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If you have questions or comments, you can communicate with your instructor by email at professionaldevelopment@clarendonees.org.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
- Completeall lessons and activities.
- Share your thoughts on the Course Discussion Boardwhen required in the lessons by responding to the instructor’s questions. Feel free to offer positive comments to other participants! You must engage with the Discussion Board to pass the course.
- Complete the Knowledge Check.
- Complete the Course Evaluation.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
PARTICIPANTS WILL:
- Identify the major developmental domains.
- Recognize age-appropriate milestones.
- Describe key developmental theories and how they apply to FCC settings.
- Understand the purpose of developmental screenings.
- Strengthen observation and documentation skills.
- Communicate developmental concerns with families sensitively.
- Use developmentally appropriate practice (DAP) in planning environments and routines.
Course Discussion
Activity: Please respond to Question 10 on the Course Message Board: What is one change you plan to make in your practice based on what you learned about child growth, development, and screenings?
Education Assistance
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Activity: Please respond to Question 1 on the course message board: Why is understanding development + screenings matters in FCC settings?
Providers often spend more time with the children in their care than other adults do. We need to be aware of whether a child is developing appropriately for their age so we can inform the parents what we observe.
FCC providers are one of the first people outside of the child’s family to engage with and watch a child grow and progress. By monitoring a child’s developmental milestones, and challenges, closely they can be observed and addressed quickly. Providers with a good understanding of child development can help a child grow to the best they can be. They will also see where challenges are rising and discuss what they see with the parents, giving them knowledge to discuss with their pediatrician.
Activity: Please watch this video and answer question #2: https://youtu.be/JEAR8PlDXXc What age group do you work with? What can you do to help their development?
I currently work with children 2-4 years old and school age children. I adjust our activities so we all do the same things but at the level of their development. The older children like helping the younger and the younger children learn from the older.
I have a mixed age group. My license is for 6 + 2, meaning six children under 5 yrs and 2 school age children. With a wide range of ages from 3 months old to an afterschool 8 year old, I have to work within a wide range of developmental stages daily. I make notes during the day as I observe or interact with each child, then I gear my activities to encourage all to enjoy in some form.
Activity: Please respond to Question 3 on the Course Message Board: “What developmental changes have you noticed recently in your children?”
My 2 and 4 year olds have gone through changes consistent with their ages and abilities while my school age children have gone through more social changes due to their ages and interactions with peers.
Activity: Please respond to Question 4 on the Course Message Board: “Choose a child in your program. Which developmental theory best explains their behavior or learning style?”
I see J in Bronfenbrenner’s theory and the way this child and the mother interact.
Activity: Please respond to Question 5 on the Course Message Board: Carlos (2.5) plays with blocks. He places two on top, then knocks them over repeatedly while laughing. What domain(s) do you see? What might you write in an anecdotal note? Would you monitor or consider screening?
Carlos seems to be showing repetitive behavior. I would notate this but continue watching before suggesting screening.
Activity: Please respond to Question 6 on the Course Message Board: Describe three best practices in developmental screening?
observe, document and communicate with families
Activity: Please respond to Question 7 on the Course Message Board: Define an observation strategy and how to use it?
One strategy is note taking. I record my observations as soon as possible after observing and document it with dates and times and other important events such as before or after a meal.
Activity: Please respond to Question 8 on the Course Message Board: Juliana (3) hits other children during transitions. She has difficulty with waiting. How would you talk with the family?
I would speak to the family during a private moment, without the child there, after engaging them in some positive observations.
Activity: : Please watch this video and answer question #9 : https://youtu.be/XGDOI3s1xoM How can you apply Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) in your setting to support children’s learning and development, and what is one specific example of an activity or routine you would change or implement as a result?
I am going to change my child space for more separate areas for sensory and quiet spaces. I could also add more diverse supplies to my program. I already focus on effort and process over product and adapt activities to individual needs.
Activity: Please respond to Question 10 on the Course Message Board: What is one change you plan to make in your practice based on what you learned about child growth, development, and screenings?
I am going to modify my environment to give the children more independence in choosing free play activities.
Antes, eu observava mais de forma geral. Agora, vou:
Além disso, quero melhorar a comunicação com as famílias, compartilhando não só preocupações, mas também os progressos e pontos fortes das crianças, criando uma parceria mais forte.
Essa mudança vai me ajudar a:
No geral, minha prática ficará mais consciente, preventiva e centrada nas necessidades de cada criança.
Recentemente, notei várias mudanças importantes no desenvolvimento dos meus filhos em diferentes áreas. No aspecto físico, percebi que estão mais coordenados, conseguindo correr, pular e manipular objetos com mais precisão, o que mostra avanço nas habilidades motoras grossas e finas.
No desenvolvimento da linguagem, observei que estão ampliando o vocabulário, formando frases mais completas e conseguindo se comunicar com mais clareza, além de compreender melhor instruções e participar de conversas.
Em relação ao desenvolvimento cognitivo, eles demonstram maior curiosidade, fazem mais perguntas, conseguem resolver pequenos problemas e mostram mais interesse em aprender coisas novas.
Já no campo socioemocional, percebi que estão começando a expressar melhor seus sentimentos, interagir mais com outras crianças e desenvolver habilidades como compartilhar, esperar a vez e lidar com frustrações.
Essas mudanças mostram como o desenvolvimento é contínuo, mas também apresenta momentos de avanços mais perceptíveis, reforçando a importância de observar cada criança de forma individual e apoiar seu crescimento em todas as áreas.
Understanding development and screening are key to making sure that a child is reaching or exceeding the milestones appropriate for their age and giving the appropriate activities and help to bring them up to levels for their age. These tools are guides for aiding children and families who may require early intervention to assist in developmental growth.
Support development, allow exploration, give the child individual attention, encourage autonomy. Use kind, but firns approach in conmunication. Give one direction at a time, increased social interaction and play with other.
Hi Aurelia, can you please the course activity questions. Many thanks, R