Commentary Paper

Commentary Paper Draft & Final Paper

6+ pages, type written, double-spaced,12 pt font, 1” margins, APA format for citations

 

Purpose: The purpose of the Commentary Paper is for you to:

• Engage in the recursive writing process of revising your writing based on feedback
• Analyze what you learned about a family from an interview
• Analyze what you learned when observing a child during the observation
• Create a report of the child and family that would provide the necessary information to support the family to transition to group programming

Task: In this paper you will have the opportunity to analyze all of the information you have gathered about the baby and family you studied to give a coherent and thoughtful picture of the infant in the context of their family. You will describe the child and family, then compare and analyze what you have learned about the baby and family to what you have learned in the class. Over the course of this semester, you have gathered information about the child and family in the following ways:

1. By interviewing/ talking to family members.
2. By observing the baby and family.
3. Interacting with the baby

 

Stage I: Commentary Paper Draft

• Reread your Interview with the Family of an Infant Paper and Observation of an Infant Paper. Decide what you want to include from each paper.
• Look over your course readings and materials. Mark pages in assigned course readings, other readings you have done on your own, and other materials from class. Note where in your paper you will want to include those ideas or quotations.
• Review your class notes. Decide how they support or are in contrast to what you have said in your papers so far.
• Cite your readings whenever you refer to one. See the APA Guideline starting on page 15.

When developing your draft, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Is it complete? Have you written about analyzed information on:

• The child’s appearance
• The child’s prenatal history, birth, and early days
• Developmental domains
• Play & learning
• Caregiving routines
• The family & cultural practices

2. Does the paper refer to six assigned course readings, and class materials?
3. Are observations and interpretations non-judgmental (objective) and respectful of the baby and family?
4. Does the organization of the paper make sense?
5. Is it written in a way that enables the reader to picture the infant and family?

 

Note:  You are expected to revise your draft based on the comments & feedback you receive to create the final version.

 

Stage II: Commentary Paper Final

This paper is in place of a final exam.

 

COMMENTARY PAPER CRITERIA FOR ASSESSMENT

ELEMENT	DOES YOUR PAPER:	Y/N
USE OF FEEDBACK	Thoughtfully incorporate the feedback & comments, demonstrating evidence of revising & restructuring,
INTRODUCTION	Include a substantive introduction of the baby and family that uses many rich, vivid details?
BABY’S APPEARANCE	Include a rich, detailed vivid description of the baby’s appearance so the reader could picture the baby?
BABY’S PRENATAL HISTORY, BIRTH & EARLY DAYS	Include detailed info about the prenatal history, birth, & early days with thoughtful analysis & well-developed conclusions?
DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS	Include detailed info about how the child used each developmental domain with thoughtful analysis of how it impacts the baby & their future teachers with well-developed examples?
PLAY & LEARNING	Include detailed info about play & learning with thoughtful analysis of how it impacts the baby & their future teachers with well-developed examples?
CAREGIVING ROUTINES	Include detailed info about the family’s caregiving routines with thoughtful analysis of how it impacts the baby & their future teachers with well-developed examples?
FAMILY & CULTURAL PRACTICES	Include info about the family’s & their cultural practices with thoughtful analysis of how it impacts the baby & their future teachers with well-developed examples?
USE OF SOURCES	Clearly connect & integrate 6+ course readings/ materials into what was written about the child/ family & the materials were meaningfully used to support ideas presented?
CONCLUSION	Substantively answer the questions outlined with meaningful & reflective responses?
CLARITY	The paper was coherent, clear, organized, had many rich, vivid supporting details & had been proofread?

 

Your Commentary Paper must meet the criteria of a “Learner” in ALL FOUR criteria areas in order to be uploaded into your e-Portfolio:

ASSESSMENT RUBRIC

CRITERA	COMPETENT	LEARNER	NOVICE
LEARNING ABOUT THE CHILD	The paper included rich, vivid detailed info that demonstrated research & thoughtful reflection about the child over time.	The paper has few details, in not specific, & does not did not demonstrate significant learning about the child.	There is no evidence of visits with the child.
LEARNING ABOUT THE FAMILY	The paper included rich, vivid detailed info that demonstrated research & thoughtful reflection about the family over time.	The paper has few details, in not specific, & does not did not demonstrate significant learning about the family.	There is no evidence of visits with the family
UNDERSTANDING OF THE INFANT IN CONTEXT OF THEIR CULTURE	The paper analyzed the family’s culture with rich vivid details & the interpretations show understanding & appreciation of the family’s culture	The paper partially described & interpreted the family’s culture.	The paper expressed judgements as fact & ignored the family’s culture
OBSERVING TO LEARN ABOUT DEVELOPMENT	The paper demonstrated in-depth understanding of child development as illustrated by rich, detailed descriptions & analysis of the child.	The paper demonstrated little understanding of child development as illustrated by descriptions & analysis of the child.	The paper does not demonstrate an understanding of child development as illustrated by descriptions & analysis of the child.
APPLICATION OF MATERIAL FROM CLASS	The paper fully integrated, used & applied material from class in the paper (role of play, infant curriculum, etc.).	The paper showed little evidence of the curriculum from class was applied &/ or used in the paper to the child (role of play, infant curriculum, etc.)	The paper showed no evidence that the material from class was applied & used in the paper (role of play, infant curriculum, etc.).