Course Spotlight: ECED 2930 - Child Development and the Arts: K-3
Published: May 25, 2021 | Author: Savannah Byers | Read Time: 3 minutes
ECED 2930 is a three-credit course taught by Professor Alisa Petersen, endowed assistant professor of elementary arts education. The course focuses on the teaching strategies necessary to foster the creative development of children ages three through eight. Students will learn how to create and facilitate integrated learning experiences in art, music, movement/dance, and drama as a way to increase aesthetic development, physical abilities, and self-esteem.
“This class is a great opportunity to learn more about the arts that you would see and experience in K-3 classrooms,” said Jentri Garfield, a student who took the class in spring of 2021. “We had many hands-on activities, including teaching an arts activity to go along with a book at SUMA. Teaching children an arts activity at SUMA was such a unique and fun experience that I haven’t been able to have in other classes. I feel much more confident to teach and create art with children because of this class.”
The first few weeks of the course focus on nurturing creative development in children. Then, the remainder of the semester will focus on how to plan and teach integrated learning experiences that are appropriate for the target age group.
“This class is designed for anyone who will work with children so while we mostly have education and FLHD majors in the class, anyone who will be a parent or aunt or uncle would benefit from the class, and probably really enjoy it too,” said Professor Petersen. “We do a lot of in-class presentations and hands-on activities, and we teach this little class for parents and children at SUMA twice a month. Starting in the fall we will also plan and teach a parent and child arts night at the SUU preschool each semester.”
There are four arts presentations students will complete throughout the course. One of these
presentations will be for parents and young children at SUMA for the Create Playdate program. Each Create Playdate is about 45 minutes long and includes a storytime with a hands-on activity designed to ignite creativity.
“The museum's Create Playdate program is a longstanding collaboration with artsFUSION," said Jessica Kinsey, director/curator of SUMA. "This partnership allows us to engage with preschoolers in the museum setting, which is setting them up for lifelong learning and art appreciation. For SUMA, we hope to engage with these students throughout their K-12 learning, as well as for those that become future T-Birds!”
Register for ECED 2930 this fall 2021 semester with the CRN 32567. Prerequisites for the course can be fulfilled with FLHD 1500, PSY 1100, PSY 1110, or a waiver from the instructor. The course will meet Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10:00-10:50 a.m.
SUU’s Family Life and Human Development program focuses on strengthening families by integrating curriculum based on the healthy development of individuals and families throughout the lifespan.
Tags: College of Education and Human Development Family Life and Human Development