CIP: 131210
The early childhood education program prepares students to successfully complete the licensure requirements of the program and earn their teaching license with an endorsement in early childhood education. This license enables students to teach children birth through the third grade in multiple settings including public and non-public schools, homes, and other community settings.
This program offers a strengths-based approach in working with all children including those with special needs and rights. Along with coursework that is focused on child-centered and culturally sensitive practices, students participate in embedded field experiences in the Phyllis and Richard Leet Center and Horace Mann Laboratory School and partnering community settings. Combined, these learning experiences provide the basis from which theories about development, learning, and curriculum come to life for our students.
Individually and as a cohort of learners, students learn an integrated approach to teaching and learning through constructivist curriculum practices and strategies that offer meaningful learning within diverse systems and settings. Opportunities to learn together as critical colleagues who further each other’s reflective thinking skills prepares students for professional collaboration in their future careers.
The Early Childhood major is comprised of clusters and modules that develop and assess teacher candidate competencies in teaching and reflective practices. The courses/modules integrate the quality indicators from the Missouri Teacher Standards, standards in special education required of all teacher candidates, standards related to working with diverse student populations and in diverse school settings, including working with ELL students, and competencies related to classroom management including student motivation and engagement. All students interested in teaching in a self-contained Kindergarten classroom in Missouri must complete the Major in Early Childhood Education.
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