Dr. Janet Foster, Interim Department Head
Room 1160, Education Center
The Department of Early Childhood and Special Education is a diverse department with programs that lead to a Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S.Ed.) degree. The major in early childhood education results in initial GaPSC certification in Early Childhood (P-5), and the major in early childhood special education results in initial GaPSC certification in both Early Childhood and Special Education-General Curriculum (P-5).
The programs in the department are designed to prepare professional educators who manifest the knowledge, dispositions, and competencies deemed necessary to enhance young children’s overall intellectual, social, emotional, and personal growth and development. The design of the undergraduate professional program includes a variety of methods and content courses. These courses are supported by structured field experiences designed to provide opportunities to meld theory with practice in field-based interactions with young children.
Selected Educational Outcomes
- Program graduates will demonstrate an acceptable level of content knowledge.
- Program graduates will demonstrate an acceptable level of teaching competency for an extended period of time during the student teaching experience by planning, delivering, and assessing appropriate instruction for pupils who represent a diverse population and who are in public school settings.
- Program graduates will integrate technology into instruction, assessment, and communication.
- Program graduates will demonstrate characteristics of reflective practitioners by evaluating the effects of choices and actions on others (pupils, families, and other professionals in the learning community).
Examples of Outcome Assessments
- Students in initial teacher education programs will demonstrate content knowledge through passing the state-required content assessment.
- Students in initial teacher education programs will demonstrate pedagogical content knowledge and knowledge of evidence-based strategies through development of lesson plans identifying use of research-validated procedures and effective content pedagogy.
- Students in initial teacher education programs will demonstrate skills in assessment, instructional strategies, use of technology, and monitoring and modifying instruction during observed teaching episodes evaluated by a university supervisor and P-12 mentor teacher.
- Students in initial teacher education programs will demonstrate their ability to positively impact P-5 learning through a Teacher Work Sample (TWS).
ECSE 2999. Entry to the Education Profession. 0 Hours.
Graded "Satisfactory" or "Unsatisfactory". A required non-credit course for all teacher education candidates pursuing a VSU recommendation for initial certification; must be successfully complete prior to admissin to teacher education. Candidates are required to establish an electronic portfolio and provide evidence that ll teacher education admissin requirements have been satisfactorily met. If an "unsatisfactory" grade is earned, the course must be repeated until a "Satisfactory" grade is received.
ECSE 3010. Introduction to Assessment, Planning, and Instruction. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Appropriate 2999 course. Introduction to evidence-based practices and theories of learning and development that underlie the teaching and learning process related to assessment, planning, and instruction across multiple grade levels, with a focus on pre-kindergarten and kindergarten levels and the curricular disciplines. ECSE 3390, ECED 3190, or a practicum placement approved at the program level is required as a corequisite of this course.
ECSE 3020. Intermediate Assessment, Planning, and Instruction. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course and ECSE 3010. This is a check-point course, and check-point requirements must be met. The use of selected evidence-based practices and theories of learning processes related to assessment, planning, and instruction. Grades 1-3 to meet the diverse and individualized needs of the students. ECSE 3490, ECED 3690, or a practicum approved at the program level is required as a corequisite of this course.
ECSE 3210. Introduction to the Management of Learning Environments. 3 Hours.
Prerequisite: Appropriate 2999 course. Fundamentals of creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning. The course will focus on individual and group management strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in the classroom, basic behavior management principles, and developmentally appropriate strategies for Pre-K and K students. ECSE 3390, ECED 3190, or a practicum approved at the program level is required as a corequisite of this course.
ECSE 3220. Intermediate Management of Learning Environments. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course; ECSE 3210. Application of general classroom management principles in classroom environments that are conducive to learning. Developmentally appropriate strategies for first through third grade students will be emphasized and selectively implemented. Teacher candidates will analyze behavior management programs through data collection. Specific behavior management strategies appropriate for students with specific identified behavioral needs will be taught. A field experience, as prescribed by the instructor, is required for the course.
ECSE 3390. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Pre-K-K. 2 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on the implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats.
ECSE 3490. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Grades 1-3. 2 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA, Grade of “S” in ECSE 3390. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in inclusive first- through third-grade classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats. Candidates will be observed implementing appropriate teaching and management strategies for all students in their first through third grade classroom experience.
ECSE 4010. Advanced Assessment, Planning, and Instruction. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, ECSE 3010, and ECSE 3020. An expansion of candidates’ knowledge and skill base regarding the appropriate evidence-based practices and theories in grades 4-5 grades that underlie the teaching and learning processes related to assessment, planning, and instruction across the content areas of reading, math, science, social studies, fine arts, health, and technology, to meet the needs of diverse learners, in general education, inclusive settings, and special education classrooms. ECSE 4390, ECED 4690, or a practicum approved at the program level is required as a corequisite of this course.
ECSE 4210. Advanced Management of Learning Environments. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course; ECSE 3210; ECSE 3220. Review and implementation of fundamentals of creating classroom environments that are conducive to learning. The course will focus on individual and group management strategies that facilitate inclusion of students with disabilities in classrooms. The role of functional behavioral analysis and teachers’ responsibilities in this process will be defined. Teacher candidates will synthesize information enabling them to effectively manage learning environments, collect data, and evaluate their ability to manage student learning and social behaviors in fourth- and fifth-grade classrooms. A field experience, as prescribed by the instructor, is required for this course.
ECSE 4310. Functional Academic and Behavior Assessment. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, ECSE 3010, ECSE 3020. Corequisite: ECSE 4010. Assessments to address the needs of students who are not progressing academically with current methods and who may be demonstrating behavioral challenges in the classroom. A field experience, as prescribed by the instructor, is required for this course.
ECSE 4390. Early Childhood Inclusive Practicum and Seminar: Grades 4-5. 2 Hours.
Prerequisites: Appropriate 2999 course, maintenance of required GPA, grade of “S” in ECSE 3390 and 3490. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Supervised classroom experiences in inclusive fourth- or fifth-grade classrooms. Candidates work under the supervision of mentor teachers and university supervisors for a minimum of 100 hours. Emphasis will be placed on addressing students with and without disabilities in the general education classroom environment. Candidates will also participate in debriefing seminars focused on implementation of developmentally appropriate content areas, strands, and teaching formats. Candidates will be observed implementing appropriate teaching and management strategies for all students in their fourth- through fifth-grade classroom experience.
ECSE 4420. Seminar in Classroom Management and Collaboration with Family, School, and Community Agencies. 3 Hours.
Prerequisites: Completion of all core and previous semester professional courses (professional courses with a “C” or higher) and a minimum GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ECSE 4490 or ECED 4790. Graded “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory.” Examination of the nature, extent, and significance of involving families in the education of children in grades pre-kindergarten through five. Interrelationships of home, school, and community agencies are examined in light of various programs, methods, and techniques of parent education. Leadership skills are emphasized in the areas of training, supporting, and guiding paraeducators and parent and community volunteers within the context of a developmentally appropriate classroom environment. Components of creating an elementary classroom environment that are conducive to learning will be discussed.
ECSE 4490. Student Teaching and Reflective Seminar in Early Childhood and Special Education. 9 Hours.
Prerequisite: Completion of all core and previous semester professional courses (professional courses with a “C” or higher), and a GPA of 2.75. Corequisite: ECSE 4420. A full-day, semester-long experience in early childhood inclusive P-5 classrooms under the supervision of a mentor teacher and a university supervisor.
