Case Study

NAEYC Standard 4: Using Developmentally Effective Approaches

Candidates understand that teaching and learning with young children is a complex enterprise, and its details vary depending on childrens ages, characteristics, and the settings within which teach and learning occur. Candidates understand and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children and families. Candidates know, understand, and use a wide array of developmentally appropriate approaches, instructional strategies, and tools to connect with children and families and positively influence each childs development and learning. Key Elements: 4a. Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with children 4b. Knowing and understanding effective strategies and tools for early education 4c. Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching/learning approaches 4d. Reflecting on their own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child The objective of this assignment: -Demonstrate objective AND subjective writing related to the ECE profession in conjunction with demonstrating the ability to evaluate a childs development and make curriculum suggestions/recommendations for promoting positive learning outcomes Use the developmental checklist you completed for this case study or the additional websites listed below. A case study identifies the subject (in this case use initials only); information source (developmental checklist); background information (as much as possible); characteristics or examples which are evidence of typical OR atypical performances; and recommendations Review these websites for possible developmental checklists and milestone charts. http://www.acetonline.org/child_dev_milestone.pdf http://www.pearsonschoolsandfecolleges.co.uk/feandvocational/childcare/btec/btecfirst childrenscarelearninganddevelop/samples/samplematerial/ucd%20unit%201.pdf Remember to use objective writing in the information presentation headings and subjective writing in the conclusion and recommendation heading. Follow the format and include the headings in bold; add the sub-categories under each heading and save the document as a PDF file named: (your last name).Case Studyexample: Poggi.CaseStudy Submit in the appropriate Discussion forum by the due date.

DeBardeleben.Case Study: I. Subject a. XM b. Three years c. Hispanic d. Male II. Information Source Describe the method or tool you used to gather information about the subject and any additional sources you used (interviews, observations, informal conversations with parents, checklists, state or national milestone resources) For XM I use various ways to discover his characteristics. I get most of my information about X by simply observing him in the learning environment. There are only eight children in the classroom so it is easier to watch an individual child while also paying attention to what the class is doing as a whole. Another way is through following the reflective exercises of the internship and the assignments given from the portfolio class where there are some that involve this same child. One of those assignments was to give X an assessment on his overall development. It was a checklist. III. Background Information a. Describe significant characteristics of child; family; socioeconomic level; parents education; occupation; etc think of any information that might influence the childs development during your time of observation I really do not know a lot about XMs parents and family. However, I have seen a picture of him and his mother and him and his father, so I know that he has both of his parents in his life. Whether or not his parents are married or divorced I do not know. I did hear X talking about a man named Charlie coming to pick him up who may be his mothers boyfriend. b. Describe childs physical characteristics (size in relationship to others the same age, health, and abilities) XM seems to be a very healthy developing three year old boy. His overall size, height, and weight seem to be healthy for his age. He does seem to get sick quite often and will sometimes have dark rings under his eyes. A lot of the children have been getting sick lately with the time of year and children in a toddler classroom are always in danger of getting sick with

the germs being shared in the classroom. He is a very active child outside on the playground with the other children and inside when it is free choice time. He runs, walk, climbs, uses small motor skills with ease. c. Describe the childs attendance and participation patterns Throughout the time that I have been interning in the Early head classroom XM has only been absent a few times because he was sick. I think out of all the children in the classroom he is able, with the level of his development, to participate the most. He is the only child in the class that speaks. He speaks English as well as Spanish; whereas the other children are too young to speak very much, do not speak a lot of English, or have a learning delay that prevents them from speaking. He is a great example for the other children to be around because he does have such a love of learning and does speak so well that he really helps teach the other children. d. Describe behavioral characteristics and performances from the checklist completed that you feel identify the child as typically developing; atypical delayed or gifted In my observations of XM, I have only discovered that he is typically developing in most areas. At his age it is normal to not want to clean up at play time and have trouble with sharing. He will sometimes play with his peers and sometimes play by himself. He can do simple instructional tasks like washing hands after getting a tissue. He is completely potty trained and goes through the bathroom process by himself. He plays easily and is very physically active. He can throw with aim and rides tricycle. He initiates conversations with teachers and other peers. He also has a very active imagination. For example, He has pretended to drive garbage trucks and watch a movie in the theatres.

IV. Developmental Performance a. Describe the childs key areas of interest; support these statements with observations or examples One of XMs most favorite areas of interest is literacy. He loves books and having stories read to him! When it is snack time the teachers will read stories to the children. The teachers will usually read the same one or two books over several weeks to a month so the children can really know the story. Out of all the children he understands and gets the most out of story time. He will go along with the stories and have it memorized word

for word. He will often ask either the teachers or me to read books to him or will sometimes go off by himself and read books by looking at the pictures and making up what he thinks the book is saying. Outside he has a lot of interest in creating jobs for himself. He will often take the woodchips from one place to another. He will also use the trucks to fill them up with woodchips and take them somewhere. b. Describe the childs areas of limitation; support these statements with observations or examples One of the only things that I have seen in XMs behavior that shows limitation is he has some troubles with sharing and listening. He will get upset when children play with toys that he has left behind that he still thinks are his. He will sometimes refuse to clean up and will get pretty upset when it is time to move on to the next part of the day. He does have some limitations with the limited vocabulary that a three year old will have. He will sometimes mumble or struggle to find the word that he wants to say but I know that will get better as he gets older. He also could use a little work knowing his letters. I asked him if he a could identify several letters, and while he knew most of them he did struggle with a few. c. Describe the childs overall personality/temperament; support these with observations or examples XM has a very likeable personality. He is a very friendly and sociable child. When I started my internship in the classroom he welcomed me right away and helped me to feel comfortable in the classroom. When other adults come into the classroom he says hi to them and tries to talk with them. Some of them work for EHS and some of them he has never seen before and still says hi to. He mostly gets along with the other children as well. He will sometimes stick up for a child that is being picked on by another child. He will also help the other teachers by helping them wipe down tables. Like I said before he sometimes struggles with sharing with other children. He will say mine and sometimes fight a child over what he wants. He will also sometimes not want a certain child to play with him. For the most part though, he is easy to get along with and usually goes with the flo quite easily. V. Conclusion and Recommendations a. In one paragraph, write your own appraisal of the child based on the information you have gathered and presented

I think that XM is an excellent child and is what any teacher would want in his or her classroom. He comes to school every day ready and eager to learn. Sherrie, the teacher, told me that when he came back from spring break he simply waved goodbye to his parents and was ready to face his day with excitement. Most of the other children were very upset to be back at school away from their parents after a break, but he has gotten past that separation anxiety. He is not afraid to talk with adults and participate throughout the day even though he is usually the only one who does. He, like any three year old, does have a lot more developing that will come in preschool, kindergarten etc. Just him being in the classroom and environment and going through the daily routine helps him so much as he moves up in school. b. Make recommendations for meeting the childs current developmental needs in the classroom I think that X just needs to be continuously challenged in both academic and social ways. Maybe just questioning him on this numbers and letters more will help him identify letters and numbers confidently. I think that it is time for him to move on to the regular preschool Head Start classroom. He seems to be developmentally ahead of the children in the classroom. I think that he would do well with more lesson plan and being challenged more in his learning. I think that he can handle it! I think that he would do very well with more children in the classroom and it might help him to accept sharing more with more children in the classroom. c. Make suggestions for family activities that promotes growth in the future Because XM loves books so much, I think anything that has to do with literacy would be great for him to do at home. I would think that X would just love to take home books from the lending library, and for him I would extend it by adding in some fun activities that go along with the book. I might also give parents some resources that talk about helping children learn sharing in case he is struggling with it at home with other family members.