~2 pages, typewritten, double spaced 12 pt font, standard 1” margins, cite in APA format

As an early childhood professional working with infants, it is important to identify and articulate your beliefs about working with infants and families. These beliefs drive your behavior and actions as a teacher. Our beliefs about working with infants and families evolve over time. They are influenced by our prior experiences, culture, education, fieldwork placements, mentors, work environments, and other factors.

After you finish ECE 209, you will progress to ECE 308 next semester. ECE 308 is your first course with a supervised fieldwork placement at BMCC. In preparation for fieldwork placement, share your beliefs about working with infants with your future ECE 308 fieldwork Cooperating Teacher. The paper should have the following four parts:

• Part 1: Introduction
• Part 2: Your Beliefs about Infant Education and Connections to Class
• Part 3: Goals
• Part 4: Conclusion

1. Introduction
   1. In an opening paragraph, introduce yourself.
   2. Share background information about yourself
   3. Include your work history.
   4. Describe why you want to work with infants-toddlers and families.

2. Your Beliefs about Infant Education and Connections to Class

1. 1. Explain your beliefs about infant education and how you envision the following concepts will be implemented in the classroom:

1. Infant Curriculum
   1. Relationship-based practices (the 3 R’s):
      1. Respect
      2. Reciprocity
      3. Responsiveness
      4. Attachment
   2. Family-Like Environment
   3. Individualized Routines
   4. Following an Infant’s Lead
2. Engaging families

• Incorporating a baby’s heritage culture

1. Supporting each baby’s development in every developmental domain
2. Provide specific examples that demonstrate each concept in an actual infant class
3. Connect, in detail, how your beliefs about infant education connect to:
   1. 4 readings
      1. At least 2 assigned course readings we have read in class
      2. 2 additional articles from the BMCC library education databases focused on relationship-based practices, infant curriculum, or working with infants and families.
   2. 3 specific examples how what we learned/ did in class

1. Goals
   1. Identify your goals for fieldwork by discussing:

1. What specifically do you hope to learn during your fieldwork placement?
2. What goals do you have for yourself during your placement – both in your work with infants-toddlers and as a professional?

• What are your looking forward to during your fieldwork placement?

1. What strengths do you bring to your field placement?
2. What concerns or fears do you have about fieldwork?
3. What are opportunities for growth or change you hope to address in your field placement? What role could your cooperating teacher play in supporting you?

1. Conclusion
   1. Conclude with a paragraph that explains your career goals:

1. What are your career plans after you finish your degree at BMCC?
2. What are your career plans/ do you hope to be doing in 5 years?

• What are your career plans/ do you hope to be doing in 10 years?

1. What steps do you have to take to realize that goal?

Assessment Rubric (1 point – must meet Learner in all tasks):

 

TASKS	COMPETENT	LEARNER	NOVICE
INTRODUCTION	The paper introduction included background info, & why you want to work with infants-toddlers using many rich, vivid details & well-developed specific examples.	The introduction background info, & why you want to work with infants-toddlers using rich, vivid details.	The introduction included background info, & why you want to work with infants-toddlers.
INFANT CURRICULUM, FAMILIES & CULTURE	The paper substantively articulated your beliefs about infant curriculum, engaging families & incorporating a baby’s heritage culture using many rich, vivid details & well-developed specific examples.	The paper thoroughly articulated your beliefs about infant curriculum, engaging families & incorporating a baby’s heritage culture using rich, vivid details.	The paper explained your beliefs about infant curriculum, engaging families &/or incorporating a baby’s heritage culture
SUPPORTING INFANT DEVELOPMENT	The paper substantively described how to support each child’s development with many rich, vivid details & well-developed specific examples	The paper thoroughly described how to support each child’s development using rich, vivid details	The paper described some ideas of how to support each child’s development
USE OF SOURCES	The paper integrated 4+ sources by comparing the sources to your philosophy meaningfully using many rich, vivid, details & well-developed specific examples	The paper integrated 4 sources by comparing the sources to your philosophy meaningfully using rich, vivid details	The paper contained 4 or fewer sources
CONNECTIONS TO CLASS	The paper substantively described how your beliefs about of infant education connected to class using 3+ specific, meaningful links supported by many rich, vivid, details & well-developed examples	The paper thoroughly described how your beliefs about infant education connected to class using 3 specific, meaningful links supported by rich, vivid details	The paper described how your beliefs about infant education connected to class &/or used 3 or fewer links
GOALS	The paper substantively articulated your goals, what you hope to learn, your strengths, concerns & opportunities for growth for your fieldwork with rich, vivid details & well-developed specific examples.	The paper thoroughly articulated your goals, what you hope to learn, your strengths, concerns & opportunities for growth for your fieldwork with rich, vivid details	The paper described your goals for your fieldwork placement.
CONCLUSION	The conclusion substantively described your career goals using rich vivid details & well-developed specific examples	The conclusion thoroughly described your career goals using rich, vivid details	The conclusion described your career goals
CLARITY	The paper coherent, clear, & organized, filled with rich, vivid supporting details & clearly had been edited.	The paper coherent, clear, & organized, filled with rich, vivid supporting details.	The paper was vague, disjointed, hard to understand in places with few details.