Welcome to CE230! Creative Activities for Young Children It will be helpful to have your course books and syllabus nearby, if possible. Feel free to chat with each other. We will begin class at 9:00 PM ET!

Introductions Where are you joining us from? How many terms have you been here at Kaplan?

My information Instructor Name: Danielle Butera Credentials: * Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and Special Education * Masters in Curriculum/Instruction * Currently completing an Ed. S. degree in Curriculum/Instruction Instructor Contact Information: Best Contact Method: Kaplan Address: Cell Phone Number: (leave a message)

Syllabus – General Info Seminar – Seminars are graded – If unable to attend, Option 2 must be completed by Tuesday at 11:59 EST Seminar will be Monday at 8 PM Course dates- August 22 - October 30 Course materials

Syllabus – Course Outcomes CE230-1: Identify ways to incorporate creative activities in early childhood settings CE230-2: Discuss learning theories on creativity in children CE230-3: Describe ways children express their creativity at various developmental stages CE230-4: Select activities that encourage children to think and act creatively GEL-1.1: Demonstrate college-level communication through the composition of original materials in Standard American English GEL-7.1: Identify the ethical issues within the field of infant, toddler, and early childhood development

Syllabus – Learning Activities Readings/Web Resources Discussion – participation! Seminar – option 1 or 2 Graded Reviews (quizzes) Projects – units 5 and 9 Please be sure to use the rubrics for each assignment as a guide!

Syllabus – Grading, Due Dates, Rubrics Point assignments and grading scale noted in syllabus Due Dates: all assignments for each unit are due by Tuesday at midnight Rubrics: – A rubric is a set of criteria that is used to determine whether or not the requirements of an assignment have been met. Each criteria or set of criteria has a range of points assigned to it. The greater the number of requirements met, the greater the number of points earned. – Rubrics are located in the Syllabus for each type of assignment in this course.

Grading- Discussion Initial Post should be 100+ words Answer all parts of the question Connect to the text and personal experience Cite your sources Respond to 2 classmates.

Syllabus - Plagiarism What is plagiarism? – Presenting someone else’s ideas as your own Please familiarize yourself with Kaplan’s Plagiarism policy – Where can I go to find out more information? End of the syllabus Kaplan’s Writing Center

Let’s Chat! Seminar DQ#1 After reading the syllabus, do you have any concerns about any of the topics or projects? Do you understand the objectives of the course? Are there any questions about when assignments are due or what will be expected?

Unit 1: Introduction to Creative Activities for Young Children Let’s talk about CREATIVITY! Definition: “Creativity is the ability to think in unique ways, produce unusual ideas, or combine things in different ways.” (Isbell & Raines, 2007) Is creativity innate or can it be nurtured? Why are some children more creative than others?

Theories of Creativity: Freud (Psychoanalytic Theory)- Conflict/difficulties lead to creativity. Skinner (Behaviorist Theory)- Environment fosters creativity or diminishes its occurrence. When creativity is valued and rewarded, more creative expression will follow. Rogers and Maslow (Safe Environment)- Every individual is creative, but their creativity is often hidden. A safe environment, where children are encouraged to follow their own interests, allows for creativity.

Theories of Creativity: Maslow (Humanistic Theory)- A creative person is self-actualized. This can be reached only if basic needs are met. Self- actualization is the highest level in Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Piaget (Constructivist Theory)- Activities that allow creativity are process-driven and hands-on. Children participate in building their own knowledge and understanding. Vygotsky (Social Constructivist Theory)- Children need support, guidance, and interaction to develop creatively. Gardner (Multiple Intelligences)- Children learn in different ways. They also express creativity differently.

Let’s Chat! Seminar DQ#2 What elements should be included in a classroom environment that fosters creativity?

Let’s Chat! Seminar DQ#3: Do you consider yourself a creative person? – If not, what do you think might help you to be more creative? – If so, can you provide an example of how you enjoy your creativity?

Weekly Reminders If you haven’t already, Post your introduction under “Introduce Yourself” Complete Graded Review Post your answer to our discussion board question and respond to your classmates’ posts – Initial posts should be done by mid-week, so that you can respond to classmates and be an active participant in the discussion.

Next Week: Reading Requirement: – Please read before Seminar next Monday. – Remember to use your text and/or other sources to support your discussion board postings. Don’t forget to respond to at least 2 classmates. Discussion Topic: You will need two children of different ages to complete the discussion post for next week. Starting point- Ask each child to list ways two items are the same (Sweater/blanket, rain/tears, puppy/baby, eagle/lion, bread/oatmeal/, river/tree, potato/person, bear/monkey, ocean/desert, train/boat). Discussion posts should be reflections on your findings, not just the children’s responses. Complete the Graded Review

Ways to get help! your instructor- I will check 1-2 times per day. Visit the writing center if you feel you need additional writing support. Post your question to the Course Questions discussion board (under "Course Home" > "Course Questions")

References Isbell, R.T. and Raines, S. C. (2007). Creativity and the Arts with Young Children. Thomson Delmar Learning.