Early Childhood Education

Overview

By guiding our children, educators shape our future. Today more than ever, children need the encouragement and guidance of dedicated professional—teachers and administrators who truly want to make a difference and who have the ability to share their love of learning. Hood's Early Childhood Education program gives you the broad-based liberal arts background and practical training you need to excel.

In the Classroom

As an early childhood education major, you may earn a double major in the liberal arts or develop breadth by completing courses in English, science, mathematics and other liberal arts courses. Your academic work will prepare you for Maryland certification to teach nursery school, kindergarten, and grades 1-3. Maryland teaching certification entitles you to reciprocal certification initially in many other states.

Courses give you practical insight into classroom management, child development, and the most recent issues and research findings in curriculum and instruction. Because Hood also offers a master's degree program in education, you'll benefit from the perspectives of faculty members who teach current practitioners in the schools.

Real-World Experience

You will reinforce classroom concepts through practical training at Hood's Onica Prall Child Development Laboratory. Established in 1929, this highly regarded developmental preschool is a valuable resource, allowing you to observe and teach three- and four-year-old children.

You can participate in local community service activities that focus on children and youth through Hood's Education Club. You'll discuss new concepts with other members and local educators and meet some of the area's leading education specialists. You may also be invited to enroll in a summer reading practicum, assisting graduate students who work in Hood's reading clinic. And, of course, student-teaching assignments in local public schools enable you to participate in a full program of classroom teaching.

Benefits of Hood's Education Programs

Education students are scheduled on a cohort basis, which means you will move through the classes and phases of the program with the same set of students. Working together with the same group creates a learning community; students naturally form teams and help one another with course assignments, share their concerns and successes in their classroom teaching experiences, and support one another throughout the program.

Students provide the best insight into the strengths of Hood's program:

"The internship experiences, starting with the first class, are one of the best things. They allow you try out your major and confirms this is your area."

"You're prepared and confident to be a teacher."

"Hood's faculty members are willing to mentor students (review lesson plans, make suggestions, answer questions, help with job applications). There is a strong support network for students."

Portfolio Development

You will develop entry and exit portfolios as part of the education program at Hood. Your entry portfolio will help you discover areas for improvement and will establish topics or plans for gaining needed knowledge and experience.

The exit portfolio is a great tool to show others what you have learned and what you can do as a teacher. You will have the opportunity to showcase the range of experiences and abilities you have developed as a result of work in the field and in the classroom.

The education faculty will assist you in developing your portfolios and provide constructive feedback and guidance throughout the process.

Requirements for the Early Childhood Education Program

All students must complete 12 credits each in English, science and mathematics courses. In addition, 9 credits of social sciences are required of all education students. Prerequisite courses for the education program include:

Foundations for Effective Teaching
Child Development or Human Development
Processes and Acquisition of Reading
Children and Youth with Exceptionalities

After successfully completing the prerequisite courses and achieving the minimum passing score on Maryland's Praxis I assessment, students move into:

Phase I

of the program. Phase I includes coursework in reading instruction, science and social science curriculum and early childhood education methods. Students must also participate in field placement one half day each week at a designated school.

Upon completion of Phase I (including the field placement), a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 overall and in education courses, and a score of "Emergent" or higher on the entry portfolio, students move on to:

Phase II

in the program. Phase II is the first semester of the yearlong internship experience. Students will complete full-time coursework and field experiences at a designated school. Students will also begin work on their exit portfolio and take the four required Praxis II tests.

Phase III

requires successful completion of all components of Phase II and an overall G.P.A. of 2.75 in all coursework. During Phase III, students will work full-time in a teaching internship, complete seminars in education and professional development, and submit their completed exit portfolio. Phase III enables students to see how to set up a classroom and learn what they will do as first-year teachers. You will have excellent preparation and will see the full range of work activities and responsibilities for teachers.

Hood works closely with the Professional Development Schools (PDS) where our students are placed for field experiences. While at a PDS, you are treated as a professional and participate in all the experiences available to teachers, such as staff development sessions, parent conferences, meetings about Individual Educational Programs (IEP), and related issues.

Alumnae and Alumni Success Stories

Hood graduates in early childhood education are in demand because of our well-established reputation for preparing outstanding educators. Recent graduates teach in classrooms from Maine to California. Hood alumnae and alumni have advanced professionally and are employed as master teachers, counselors, reading and curriculum specialists, principals and school superintendents.

Faculty

All full-time faculty in this program have earned doctoral degress and have considerable experience and expertise in the field.

For more information, please contact:

John George

Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Education and Department Chair
Phone: (301) 696-3461
E-mail: georgej@hood.edu

For complete information in our online catalog, click here.

Academics.