Academic Catalog

NCP 400A: STRONG START FOR CHILDREN I: BIRTH-8 YEARS

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Summer 2022
Units: 0
Hours: 8 lecture per quarter (8 total per quarter)
Degree & Credit Status: Non-Degree-Applicable Non-Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: None
Grade Type: Non-Credit Course (Receives no Grade)
Repeatability: Unlimited Repeatability
Formerly: NCP 400

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will be able to discuss ages and stages of child development.
  • Students will be able to utilize effective methods of communication and discipline with children.
  • Students will be able to identify family, community and educational resources available in their area.
  • Students will be able to identify key strategies to promote school and college readiness.

Description

Introduces families and caregivers to stages of child development and best practices in parenting, and links students to resources focused on early years development, birth through 8 years old. Emphasis placed on child development, effective communication and discipline, and school and college readiness focused on young children (birth through 8 years). Helps prepare students for credit courses in child development. May be offered bilingually.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. discuss stages of child development
  2. utilize effective methods of communication and discipline with young children ages birth-8 years
  3. promote school and college readiness
  4. identify family, community and educational resources

Course Content

This course will encompass several parenting education areas focused on children from birth through 8 years old:

  1. Child growth and development
    1. Cognitive-language, social, emotional and physical development
    2. Fundamentals of brain development and the effect on learning
    3. Developmental assets for healthy growth and development
  2. Discipline and communication
    1. Positive parental role modeling
    2. Developmentally appropriate techniques for positive discipline
    3. Effective and respectful methods of talking and listening
  3. School and college readiness
    1. Ways to promote language, cognitive and academic, physical and social and emotional development
    2. Routines and transitions
    3. Signs of readiness
  4. Family, community and educational resources
    1. Local family resources and social services
    2. Domestic violence prevention agencies and services
    3. Agencies and services for children with special needs
    4. Family resource centers and provider resources
    5. Family and community events
    6. Foothill College resources
    7. Opportunities in the field of early childhood education and child care through Foothill College Department of Child Development

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

When taught online/virtual: students and faculty need internet access with Zoom-capable computer, monitor and speakers.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Student participation in discussions and activities
Journal writing and reflections
Individual, team and small group demonstrations and role plays
In-class writing assignments

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Discussion
Demonstration
Group work

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

The Early Years: Supporting Your Preschooler toolkit provided by FEI, at no cost to students.

Supporting Your TK-Fifth Grader toolkit.

Handouts, pamphlets, journal articles, instructor-developed materials, online open resources, videos, DVDs.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Example reading assignment: In Child Development Pamphlet Series (English and Spanish): Kindergarteners-Fifth Graders, common developmental characteristics of 4-10 year olds: "Understanding developmental stages can help you support your child's learning at home. All children go through developmental stages as they grow. Children go through these stages at different rates. Although there are general characteristics at each developmental stage in any given culture, how quickly a child goes through these stages depends on many things, including personality and environment."
  2. Example writing assignments:
    1. Read through pamphlet and highlight the behaviors that are familiar to your child at this particular stage of development. Choose particular behaviors that you are having challenges with, and write down how you might handle the situation differently with keeping in mind developmentally appropriate expectations
    2. Journal how your communication and discipline around your child's behavior has changed over the four weeks of the course

Discipline(s)

Parent Education: Noncredit