Application Assignments

Required Resources

• Course Text: Early Childhood Education Today
  
  
  • Chapter 6, "Early Childhood Programs," pp. 139–167
  • Chapter 7, "Child Care," pp. 170–190
  • Chapter 8, "The Federal Government," pp. 197–213

Optional Resources

You can choose from among these readings and resources for information to help complete your Application this week.

• Web Site: The International Montessori Index
  http://www.montessori.edu/index.html
• • From the main page, click on Materials: http://www.montessori.edu/prod.html
  • From the main page, click on FAQs: http://michaelolaf.net/FAQMontessori.html
    
    
• Web Article: Becoming a Montessori Teacher
  http://www.montessori.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=50&Itemid=51
• Web Site: American Montessori Society
  http://www.amshq.org/ 
  
  
• Web Site: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation
  http://www.highscope.org/ 
  
  
• Web Article: Reflections and Impressions from Reggio Emilia: It's Not about Art!
  http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v3n1/hertzog.html
• Web Article: Reactions to Visiting the Infant-Toddler and Preschool Centers in Reggio Emilia, Italy
  http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v3n1/bennett.html
• Web Site: Reggio Emilia Philosophy
  http://www.ourladyofvictories.ecsd.net/pdf/Reggio Emilia.pdf
• Web Site: North American Reggio Emilia Alliance: FAQs (related to Reggio Emilia Philosophies and Experiences)
  http://www.reggioalliance.org/faq.php
• Web Article: What is Waldorf Early Childhood Education?
  http://www.iaswece.org/waldorf_education/what_is.aspx 
  
  
• Web Site: Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America (WECAN)
  http://www.waldorfearlychildhood.org/
  
  
• Web Article: What is Early Head Start?
  https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/ehsnrc
• Web Article: Learning, Thriving, and Ready to Succeed: Infants and Toddlers in Early Head Start
  http://www.zerotothree.org/site/DocServer/EHSsinglesMar5.pdf?docID=7884
• Web Site: National Association for Family Child Care
  http://nafcc.org/ 
  
  
• Web Site: National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center: Intergenerational Child Care
  http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/family/part/childcare_part_nccic.html
• Web Site: National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies: Military Partnerships
  http://www.naccrra.org//
• Web Site: United States Department of Defense: Military Child Care
  http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2005/Childcare/index_ChildCare.html

Application: Investigating One Early Childhood Program from a Career Perspective

This week you have been learning about different types of school- and center-based early childhood programs and may be identifying ones that interest you as possible career choices. This Application will give you the opportunity to delve deeper into one type of early care or education program and consider related career opportunities.

To complete this Application, do the following:

Select a type of program from the list below that you would like to learn more about as a possible career choice:

• Montessori
• High/Scope
• Reggio Emilia
• Waldorf Education
• Family Child Care
• Intergenerational Child Care
• Nonprofit Center-based Child Care
• Employer-Sponsored Child Care (You may choose to research one company's child care programs or a company that provides employer-sponsored child care.)
• Military Child Care
• Proprietary Child Care (You may choose to research one company, such as those listed in Table 7.3 on page 182 of the Morrison course text.)
• Head Start (You may also choose to research Migrant Head Start or American Indian–Alaska Native Head Start.)
• Early Head Start
• Other (You may choose another type of child care or federal program covered in the text.)

Research and Reflect

Click on and download the following document:

Early Childhood Program Career Information Sheet (in MS Word format)

Complete the information sheet using your text, at least one additional resource that has reliable information, and at least one Web site you would recommend to others. Be sure to cite your sources. (You will find a variety of sources listed under this week's Optional Resources.)

Submit your completed Early Childhood Program Career Information Sheet according to the directions below.

In addition, post a copy of your completed Information Sheet in the Doc Sharing area of your classroom. You are encouraged to read at least two Career Information Sheets on programs different from the one that you researched for information to further your career exploration in the early childhood field. You are not required to respond to classmates' Information Sheets, though you may direct any comments or questions to them if you choose.