Early Childhood Education, BS
Introduction
Delaware State University’s Early Childhood program provides a high quality educational experience in working with children ages 3-8. With its heavy emphasis on direct, practical experience, the ECE major offers outstanding preparation for careers in teaching, research, administration, and related fields.
Students log many hours in Delaware State’s Early Childhood Lab School, an on-site licensed facility that serves toddlers and preschoolers from the local community. The Lab School enables ECE majors to work with seasoned instructors, develop classroom skills, get familiar with multicultural educational settings, and interact with parents — all while engaging their passion for teaching and working with young children. In addition, students have the opportunity to apply their learning in the Delaware public schools (K-2) and child care programs in the area.
Professional Preparation
The Early Childhood Education program at Delaware State meets all standards set by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Early Childhood Education students will develop the following professional skills as outlined in the NAEYC Standards for Professional Preparation:
- Promoting child development and learning
- Building family and community relationships
- Observing, documenting and assessing to support students and families
- Using developmentally effective approaches
- Using content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum
- Developing as a professional
Faculty
Faculty in the College of Education, Health and Public Policy offer far more than academic instruction. They act as mentors, taking a personal interest in students to help them meet challenges in the classroom, the professional world, and in life. The on-site Lab School also provides an ideal setting for mentorship, enabling students to observe and work with veteran teachers and learn from their problem-solving strategies, communication methods, and teaching expertise.
Our faculty members are well-published and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience in young children’s development, literacy learning, administration as well as family and community partnerships.
Research and Experience
Opportunities for action research take place in many field-based courses throughout the program. In addition to the observation hours spent at the DSU Lab School, students gain valuable experience by participating in early-childhood programs in the community and local schools. Early in their college career, students complete 60 hours of early field experience. Once juniors and seniors enter the Teacher Education Program, they complete four practicums (infant/toddler, preschool, special education, and primary grades), followed by a year-long student teaching placement during the senior year.