50 - Early Childhood Education

The candidates are gradually introduced to, and gather information related to, the "domains" of good teaching. The first field experience examines the components of the early childhood classrooms (teacher, student, environment, and curriculum) and the interaction between these components. It introduces lesson planning and a variety of instructional delivery models, strategies, and assessment techniques, including the adaptation of content through technology or other devices for people with disabilities. Focus is placed on creating a learning community with children and among professional educators and parents, understanding personal biases and perceptions that influence teaching, teaching for understanding, and choosing appropriate methods according to curriculum goals and/or IEP goals. Candidates are required to complete 25 hours of field experience in an infant/toddler setting.

This field experience provides candidates with school-based observation opportunities and educational experiences with students who have disabilities and are receiving special education services. In this field experience, candidates will spend a total of 25 hours over the semester at an assigned school. During that time, candidates will complete a variety of experiences and assignments designed to deepen and enrich their knowledge of students with disabilities. The assignments include the following: school demographic and student profile reports, student observations reports, lesson plans, and reflections.

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in a Pre-K or K approved setting. Guidelines for the field experience are found in the College of Education Field Experiences Handbook. Candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to discuss their work in the schools. The cooperating teacher and University supervisor conduct performance assessments of the pre-service teacher during this experience.

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in an early childhood setting in grades 1-3. Guidelines for the field experience are found in the College of Education Field Experiences Handbook. Candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to discuss their work in the schools. The cooperating teacher and University supervisor conduct performance assessments of the pre-service teacher during this experience.

This course focuses on the underlying principles and philosophies of the field of early childhood education. It helps candidates understand the processes and reasoning behind practices in the field. It puts programs, curriculum, and child development into social, cultural, and historical contexts in order for candidates to understand how young children learn. Special emphasis is placed on child development theories of Piaget, Erikson, Vygotsky, Skinner, etc., and significance of family, peers, culture, and school. It examines the role of the teacher as a facilitator of learning by critically examining such issues as reflective teaching, classroom management, equity in education, parental involvement, and professionalism in the field. Multicultural education, issues of poverty, and inclusion of special needs children into the classroom will be presented in depth and integrated into the course content and discussion.

This is a specialized course that prepares candidates to understand the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth and development of a child’s life from prenatal development through pubescence. Special emphasis is given to the growth and development of young children aged birth through eight years. It is designed to serve as a comprehensive introduction to the principles and basic concepts of typical and atypical child growth and development. Emphasis is on helping candidates create an environment for children that will promote optimum development. Experiences such as laboratory observations, job shadowing, or laboratory participation may be included if opportunities are available.

This course is designed to assist candidates in developing the necessary skills to work cooperatively with families and community members. This starts with the understanding that all young children are fully functioning members of a diverse and multicultural school, family and community. Candidates gain insight into family perspectives and experiences by examining the social, economic, legislative and technological impacts on children and families, including families with special needs children. They evaluate existing support services and service delivery models in the school and community with respect to diversity, exceptionality and family health and well being with a particular emphasis on strategies to promote and ensure effective communication, collaboration and consultation between home, school and community.

Candidates focus on developmentally appropriate instructional methods and materials for promoting and teaching reading and literacy in diverse and inclusive early childhood settings. Recent research, philosophical, and theoretical views and issues related to emergent literacy, and quality children’s literature are explored. Scientific research-based comprehensive early reading instruction will emphasize the foundations of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension strategies. Developmental stages of learning to read and write, interactive teaching strategies, and instructional materials, methods, and assessments will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on the development of the knowledge base needed to assist beginning teachers in making data driven decisions regarding their objectives and practices. Updated information on current trends, technology, research, Illinois State Early Childhood Standards, and common core standards will also be emphasized. Classroom reading interventions in accordance with Response to Intervention (RTI) and practice for students at risk of reading failure will be highlighted. The needs of all children including those with high proficiency, those with special needs based on exceptionalities and/or diversity of language or culture will be embedded throughout the course experiences. Current multi-cultural children’s literature will be used in simulated classroom teaching experiences. Field based experiences will provide opportunities for candidates to connect teaching theory with classroom practice. Candidates will be evaluated on their ability to successfully plan and implement strategies taught in this course.

Candidates are introduced to developmentally appropriate instructional methods and materials for teaching the creative and expressive arts in diverse and inclusive early childhood settings. Areas such as music, movement, storytelling, creative writing, poetry, and art are considered. Candidates examine procedures for planning, organizing, and interpreting various methodologies and environments for all young children in the pre-primary and primary early childhood classrooms. Experiences in selection and implementation of curricular modifications for exceptional children are also developed.

The history and issues of early childhood assessment are studied. Experiences in observation and recording of behavior of young children are applied. Candidates will critique screening approaches, assessment techniques, and materials for use with atypical and typical young children from birth through third grade. The relationships between naturalistic and authentic assessment and curriculum and instruction in early childhood education will be emphasized. In this course, candidates address specific assessment techniques for use with all young children from birth through third grade, including young children with disabilities. The course emphasizes formal and informal techniques and strategies needed for making data driven decisions regarding individual and group development, diagnosis and placement, learning, curricula, and instructional approaches and modifications appropriate for all young children and their families. Candidates examine specific formal diagnostic instruments and interpret data from case studies, as well as explore considerations unique to the assessment of young children.

Candidates will construct an understanding of speech and language acquisition in children from birth through eight years of age. An examination and analysis of typical, atypical, and bilingual language patterns and their relationship to cognitive and social development will be included. As a result of demonstrations and observations, candidates familiarize themselves with speech and language screening and diagnostic processes for young children. Phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics and communicative competence and their implications for early language development are introduced. They also explore a variety of direct and indirect language stimulation techniques and learn how to create an environment that supports language acquisition for all young children. Educational issues related to linguistically diverse children and families will be researched.

Candidates examine the importance and process of collaboration with family, classroom teachers, para-educators, and other school and community personnel in integrating individuals with disabilities into various social and learning environments. Candidates study the process of examining the learning environment and classroom demands combined with the learning characteristics of the student for the purpose of selection of appropriate strategies and materials. Candidates investigate techniques for modifying instructional methods, curricular materials, and the environment, modification of state and local assessments, as well as use of behavior management plans. Specific attention is given to effective co-teaching practice including effective communication, collaboration, co-planning, and conflict resolution skills. Fostering positive interactions between students with and without disabilities is addressed. Candidates practice collaboration through involvement in collaborative exercises and projects within this course.

Candidates focus on the historical and philosophical aspects of early childhood and special education as related to contemporary society. Candidates study key individuals, movements, and curricula, and apply a multicultural and inclusive approach to the study of both formal and informal education of all young children. Candidates apply theory to practice through field experience included for observation and comparison of various philosophies of education. Advocacy and ethical issues will be analyzed using historical and current information from a variety of sources including the Internet. A personal philosophy of early childhood education will be written.

This course is intended for those candidates who need extended field experiences with the ongoing supervision by University personnel. Length of field experiences will be determined by the Department and is subject to Department Chair approval. Completion of this experience does not guarantee eligibility for clinical practice.

Candidates focus on the developmentally appropriate instructional methods and materials for teaching mathematics, science, and social studies to all children in early childhood settings. Candidates examine procedures for planning, organizing, and interpreting various methodologies and environments in the pre-primary and primary early childhood classrooms. Additionally, the selection and implementation for curricular modifications for exceptional children are developed.

The purpose of this clinical experience is to assist the candidates in applying their theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills to the diverse and multicultural early childhood classroom. During clinical practice, candidates engage in a 15 week full-time teaching experience in an early childhood classroom, under the cooperation and supervision of a mentor teacher, who is a proven highly qualified mentor with demonstrated ability to increase student learning. A University field supervisor is also assigned to evaluate the candidate and coordinate the experience. Clinical practice consists of the candidate observing the students, the environment and the mentor teacher, as well as being responsible for the developmentally appropriate instruction of students individually, in small groups and as a whole class. The required Clinical Practice Seminar is bi-weekly and will allow the candidates to collegially focus on the demands, challenges and rewards of the clinical practice experience in the early childhood setting. This seminar also serves as a platform for bridging the candidate’s University experience to the early childhood profession. Candidates explore job search and employment, continued professional development, promoting positive change in educational contexts, professional organizations and professional advocacy.

This course is designed for licensed teachers who do not have an approved teaching experience within the P-3 early childhood environment. The purpose of this clinical experience is to assist the candidates in applying their theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills to the diverse and multicultural early childhood classroom. Candidates engage in an eight (8) week full-time teaching experience in an early childhood classroom, under the cooperation and supervision of a mentor teacher, who is a proven highly qualified mentor with demonstrated ability to increase student learning. A University field supervisor is also assigned to evaluate the candidate and coordinate the experience. Clinical practice consists of the candidate observing the students, the environment and the mentor teacher, as well as being responsible for the developmentally appropriate instruction of students individually, in small groups and as a whole class. Candidates will engage in a required accompanying Clinical Practice Seminar for four (4) weeks which will allow the candidates to collegially focus on the demands, challenges and rewards of student teaching in the early childhood setting. This seminar also serves as a platform for bridging the candidate’s University experience to the early childhood profession. Candidates explore continued professional development, promoting positive change in educational contexts, professional organizations and professional advocacy.