The Early Childhood program
consists of 41 credits. The work may be started in the
sophomore year and taken in blocks of 8-10 credits per
semester. The program is individualized, and  teacher candidates
progress at their own rate and according to their unique
needs. During each of the first three semesters, teacher
candidates participate in a different, semester-long field
placement that is linked with a three credit study group,
in which theory is studied along with the Early Childhood
classroom experiences. Teacher candidates spend three
hours on two mornings a week in the field for a minimum
of 72 hours over the course of each semester. Each field
experience is supervised and every attempt is made to
provide teacher candidates with culturally, economically,
and linguistically diverse field experiences, with most
teacher candidates having at least one urban experience.
Other courses focus on literacy and curriculum. |
| |
| The program
consists of 41 credits distributed as follows: |
| EDUC 439 |
Observations and Assessments in ECE [3] |
| EDUC 442 |
Creative Media [1] |
| EDUC 441 |
Materials for Teaching and Reading [3] |
| EDUC 440 |
Field
Experience in ECE [2] |
| EDUC 444 |
Integrated Curriculum in ECE
[3] |
| EDUC 446 |
Processes and Acquisition of Reading [3] |
| EDUC 443 |
Math/Science Processes in ECE [2] |
| EDUC 445 |
Field Placement Pre-k or K [2] |
| EDUC 447 |
Teaching
of Reading and Writing [3] |
| EDUC 419 |
Assessment for Reading Instruction [3] |
| EDUC 448 |
Internship Phase I [2] |
| EDUC 450 |
Internship Phase II [10] |
| EDUC 451 |
Internship Seminar [3] |
| EDUC 424 |
Issues
in Early Childhood Curriculum [1] |
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| |
| In fulfilling UMBC's general
foundation requirements, early childhood teacher candidates
are advised to meet early childhood requirements simultaneously.
The requirements are: |
Courses in art, dance,
music, film/video, theatre, or literature, with the stipulation
that
no more than three credits be in literature. |
Courses in the general
areas of contemporary world culture and American culture.
(Consult advisor in Education Department for recommended
courses.) |
| PSYC 100, 200 or a course
in child development. |
| Science 100 or other environmental
or earth science (highly recommended) |
| |
| The first semester of the
program involves study group EDUC 351, which focuses on
observation and assessment of children, and appropriate
curriculum. During their first semester field placement
(in EDUC 357), teacher candidates observe and participate
in programs for children under five years of age in settings
which include infant/toddler programs, child care centers,
nursery schools, Head Start and public school Pre-K programs. |
| |
| In the second semester in
the sequence, teacher candidates consider early childhood
curriculum in more depth in a fall study group focused
on integrated curriculum (EDUC 304). In the curriculum
course field (364), teacher candidates are generally placed
in a public school kindergarten or pre-kindergarten (although
occasionally teacher candidates request a private school
experience) During their kindergarten/pre-kindergarten
placement, teacher candidates observe and reflect on children
participating in various components of the curriculum
as well as plan, implement, and evaluate activities in
several curricular areas. Selections of appropriate field
placements are made on an individual basis and are chosen
to complement the teacher candidates' previous experiences
with children. Therefore teacher candidates who have had
work experience or a previous field placement in a child
care center or with a specific age group would be placed
in a different early childhood setting or with children
of a different age in order to expand their background. |
| |
| While teacher candidates
function as assistants in the classroom, helping the teacher
in various ways, they also have study group assignments
to complete while they are in the field. These assignments
include completing regular, systematic observations of
children focusing on child development and the various
processes and planning, implementing, and evaluating activities
for individual and small groups of children. |
| |
| The third semester incorporates
a reading and writing course, offered in the spring (EDUC
305). The field placement (EDUC 365) is in a primary grade
classroom. As in previous placements, the study group
and field experience are linked and teacher candidates
complete observation and activity assignments in the field.
During their primary placement, teacher candidates observe
children learning to read and write, reflect on their
understandings of the acquisition of literacy, and plan,
implement, and evaluate a series of reading and writing
activities with groups of children. By this point, teacher
candidates are working with larger groups of children
and considering issues of inclusion, management and guidance.
Teacher candidates' experiences in the field are also
the basis for many discussions in the weekly study group
as teacher candidates share their impressions and experiences.
Optimally, this placement contributes 12 or more days
to the required 100 Day Internship. |
| |
| During the fourth and final
semester of the program, teacher candidates complete the
100 Day Internship (EDUC 406) in a Professional Development
School (PDS). Part of the Internship is spent in a kindergarten
or pre-kindergarten and part in a primary grade. Teacher
candidates work full time in their placement classrooms,
participate in all professional development activities
at their school site, and return to the university for
a related seminar (EDUC 404/424) one afternoon a week.
A weekly assignment in the seminar is a written reflection
on experiences in the field and the documentation of growth
as a teacher through the development of an electronic
professional portfolio which chronicles their internship
experiences in particular depth. |
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| Finally, all teacher candidates
must complete the Praxis I test as they enter the program
and the Praxis II test to complete the program. Additionally,
teacher candidates will be responsible for developing
a portfolio based on NAEYC standards during the program. |
