Untitled Document

WebQuest

for

Ech 2010

Please complete 20 of the 30 items below...Choose what interests you

Instructor's email link: kriordan@d.umn.edu

1. When you visit this site at the Zero to Three website, you'll find a Professional Journal section. Choose something that interests you, re: early childhood development, or early childhood studies, whatever-Choose something you don't know much about, or want more information about... Please summarize what you find, and what you learned at this site. Would this be a resource you would find helpful as an early childhood teacher? As a parent?

2. What is Head Start? How many Head Start programs are there nationally? What is the mission of Head Start? Describe how Head Start is different than other preschool experiences. Opinion: Do you think that a program like Head Start makes a difference in children's lives?

3. Visit the National Association for the Education of Young Children website. Describe this organization. What is its mission? Explore student membership. What does a student membership include? What does it cost? What kind of a resource could this be for you?

4. It is important for you to be aware of and understand the Reggio Emilia approach to caring for young children. Please visit this site (choose English, unless you speak Italian) and familiarize yourself with the information offered. For those of you who have visited or are doing a practicum at Happy Time, what similarities do you see? What other questions does it raise for you?

5. What is a theory of learning? Check this site to explore the various theories of learning. Determine a couple of theories that really fit how you teach (or learn).

6. Review the National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education website and summarize. Why does parent involvement matter? Discuss what you find at this site that will affect you as either a parent or a teacher. How will you/do you encourage parent involvement in the families that you work with?

7. Explore www.nagc.org. What do they publish? Who do they say is gifted? Why do they believe that gifted education should be supported? What do you think about this issue? What might be some of the consequences for labeling children as "gifted".

8. Visit http://home.att.net/~personal assessments/online_assessments/index.html and take the free Jung (Myers Briggs) personality inventory test (scroll down far enough to find this). Find out what personality characteristics you possess that may lend themselves well to being an early childhood teacher. What did you find out? What surprised you? Concerned you?

9. Visit the Search Institute's homepage. What are developmental assets? What is your opinion of the work they are doing? Are the developmental assets of young children developmentally achievable? What did you find out?

10. Children's television viewing...Visit this site http://www.mediafamily.org/activitiesandquizzes/marchactivity.shtml and take the quiz. What did you find out? Anything surprise you? What strategies will you use as a parent to monitor/limit your children's television viewing. Is TV watching ever appropriate for young children?

11. National Center for Children in Poverty http://www.nccp.org/ identifies and promotes strategies that prevent child poverty in the U.S. On the left hand side of the webpage window is a menu of options. Check out the Early Care and Learning option. Choose an article that interests you and summarize (briefly) what the article states.

12. The NEA (National Education Association) has an article that describes and explains the teacher shortage. Please read this article and reflect on how this issue will impact you. What plans do you have to ensure that you'll become "marketable"?

13. Go to the idea box...http://www.theideabox.com/ and see if you find any fun ideas...Would this be a useful site for you?

14. Visit http://users.stargate.net/~cokids/ Find the Teacher Pages and choose a couple of areas you'd like to explore more....Tell me what you find out...

15. The Child Welfare League of America is an important resource for you to be aware of. On the left hand side of the webpage is a menu of options. Please click on Culture/Diversity. From there, you'll get a list of articles. I'd like you to choose a topic and summarize something within it. Could be a speech, could be an article. What is it saying? How is this valuable for you to know as an emerging educator? Anything surprise you?

16. The Council for Exceptional Children offers many resources related to working with children who have special needs. Please explore the section "Professional Practice Topics and Info" From there you'll find a list of professional practice topics to choose from. Choose something that interests you and summarize the article. Please share your opinions about the article.

17. Career profiles in special education: This link will take you back to the Council for Exceptional Children (see # 16). Choose several careers in the list that look interesting to you and read the descriptions provided. Anything surprise you? Interest you?

18. Check out this link on urban education. See what you can find on education for children birth-age 8. Sign up for a free issue if you like. Share somehting you learned by visiting this site...

19. Visit the Teaching Tolerance site and examine your hidden biases. Summarize which tests you took and what you found out about yourself.

20. High Scope Educational Research Foundation is an important resource for early childhood educators. What is "High Scope"? Describe points of interest that you find at this site. How does this "fit" with what you believe is important when working with children?

21. The International Reading Association offers many strategies with regard to reading. How do you think children should be taught to read? What ideas did you gain from this site?

22. When you visit thewww.aap.org American Academy of Pediatrics you'll find a section entitled Public Policy and Advocacy: "10 tips for child advocates"...Please look over the list and identify what you are doing to make a difference in the lives of children, and what you plan on doing in the future in your role of teacher (which I think equals social change agent) to affect the lives of children?

23. The Center for Disease Control offers information about a variety of topics. Find something that interests you (as it relates to working with children/families) and report back on what information you've gained that will be of practical use to you in your work.

24. The Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) has lots of information. In particular, there is a green section that offers "free resources"...follow this link and find something(s) that you're interested in. Download the resource and tell me how you'll use it...

25. The American Montessori Society website provides information about this approach to caring for and educating children. Please "surf" this site and find out what the mission of Montessori is. Include your opinions on what you believe are the strengths (and weaknesses-?) of this approach.

26. Division for Early Childhood is an important resource for teachers of young children. Educators can no longer say that they only want to work with "normal" children. All children have differing abilities and it is the teacher's responsibility to be responsive and developmentally appropriate in their interactions, expectations and planning for young children's educational experiences. Please look this site over. I'm particularly interested to know what you think of the DEC's position on "recommended practices"...

27. Child sexual abuse is an issue important for teachers to be aware of, not only because of mandated reporting issues, but also for being aware of the emotional and behavioral issues that often accompany victimization. Please visit this site to learn more, and share with me what you find interesting, sad, or perplexing...what resources are available in your community to assist children and families?

28. We know that one of the most important skills a child learns in early childhood is positive and appropriate social skills. This website offers a number of classroom strategies for teaching social skills. How would you use this in your future classroom(s)?

29. Please visit Education World. This site is full of articles, strategies, ideas to promote effective teaching. Find several new ideas you will use in your own practice.

30. The Children's Defense Fund is an important resource. Please examine the site, particularly the "The state of America's children 2004" and describe what you think are the most pressing needs facing children in the coming year(s). How does what you are choosing to do as a career fit with the needs of children?

Last updated on 8/08. . Based on a template from The WebQuest Page