ECE 256

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COURSE SYLLABUS

1.	TITLE OF COURSE:	Working with Parents, Families and Communities
	PREFIX/NUMBER:	ECE 256	CREDIT HOURS:	3
2.	PREREQUISITE:	NONE

3.	RESOURCES NEEDED:
	TEXT:	Home, School and Communities
	SUPPLIES:
4.	COURSE DESCRIPTION:
5.	COURSE GOAL:	This course will address the factors present in children’s lives, which foster resiliency and counteract community, family and individual risk factors. General information on the goals, structure and standards of the early childhood home visit and specific strategies for interacting with families around issues pertaining to the educational development of the young child to improve educational and social outcomes will be included.

6.	COURSE OBJECTIVES:
	By the end of the course, students will:
Unit I	(A)	Learn about parenting and current roles.
		1.	The student will define the word “family.”
		2.	The student will explain the role parents play in the home, schools and community.
		3.	The student will identify sociological trends in parenting.
		4.	The student will examine the history of parent involvement in early education.
		5.	The student will evaluate the potential barriers to building partnerships with parents.
		6.	The student will discuss the possible benefits and/or problems with parent involvement in the classroom and meetings.
Unit II	(B)	Learn about the historical perspectives of the home visit.
		1.	The student will discuss the history and intent of home visitations and the Colorado Preschool Program.
		2.	The student will recognize the impact of effective home based interventions through CPP (Colorado Preschool Program).
		3.	The student will identify standard home visitation guidelines.
		4.	The student will determine ideal outcomes of home visitations.
		5.	The student will explore the research on “resiliency and risk.”
Unit III	(C)	Understand that families are unique.
		1.	The student will discuss methods used to create a classroom environment that is respectful of differences and explore implications for home visitation approaches.
		2.	The student, in the role of a caregiver, will examine how their own values influence the ways in which they view others.
		3.	The student will recognize the importance of meeting families in the context of their cultural and family values.
		4.	The student will be aware of multicultural issues in child care.
			a.	Perceiving and responding to differences
				1.)	Values
				2.)	Ethnicity
				3.)	Economic status
				4.)	Disabilities and special needs
			b.	Communicating across cultures
				1.)	Interpreting the meaning of behavior
				2.)	The influence of caregiver’s attitudes on learning
			c.	Examples of cultural conflict
				1.)	Toilet training
				2.)	Feeding and sleeping
				3.)	Play and exploration
				4.)	Attachment and separation
				5.)	Socialization
Unit IV	(D)	Learn about informal assessments and how information is gathered and recorded in order to foster the healthy development of the family’s child and/or children.
		1.	The student will assess the home/family environment through observation of family routines, rituals and the presence of developmentally appropriate materials.
		2.	The student will practice using “engaging questions” as assessment tools.
		3.	The student will be able to identify appropriate responses to attachment disorders, child abuse and neglect, domestic violence and be able to adapt classroom techniques and interventions as the assessment provides information.
Unit V	(E)	Learn how to develop positive relationships with the parents of the young children with which they work.
		1.	The student will identify materials, activities and strategies which foster positive parent-child interaction and appropriate child development.
		2.	The student will explain how to work with parents as partners in the education and care of their children.
		3.	The student will describe safety measures to use when on a home visit.
		4.	The student will recognize the value of and determine ways to utilize supervision and consultation.
		5.	The student will recognize the importance of parent-caregiver conferences.
			a.	Preparation for a successful conference
			b.	Strategies for a successful conference
			c.	Pitfalls to avoid for a successful conference
Unit VI	(F)	Understand how to build strong relationships and foster trust and family involvement.
		1.	The student will gain an awareness of how the attitude and approach of the home visitor affects the quality of the visits and the relationship established with the family.
		2.	The student will learn effective communication skills including active listening, modeling and empathy.
		3.	The student will foster the concept of the parents as being contributors to the child’s education.
		4.	The student will recognize the value of being able to engage parents by involving them in creative activities and discussing problem solving and discipline issues.
		5.	The student will recognize the need for a home visitor stress management plan.
Unit VII	(G)	Work to resolve issues when working with parents in particular circumstances
		1.	The student will demonstrate how to work with troublesome attitudes and behaviors from parents
			a.	Hostility
			b.	Indifference
			c.	Over-involvement
			d.	Other causes of tension
		2.	The student will demonstrate how to work with parents who are faced with unusual or particular circumstances.
			a.	Undergoing change due to divorce or separation
			b.	Parents of children with special needs
			c.	Working with families when abuse occurs
			d.	Working with adoptive families

7.	EVALUATION PROCEDURES:
		Grading Scale Raw Score Range	Letter Grade
		90 to 100	A
		80 to 89	B
		70 to 79	C
		60 to 69	D
		0 to 59	F

Special Remarks:
1.	Attendance: Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students. A record of attendance will be kept by the instructor for the entire length of the course. Students will be counted absent from class sessions missed, beginning with the first official date of class. A 20% absence from each enrolled lecture or lab course will be taken as evidence that the student does not intend to complete the course. College policy states that students may be dropped from enrollment when absent 20% of the scheduled class meetings. If enrolled from the beginning of the term, 15 hours will usually constitute 20% of a four-credit semester course that meets five hours per week. Reinstatement procedures are described in the PCC catalog.
2.	Tardy Policy: A student who is late three times (enters classroom after the instructor has taken roll) will be charged with one full absence unless the student can provide valid reasons for one or more of these tardies.
3.	Assignments/Missed Exams: No make-up tests will be given. Assignments and exams will not be accepted past the due date given by the instructor.

8.	COURSE OUTLINE:
9.	METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:
	To be successful in this course, students are expected to participate in discussions, readings, in-class writing, and peer review activities. The instructor may assign point values to such activities.
10.	ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
	The very nature of higher education requires that students adhere to accepted standards of academic integrity. Therefore, Pueblo Community College has adopted a policy of academic conduct as described in the Student Handbook. Violation of academic integrity may be defined to include the following: cheating, plagiarism, falsification and fabrication, abuse of academic materials, complicity in academic dishonesty, and personal misrepresentation. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the behaviors that constitute academic dishonesty. Sanctions for violating the standards of academic integrity may include warning, probation, suspension, and/or failure of the course or assignment at the discretion of the instructor.
11.	ADA NOTICE:
	Students who have a documented disability may be eligible to receive accommodations for this class. Please contact the Disability Resources Center at 549-3446 for further information.