Early Childhood Education

Course Description:

The early education course is designed for the college bound student with an interest in elementary education and early childhood education. Both areas cover development from birth through age eight. Many of the students who complete this program elect the birth through second grade education program, which begins at Dutchess Community College and transfers for completion at SUNY New Paltz. Students should be academically capable, mature and motivated to achieve. The CTI Early Education course has articulation agreements for college credit with Dutchess Community College and SUNY Cobleskill upon successful completion of the course and matriculation at those colleges.

Reflecting the new Birth through 2nd Grade New York State Certification, students will be exposed to the four major areas of child development: social, emotional, physical, and cognitive. The development of the brain is a large part of the first quarter readings. It is well documented that birth to age three are crucial brain development years. This course also will explore children’s literature, current research topics in the field, methods of practice, developmentally appropriate practices, classroom management, curriculum development and lesson plans, observations and recording of children’s development, assessment and critical evaluation of child’s behavior and progress. The research of Erikson, Piaget, Kohlberg, Montessori, Coles and others will be reviewed.

Students will be placed offsite in area public and private schools. Here they will be exposed to the daily practices of a classroom. Students will assume the role of interns, learners, observers and participants in the child’s classroom environment. Students become an extra pair of eyes and ears for the teacher and provide supportive assistance to the children and the teacher.

The expectation is that the student in this course can function independently, follow multi-step instructions, take initiative, demonstrate leadership qualities, and have a self-presentation that will represent the field of education professionally. Classroom locations offsite involve a working partnership with Krieger Elementary, Jewish Community Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie Day School, Overlook Elementary, North Park Elementary, Ralph R. Smith Elementary, Rainbow’s End Child Development Center, Netherwood Elementary, Astor Head Start Programs and the special education classrooms in the onsite special education building.

Program Requirements:

Students entering this course must read at a minimum of a 10th grade level. When placed offsite, they may be called upon to read instructions to children, facilitate a large group time, read aloud, monitor worksheets, correct the homework sheets of children, escort children throughout the building, greet visitors to the classroom, record classroom curriculum and develop and facilitate their own lessons plans in association with the classroom teacher’s plans.

Students entering this program will also need to complete a medical form as required by the office of Children and Family Services. A clearance form from the State Central Registry in Albany is also required. We provide both of those forms for the incoming student.

Students will be expected to dress appropriately for their offsite classroom internship experience. Juniors will be bused offsite on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Seniors are offsite two to three days a week, Tuesday – Wednesday – Thursday. First and second year students who have permission to drive are more than welcome to make arrangements to go directly to their offsite locations on those days.

Juniors are encouraged to attend the afternoon session. Seniors are welcome to join the morning class, which is for seniors who have returned for the second year of the program, or they may opt for the first year of the curriculum and join the junior class. Seniors who join the junior class will be offsite only two days a week.

 

Units of Study: