MICRO-SYSTEM CASE STUDY

Problem solving in early childhood education environments is done mostly in groups rather than individually. One person is not responsible for coming up with all the answers, but rather with synthesizing information to help implement the best solutions for a child.

A discussion in this unit asks you to work in small groups to address the issues of Case 14, “Tomasito Is Too Big to Hold Hands” (Weiss et al., pages 149–157). After participating in the discussion, individually create your own analysis to the following questions:

How do family processes influence Tomasito’s development?

How does Tomasito’s sense of connectedness affect his motivation to learn? How does it affect those around him and the way they support his learning?

If you were sharing the results of math work and math assessments with Tomasito and his family, how would you go about doing that to optimize his future success in the subject?

What are the possible ways of building reciprocal relationships with this family? Which do you think are the most appropriate and why? What support can be offered and how can parents be encouraged to be more involved?

As with any analysis, your report should provide the reasons behind your assessments and recommendations. Use examples from the case study and other appropriate reading to support your responses. Your final report should be 3-5 pages long and be written in scholarly and APA style.

1. Watch “The English Language Arts Standards: Key Changes and their Evidence” and “The Mathematics Standards: Key Changes and Their Evidence” videos on the Common Core standards.

Based on these videos and your required readings in your textbook, which philosophy do you  think most closely aligns with the purposes of the Common Core standards? Why?

2. Describe three commonalities between the College’s Conceptual Framework and the College’s Professional Dispositions. Why are these commonalities important for teachers and students in the 21st century?