BEYOND-THE-CLASSROOM AND INTEGRATIVE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

B.A. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

PARTICIPATE: COMMUNITY SERVICE Relevancy to major: Understanding of a wide variety of cultures and diverse circumstances of children and families.

Related courses: EDEC 201, EDEC 510

Recommended sites/experiences: Children’s Garden, Nurturing Center, Cocky’s Reading Express

Other: Carolina Student Association for the Education of Young Children community projects (Facebook link)

PARTICIPATE: GLOBAL STUDY

Relevancy to major: Opportunities to deepen understanding of diverse perspectives, cultures, and ideas.

Courses: EDEC 336, EDTE 346, EDEC 250 (available in Italy, Maymester), EDUC 306 (available overseas, Maymester)

Recommended timing for “study abroad”: Maymester or Summer

Recommended destinations: Spanish-speaking countries

Campus or Local Opportunities: Annual Latino Children’s and Young Adult Literature and Literacies Conference on the USC Campus Be a Conversation Partner: http://fc.epi.sc.edu/cp.html

PARTICIPATE: PEER LEADERSHIP

Relevancy to major: Leadership in centers, classrooms and beyond and as advocates for children and families.

Student Organization(s): Carolina Student Association for the Education of Young Children

Program/College Leadership Opportunities: Collaborative course projects and presentations, College committees.

Other recommendations: USC Community Service Programs, residence hall governance, U101 Peer Leadership

PROGRAM FOCUS and the Carolina Core: The Early Childhood program prepares students for careers in working with young children and their families in a variety of settings. Through the Carolina Core, Early Childhood majors become knowledgeable in content areas in which they will support young children in learning: Language and Literature, Mathematics, Natural and Social Sciences, and Fine Arts. The Early Childhood program helps students learn how to move beyond their own learning to open up a world of possibilities for children and families.

PARTICIPATE: INTERNSHIPS/PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

Relevancy to major: Internships are the core of the program.

Related Courses: EDEC 340P; EDEC 342P; EDEC 443; EDEC 570; EDTE 492

Recommended sites/work experiences: Program requires diverse experiences (schools, centers, diverse populations). Students encouraged to seek diverse experiences in summer, recreation, and afterschool programs.

Professional Organizations: Students are encouraged to participate in CSAEYC and local/state conferences.

Other: Most methods courses taught on-site in schools.

PARTICIPATE: RESEARCH Relevancy to major: Teachers need to have excellent observation skills, learn how to ask good questions, systematically gather information, and make informed decisions.

Sample courses and their inquiry/research projects: EDEC 250: Investigations into play. EDEC 340 and 342: Case studies including data collection and analysis. EDEC 591: Inquiry projects completed during final internship.

Sample research projects or topics: First-Graders’ Oral Problem Solving Strategies in Mathematics Analysis of Teacher Behaviors’ Impact on One Child’s Pro-social Behavior Differences in Boys’ and Girls’ Block Play

Other: Grant support through the Office of Undergraduate Research. See individual faculty to discuss possibilities.

CREATE: INTEGRATIVE LEARNING (across within- and beyond-the-classroom experiences)Relevancy to major: The ability to understand and apply theory and research is critical to teaching.

Key experiences which integrate important program concepts and beyond the classroom experiences: Child study-EDEC 340/342, Action Research-EDEC 591, Family Project-EDEC 510, Home/Community Project -EDEC 445.

Key experiences in applying learning in new contexts: All practica and internships including designing lessons, communicating with families, and ongoing interactions with children and professional colleagues.

LEAD: CAREER AND FUTURE

Impact on students’ future: Graduates are empowered to make a difference for children, families, and communities.

Initial career opportunities: Teacher (preK-3rd grade) Child Care Center Director/Teacher Agency Leader

Related graduate programs: Master’s or Ed. Specialist in Early Childhood, Teaching, Language/Literacy, Special Ed., or Educational Admin. Doctoral degree in Early Childhood, Curriculum and Instruction, Teaching/Learning, Language/ Literacy, & more

Future career opportunities: Principal/Director Reading Specialist/Speech Pathologist School District Leader in Curriculum or Assessment/District Superintendent Agency Head/State Leader Teacher Educator (college level)