How do you research and choose websites to review/read for information, ideas and approaches? What did you know already about web data mining before this assignment?
What have you learned that might have enhanced your website searching?
Why is this topic important to you right now?
How can it be helpful to you? Which website did you find most helpful? Why?
So do you think these website quality guidelines are "generalizable" and could be used for other educational resources such as books, journals/ researched articles, newspaper reports/articles and YouTubes? Other forms of social media as well? Why? Why not?
Do you like textbook/text-based or video/visual formats better? Why? /
TOPIC 2
What is DEC?
Why learn about DEC?
How does DEC help you to become an effective teacher?
Choose one practice that you think is essential to you as a future teacher and why?
What are the 8 Focus Topics of DEC?
Why are they important?
What are Position and Concept papers? [Appendix C]? Choose 1 & briefly summarize it.
What are the 5 categories pp. 161-173 & how do you think have they changed since 2000?
Research one other DEC-related website you have found. What is it? Cite it here.
Do they need to change again now that we are in a virtual learning era due to covid and future teacher settings?
TOPIC 3
How do you define "artistic expression"?
Why is it important in life-in-general and in early childhood settings?
What is a personal experience you had?
How does it impact your teaching and your children's learning?
How do you measure/assess/grade artistic expression?
Is artistic expression a waste of time in your classroom? Why/why not?
There are lessons to the Virtual Lab about Creativity: Read lessons 1 [Intro] & 3 [Cultivating][ What did you learn that is very helpful to you? Were the teacher interviews and classroom clips beneficial to you? Why? How? Explain.
Explore/research & Do: As you explored artistic expression Early Childhood News, what did you find that was helpful to you? What do you recommend others to explore? Did you find an activity or an idea for an activity you could adapt to virtual learning? Which one?
Dig Deeper Discussion: Do you think early learners can be discouraged from artistic expression? Why? How?
How can the same learners be encouraged?
What's the role of the teacher in art expression?
Early Childhood News http://www.earlychildhoodnews.com/default.aspx
Virtual Lab School https://www.virtuallabschool.org/preschool/creative/lesson-1 & https://www.virtuallabschool.org/preschool/creative/lesson- -3
TOPIC 4
The Reggio Emilia approach is a very popular one in NYC and beyond for young children. Let's learn more.
After reading & viewing the YouTubes & Websites included below, answer the following questions: on Assignments with the title to this WK3 work.
What is it? Why is it?
How did it begin and where?
Have you been taught this way? Have your taught/assisted using this approach?
Would you like to? Why/why to? How can you adapt this approach to virtual learning settings?
Dig Deeper Discussion: Read the following quote & consider why some might support this quote, while others might reject it [be ready to debate the pros & cons in teams!]:
TOPIC 5
What is the purpose of this information?
What impresses you most?
What is your opinion of each web site?
How can teachers or parents use this information?
-https://earlychildhoodny.org/pdfs/NYS_Prek_Learning_Standards-2019.pdf
-https://www.naeyc.org/resources/position-statements/professional-standards-competencies
TOPIC 6
Read the following website from Scholastic to become more familiar with drama, music & movement for PreK-K children. https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/articles/teaching-content/music-movement-and-make-believe/
Then read the following website that provides the arts curriculum including Dance, Music, Drama & the4 Visual Arts and ideas for embedding these activities within a daily framework. Read & explore each topic with its activities & rationale for incorporating their uses. http://www.cpsarts.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Arts-in-the-Early-Childhood-Creative-Curriculum.pdf
Why are the arts so important in ECE?
What do I use already in each of these areas?
What is one in each area that I would like to use and why?
Which idea would I like to teach my peers in this class? Why?
TOPIC 7
Read and think theoretically about how children develop an understanding of the world based on some theorists' beliefs. Piaget, Vygotsky, etc? With whom do you agree? Why? How does culture play a role in children's understanding of the world? Do you think some older children & adults don't develop a theory of mind? What about children/adults on the spectrum? Why? How do you know? Do you think animals develop a theory of mind? https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-lifespandevelopment/chapter/childrens-understanding-of-the-world/
Next, learn more about the Culturally Responsive Classroom as presented by NAEYC articles. [2 are inaccessible and 1 is in Arabic so these you can skip over.] Think: What issues and ideas did you learn about? Why should teachers know about these issues and ideas? Have you faced any issues or used any of these activities in the classroom?
Sample Solution