Karen Garcia’s Profile

This course is designed to develop practical and evidence-based knowledge for teaching literacy and enable students to demonstrate competencies teaching young children. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood education setting and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will explore principles, methods, and materials for teaching emergent literacy within a developmentally appropriate, interdisciplinary and culturally responsive curriculum. Current research regarding speaking, listening, reading and writing experiences of young children will be critically examined. Practical classroom experiences will provide opportunities for students to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behavior working with young children and their families, and build a comprehensive understanding of balanced literacy in early childhood classrooms. Students will design, implement and evaluate activity-based literacy learning experiences for young children with diverse learning styles and needs, with strong emphasis on child centered, play-oriented approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, and knowledge of curriculum content areas.

This course is designed to develop practical and evidence-based knowledge for teaching literacy and enable students to demonstrate competencies teaching young children. It requires supervised participation in an assigned early childhood education setting and attendance at a weekly seminar. Students will explore principles, methods, and materials for teaching emergent literacy within a developmentally appropriate, interdisciplinary and culturally responsive curriculum. Current research regarding speaking, listening, reading and writing experiences of young children will be critically examined. Practical classroom experiences will provide opportunities for students to make connections between theory and practice, develop professional behavior working with young children and their families, and build a comprehensive understanding of balanced literacy in early childhood classrooms. Students will design, implement and evaluate activity-based literacy learning experiences for young children with diverse learning styles and needs, with strong emphasis on child centered, play-oriented approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, and knowledge of curriculum content areas.

This course is an introduction to the theories, methods and materials of curriculum planning in early childhood education (Preschool – Grade 2), with an emphasis on providing developmentally and culturally appropriate learning environments and experiences that encourage creativity in young children. The following topics are explored in depth: the intellectual and emotional importance of fostering creativity, the role of play in learning, the design of effective arts-based learning environments; the role of visual arts, music, movement and language arts/emergent literacy in developing children?s cognitive, social-emotional, physical, language and self-help skills. Course work includes workshops in planning and implementing creative arts experiences for young children.

This course is an introduction to the theories, methods and materials of curriculum planning in early childhood education (Preschool – Grade 2), with an emphasis on providing developmentally and culturally appropriate learning environments and experiences that encourage creativity in young children. The following topics are explored in depth: the intellectual and emotional importance of fostering creativity, the role of play in learning, the design of effective arts-based learning environments; the role of visual arts, music, movement and language arts/emergent literacy in developing children?s cognitive, social-emotional, physical, language and self-help skills. Course work includes workshops in planning and implementing creative arts experiences for young children.

This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early childhood education for infants (birth to eighteen months), with an emphasis on addressing developmental needs and culturally appropriate practices in their education and care. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of infants; basic principles of infant care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote infant growth and learning; the role of parents and establishing partnerships with families.

This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early childhood education for infants (birth to eighteen months), with an emphasis on addressing developmental needs and culturally appropriate practices in their education and care. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of infants; basic principles of infant care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote infant growth and learning; the role of parents and establishing partnerships with families.

This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early childhood education for infants (birth to eighteen months), with an emphasis on addressing developmental needs and culturally appropriate practices in their education and care. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of infants; basic principles of infant care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote infant growth and learning; the role of parents and establishing partnerships with families.

This course focuses on the theories, methods and materials of early childhood education for infants (birth to eighteen months), with an emphasis on addressing developmental needs and culturally appropriate practices in their education and care. The following topics are explored in depth: social, emotional, cognitive and physical development of infants; basic principles of infant care giving, including providing culturally sensitive and consistent care; arrangement of the environment and developmentally appropriate experiences to promote infant growth and learning; the role of parents and establishing partnerships with families.