The importance of the years from birth to five years of age and the part that preschool education can play in a child's development are emphasized. The course acquaints students with historical perspectives of early childhood education along with modern trends and developments. This course requires 33 hours of observation and participation at an approved site. Students explore a wide variety of creative media suitable for use with young children. This includes experimentation with and the use of various media, techniques and methods.
Emphasis is given to creative experiences as they impact on the development of young children.
Emphasis will be placed on adults assisting young children to develop good habits and attitudes regarding health, safety, and nutrition. Course content will also focus on the concept of preventive health care. I - 3 credits This course is designed to increase objectivity in observing and interpreting children's behavior, to observe developmental characteristics, and to increase the awareness of normal patterns of behavior. Observation and participation placements are provided for the study of young children in an approved early childhood setting. For eleven weeks, the student will observe and participate in a center for 66 hours.