50 - Early Childhood Education

This field experience provides candidates with opportunities for application of concepts through fieldwork with young children and their families under the supervision of licensed service providers in a variety of community settings including childcare facilities, community service providers, early intervention service providers and preschools. Candidates are required to complete 25 hours of field experience. 

This field experience provides candidates with school-based observation opportunities and educational experiences with students who have disabilities and are receiving special education services within the PreK inclusive classroom. In this field experience, candidates will spend a total of 25 hours over the semester at an assigned early childhood center. During that time, candidates will complete a variety of experiences and assignments designed to deepen and enrich their knowledge of mixed age, inclusive PreK classroom settings. 

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, 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. 

Course is designed to assist candidates in developing the necessary skills to work cooperatively with families and communities. This starts with the understanding that all young children are members of a multicultural school, family and community. Candidates gain insight into family perspectives and experiences by examining the social, cultural, economic, legislative and technological impacts on children and families, including families with special needs children. The relationships among home language, culture and academic success are investigated. Support services and service delivery models in the school and community are evaluated with respect to 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 the 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. Activities and strategies will be explored regarding early literacy and classroom intervention. 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. Additionally, the selection and implementation of curricular modifications for exceptional children are covered using the Response to Intervention model. 

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, first language development 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 and English language learners. The course emphasizes the importance of home language, formal and informal assessment strategies, diagnosis and placement, curricula and instructional approaches and modifications appropriate for working with 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.

This course is designed as a non-technical introduction to the study of human language, and its role in human interaction. The course is divided into two parts.  The first part deals with the core theoretical areas of linguistics: syntax (sentence structure), semantics (meaning), phonology (sound) and morphology (word structure).  The second part of the course utilizes the insights of the first half to gain insight into the workings of language use (pragmatics), language variation (sociolinguistics), language change (historical linguistics) and first and second language acquisition (psycholinguistics).

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. 

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. 

Candidates complete 50 hours of field experience practice in an ESL or bilingual Kindergarten 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 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 College 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 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.

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.

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 multicultural early childhood classroom. During clinical practice, candidates engage in two guided, 8 week full-time teaching experiences in early childhood classrooms, 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. Evidence of successful completion of the appropriate State of Illinois content area test must be received in the College of Education at least 30 days prior to the beginning of the clinical practice semester.