Catalog Description
Advisory: Completion of HDEV 9 with grade of "C" or better
Hours: 54 lecture
Description: Provides students an overview of what is needed to open and operate an in-home child care program. Topics include licensing requirements, the role of regulatory agencies, business practices, health and safety practices, developmentally appropriate practices for mixed aged groupings, behavior guidance, supportive environments for both families and children, planning play-based curriculum in the home, and environmental design considerations. (not transferable)
Course Student Learning Outcomes
- CSLO #1: Analyze family home child care as a service delivery model, and develop a professional plan for opening this type of program.
- CSLO #2: Analyze family child care settings for developmentally appropriate practices, program effectiveness, supportive programs for growth, and indicators of quality.
- CSLO #3: Examine strategies for developing strong partnerships with families.
- CSLO #4: Develop a business plan and parent handbook.
Effective Term
Fall 2018
Course Type
Credit - Degree-applicable
Contact Hours
54
Outside of Class Hours
108
Total Student Learning Hours
162
Course Objectives
1. Demonstrate knowledge of licensing procedures and regulations associated with family child care in California;
2. Demonstrate knowledge of health and safety practices relevant to family child care;
3. Examine the importance of developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education, including the need for parent involvement, cultural awareness, and inclusion of children with special needs;
4. Compare and contrast a variety of guidance and interaction strategies that increase children's social competence and promote a caring classroom community across age spans;
5. Examine the value of play as a vehicle for developing skills, knowledge, dispositions, and strengthening the relationships among young children;
6. Examine appropriate practices as well as curriculum that effectively promote children's physical, cognitive, and social/emotional development;
7. Analyze environmental designs that indicate high-quality home based child care;
8. Develop skills in the teaching cycle for screening, observing, assessing, and planning for multi-aged groups of children;
9. Evaluate quality of family home child cares based on the FHCCERS (Family Home Child Care Environmental Rating Scale).
General Education Information
- Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
- CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
- Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
- IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
Articulation Information
Methods of Evaluation
- Classroom Discussions
- Example: Students will discuss how and why most family home child care businesses fail in relationship to business practices, and how this can be avoided. Discussions will be assessed on scenarios and lecture topics outlining common business related reasons why a family child care fails, and likewise, succeeds.
- Essay Examinations
- Example: Write a minimum 5 paragraph essay on how family home child care differs from group child care settings including curriculum, guidance, assessment, and interactions with parents. Assessment will be based on thoughtful evaluation of these topics, as well as correct grammar and syntax throughout the body of the paper.
- Objective Examinations
- Example: Students will take an exam comprised of multiple choice, short answer, true/false, and/or fill in the blank style questions on readings and lecture materials on topics. Assessment will be based on correct responses given by student. 90-100% receives an A, 80-89% receives a B, 8=70-79% receives a C, and 60-69% receives a D. Anything less than 59% total will receive an F.
- Projects
- Example: Students will compile a parent handbook as if they were planning on opening a family home child care. Handbook will be assessed on sections assigned, in terms of completeness and student understanding of the topics covered in this handbook.
- Reports
- Example: Students will write a mock report of results per their FHCCERS tool completed, including compiled results and areas of strengths and weaknesses. Summary reports will be assessed based on FHCCERS guidance provided in the field, and quality of plan of action as provided by the instructor in a rubric.
Repeatable
No
Methods of Instruction
- Lecture/Discussion
- Distance Learning
Lecture:
- After lecturing on currently accepted guidance and conflict resolution practices, instructor will distribute a hypothetical scenario of a typical conflict between children in a mixed age group. Working in small groups led by the instructor, students will identify ways a family home child care provider could have prevented the situation, as well as ways to appropriately guide children after the occurrence.
- Students will go to a site to evaluate it on all or a portion of the FHCCERS, an environmental rating scale for family home child care, and then write an analysis of findings. A plan of action will be developed for any indicator score 4 or under. Commendations and strengths will also be included in the analysis of findings.
Distance Learning
- Students will listen to an instructor prepared PowerPoint with voicethread on guidance, and then watch a video when conflict between children occurred. Students will then use material provided in lecture to analyze how the adult in the situation "measured up" to best practices in terms of guidance, and make recommendations as to how this situation would be best handled in a family child care setting.
Typical Out of Class Assignments
Reading Assignments
1. Read Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job", by Alphie Kohn and write a reflection analyzing practices observed as they compare to this essay. 2. Read beyond Discipline to Guidance, by Dan Gartrell, and compare and contrast discipline to punishment.
Writing, Problem Solving or Performance
1. Conduct a FHCCERS on a program. After computing scores, write a plan of action for all indicators scoring below 4 or below for that program. 2. Develop a parent handbook for a potential family home child care program including policies and procedures, family contract, and daily schedule. 3. Develop business practices for a potential family home child care program, including how to collect fees when not paid, and exclusion policies for non-payment.
Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)
1. Write a research paper on Lillian Katz and the case for mixed aged groupings as it applies to family home child care. 2. Develop a professional portfolio for families to include a cover letter, resume, letter of recommendations, Child Development Permit (if applicable), Sierra College Skills Certificate (if applicable), and philosophy of family home child care. 3. Write a research paper comparing group and family based child care, and the benefits and drawbacks of each service model for families as well as providers.
Required Materials
- Family Child Care Homes: Creative Spaces for Children to Learn
- Author: Armstrong, Linda J.
- Publisher: Red Leaf Press
- Publication Date: 2011
- Text Edition: 1st
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- From Parents to Partners
- Author: Keyser, J.
- Publisher: Redleaf Press
- Publication Date: 2014
- Text Edition: 1st
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- Family Child Care Business Essentials
- Author: Copeland, T. J.
- Publisher: Redleaf Press
- Publication Date: 2015
- Text Edition: 1st
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- Family Child Care Curriculum
- Author: Woodward, S.
- Publisher: Redleaf Press
- Publication Date: 2010
- Text Edition: 2nd
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- Family Home Child Care Environmental Rating Scale
- Author: Harms, T.
- Publisher: Redleaf Press
- Publication Date: 2001
- Text Edition: 3rd
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
