Parent-Child Relations HMNS 2150  Fall 2008

 

PLEASE READ ALL OF THE SYLLABUS.  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE

FOR ALL THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS ON THE SYLLABUS.

 

  

A Note to Students

I have been teaching at CCRI for 37 years. During this time I have seen how CCRI offers students a chance to grow personally, educationally, and professionally. CCRI is a place where students , especially those who are considered "non traditional", have an opportunity to earn a college degree which prepares them to continue their education and/or to find a meaningful and well paying job. Most importantly, I have found that CCRI students are diverse and interesting people who have taught me as much as I have taught them.

My experience with CCRI students has also taught me that many students enter CCRI unprepared to successfully complete college level courses. It is not a question of having the intellectual ability to pass courses but rather many students have not developed the kinds of study skills required to succeed in college. These skills include being able to find time to read and take notes, time to write homework assignments, time to meet with your instructor before or after class, and time to prepare for the exams.

As you think about enrolling in this course, take some time and reflect on who you are: where you have come from, where you are now and where you would like to be in the next two to five years. Many students who attend CCRI question their ability to successfully complete college courses and earn a college degree. The reasons for this are as diverse as are the students. Students come from very diverse backgrounds. We have students who have been away from school for some time, students who have had difficulty in high school, students who are learning English, students who come from difficult backgrounds (e.g., single parent raising children and working a job, students who have little money, students who come from war torn countries, students who are in juvenile or adult correctional facilities, students who have received little or no family support to attend college, etc.).

Working with such students has taught me that CCRI often get caught up in either their "look what's happen to me" stories and/or how "I survived tough times" stories. When this happens it makes it difficult to move beyond these stories. After all, it has been said that we are our stories. What is needed, I find, is for students to develop an understanding of their "look what's happen to me" stories and how "I survived tough times" stories in order to work on their respective "creation" story or the "what I'm going to do to move on with my life".

Education is a wonderful way to create new and exciting opportunities to move on in the world. It takes hard work but students report that the rewards are well worth the efforts. Each course you complete is one more step towards this goal. You will find that what may appear insurmountable now, "I have so many courses to take before I get my degree", will soon turn into "I need just three more courses for my degree".

I welcome you to this course and hope that it helps you move from where you are to where you want to be.

 

HMNS 2150-371 Parent-Child Relations  Fall 2008

Richard Archambault, Ed.D.Office: 1132J  Providence Campus

Phone: 455-6128  e-mail rarchambault@ccri.edu

Texts: Peoplemaking, V. Satir

The goal of the course is to have everyone successful complete the course and earn three college credits. The most important question that every student needs to answer is: Do I want to enroll in this class? To answer this question, take some time and review the following.

Why should I take this class if I don't have any kids or I don't want to be a parent?

This class can be helpful to parents and non parents in a variety of ways. For parents it will help you explore various ways parents shape the lives of their children. It will also help you better understand how children influence the lives of their parents. Parents raise children as much as children raise parents.

If you are not a parent and don't want to be a parent the course can help you develop academic skills (reading and writing, concentration skills and a variety of behaviors (e.g., listening to others, practicing sharing your views in a group, learning how to get along better in a structured class, etc.) that will help you prepare for future employment and /or educational opportunities. For Human Services majors this course will provide you with an understanding of the diverse ways that families function and the impact that parents have on their children.

Why should I take this course when I've enrolled in other courses and failed.

If you have earned your GED you can pass this course. What you may need is to think about why you didn't perform well in other courses. There are a number of reasons why students do not do well when they first take a college course. Most the reasons have to do with organizing your time to read the material, scheduling time to complete assignments, taking the class seriously which means listening, taking notes, and coming to class with the attitude that you want to learn.

If after reading the above you feel you may want to enroll in this class continue on to part two: Requirements for successfully completing the course.

Course Objectives

To gain a working knowledge of how parents and children mutually influence one another's biopsychosocial development and to become more knowledgeable of educational/clinical strategies for working with parents and children in human service settings. 

THIS COURSE IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE COUNSELING/THERAPY FOR STUDENTS EXPERIENCING PARENT-CHILD PROBLEMS

 

Course Requirements

What do I need to do to successfully complete this course?

The following is the point schedule that will be used to determine your grade.

1. Completing Three Exams  Three exams will be given. These exams are based on your

weekly assignments. The first two exams are each worth 100 points and the final exam is worth 200 points

MAKE UP EXAMS ARE ONLY GIVEN TO STUDENTS WHO CONTACT HE INSTRUCTOR PRIOR TO THE

EXAM AND PRESENT A VALID EXCUSE.  I  IF MAKE UP IS GRANTED DUE TO A MEDICAL REASON, AN OFFICIAL NOTE FROM

THE MEDICAL DOCTOR IS REQUIRED.

 

 Make-up exams if granted will be on the following Monday following the original

 exam date.

 

  REMINDER: CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND CLASS OR THE EXAMS.

 

Summary of Points To Be Earned 400

 

and The following is the breakdown of points needed to earn respective grades:

A 360 and above   B 320-359 C 280-319  D 240-279 F  239 and below

How Does This Course Work?

1. You complete three in class exams (more information on next page). At these exams, students will have the opportunity to ask questions concerning the course.

2. You view two films (To Kill A Mockingbird and Ordinary People).  You can either rent these films and watch them at home or view them at any of the four

CCRI campuses (Films are on reserved at the respective LRC).

Only written medical excuses signed by a physician or a valid excuse with prior instructor approval will be accepted for a make up exam. Please do not bring children to the exams.

 

Class Attendance (for non Telecourse students)

For each class missed after three missed classes (regardless of the reasons for the absences)  50 points will be deducted from your total earned

points.  Fro example, if you miss four classes and have earned 380 points, 50 points will be deducted resulting in 330 earned points.  Thus, your final

course grade would be a B rather than an A.

What Text and Study Guide Do I Purchase?

1.  Peoplemaking, S. Satir

These texts will be at the Liston (455-6101) Campus

Contacting the Instructor. Calling the instructor and leaving a message (455-6128) or by e-mail (rarchambault@ccri.edu). If you leave a message, please speak clearly and slowly and leave a phone number and a time that is best to reach you.

Instructor Contacting The Class

At times the entire class may be contacted to communicate information (e.g., change in the syllabus, change in 

an exam time, etc.)  This information will be sent via CCRI Pipeline e-mail.  Students are responsible 

for checking their Pipeline e-mail.  

 

What Happens If I Cannot Complete the Course?

Students who are not able to complete the course have two options: Withdrawal or  an Incomplete Grades

Withdrawal  Please contact the Office of Admissions and Records for more information regarding the specific refund and/or withdrawal dates for courses offered this semester.  Students who fail to formally withdraw from the course via the Office of Admissions and Records and fail to complete the responsibilities of the course are eligible to receive a withdrawal grade (WP if passing at time of withdrawal or WF if failing at time of withdrawal).

Incomplete Grade To be eligible for an incomplete grade (I) you must have completed the first two exams on time. In addition, you must have a valid reason for missing the third exam.  The specific amount of time you have to complete your work can vary from a few days to a full semester depending on what the instructor feels is fair given your personal circumstances, the instructor's schedule, and requirements of the course. However, you should contact the instructor as soon as possible to work out a plan to complete your responsibilities. 

 

  Important Dates:

  Tuesday  9/9 Orientation     6pm Room 2242 Providence/Liston Campus

   Monday 9/29 Exam 1         7pm Room 1221 Providence/Liston Campus

  Monday 11/3  Exam 2         7pm Room 1221 Providence/Liston Campus

   Monday 12/8   Exam 3         7pm Room 1221 Providence/Liston Campus

 

If you know that your schedule does not permit that you take

the exams at the prescribed time stated in the syllabus, then

do not take this course.

 

  Weekly Readings & Assignments

 Note:  Each chapter and video has study questions to be answered.  Questions on the exam from the readings and videos

 will be taken from the study questions.

 

The following is the schedule for the TV videos.  Worlds of Childhood.

 

9/1                   Development and Diversity

                        The Ecology of Development

 

9/8                   Repeat

 

9/15                 Prenatal Development and the Birth Process

                        Evolution, Environment and Growth

 

9/22                 Nature and Nurture Interwoven

                        Culture, Time and Place

 

9/29                 Family Life and the Active Child

                        Individual Differences and Developmental Milestones

 

10/6                 Symbol Formation and Acquisition of Language

                        Concepts, Memories and Categories

 

10/13               Responsive Caregiving

                        Interactional Styles and Attachment

 

10/20               Gender, Self and Other

                        Rivalry and Interdependence in Sibling Relationships

 

10/27               Day Care and the Preschool Experience

                        Learning and Achievement

 

11/3                 Middle Childhood:  Friendship, Gender and Morality

                        The Peer Culture

 

11/10               Adolescence, The Prolonged Transition

                        Risk and Resilience

 

11/17               Poverty, Health and Child Labor

                        Family Stress

 

11/24               Repeat Week One

Development and Diversity

                        The Ecology of Development

 

12/1                 Nature vs. Nurture Part One

                        Nature vs. Nurture Part Two

 

12/8                 Nature vs. Nurture Part One

                        Nature vs. Nurture Part Two

 

 

 Weekly Schedule

                       

  Week 1  9/1

  Reading: Satir Chaps 1 & 2

  Videos: Worlds of Childhood

 

  Week 2  9/8

  9/9  Orientation Tuesday 9/9 6 pm Room 2242  Providence/Liston Campus

  Reading: SatChaps 1 & 2

  Videos: Worlds of Childhood

 

  Week 3  9/15

  Review the McMaster Handout and Developmental Task Handout

  Reading:  Satir Chaps 3-5

  Video: Worlds of Childhood

 

  Week 4  9/22

  Review Ecological Model

  Readings:  Satir Chaps 6-8

 

  Week 5: 9/29  Exam One  The exam will cover the readings, videos and handouts. 

 

 Week 6  10/6

  Reading:  Satir Chaps 9-10

  Videos: Worlds of Childhood

  Students are required to view the film To Kill A Mockingbird.  You may rent the film and watch the film at

  home or you may go to the LRC and watch the film.  A study guide will be e-mailed to you via pipeline.

 

  Week 7  10/13

  Reading: Satir 11-13

  Videos:  Worlds of Childhood

   Answer study guide for To Kill A Mockingbird

 

  Week 8  10/20

  Reading: Satir Chap  14-18

  Videos: Worlds of Childhood

 

  Week 9 10/27

  Review material for exam on 11/3

 

  Week 10 11/3  Exam Two   Monday 11/3 7 pm Room 1221 Providence/Liston Campus

  The Exam will cover all of the material since the last exam. 

 

 Week 11 11/10

 Reading: Satir Chap 17-19 

 Review McMaster Handout and Developmental Tasks Handout

 Videos:  Worlds of Childhood 

 Students are required to view the film Ordinary People.   You may rent the film and watch the film

 at home or you may go to the LRC.  A study guide will be e-mailed to

 

 Week 12  11/17

 Reading:  Satir Chaps 20-21 

 Videos: Worlds of Childhood

 View Ordinary People and answer study guide questions.

 

 Week 13  11/24

 Reading: Satir Chaps 22-24

 Videos: Worlds of Childhood

 

Week 14 12/1

 Review all of the material for the final exam.

 

 Week 14 12/8

 Exam 3  Monday 12/8 7 pm Room 1221 Providence/Liston Campus

 A study guide for the exam will be e-mailed via pipeline.