Undergraduate Teacher Certification Program
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
The early childhood education program
at UMBC, like the other programs in the Education Department,
is a state-approved certification program. Undergraduate
and graduate teacher candidates complete a course of study
that can lead to certification as a teacher of children
from preschool through grade 3. While many early childhood
teacher candidates plan to teach young children in public
schools, others are preparing for careers in private schools
or child care centers where they hope to take on leadership
positions in addition to teaching.
The undergraduate certification program
in early childhood has two unique features. The first
is that all undergraduates must complete an academic major
in addition to the certification program. Many undergraduates
choose to major in Psychology, American Studies, or Sociology
but others have chosen English, Mathematics, Dance or
other disciplines as their major. Through an Interdisciplinary
major, early childhood teacher candidates can customize
their education to prepare for leadership positions such
as child care center director or to focus on an area of
interest such as the arts or the environment in early
childhood education.
The second distinctive feature of the
program is the extensive field placements that the teacher
candidates experience each semester that they are in the
program. Teacher candidates have a placement in a different
early childhood setting each semester and are able to
observe and participate in 4-5 classrooms by the time
they finish the program. University supervisors observe
the teacher candidates several times each semester to
support their growth.
PROGRAM GOALS
The focus of the program is to help
teacher candidates meet the professional standards established
by the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC, 2001). The summary of these standards
is shown below. The full text is at www.naeyc.org.
1.
Promoting Child Development and
Learning
2.
Building Family and Community
Relationships
3.
Observing, Documenting, and Assessing
to Support Young Children and Families
4.
Teaching and Learning
• Connecting With Children
and Families
• Using Developmentally
Effective Approaches
• Understanding Content
Knowledge in Early Childhood Education
candidates complete a course of study
that can lead to certification as a teacher of children
from preschool through grade 3. While many early childhood
teacher candidates plan to teach young children in public
schools, others are preparing for careers in private schools
or child care centers where they hope to take on leadership
positions in addition to teaching. 
