Early Childhood Primary Education

Department: Early Childhood Primary Educationand Bilingual Education

Chairperson: Cynthia Valenciano

Program Coordinator: Sureshrani Paintal

Faculty: Jamilah R. Jordan, Jean Murphy, Sureshrani Paintal, Patricia Steinhaus

Degree(s)/Certification(s):
B.S. Ed. in Early Childhood Education
+ State of Illinois Type 04 Certificate (Birth to Grade 3)
B.S. Ed. in Early Childhood Education, Child Studies Option (Non-Certification)

Content Designations:
ECH

The Early Childhood Primary Education program offers the Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Early Childhood Education with two options: early childhood education and child studies. Completion of the Early Childhood Education option qualifies students for an Initial Type 04 Illinois Early Childhood Certificate for birth to grade 3. Certification requires the successful completion of the Illinois Certification Tests of Basic Skills, Early Childhood, and Assessment of Professional Teaching (birth to grade 3). The Early Childhood-Primary program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in full compliance with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), and meets Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) standards in early childhood education. Completion of the Child Studies option prepares students to work with children and families in a variety of non-public school early childhood settings such as social service and governmental agencies, hospitals, parks and recreation departments, and private schools. Students prepare for a variety of leadership positions: practitioner in a child care setting, education and parent coordinator, program director, child life specialist, child abuse specialist, early childhood advocate.

Early Childhood Education Option (Type 04 certification)

Entitled for the following Gateways to Opportunity Credentials:

ECE Credential Level 5

Infant Toddler Credential Level 2

General Requirements

Students are responsible for meeting the program and College requirements in effect at the time they officially register in a teacher education program leading to certification at Chicago State University, regardless of when they were admitted to the university.
Admission to the program is contingent upon good academic standing and acceptance by the department.
Change of major from other disciplines to the Early Childhood Primary Education program is contingent upon successful completion of an essay, interview, and acceptable by the program.
Admission to the College of Education is required prior to registration in any professional education courses other than ED 1520; ECH 4000, 4001, 4002, 4304, 4170, and 4310; S ED 4301; READ 3700 and ED 4312.
A one credit hour review course for the Illinois Teacher Certification Test in Illinois Certification Content Area Test in Early Childhood is strongly encouraged before applying to student teaching.
All student teachers will demonstrate they have met the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, including mastery of the content knowledge as evidenced by a passing score on the Illinois Certification Content Area Test in Early Childhood. Students must submit proof of passing the certification test to the Office of Field Placement before they will be allowed to apply to student teach. In addition, all candidates must pass the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) (Early Childhood Birth to Grade 3) certification test before completing student teaching.
All degree requirements must be completed within six years.

content: Candidates must abide by all College policies stated in this catalog, unless exceptions or adherence to higher expectations are contentd in program documentation.

Students must complete 123 credit hours in:

General education 51 credit hours

Area of concentration 9 credit hours

Professional education 63 credit hours

Specific Requirements :

General Education / 51 credit hours

Composition / 6 credit hours

ENG 1270 and 1280

Humanities / 15 credit hours

CMAT 1130; two courses from ART 1100,

MUS 1134, or ENG 1260; 6 hours in a single foreign language.

Natural Sciences/ 9 credit hours

BIOL 1510; PH S 1100; and one of the following:

PH S 1114 or BIOL 1080; at least one course must be with a laboratory.

Social Sciences / 15 credit hours

HIST 1310; POL 1010; GEOG 1000 or 1100; PSYC 1100 and 2040.

Mathematics / 6 credit hours

MATH 1010 and 1020

Area of Concentration / 9 credit hours

Early Childhood education majors must complete a 9-hour concentration in one of the following disciplines approved by their advisor: anthropology, biological sciences, cultural geography, economics, English and language arts, fine arts (art or music or theater only)**, foreign language, history, linguistics,

literacy and reading, mathematics, philosophy, physical sciences, political science, psychology, sociology, child development or early childhood courses beyond those required in the program.

* *Can include coursework in movement and play in child development.

Supportive Course

ECH 3920* (May not be counted for degree credit.)

*If student has not successfully completed Illinois Certification Content Area Test in Early Childhood Education he/she must take and pass ECH 3920.

Professional Education / 63 credit hours

ED 1520, 4312; S ED 4301 and 4303*; ECH 4000, 4001, 4002, 4304, 4008*, 4009*, 4120*, 4150*, 4170, 4180*, 4319*, 4310, 4740* 4750*, and 4850; and READ 3700.

The courses must be passed with at least a grade of C.

* Restricted to students admitted to the College of Education.

Child Studies Option

Entitled for the following Gateways to Opportunity Credentials:

Illinois Director Credential Level II

ECE Credential Level 5

Infant Toddler Credential Level 2

Students must complete - 120 credit hours in:

General education - 48 credit hours

Professional education - 72 credit hours

Specific Requirements :

General Education / 48 credit hours

Composition / 6 credit hours

ENG 1270 and 1280

Humanities / 12 credit hours

ART 1100; MUS 1134; CMAT 1130

Foreign Language / 6 credits

Select six hours in the same foreign language.

Natural Sciences / 9 credit hours

At least one course must include a laboratory.

Social Sciences / 12 credit hours

GEOG 1100, POL 1010; PSYC 1100 and 2040

Mathematics/Critical Thinking / 6 credit hours

MATH 1010; MATH 1020 or a critical thinking course

Professional Education

Required Courses / 54 credit hours

ED 4312, S ED 4301 and 4303; ECH 4000, 4001, 4002, 4304, 4008*, 4009*, 4150*, 4170, 4180*, 4220, 4310, 4850, 4860, and 4950.

* Restricted to students admitted to College of Education.

Elective Courses / 18 credit hours

Select 18 hours of professional education electives with approval of advisor.

Early Childhood Education (ECH) Course Offerings

0900 FRESHMAN SEMINAR (1)

Prerequisite: Freshman status.

The Freshman Seminar in a one credit course intended to help Early Childhood students develop strategies that will make the college experience accessible, meaningful, and successful.

2040 DEVELOPMENT THROUGH PLAY (1)

Prerequisite: Consent of the department.

Methods and materials designed to provide day care professionals, workers, as well as parents, additional insight and strategies for helping young children develop through their everyday experiences.

2050 CHILD DEVELOPMENT: IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE (2)

Prerequisite: Consent of the department.

Methods and materials designed with emphasis on how young children develop and learn; housing, equipment, staff, and program as they relate to meeting the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional needs of the young child.

2990 INDEPENDENT STUDY (1-3)

Prerequisite: Consent of advisor, admission to early childhood education program, and junior standing. Individually supervised study of selected topics.

3092 ILLINOIS EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION TEACHER CERTIFICATION REVIEW (1)

Prerequisite: Course will be taken prior to student teaching.

Course is restricted to students currently enrolled in the program and CSU program completers. Review of early childhood education theory and practice in preparation for the State Teacher Certification Examination. May not be counted for degree credit.

4000 FOUNDATIONS FOR INSTRUCTION IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisite: Pass the English placement examination.

Formulation of instructional objectives, lesson planning, unit development, and assessment techniques in early childhood. Writing emphasis course.

4001 HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisite: ED 1520.

Historical and philosophical foundations underlying the development and organization of early childhood education in the United States. Contemporary influences of early childhood education programs, including field visits.

4002 THE YOUNG CHILD /FIELD (3)

Prerequisite: PSYC 2040 or consent of the department.

Principles and concepts of development and learning in children ages 0-8. Emphasis on the whole child including integration of physical, cognitive and social-emotional development. Fifteen hours of field observation. Writing emphasis course.

4008 CREATIVE EXPERIENCES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisite: ART 1100; MUS 1134; ECH 4002 and admission to the College of Education.

Methods and techniques for providing creative experiences in the classroom and integrating literature, music and art activities in programs for young children.

4009 SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD (3)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or consent of the department.

Admission to the College of Education. Understanding of language acquisition and development. Emphasis on methods used to facilitate language development.

4120 READING AND LANGUAGE ARTS FOR THE YOUNG CHILD (3)

Prerequisite: ECH 4009 or consent of the department; admission to the College of Education.

Methods and materials for encouraging language development and reading language arts learning. Writing emphasis course.

4150 CHILD, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP (3)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or consent of the department; admission to the College of Education.or admission to the MSED in Early Childhood.

Family patterns and their influences on the child. Parent-school relationships and parent education. Community influences and resources.

4170 NUTRITION, HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THE YOUNG CHILD (3)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or consent of the department.

Nutrition, health, and safety concerns of young children in an institutional setting with emphasis on providing nutrition, health, and safety education to young children. Cannot receive credit for ECH 316 and ECH 4170.

4180 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AT THE PRE-PRIMARY (4)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or consent of the department; admission to the College of Education.

Methods and materials for teaching mathematics, science, and social studies at the pre-primary level.

4319 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL (4)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or consent of the department; admission to the College of Education. Methods and materials for teaching mathematics, science, and social studies at the primary level.

4220 ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION OF CHILD CARE SERVICES (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of the department.

For teachers and administrators of programs for young children. Models of programs for young children, scheduling, staffing, record-keeping, standards, licensing practices, building and budget needs. Parent teacher (home-school) relationship and cooperation.

4240 CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisite: Consent of the department.

Developmental theories of early childhood and their implications for school practice in pre-kindergarten and in primary programs. Observations in a variety of settings.

4304 INFANT/TODDLER DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMMING (3)

Prerequisite: PSYC 2040 or consent of department.

Development from conception through toddlerhood to age three. Emphasis on study of developmental domains in cultural context: perceptual, motor, cognitive (including brain), language, mental health, temperament, and social-emotional. Examination of systems which influence the continuum of healthy growth and development that impact programming. Integration of age-appropriate curricula and assessment.

4310 LITERATURE FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (3)

Prerequisite: Successful completion of the English and reading qualifying examination.

Designed to acquaint the teacher of young children with the wide variety of available literature and its many uses in the pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and primary years.

4319 METHODS OF INSTRUCTION AT THE PRIMARY LEVEL (4)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002/302 or consent of the department; admission to the College of Education. Methods and materials for teaching mathematics, science, and social studies at the primary level.

4740 FIELD PRACTICUM IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION/FIELD (3)

Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Education; Completion of a minimum of two (2) of the following courses: ECH 4008, 4120, 4180, 4319 and concurrent enrollment in the remaining; consent of the department.

Supervised hands-on experience in early childhood classroom designed for students to apply teaching and learning strategies acquired in methods courses. Course content includes classroom management, school policies and rules, teaching strategies and technology. One hundred clock hours in the field. To be taken the long semester prior to student teaching.

4750 STUDENT TEACHING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD (6)

Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Education; completion of all other coursework in the approved program; a 2.5 grade point average in the concentration, 3.0 in professional education, and 2.5 in all coursework required in the approved program; and a passing score on the subject matter/content area certification test within the last five years.

Off-campus placement in a preschool setting (pre-K) and primary grade (K-3) classroom. University and cooperating school supervision. Five full days including seminar for 16 weeks. No other courses may be taken during the semester of student teaching. Credit not given for both ECH 285 and ECH 4750/375.

4850 SCREENING, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN (3)

Prerequisite: ECH 4002 or equivalent; consent of the department.

General introductory course in screening, assessment of young children and in early childhood classrooms education. All major tests for screening young children are presented: intelligence, fine and gross motor development, social-emotional development, physical development, and language. Extensive testing outside of class required.

4860 CLINICAL EXPERIENCES IN CHILD STUDIES PROGRAMS /FIELD (3)

Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Education and consent of the department.

Supervised hands-on experience with children from birth to age 8 in early childhood settings such as childcare programs, government and community agencies, hospitals, and parks and recreation facilities. One hundred clock hours in the field.

4950 CHILD STUDIES PRACTICUM/FIELD (6)

Prerequisite: Admission to the College of Education; completion of all other coursework in the program; 2.5 GPA in all coursework satisfying program requirements and a G.P.A. of 3.0 in professional education courses..

Supervised full-time placement in an early childhood setting. Five full days, including seminar for 16 weeks. Cannot be used for teacher certification.

4980 SPECIAL TOPICS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (1-3)

Educational problems that have a high degree of contemporary significance in the field of early childhood education.

Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval

Early Childhood Program is entitled by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Letter of Approval. Type 04 certified teachers can earn the Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval (Early Childhood Special Education Letter of approval according to the Illinois Administrative Transition Rules: Section 226.810 (f) Special Education Teacher Approval .)

The Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval can also be added to an LBS I certificate which qualifies the teacher to teach special education below kindergarten level. (It cannot be added to any other certificate).

The following 4 courses must be completed at CSU to earn the Early Childhood Special Education Letter of Approval:

ECSE 4150 FAMILY, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION (3)

Prerequisites: Admission to the College of Education or Type 04 certificate

Provide strategies in developing positive and supportive relationships with families of young children with special needs, including the legal and philosophical basis for family participation; family-centered services; and strategies for working with socially, culturally, and linguistically diverse families. Strategies and models for promoting effective consultation and collaboration with other professionals and agencies within the community.

ECSE 4309 ATYPICAL AND TYPICAL LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT IN YOUNG CHILDREN (3)

Prerequisites: Admission to the College of Education or Type 04 certificate.

Address typical and atypical language development in young children; specific language disabilities; the relationship between communication delays and other areas of early learning and development; and alternative communication systems for young children with disabilities.

ECSE 4319 EARLY CHILDHOOD SPECIAL EDUCATION METHODS /FIELD (3)

Prerequisites: Admission to the College of Education or Type 04 certificate.

Provide developmentally and individually appropriate methods for fostering the social, emotional, cognitive, communication, adaptive, and motor development and learning of young children with special needs in various settings such as the home, the school, and the community. Thirty field hours.

ECSE 4850 EARLY CHILDHOOD SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT (3)

Prerequisites: Admission to the College of Education or Type 04 certificate.

Provide strategies, procedures, and formal and informal instruments for assessing young children's social, emotional, cognitive, communication, and motor skills; family concerns, priorities, and resources; and school, home, and community learning environments; and methods for conducting formative and summative individual and program evaluation.