3.00 Credits
This course is designed to provide candidates with practical experiences in two settings: An early childcare center (e.g., daycare, Headstart, nursery school, or Prek setting), as well as a K-4 early 6 elementary classroom. Pennsylvania Department of Education Field competencies, Level 3, provide the objectives of this course. Students are required to complete these competencies with 30-45 hours of observation and teaching under the guidance and observation of mentor teachers in the two Prek-4 settings. Current teaching technology and strategies to meet the needs of children in preschool and early elementary school settings will be researched, observed and discussed. Developmentally appropriate, best-practices for teaching young children are emphasized in the following areas: Planning and preparation, classroom environment, instructional delivery, assessment, and meeting the needs of diverse learners. Students will complete a mini-action research project, in which they assess learners to identify areas of need, plan and implement developmentally appropriate interventions, and use age-appropriate assessments to determine impact on student learning. University classroom seminars and field classroom teaching experiences are combined to give candidates an opportunity to discover their aptitude and interest in working with Pre-K-4 school children.