EDEC 430: Practicum in Early Childhood Education
Prerequisites: EDEC 322 and 2.5 GPA
Credit Hours: (3) lecture and practicum
A clinical practicum providing experience and opportunity for application of skills
working with young children in inclusive settings under direct supervision for a minimum
of 20 hours a week for 7 weeks of the semester. Students are expected to abide by
their cooperating professional’s schedule. Students begin the experience in observation
and assistance roles, and work toward assuming full teaching responsibilities. Weekly
seminars focus on development of children’s conflict-resolution skills while facilitating
self-reflection and professionalism.
Note(s): Applied Learning designated course.
This course is graded A-F. A fee of $110 will be charged to students taking EDEC 430.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
This is a clinical experience that provides pedagogical experience for teacher candidates working with young children under the direct supervision of an appropriately licensed educator. Candidates are expected to abide by their cooperating teacher’s required schedule. Candidates begin the experience in the placement by engaging in observations and assistance roles, and gradually work toward assuming full teaching responsibilities. Candidates develop knowledge and skills in providing optimal environments for learning, including health and nutritional practices, implementing age-appropriate assessments, interpreting the assessment data, facilitating reciprocal relationships with children and families, planning and implementing learning activities, and guiding children’s behavior. Weekly seminars are designed to facilitate the development of knowledgeable, skillful, thoughtful, and committed professionals.
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
Candidates will work closely with their cooperating teachers each week. Candidates will gain experience and skills needed to be effective classroom teachers.
Seminars are designed to facilitate the development of knowledgeable, skillful, thoughtful, and committed professionals through discussions and reflection. Candidates will be expected to analyze the issues and develop applications for Pre-K classrooms. Candidates should demonstrate the commitment of a professional in the actual world of early education. Candidates are expected to demonstrate commitment to professional codes of ethical conduct and significant growth towards professionalism. The CEHD Field Experience Handbook provides more detailed information regarding practicum experiences.
Seminars are focused on:
•Experiences in the field
•Guiding children’s positive behaviors
•Effective teaching practices
•Ethical considerations and developing professionalism, and
•Current issues and concerns of educators of young children
Goals and Objectives of the Course
Goals, objectives, and assignments address the Virginia Department of Education regulations for preparing educators, the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC), and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards.
Teacher candidates successfully completing this course will demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and dispositions to:
1. Demonstrate knowledge of characteristics and developmental needs of Pre-K age children.
2. Provide appropriate support for individual children’s development and learning.
3. Practice health assessment, prevention of the spread of communicable disease, oral hygiene, reduction of environmental hazards, protection from toxic stress injury prevention, and emergency preparedness.
4. Communicate with family and/or other professionals regarding dietary restrictions, dietary concerns, and other health concerns, including child abuse or neglect.
5. Demonstrate understanding of formal and informal assessment procedures for documenting children’s development and learning.
6. Demonstrate reciprocal relationship-building with children, families, other professionals, and community.
7. Utilize learning strategies that stimulate curiosity, promote thinking, and encourage participation in exploration and play.
8. Provide curriculum that facilitates learning goals in content areas of the Virginia’s Foundation Blocks for Early Learning.
9. Provide opportunities to acquire concepts and skills that are precursors to academic content taught in elementary school.
10. Adapt tasks and interactions to maximize language development, conceptual understanding, and skill competencies within each child’s zone of proximal development.
11. Provide firsthand experiences and opportunities to explore, examine, and investigate real materials in authentic context for children.
12. Select materials and equipment, arrange physical space, and plan schedules and routines to stimulate and facilitate development.
13. Collaborate with families, colleagues, and/or community members to construct proper learning environments.
14. Demonstrate positive and nurturing relationship-building with each child based on respect, trust, and acceptance of individual differences.
Assessment Measures
Assessment of teaching in the field placement is both formative and summative and is collaboratively completed by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor. Evaluation is based upon the INTASC Standards for Beginning Teachers, which are embedded in the Early Field Experience Evaluation forms.
•Attendance in placement and weekly seminar
•Log of field placement activities
•Assigned field experience activities as described in CEHD Field Experience Handbook
•Written reflections on instruction
•Student self-analyses
•Feedback from cooperating professionals in field sites and university supervisor
•Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Early Field Experience Evaluation”
•Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Professional Characteristics and Dispositions Evaluation”
•Key CAEP Performance Assessment: “Lesson Plan Assessment”
Other Course Information
This course is for Virginia Teaching Licensure track IDEC major students.
The CEHD Field Experience Handbook provides detailed information on policies, procedures, responsibilities, and expectations for performance.
Review and Approval
Revised April, 2009
March 01, 2021