WestEd.org Infant & Toddler Group Care Getting Acquainted Session

WestEd.org Learning Objectives Participants will be able to: Describe relationship-based care and the major content areas included in the course. Understand the process for enrolling in academic units. Explain why quality is important to children’s development.

WestEd.org Getting to Know You Instructor Participants

WestEd.org Course Overview: Infant/Toddler Group Care PITC Modules: Social-Emotional Growth and Development Caring for Infants in Group Settings Learning and Development Culture, Family and Providers Course Activities: Program/Classroom Observations Director Meetings for Center-Based Programs Training Observation and Feedback for teachers/providers Quality Improvement Planning (QIP)

WestEd.org Taking Care of Business Participant Profiles Sign-in sheets Evaluations Enrollment Process

WestEd.org Academic Credit Institution of Higher Education California State University (CSU) Fresno (Continuing & Global Ed) Credits 3 semester units Deadline for enrollment Subsidized Enrollment Fee $ for 3 units Transferability of units

WestEd.org Academic Credit Requirements Required Attendance At least 50 out of 62 hours of group instruction Required Assignments 4 Assignments: 1 per Module Course Project (4 parts): » Needs Assessment » Project Plan » Implementation » Presentation of Project

WestEd.org When are we going to meet? We need to meet a total of 62 hours over the next 9 to 12 months. When do we meet? How often each month? What time and day of the week? How many hours each time? Over how many months? Do we need to plan for holiday and/or vacation breaks?

WestEd.org Activity: Why are you here? What do you like most about your job? What are the challenges? What do you want most out of the course?

WestEd.org The Need for Quality I/T Care Over half (58%) of infants and toddlers spend time in non-parental care. 26% of infants and toddlers are in care for 35 or more hours per week. The Cost, Quality and Outcome Study (Peisner- Feinberg and others, 1999) found that fewer than 10% of infant/toddler centers were rated as being of high quality.

WestEd.org Impact of Quality Care A 1997 study of 600 non-parental care settings National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) reported that higher quality care settings (clean, safe, stimulating environments with small groups and low child-to-staff ratios) are correlated with sensitive, responsive, and cognitively stimulating care. High quality was related to the child’s language abilities at 15, 24, and 36 months, cognitive development at age two, and eventual school readiness (NICHD 2000).

WestEd.org