Department:    ECE

 Course #:    215

 Credits:    3

 Variable:     No

 Course Description  

Strategies and skills for effective interpersonal communication and collaboration between families, teachers, paraprofessionals, students and community professionals. Interactions between the home, school and community and their influence on the development of a child.

 Prerequisite  

None

Contact Hours (based on 11 week quarter)

Lecture: 33

Lab: 0

Other: 0

Systems: 0

Clinical: 0

Intent: Distribution Requirement(s) Status:  

Vocational Preparatory Required for ATA degree, Required for certificate  

Equivalencies At Other Institutions

Learning Outcomes

After completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the importance of effective and reciprocal relationships between homes and programs that work with families.
2. Identify objectives and participate as a team member in conferences.
3. Apply appropriate interpersonal communication and conflict management skills.
4. Engage in critical written reflection about program adaptations to meet diverse needs & take action to alter bias or cultural insensitivity in programs for children.
5. Discuss the diversity of family structures, changes that have taken place in recent U.S. family sociological trends & the impact of these changes on families & children.
6. Recognition of legal & professional responsibilities regarding abuse and neglect.
7. Community influences on the child, including school, childcare, peers, & mass media.
8. Community resources locally available to parents, teachers, & education professionals.

General Education Learning Values & Outcomes

Revised August 2008 and affects outlines for 2008 year 1 and later.

2. Critical Thinking

Definition: The ability to think critically about the nature of knowledge within a discipline and about the ways in which that knowledge is constructed and validated and to be sensitive to the ways these processes often vary among disciplines.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
2.2 Analyze issues and develop questions within a discipline.

3. Communication

Definition: Understanding and producing effective written, spoken, visual, and non-verbal communication.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
3.2 Recognize, produce and demonstrate appropriate interpersonal, group, and public speaking skills.

4. Community & Cultural Diversity

Definition: Recognizing the value of human communities and cultures from multiple perspectives through a critical understanding of their similarities and differences.

Outcomes: Students will be able to . . .
4.2 Understand, value and respect human differences and commonalities as they relate to issues of race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, disabilities and culture.
4.4 Demonstrate effective communication across differences in human communities and cultures.

Course Contents

1. Principles of conference preparation and relationship building.
2. Issues of confidentiality, legal and ethical responsibilities for the educator.
3. The family as active educational team member.
4. Advocacy by parents and education professionals.
5. Skill building for effective communication and conflict management.
6. Cultural diversity and sensitivity in the group setting.
7. Influences of the home, school and community on the developing child.
8. Program adaptations to meet the diversity of family structures in the U.S.
9. Community resources for families and education professionals.