Assignment:
Part 1
Read and answer the following questions:
1. Define developmental principles and preschoolers.
2. Define accreditation, academic, prekindergartens and early learning standards.
3. List eight (8) new trends and concerns encountered in the early childhood field.
4. What is the position statement on developmentally appropriate practice?
5. List five (5) guidelines of early childhood practice.
6. Define polarities and assessment.
7. List several characteristics of intentional teaching.
8. What are three (3) important kinds of information and knowledge that form the basis of professional decision making?
9. Define genetic, experiential, temperament, disabilities, developmental delays and culture.
10. List three (3) dimensions that must be given attention when planning truly developmentally appropriate programs.
11. Define domain, cognitive, sequence, chronological and heredity.
12. List several characteristics of a good preschool.
13. Define neurobiological, sensorimotor, symbolic and constructivism.
14. Define scaffolding, interrelationships and continuum.
15. Explain interdependence.
16. List and explain the four (4) important areas of development.
17. Define internalize, longitudinal studies, key developmental indicators, dispositions, initiative, divergent and facilitator.
18. How are children at risk because of stress?
19. Do the benefits in later academic situations justify the earlier stress caused by pushing academic learning prematurely onto young children?
20. List ten (10) misunderstandings about developmentally appropriate practice. Pick one that you can relate to and explain your feelings toward the subject.
21. Define foundational and rote-learning.
22. Explain the DISTAR approach.
23. Define literacy and objectives.
Part 2
Social Studies for the Preschool/Primary Child
1. What are the two main purposes for the social studies?
2. What kind of education for children did John Dewey promote?
3. Describe the social studies curriculum initiated by Lucy Sprague Mitchell.
4. Define spiral curriculum. List the areas of emphasis for K-3rd grade.
5. Define what Mitchell meant by relationship thinking.
6. List the four (4) principles of Piaget and Vygotsky that were congruent with Mitchell's beliefs.
7. List the eight (8) components of the social-living curriculum of the 1930's and 1940's.
8. What was the failure of the social-living curriculum?
9. Explain holiday curriculum. How should holidays be used in the curriculum?
10. What was Sputnik?
11. Describe the kindergarten program according to Robison and Spodek.
12. Explain the War on Poverty. Give specifics about what was included in the War on Poverty and the results of this initiative.
13. What did Piaget believe about children? List the four (4) stages of cognitive development and the ages groups associated with each stage.
14. List the six (6) beliefs of Vygotsky.
15. List seven (7) areas which need to be included in the social studies curriculum.
16. List ten (10) themes around which social studies teaching can be organized.
17. List four (4) standards from the National Standards for Civics and Government that students in school should learn.
18. Define scope and sequence.
19. Describe the skills areas for the following: Reggio Emilia; High/Scope, and Montessori.