Faculty Syllabus

COURSE EVALUATION AND GRADING

Your final grade for this course is determined by the points you earn. The highest possible total is 575 points. Your grade will be based on the following:

Seven (7) Quizzes (25 points each) 175 points total

Quizzes must be taken by the dates listed on your course calendar. This is an open text test, but you may only open the test once, so be prepared. You must take the test on your own without the assistance of another person or the use of AI.

Four (4) Field Work Assignments (25 points each) 100 points total

Each field work assignment functions as the lab component of the course.

Four (4) Course Assignments (25 points each) 100 points total

Dream Center Group Project 60 points

This project is designed to give you the opportunity to plan, develop, and present your dream child care center collaboratively with other students. Grading: 60 points for the project and presentation (In addition students will receive up to 10 points for participating in a project-related discussion board, and 5 points for submitting a group grading form assessing the participation of each team member, including your own.) Your final project grade will reflect the average grade given you for your participation by other members of the group (see assignment for more information).

Eight (8) Discussion Forums (including Dream Center Project Discussion Forum (10 points each) 80 points total

Throughout the semester I will post a “prompt” on the discussion board site of Blackboard. The due dates for responding to the forums are listed on your course calendar. You will respond to the prompt as well as to posts by other students in the course. This allows you to connect to the other students in the course and will assist with your understanding of the materials. See “Assignments” on the course Blackboard site for more information.

Two Reflections (15 points each) 30 points total

These are short ½ page reflections about a topic. A prompt will be provided by the instructor

Final Reflection (25 points) 25 points total

Dream Center Project Group Grading (5 points)

Failure to turn this form in will result in not receiving a grade on the Dream Center Project

*Extra credit will be given for attendance at Orientation and any of the Non-mandatory Class Meetings (5 points each) up to a total of 20 points*

Field Work Hours

Students will complete 16 hours of required field work for this course. You will not be able to successfully complete your lab assignments if you do not complete the field work. Failure to turn in required lab related forms will result in the loss of 100 points (the total points possible for field work assignments)

NOTE: Grade Requirements for Child Development Majors: Students majoring in Child Development must receive a “C” or above in this course to receive credit for this course in the Child Development Certificate or AAS degree. The course may be retaken for a higher grade. See the ACC Catalog for more information.

LAB/FIELD WORK POLICIES

Please note that this course has 16 hours of field experiences. Students who are employed at a licensed child care center or family day home may use their own employment site for lab hours. Students not employed a licensed child care facility will need to schedule their lab hours at a community center. Please see the list located in the Blackboard course and start scheduling your lab hours right away!

Lab hours completed for a course cannot be applied toward or used for another course. Each course's fieldwork assignments and lab hours are specific to that course and may not be replicated or duplicated for another course. For example, the 16 lab hours on the time sheet for CDEC 1303 cannot be also turned in for CDEC 1311. Each course has its own unique lab observation requirements, hours and assignments.

You must complete all lab hours to be eligible to receive credit for this course.

Students enrolled in child development courses must be eligible for field experiences as determined by the Child Development’s Eligibility for Field Experiences Policy. The Child Development Department’s policy reflects the standards established by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Minimum Standards for Child Care Centers. The policy is explained in the catalog and on the” Austin Community College Children’s Lab School Criminal Conviction Statement for Child Development Lab Students”.

To continue in child development coursework in which the student is currently enrolled, he or she must be eligible to participate in field experiences/lab work under these criteria. If any criminal record with a felony, including a pending felony charge, is returned as a result of a criminal background, the student will be withdrawn from child development courses. A student who willfully misrepresents the information on these forms will be withdrawn immediately from all Child Development coursework requiring laboratory experiences in a child care setting and may be subject to the ACC student disciplinary policy outlined in the http://www.austincc.edu/current/needtoknow/policies.php#rights

Required Texts and Other Required Reading

Textbook

LeeKeenan, D. and Ponte, I. C. (2019). From Survive to Thrive. NAEYC.

See Blackboard > Start Here > Essential Course Information > Textbooks and Other Required Reading for instructions on how to download the textbook at no charge to you.

Other Required Reading (these are PDF’s that can be downloaded and saved)

NAEYC Code of Ethics for Early Childhood Educators Position Paper (2025)

NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards (2025)

NAEYC Quality Assessment and Accreditation Assessment Items (2025)

HHS Child Care Regulation Minimum Standards and Rules for Child Care Centers (March 2023)

(Scroll down to Minimum Standards Day Care Operations and click on the Chapter 746 Child Care Centers PDF link)

Module 1: Course Orientation/The Effective Director

Course Orientation; What Does It Mean to Be a Director?; Director as both Manager and Leader; Know Yourself; Practice Facilitative Leadership; Treat Teachers the Way You Expect Them to Treat Children; Give Yourself Permission to Lead; Recognize What You Have Control Over

Module 2: Program Context and Culture/Achieving and Maintaining Program Quality (Part 1)

Reading and Understanding the Culture of Your Program; Creating and Cultivating the Culture of Your Program

Module 3: Achieving and Maintaining Program Quality (Part 2)

Developing Policies and Procedures; Licensing Basics; Accreditation; Quality Rating Improvement Systems; The Flow of the Year

Module 4: Budget and Finance

Basic Budgeting Concepts; Tips and Strategies for Preparing an Effective Budget; What If My Budget Isn’t Working?

Module 5: Program Curriculum/Child Assessment

Deciding What Curriculum Approach or Model Is Best for Your Program?; Curriculum Approaches; Integrating Best Practices and Early Learning Standards; Supporting Teachers In Implementing Curriculum; When the Curriculum Isn’t Working; How Do Teachers Document Curriculum Implementation?; Ongoing Maintenance of Quality Curriculum

Module 6: Staffing

Staffing Models and Scheduling; Hiring Teachers; Retaining Teachers; Communicating with Staff; Teacher Observation and Evaluation; Supervising Teachers; Staff Meetings; Professional Development; Managing Conflict; Staff Dismissals

Module 7: Working with Families/Center Enrollment

Families Role in Children’s Learning and Development; Director’s and Teacher’s Role in Home-School Partnership; Funds of Knowledge; Communicating with Families; Family Engagement; Home Visits; Family Meetings and Conferences; Building Community Through Family Events; Managing Conflict; Marketing, Advertising, and Recruiting; Application and Admissions Process

Module 8: Wrapping Up

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of CDEC 2326, the student will:

1. Analyze the planning functions of an administrator.

a. Analyze different types of early childhood programs.

b. Compare the functions and roles of the director in various programs.

c. Define philosophy and define components of a program philosophy.

d. Analyze philosophies from various types of programs.

e. Identify how the philosophy of a program affects the curriculum.

f. Write a philosophy program including goals and outcomes.

g. Recognize the important role of parents in planning for children.

h. Analyze program policies

NAEYC Standards 4, 5 & 6

2. Evaluate the operational functions of an administrator.

a. Discuss the licensing process.

b. Describe licensing regulations (Minimum Standards).

c. Simulate/participate in a licensing process.

d. Explain local, state and national laws and regulations which impact a program.

e. Identify resources available to assist programs.

f. Discuss the impact of developmentally appropriate practices on the operations of a program.

g. Define accreditation.

h. Evaluate a budget for an early care and education program.

i. Develop an operating budget for a developmentally appropriate child care center.

NAEYC Standards 4, 5 & 6

3. Interpret the supervisory functions of an administrator.

a. Analyze staffing needs.

b. Discuss employment process (e g., job descriptions, recruiting, screening, interviewing, selecting, terminating).

c. Develop an orientation plan.

NAEYC Standard 6

4. Evaluate an early care and education program.

a. Summarize methods to evaluate the program.

b. Discuss purposes of and methods for staff evaluation and staff development plans.

c. Discuss techniques for staff evaluation.                                                              

NAEYC Standard 6

5. Develop a plan for starting an early care and education program.

NAEYC Standards 2, 4, 6

6. Explore methods of effective communication.

a. Discuss importance of communicating with staff and families.

b. Explore methods of communicating with staff and families

c. Demonstrate teamwork skills when working with colleagues.

NAEYC Standards 2 & 6