MEMORANDUM
DATE: 1/13/2014
TO: CTE Curriculum Committee
SUBJECT: Birth through Kindergarten Teacher Education Program Revision
Dear colleagues:
The Department of Child Development and Family Relations proposes the following changes to the B.S. in Birth through Kindergarten (BK).
The CDFR faculty approved the following changes during the Faculty Meeting on Monday, January 13, 2014.
Brief Explanation: BK licensed teachers must be able to assess children’s development and learning in the early childhood classroom AS WELL AS be able to assess children for possible delays and disabilities, according to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). All of this information was included in one class, CDFR 4200. Last year our edTPA pilot group scored lowest in Task 3, Assessing Children’s Learning. BK faculty realized that more detailed information and practice were needed in the area of assessment within a classroom situation for candidates to be proficient on the edTPA and successful in their future classrooms. Therefore, it was decided to “split” CDFR 4200 into two courses. The revised CDFR 4200, Assessing Development and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom, will focus on assessing and using assessment results to support individual and whole class learning. The new course, CDFR 4201, Assessment for Intervention, will focus on a more in-depth, applied study of assessing children for possible delays and/or disabilities and the procedures set out in IDEA for referral, eligibility, and service delivery. Both courses are needed to prepare BK teachers more fully for their professional responsibilities.
In addition, after discovering duplication of courses to cover mandated program standards, BK faculty decided to omit two required courses: SPED 3005 and CDFR 3215. (See rationales below.)
I. New Course Proposal:
The CDFR faculty seeks approval for CDFR 4201: Assessment for Intervention. Please see the attached new course proposal form.
II. Course Revision:
The CDFR faculty seeks approval for the revision of CDFR 4200: Assessing Development and Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom. Please see the attached course revision form.
III. Catalog Changes
a. Core:
· Deletion of CDFR 3215. Rationale: CDFR 3215, The Family as Consumers, was added to the BK curriculum during the “revisioning” effort to address the mandated 21st Century Theme, Financial, economic, business and entrepreneurial literacy. However, this theme is addressed on a preschool/ kindergarten level in CDFR 4121, Social Studies, Math, and Science Curriculum in Early Childhood, and is therefore more relevant for BK candidates to use with their students.
· Change in course description of CDFR 4200 Rationale: To accurately reflect revised content of course.
· Addition of CDFR 4201. Rationale: BK teacher education candidates must possess knowledge and skills for the purpose of the identification of children who may have special needs. Currently there is one assessment course, CDFR 4200, which focuses primarily on authentic assessment. A second course is needed in order to fully prepare candidates for their careers.
· Catalog cleanup: Delete “or PSYC 4305” This is leftover from a previous curriculum change and is not part of the current program.
b. Cognates:
· Deletion of SPED 3005, Instructional Programming in Special Education. Rationale: Content is covered for special needs children, ages 0-5 years in CDFR 4300, Birth through Kindergarten Curriculum Adaptation for Diverse Learners.
c. Degree Requirements:
· Cognate requirement will be deleted.
· Required hours for degree will change from 126 to 123 sh.
On behalf of the CDFR faculty thank you for considering these requests.
Sincerely,
Barbara L. Brehm
Barbara L. Brehm, M. Ed.
B.S. in Birth through Kindergarten Program Coordinator
Department of Child Development and Family Relations
College of Human Ecology
East Carolina University
Susannah W. Berry, M.S. Child Development and Family Relations
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduate Curriculum Chair
Department of Child and Family Relations
College of Human Ecology
East Carolina University
East Carolina University is a
Constituent institution of the University
of North Carolina. An equal opportunity university.