Early Childhood Education Endorsement

Students will study early childhood development. The development of children in preschools, kindergarten, and the primary grades will be explored. This course includes the history, philosophy, and theory of early childhood education.

This course explores the importance of play as a guiding principle for the development of the whole child. Students will explore strategies for teaching language arts, science, mathematics, social studies, art, music, and movement in early childhood classrooms within an integrated, thematic curriculum. Emphasis on appropriate play for children ages birth to 8, including individual, pair, small group and large group play as a means of intellectual development.

This course develops the instructional methods and assessment for an Early Childhood classroom. Students will design and assess instruction for all areas of a self-contained classroom based on developmental stages, community, and curriculum goals. Students will learn to identify central concepts and methods of inquiry; use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage development within the context of creating a positive learning environment.

The purpose of this course is to build your understanding of the link between instruction and assessment and the teacher’s role in monitoring and assessing student learning. Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to develop, design, and implement both formal and informal reliable assessments. The student will explore multiple approaches to planning and assessments by learning to describe the advantages and limitations of assessments types. These types will include simple and complex forms such as multiple-choice items, interpretive exercise (using pictorial info like charts and graphs), essay, performance-based, and portfolio). Students will write and select lesson goals, objectives, and assessments that are designed to inform their instruction and student performance. Additionally, students will develop their personal philosophy of grading, identify issues of equity in testing, and understand the importance of data collection and analysis. Students will learn about how to select and/or develop measurement tools such as rubrics and other assessment tools and apps. Prerequisite: Admission to the Teacher Education Program. (Offered every semester)

Students will be introduced to strategies in developing positive and supportive relationships with families, community agencies, and schools in a diverse society. This course explores strategies for building understanding, trust, and effective communication with all children and their families including those who have special needs, have cultural and linguistic differences, come from non-traditional family configurations, and who face poverty, health problems, and/or family dysfunction.

This course is designed to investigate emergent literacy of typical and atypical development from infancy to age 8 with special emphasis on young children ages 0-5. Environmental, cultural, and social components are explored. Appropriate activities and experiences that provide opportunities for children to grow in literacy will be examined, while also ensuring that children are working in their comfort zone.