Buell Early Childhood Leadership Program Courses (Credit Hours in Parentheses)
ADMN 4930 Leadership & Ethics in ECE (3)
Leadership in early care and education is the exercise of significant and responsible influence. This course covers current theories and models of leadership in Early Care and Education. Students will learn to articulate a vision, clarify and affirm values, and create a culture built on norms of continuous improvement and ethical conduct. An overview of the systems of early childhood programs will be given. The principles of developing and implementing strategic plans, effective consensus-building and negotiation skills, and effective communication will be presented and explored. Professional codes of ethics and the central role of NAEYC Accreditation criteria will be reviewed.
ADMN 4931 Pedagogical Leadership (5)
This course covers early childhood curriculum models and evidence-based interventions applicable within community, preschool, and home environments. Students will review empirically validated early interventions and curriculum for young children, including young children with special needs, and evaluate and refine these models so that they are integrated, comprehensive, and individualized. Attention is given to the development of a curriculum in which children attain key goals across the developmental domains (physical, social, emotional, cognitive) and across the disciplines (language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, art, music, physical education, and health). The course will focus on the synthesis of past research into current findings and accepted theories and will allow the leader to broaden understanding of the impact of neuroscience and relevant research on current policies and practices.
ADMN 4932 Policy & Advocacy in ECE (2)
This course provides the historical and political context of early care and education in the United States. Local, state and federal mandates, public laws, and legislative procedures and initiatives will be investigated. Students will learn from child advocates, lobbyists, and elected officials. Building a learning community, mobilizing community resources, and working with community agencies to advocate positive change will also be addressed.
ADMN 4933 Family Diversity & Partnerships in ECE (2)
This course is about families in their many constellations, their strengths and challenges, and the ways in which early care and education leaders can extend their effectiveness by working in partnership with families. This course explores the importance of family centerd practice in early care and education. Family centered practice is based on a core set of values, beliefs and practices that recognize that families can contribute to all aspects of their child's early care and education through their active and meaningful participation. Family diversity, family interests and needs, cultural perspectives and various family circumstances are explored in order to build greater understanding, awareness and sensitivity. Family and professional partnership models which support young children, by respecting, strengthening, and supporting families will be highlighted.
ADMN 4150 Professional Development (3)
This course is designed to develop instructional leaders who promote positive child outcomes by advocating, nurturing, and sustaining a program culture conducive to optimal staff performances and professional growth. This course focuses on the knowledge and skills required for the identification, selection, retention, and professional development of teachers in order to promote high quality ECE. Topics will include motivating, assessing, and working with adults to identify competencies possessed and needed; employing learner-centered principles of teaching to conduct effective staff development; utilizing mentorship, guidance, and observations to improve curriculum and instruction in order to optimize child and family outcomes.
ADMN 4934 Reflective Leadership in ECE (3)
This course is designed to foster the early care education leader's commitment to the importance and use of knowledge and multiple information sources. Effective leaders must have the skills to reflect critically on practices in their programs and promote the importance of inquiry as a professional responsibility of their staff. Evaluation design, qualitative and quantitative methods, data collection systems, analysis of data, reporting and formatting of early childhood assessment and evaluation data will be highlighted. Capstone project will relate directly to the improvement of early care and education policy and practice.
ADMN 4938 Budget & Funding in ECE (2)
This course is designed to assist in the financial planning and fiscal operations of early care and education programs in order to promote and sustain quality. Students will investigate budgeting and its impact on programs and policies. Specific financial management tools are discussed with fundraising; grant writing and administration, and the use of local and federal resources to adequately address the issues of quality, compensation, and affordability. Topics will include: setting up the program, materials, supplies, salaries, budgeting, regulatory and tax information, fees, personnel, marketing, insurance, cash flow, accounting, and grant writing.
ADMN 4935 Young Exceptional Children (2)
This course provides perspectives and views related to the inclusion and support for young children with special needs and their families. The most recent regulations and research-based practices related to young children with special needs, including simultaneous language learners and children living in poverty, will be explored from the leader's perspective, including the IFSP and IEP process, child and family support systems, professional development, legal issues and evidence based practices for optimizing growth and development.
ADMN 4936 Adv. Seminar Current issues in ECE Leadership (1)
Current topics and/or critical issues in the field of Early Care and Education are addressed in an advanced seminar format. Topics vary by instructor and year and may address current issues in research, theory, policy development, and/or administrative leadership.
ADMN 4937 Mentorship in ECE Leadership (1-3)
The mentorship is a supervised field experience designed to expose students to a variety of leadership roles in the field of Early Care and Education. Throughout the quarter, students will interact with a selected mentorship supervisor and will attend, observe, and participate in a range of activities related to leadership in ECE, such as task force participation, advocacy work, and administrative practices.