The Masters of Science Program in Early Childhood Education
(Birth-Grade 2) is comprised of two options: a 36 credit, 12 course
field change program for students who have already earned initial
certification at a different developmental level and a 42 credit,
14 course 
program for career changers. These programs guide
teacher preparation to promote development and learning among young
children with diverse abilities and backgrounds in a variety of
early childhood settings.
Demonstrate knowledge of child development
theory and its implications for children’s growth in
all domains of development – social-emotional, physical, cognitive,
linguistic, and aesthetic.
- Identify sequential developmental milestones and describe how
their manifestation in individual children is tempered by a wide
range of individual variation and by cultural diversity.
- Critically analyze how different theories of development have
different implications for the design of educational environments
and the selection and implementation of curriculum.
- Apply knowledge of criteria for designing safe, healthy
environments and for initiating interactions that promote
children’s positive social relationships and capacity for
self-regulation.
- Describe strategies for capitalizing on teachable moments in
informal learning contexts and for maximizing opportunities to
strengthen children’s purposive communication skills, including
nonverbal communication among the youngest children and oral
language for all young children.
Demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and
dispositions to empower diverse learners.
- Demonstrate initiative, curiosity and inquiry as a model for
the children being taught
- Provide opportunities and support for diverse learners to
display initiative, make choices, and apply their developing skills
through engagement in inquiry projects that engage their
interest.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how to provide materials, well
designed spaces, time, and skillful support for young children to
learn through creative, spontaneous play experiences.
- Demonstrate strategies for supporting linguistically and
culturally diverse learners, as well as learners with disabilities,
in collaboration with other professionals.
Demonstrate understanding of how to teach
an integrated curriculum and the content, core concepts and tools
of inquiry in academic subject areas, in ways that match the
interests and developmental levels of young learners.
- Articulate and apply the learning standards of the National
Association for the Education of Young Children, National Council
of Teachers of English, and the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics.
- Demonstrate how research findings of these professional
organizations can be used to strengthen and update professional
practice.
- Provide experiences that help children actively investigate the
world around them, construct their own knowledge and acquire skills
consistent with state learning standards.
- Demonstrate a range of flexible and evidence-based strategies
for fostering children’s growing understanding and mastery of
different symbol systems involved in language and literacy
development, mathematical problem-solving and artistic
expression.
- Organize and effectively manage a classroom in which multiple
small-group learning experiences occur simultaneously, with a
balance of small group and large group activities and a balance of
teacher-directed and child-initiated learning experiences.
- Demonstrate knowledge of technology tools that enhance teaching
practice and children’s learning opportunities in all curriculum
areas and in developmentally appropriate ways.
- Access, summarize, analyze, synthesize and interpret
educational research relevant to early childhood child development
knowledge and teaching and learning strategies, to demonstrate the
ability to maintain up-to-date skills in the field.
Demonstrate knowledge of the goals,
benefits, and uses of various types of assessment of
children’s development and learning.
- Applying techniques for observing, documenting, and assessing
learning and each child’s unique qualities, strengths, and
needs.
- Demonstrate knowledge of a wide range of developmentally and
culturally appropriate assessment tools and their most suitable
application in formative and summative evaluation.
- Implement and interpret assessments in an ethical and
responsible manner in order to inform practice.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the relationship between goals
established in planning curriculum and methods of assessment
selected to evaluate outcomes.
- Articulate how to collaborate responsibly and ethically with
parents and supportive agencies in the sharing of assessment
results.
Apply knowledge and skills to create
caring learning communities and to advocate for social
justice in educational settings
- Articulate an understanding of the centrality of positive
relationships and open communication with children and their
families in support of children’s learning.
- Demonstrate how to achieve skillful collaboration and
communication with co-workers, administrators, parents and
community agencies.
- Identify strategies to implement an anti-bias curriculum.
- Identify and apply strategies to foster a sense of caring
community in a variety of educational environments and with
children at different developmental levels.
- Demonstrate knowledge of avenues for advocacy in support of
young children and their families.