50-582 Clinical Practice & Seminar: Early Childhood Education - Licensed Teachers

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.

Credits

3

Prerequisite

3.0 GPA; Admission to clinical practice; all required content, methods and field experience course work completed; and a negative TB test on file.

Corequisite

Clinical practice may be repeated only once for credit with the consent of the College of Education and the Teacher Education Committees.