ED104: Caring for Infants and Toddlers  

Catalogue Description: 3 units

This course will examine developmentally appropriate infant and toddler care and curriculum.  Emphasis is on providing a safe and healthy learning environment for infants and toddlers from birth through the age of three.  The focus will be on the infant/toddler’s  development of perception, motor skills, cognition, language, emotions, and social skills.    The importance of developing emotional and social attachments and relationships between caregivers and infants/toddlers will be examined.  Methods for establishing routines and maintaining a secure, non-threatening emotional/social environment will be explored.  Emphasis is on meeting the Child Development Associates (CDA) national standards for certification.  The course will examine the basic modules of CDA relating to creating effective learning environments for infants and toddlers.  Students will participate through online web-based instruction and assessment integrated with preschool and infant/toddler center-based childcare fieldwork and observation.

Texts

Gonzalez-Mena, J. & Eyer, D.W. (2001). Infants, Toddlers, and Caregivers. 5^th Edition. Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View, CA.

Dombro, A.L., Colker, L.J., & Dodge, D.T. (1999) The Creative Curriculum for Infants and Toddlers. Revised Edition. 2^nd Printing, 2000. Teaching Strategies, Inc. Washington, D.C.

Fieldwork CDA Self-Instruction and Assessment Manuals

Dodge, D. T., Dombro, A.L. & Koralek, D.G. (1991). Caring for Infants and Toddlers.  Volume I & II. 4^th Printing, 1999. Teaching Strategies, Inc. Washington, D.C.

Purposes of the Course

Students will:

• Gain an understanding of infant and toddler stages of growth and development.

• Learn how to plan safe, healthy environments and experiences that promote learning for infants and toddlers.

• Examine principles of respectful and responsive care of infants and toddlers.

• Examine strategies for establishing collaborative relationships with parents and families of infants and toddlers.

Course Objectives:

Students will:

• Understand physical, social/emotional, and cognitive stages of development for infants and toddlers.

• Develop knowledge of developmentally appropriate curriculum for infants and toddlers.

• Understand the importance of developing emotional attachments between infants/toddlers and adult caregivers.

• Focus on the importance of play in the development of infant/toddler curriculum.

• Design safe and healthy environments that promote learning.

• Develop positive ways of supporting children’s social and emotional development.

• Learn observational techniques for recording and assessing behavior.

• Develop strategies for communicating and collaborating with parents, families, and other adult caregivers.

• Understand Child Development Association (CDA) certification expectations for infant and toddler caregivers.

• Complete CDA self-assessments.

• Develop familiarity with the CDA training modules: safe, healthy, learning environment, physical, cognitive, communication, creative, self, social, guidance, families, program management, professionalism.

• Observe early childhood professionals involved in infant and toddler care and examine scenarios and examples provided by CDA.

• Explore books, references, media, electronic, and online resources useful for developing and planning developmentally appropriate curriculum.