Journal and assignment due tomorrow before 11:59 pm central time. | ECE 642 Quality Curriculum in Early Childhood Education | Ashford University

1.         Week 5 – Journal           

Leadership Journal: Leadership Competencies

To prepare for this journal read Howard Gardner’s Five Minds for the Future (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. You will specifically reflect on each competency within the source:

• A disciplined mind
• A synthesizing mind
• A creative mind
• A respectful mind
• An ethical mind

Throughout your program you have discussed, and will continue to  discuss, the importance of becoming a 21st-century educator. Equally  important is preparing your students for being 21st-century learners.  One way to do both is through reflective guidance in what Howard Gardner  describes as the “Five Minds for the Future.” According to Gardner  (2008), the “Five Minds are competencies which young people and the  society need in the twenty first century going forward” (p. 2). For your  leadership journal, reflect on each of these competencies as a leader  in the field of early childhood education.

Part 1: Content/Course Reflection (1pt.)

• How will you prepare those children, their families, and the staff  in your care in each competency? Be sure you provide specific details on  each competency.
• If you were to add a sixth competency, what would it be and why?

Part 2: Program/Personal Reflection (2pts.)

• How does each competency influence you as a leader personally? Be sure you provide at least one example for each competency.  
• How does your understanding of each of these competencies positively  impact your ability as a leader to evaluate curriculum materials and  models and ensure alignment with standards?

Integrative and Critical Thinking Expectations (demonstrated within the content of the journal):

• Connections to Experience (.5 point): Meaningfully  synthesizes connections among experiences both within and outside of  coursework to deepen understanding of fields of study and to broaden own  points of view.
• Reflection and Self-Assessment (.5 point): Envisions a  future self and possibly makes plans that build on experiences that have  occurred across multiple and diverse contexts.

Research and Resource Expectations:

• Sources are not required for your journal assignments. However, if  you need to cite information, you must cite in APA format and include a  reference page.

Writing and Formatting Expectations (1pt.):

• Professional Reflective Voice (.25 points): Journals  may be written in a less formal, but still professional voice (avoids  casual language). First person voice is encouraged.
• Organization (.25 points): Demonstrates logical progression of ideas.
• Syntax and Mechanics (.25 points): Writing displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• APA Formatting (.25 points): Papers are formatted properly and all sources (if used) are cited and referenced in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
• Suggested Assignment Length:Two to three double-spaced pages, not including title and reference pages.

Next Steps: Review and Submit the Assignment
Review  your assignment with the Grading Rubric to ensure you have achieved the  distinguished levels of performance for each criterion and submit in  Waypoint for evaluation no later than Day 7.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your journal entry.

        Week 5 – Assignment       

Balanced Literacy Presentation

As you read this week, successful balanced literacy programs are  “balanced with a combination of explicit instruction, small group and  whole-class literacy activities, and independent reading and writing  opportunities” that might also include several instructional approaches  (Kostelnik, Soderman, Whiren, & Rupiper, 2015, p. 373).

According to the article Balanced Literacy: Practical Strategies to Help You Build a Truly Balanced Classroom Literacy Program (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.,  in a truly balanced literacy program, how you teach is as important as  what you teach (Strickland, n.d., para. 1). For this assignment you will  present your plan for how you will incorporate a balanced literacy  approach in your classroom or school. Depending on your future career  path, you can choose who your intended audience is. You can present to  your staff, to parents, or even to the board of education. You will  present your plan in the form of a PowerPoint presentation. This  assignment can be added to your overall portfolio at the conclusion of  your degree program.

To prepare for this assignment, read the article Balanced Literacy: Practical Strategies to Help You Build a Truly Balanced Classroom Literacy Program (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and pages 5-12 of the joint position statement Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth Through Age 8 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Strickland, n.d.; National Association for the Education of Young Children & Fred Rogers Center, 2012).

Screencast (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and Jing (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.  revise directions. Your presentation should be a five- to six-slide  PowerPoint that you will narrate. Here is a great video to show you how!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82AMcUwpM4E (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Be sure to include the following in your presentation:

Research and Resource Expectations:

• Source Requirement:  
  • At least two scholarly peer-reviewed or credible sources. Please use  the MAECEL Source Guide if you need assistance with how to locate  scholarly peer-reviewed or credible sources.

Writing and Formatting Expectations:

• Title Page: Must include a separate title page with the following: 
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
• Academic Voice: Content development is used (avoids casual language, limited use of “I”, it is declarative).
• Purpose and Organization: Demonstrates logical progression of ideas.
• Syntax and Mechanics: Writing displays meticulous comprehension and organization of syntax and mechanics, such as spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• APA Formatting: Papers are formatted properly and all sources are cited and referenced in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
• Assignment Length: This assignment should be five to six slides in length (not including title and reference pages).

Next Steps: Review and Submit the Assignment
Review  your assignment with the Grading Rubric to ensure you have achieved the  distinguished levels of performance for each criterion.  Next, submit  the assignment for evaluation no later than Day 7.

Carefully review the Grading Rubric (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment.