Overview
During this Performance Task, you will participate in a field experience in either an infant or a toddler setting. You will first meet with your Host Teacher to explain the Assessment and discuss considerations of developing a respectful, supportive, and challenging experience with a child or small group of children in her/his class.
You will then develop and implement these experiences and conclude the Assessment by gathering feedback from your Host Teacher on your experience with the child or children and engaging in your own reflection on these experiences.
Professional Skills: Written Communication and Applied and Collaborative Learning are assessed in this Competency.
This Assessment requires a submission of two files:
- Infant or Toddler Experience: Planning Template
- Infant or Toddler Experience: Student Reflection
Instructions
Before submitting your Assessment, carefully review the rubric. This is the same rubric the assessor will use to evaluate your submission and it provides detailed criteria describing how to achieve or master the Competency. Many students find that understanding the requirements of the Assessment and the rubric criteria help them direct their focus and use their time most productively.
Note: For this Written-Response Assessment, you are required to draw from not only the resources for the Topics but also your experiences, observations, and host teacher and other professionals who work in your field setting. Your conversations with these professionals and your observations in the setting are essential to the successful completion of the Assessment. As part of this assessment, after you have concluded your field activities, you will need to meet with you Host Teacher to fill out your final evaluation and submit it along with your assessment. For additional information regarding the field experience requirements and expectations, please review the BSECS Field Experience Handbook found on the BSECS Field Experience Website.
Access the following to complete this Assessment:
- Infant or Toddler Experience: Planning Template
- Infant or Toddler Experience: Student Reflection
- BSECS FE Verification and Evaluation
Developing Experiences with Infants and Toddlers
“The adult’s role is not to teach, but to observe and reflect on what infants/toddlers are experiencing and how they learn — and then to support the process through interactions, their relationship with the child, and provision of experiences in an environment that contributes to the child’s success”. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010)
What do you want to discover with infants or explore with toddlers? How do you want to participate in fostering their growth and development? How can you let children take the lead, building on their interests, and sometimes modifying your plans in order to truly partner in their development and learning? In this Competency Assessment, you will develop and implement a respectful, supportive, and challenging experience with very young children—in an infant setting or in a toddler setting.
Keep in mind for this Field Experience Competency Performance Assessment, your goal is to:
- Explain what the Competency Assessment entails to your Host Teacher, and then participate in a reflective conversation with the Host Teacher of the infant program or the toddler program. During the conversation, discuss how best you can participate in fostering the development and learning of a child or group of children in each age group. Ask for the teachers' help not only to identify the children, but also to understand who they are as individuals – their interests, developmental levels, abilities, and cultural contexts. Also, discuss how best you can build on children's interests, apply developmentally appropriate practice, and respect that all interactions with young children need to be based on relationships that involve observation, care, and individualization for strengths, needs, and interests.
- Complete the Infant or Toddler: Planning Template based on what you have learned from your Host Teacher and the resources for this Competency.
- Participate in the experiences you have planned with the infant(s) or toddler(s) identified.
- Complete the infant or Toddler Experience: Student Reflection portion.
- Complete the FE Verification and Evaluation with your Host Teacher. You can print this off or fill it in together electronically. This Evaluation needs to be submitted with your assessment.
Infant or Toddler Experience: Planning Template
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Age(s) of child(ren) involved: Summarize the conversation you had with your Host Teacher, and how it will inform your thinking about the child or children with whom you’ll be working and the experience you are planning. For instance, what did the teacher tell you about the child’s or children’s interests, developmental levels, abilities, and cultural contexts that you will keep in mind as you develop this experience and interact with the children? |
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Early Learning Guideline/Standard: Identify the early learning guideline/standard that aligns with the experience you are planning. Explain why you chose it and what you are hoping the outcome of this experience will be for the child or children involved. |
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Fostering Development and Learning Explain the focus/content/developmental areas of the experience you are planning, including the setting and materials: |
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Interacting to Support Development and Learning Explain three goals/principles related to individualization, scaffolding, and/or developmentally appropriate practice you plan to incorporate in your interactions with the infant(s) or toddler(s) during this experience: 1. 3. |
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Infant or Toddler Experience: Student Reflection
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Early Learning Guideline/Standard What did you learn about early learning guidelines/standards? |
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Planning What might you do differently next time and why? |
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Fostering Development and Learning Looking back on the experience, in what ways was focus of the experience/content/developmental area appropriate for the child/children involved? Please provide examples. What connections between your planning process and the implementation of the experience did you notice worked, and what could have been improved? |
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Interacting to Support Development and Learning In what ways was the experience respectful, supportive, and challenging? How effective were you at meeting your goals of individualization, scaffolding, and developmentally appropriate practice? Please explain, using examples. |
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In Hindsight and Moving Forward As you think about the entire experience, what surprised you and how might you have better followed the child/children’s interests and leads? Summarize at least two insights you gained that will help you improve your development of and participation in experiences that promote healthy development and learning. |
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Competency DI4005: Meaningful Experiences with Infants and Toddlers: Develop respectful, supportive, and challenging experiences with infants and toddlers.
Assessment Rubric Rubric Criteria 0
Not Present 1
Needs Improvement 2
Meets Expectations Topic 1: Early Learning Standards/Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers Identify the early learning guideline/standard that align with the experience you are planning. LO1: Identify early learning guidelines/standards that align with specific experiences for infants or toddlers.
Response is not present.
Early learning guidelines/standards are vague, inaccurate, and/or incomplete.
Early learning guidelines/standards are clear, accurate, and complete.
Explain why you chose it and what you are hoping the outcome of this experience will be for the child or children involved. LO2: Explain rationale for choosing specific early learning standards/guidelines for specific infant or toddler experiences.
Response is not present.
Explanation of rationale for choosing specific early learning standards/guidelines for specific infant or toddler experiences is vague, inaccurate, and/or incomplete.
Response provides a clear, explanation of the rationale for choosing specific early learning standards/guidelines for specific infant or toddler experiences.
Was there an alignment between the early learning guideline/standard you chose and the experience in which you and the children participated? What did you learn about early learning guidelines/standards? Is there anything you would do
Response is not present.
Analysis alignment and use of early learning standards/guidelines is vague, illogical, unsupported, and/or incomplete.
Response provides a clear, logical analysis of the alignment and use of early learning standards/guidelines incorporating relevant examples from field experience, Host Teacher feedback, and early
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Rubric Criteria 0 Not Present
1 Needs Improvement
2 Meets Expectations
differently next time? If so, please explain. LO3: Analyze alignment and use of early learning standards/guidelines.
childhood knowledge base
Topic 2: Fostering Development and Learning Explain the focus/content/developmental areas of the experience you are planning, including the setting and materials. LO1: Explain quality early learning experiences for infants or toddlers.
Response is not present.
Explanation of quality early learning experiences is vague, inaccurate, and/or incomplete.
Response provides a detailed, explanation of quality learning experiences for infants or toddlers, including focus, content, developmental areas, setting, and materials.
In what ways was the focus of the experience/content/developmental area appropriate for the child/children involved? Please provide examples. Were there any ways in which the experience was inappropriate? If so, please explain. LO2: Evaluate the quality of early learning experiences for infants and/or toddlers.
Response is not present.
Evaluation of the quality of early learning experiences for infants or toddlers is vague, inaccurate, and/or incomplete.
Response provides a clear, accurate, logical, and complete evaluation of quality early learning experiences for infants or toddlers, incorporating relevant examples from field experience, Host Teacher feedback, and an early childhood knowledge base
Topic 3: Interacting to Support Development and Learning Explain three goals/principles related to individualization,
Response is not present.
Explanation of goals/principles related to
Response provides a clear, accurate, and
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Rubric Criteria 0 Not Present
1 Needs Improvement
2 Meets Expectations
scaffolding, and/or developmentally appropriate practice you plan to incorporate in your interactions with an infant/infant during this experience. LO1: Explain goals/principles related to individualization, scaffolding, and/or developmentally appropriate practice for use in quality learning experiences with infants and/or toddlers.
individualization, scaffolding, and/or developmentally appropriate practice for use in quality learning experiences with infants or toddlers is vague, inaccurate, and/or incomplete.
complete explanation of goals/principles related to individualization, scaffolding, and/or developmentally appropriate practice for use in quality learning experiences with infants or toddlers.
• In what ways was the experience respectful, supportive, and challenging?
• In what ways were you able to use scaffolding as well as other developmentally appropriate strategies? Please explain using examples.
• What were your strengths in these areas? What would you do differently next time?
• How effective were you at meeting your goals of individualization, scaffolding, and developmentally appropriate practice?
Response is not present.
Evaluation of quality, early learning experiences for infants or toddlers with regard to individualization, scaffolding, and developmentally appropriate practice is vague, inaccurate, illogical, and/or incomplete.
Response provides a clear, accurate, logical, and complete evaluation of quality, early learning experiences for infants or toddlers with regard to individualization, scaffolding, and developmentally appropriate practice incorporating relevant examples from field experience, Host Teacher feedback, and an early childhood knowledge base.
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Rubric Criteria 0 Not Present
1 Needs Improvement
2 Meets Expectations
• Provide examples and explain what you would do differently next time and why
LO2: Evaluate quality early learning experiences for infants or toddlers with regard to individualization, scaffolding, and developmentally appropriate practice.
Professional Skills Assessment In this Competency Assessment, you will be assessed on the following Professional Skills: Written Communication and Applied and Collaborative Learning. This skill counts toward achievement of the Competency and the Professional Skill. Written Communication: Write with clarity, coherence, and purpose. 0
Not Present 1
Needs Improvement 2
Meets Expectations LO1: Construct complete and correct sentences. (AWE 2; Sentence-Level Skills)
Sentences are incoherent and impede reader’s access to ideas.
Sentences are incomplete and/or include fragments and run-on sentences. This limits the reader’s access to ideas.
Sentence structure effectively conveys meaning to the reader.
LO2: Demonstrate the effective use of grammar and mechanics. (AWE 2; Sentence-Level Skills)
Multiple inaccuracies in grammar and mechanics impede reader’s access to ideas.
Some inaccuracies in grammar and mechanics limit reader’s access to ideas.
Use of grammar and mechanics is straightforward and effectively conveys meaning to reader.
LO3: Create cohesive paragraphs with a clear central idea. (AWE 2; Paragraph-Level Skills)
Paragraphs, or lack of paragraphs, impede reader’s access to ideas.
Construction of main idea and/or supporting paragraphs limit the reader’s access to ideas.
Main idea and/or supporting paragraphs effectively convey meaning to reader.
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LO4: Use supporting material to support a claim. (AWE 2; Use of Evidence)
Supporting materials are not present.
Supporting material is used inconsistently or inappropriately.
Supporting material is used to enhance meaning. Writing is appropriately paraphrased, and it uses direct quotes as applicable.
LO6: Identify sources. (AWE 2; Credit to source)
Sources are missing. Writing inconsistently identifies or misrepresents sources.
Writing clearly identifies the source of non-original material and/or ideas.
Applied and Collaborative Learning: Apply knowledge and skills in collaboration with others to solve authentic problems. 0
Not Present 1
Needs Improvement 2
Meets Expectations LO2: Apply collaboration skills to create workable solutions to complex problems.
Application is not present.
Response applies inappropriate collaboration skills or the collaboration results in inappropriate or unrealistic solutions.
Response generally applies relevant and appropriate collaboration skills to create workable solutions to complex problems.
Mastery Rubric In order to achieve mastery of this Competency, you must achieve a “2” on every rubric row in addition to meeting the additional expectation indicated in the Mastery Rubric.
Mastery Rubric No Yes Exceeds Expectations: Reflection and Self-Assessment LO1: Evidences a developing sense of self as an early childhood teacher by applying critical analysis and reflection to strengths and challenges
Responses do not apply critical analysis and reflection to current abilities and future professional growth related to developing and implementing quality learning experiences with infants and toddlers.
Responses apply critical analysis and reflection to current abilities and future professional growth related to developing and implementing quality learning experiences with infants and toddlers.
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related to developing and implementing quality learning experiences with young children.
Responses also evaluate and incorporate highly relevant examples from field experience, Host Teacher feedback, and an early childhood knowledge base.
Responses also evaluate and incorporate highly relevant examples from field experience, Host Teacher feedback, and an early childhood knowledge base.
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