Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: describe the stages of cognitive development, zone of proximal development, and stages of development theories from various psychologists; distinguish forms of development and cognitive and fine motor skills in children, including behavior, abnormalities, and impact of neglect and abuse; explain the benefits of early childhood education and the curriculum, programs, and services if offers; appraise infants' and toddlers' cognitive and social development, including emotional expression in the first two years of life; compare and contrast different preschool and kindergarten methods of education, including Montessori, Emilia, High/Scope, and Waldorf approaches; summarize strategies for reaching to course standards and types of learning in childhood education; analyze ways to educate students with regards to diversity, learning disabilities, prejudice, and gender equality; evaluate assessments and developmentally appropriate practices (DAP) for early childhood, preschool, special education, and more; define parent-child relationships and the impact of different types of family structure; and identify effective teaching and professional developments, focusing on organizations in education such as the NAEYC, ACEI, and NEA.