400

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in a Kindergarten setting serving linguistically diverse students. Guidelines for the field experience are found in the Department of Education Field Experiences Handbook. Candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to discuss their work in the schools. The mentor teacher and University supervisor conduct performance assessments of the pre-service teacher during this experience.

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in primary grades regular education and special education settings in grades 1-3. Guidelines for the field experience are found in the Department of Education Field Experiences Handbook. Candidates meet on campus with their University supervisor to discuss their work in the schools. The mentor teacher and University supervisor conduct performance assessments of the pre-service teacher during this experience.

Candidates will explore methods for fostering the social, emotional, cognitive, communication, adaptive, and motor development and learning of children of all abilities and home languages. Candidates will gain experience in developing curricular adaptations and instructional strategies that address the needs of primary students that are interdisciplinary, multicultural, inclusive, family-centered, and developmentally appropriate. Candidates complete 75 hours of field experience in a Kindergarten, 1st or 2nd grade classroom serving emergent bilingual or multilingual children.

Professional learning community courses facilitate the co-construction of candidate knowledge, skills, and dispositions as pre-service early childhood professionals. Candidates collaboratively work to make meaning of courses and field experiences in the current sequence within the plan of study. PLC III will focus on the role of the teacher as a professional in leading learning at the primary level, centering learning around children's experiences and positioning them as co-creators, with emphasis on supporting historically marginalized children.

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 will examine a network of “big ideas” in the disciplines of science and technology in early childhood settings, birth through 2nd grade in diverse and inclusive early childhood settings. This course provides a constructivist framework for understanding the concepts, habits of mind, and skills central to inquiry-based learning. The goal of the course is to prepare teachers to recognize important concepts and to become effective in facilitating children’s emerging understandings and skills in various domains of thinking, as these understandings emerge in daily classroom life. Candidates will learn practical, effective ways to integrate various technology resources throughout their work with young children and families, applying various technology tools and instructional strategies, including assistive technology to support learning across a range of characteristics and abilities, including emergent bi- and multilingual children and children with developmental delays and disabilities.

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 student teaching.

Candidates focus on the developmentally appropriate instructional methods and materials for teaching mathematics to all children in early childhood settings, birth through 2nd grade. Candidates examine procedures for planning, organizing and interpreting various methodologies and environments in the pre-primary and primary early childhood classrooms. These include curricular modifications to support learning across a range of characteristics and abilities, including emergent bi- and multilingual children and children with developmental delays and disabilities.

The purpose of this clinical practice experience is to assist the candidates in applying their theoretical and methodological knowledge and skills to the diverse and inclusive early childhood classroom. During clinical practice, candidates engage in a guided, 16 week full-time experience in early childhood classrooms or other settings, under the cooperation and supervision of mentor teachers and a University supervisor. 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. Attendance at Clinical Practice Seminar is required. For those seeking Illinois licensure, evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois content area test must be received in the Department of Education. Clinical practice may be repeated only once for credit with the consent of the Department of Education and the Teacher Education committees. For fall student teaching, all tests must be completed by May 1 of the prior semester. For spring student teaching, all tests must be completed by September 1 of the prior semester.

See course schedule book for associated fees.