research your chosen area using a balance of journals, the internet and books other than the class text and articles. Discuss the theory, beliefs or tenets in relation to application and practice (e.g. usefulness to you as an educator). APA style is