Early Childhood Education Endorsement
The Early Childhood Education Endorsement for Pre-Kindergarten through grade 3 is available for all elementary education licensure students. It requires two supplementary early childhood courses:
- GED 521 Early Childhood Education: Foundations
- GED 524 Early Childhood Education: Methods and Practice
See Elementary & Early Childhood Education Concentration Map for course sequence and other information.
These courses must be taken in conjunction with all the required elementary education courses in addition to the Early Childhood Education Praxis test.
This endorsement is designed to prepare early education graduates who are committed to the provision of quality early childhood education for each and every child and their family. Using evidence-based practice, it emphasizes the values of equity and inclusion in supporting students to develop skills that will prepare them to work in diverse early education learning environments.
Students will investigate contemporary early education program models, current research and advocacy issues in addition to a comprehensive overview of the early education curriculum with an emphasis on learning through play. Students who wish to pursue the Early Childhood Education Endorsement will also complete a practicum in an early childhood setting and will be required to student teach in grades K-3 (preferably in Kindergarten).
For more information on the supplemental courses, see the tabs below.
Supplemental Courses
This course introduces students to the field of early childhood education with a focus on ages three through eight. It provides an overview of major historical and contemporary program models, current research on early child development and education, policy and advocacy issues, family and community perspectives and state and national program standards. This course emphasizes the importance of equity and inclusion in the provision of early childhood services, including linguistic and cultural diversity and support for children with disabilities. Students will develop skills to observe, contrast and analyze a variety of diverse early education programs using evidence-based practice through a series of structured observations. A minimum of 15 hours of observations in six different settings is required.
Course Objectives
This course aims to prepare early education graduates who are committed to the provision of quality early childhood education for each and every child and their family. Using evidence-based practice, this course emphasizes the values of equity and inclusion in supporting students to develop skills that will prepare them to work in diverse early education learning environments. This course also prepares students to support children with a range of individual needs and children from diverse backgrounds.
Students will spend a minimum of 15 hours visiting different early childhood settings. The purpose of these visits will be to highlight key aspects of the provision and evaluate how the setting is supporting the full and equitable participation of each and every child and their family, according to the VT Guiding Principles and the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scales (ECERS).
This course introduces students to all aspects of an early childhood curriculum with a focus on ages three through eight. It provides a holistic overview of learning through play, including the theory and application of content areas in early literacy, math, science, social studies and the arts. It also examines developmentally appropriate and evidence-based practice as outlined in the Vermont Early Learning Standards, including the transition to the Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards in Kindergarten through third grade. This course emphasizes the importance of equity and inclusion within an early childhood curriculum, including linguistic and cultural diversity and support for children with disabilities. Students will also develop their skills in observation, assessment and planning early learning experiences for a diverse range of young children through 50 hours of placement in an early childhood setting.
Course Objectives
This course aims to prepare early education graduates who are committed to the provision of quality early childhood education for each and every child and their family. Using evidence-based practice, this course emphasizes the values of equity and inclusion in supporting students to develop skills that will prepare them to work in diverse early education learning environments.
Students will spend a minimum of 50 hours in an approved early childhood placement. During this time, students will be expected to:
- Carry out observations on children’s play, learning and development. These observations will be analyzed and evaluated in order to assess children’s progress, plan relevant, inclusive learning experiences and adjust instruction appropriately.
- Design and implement learning experiences within the early childhood curriculum to promote the progression of Pre-K children within the Vermont Early Learning Standards (VELS) framework, (Developing Self; Communication and Expression; Learning about the World)