Barbara uses digital video in both of the courses she teaches:
Course Details
Title: Early Childhood Curriculum Block
Level: Sophomore
Number of Students: 50
Syllabus:
Title: Early Childhood Practices
Level: Sophomore
Number of Students: 30
Syllabus:
Course Objectives and Methods
Barbara and her colleagues present the objectives for the Early Childhood Practices as follows.
Barbara reports that while the objectives aren't as explicitly stated for the "Curriculum Block" practicum course, there is a lot of overlap.
1. Work in context
1.1 Developing an evolving understanding of constructivism as it relates to: preparing the environment, collaborating on project development and set-ups, interpreting children's play, thinking, etc.
1.2a Communicating effectively with children, parents, and other staff members utilizing communication systems developed by each classroom as well as daily communication i.e. greetings, notes/phone calls as necessary.
1.2b Communicating with colleagues in an informed way during collaborative team meetings.
1.2c Communicating literately and effectively the ongoing investigations of the classroom with parents. This will include organizing ongoing and immediate evidence of children's thinking
(including documents as applicable) and emerging curriculum, in a way which helps teachers and children revisit earlier experiences and ideas. This will be done in collaboration with your mentor teachers.
1.2d Communicating visually through the organization of the environment, who lives in the space, what happens in the space, and the rationale for materials and objects available to children. The classroom environment and activities should meet the children's physiological, emotional, and intellectual needs, as well as organize for peer interaction and child responsibility. The environment should invite children to explore more deeply the materials that are available.
1.3 Maintaining documents e.g. video, portfolio, photos, transcripts, panels, journals and anecdotals. These documents should relate to (a.) the ongoing "thread" being investigated jointly with mentor teachers, (b) how the children use the environment, and (c) other activities negotiated with your course instructor.
2. Documents
2.1 Presenting documentation for public display and/or presentation (min. 2x's/semester: panel, book, parent discussions, imovie etc.) which summarizes and reflects the documents discussed in 1.3 above. This documentation may also be used as a basis for reflecting how you have met the state Standards for Vermont Educators and will be used as a portfolio entry at the end of the semester.
2.2 Maintaining a Field Book.
Primarily, Barbara and her colleagues use the following methods to reach these objectives:
large group seminar
discussions in which students share their experiences
a lot of reading
writing personal reflections
small group work--analysis of documentation
demonstration of observation processes
observation and coding practice
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