ECED-58100 Clinical Practice & Seminar: Early Childhood

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.

Credits

6

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.

Notes

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