To achieve the goal of creating innovative rebels.  We considered our educational foundation in constructivist theory and the competencies or skills students need.  The educational foundation is in social constructivism.  Two ideas our program values are play and relationship-based education and care.  Deb Curtis and Jess Guiney, writing in an Out of the Box Training Kit, talk about the importance of play and social interaction for children’s optimal development.  See their quote in the sidebar.

With this philosophy in mind, the program developed a mission.  The mission is:

The Early Education and Care program will provide professional development to grow highly skilled and caring early childhood professionals to work in a variety of settings that support families and children from birth until they enter public schools. BSU students will develop skills to intentionally educate, positively interact, confidently lead, and passionately advocate for young children and families.

The learning outcomes and competencies for the Capstone Experiences are

While enrolled in the field placement experience, students will also complete ECPK 480 – Childcare Programming, Administration and Supervision, Birth-PreK .  During this course students will:

1. Apply knowledge about age levels, abilities, developmental status, cultures and language, and experiences of children in the group to make professional judgements about the use of materials, the organization of indoor and outdoor physical space and materials, and the management of daily schedules and routines
2. Incorporate self-care into routines to maintain positive engagement with young children and professionalism with families and colleagues
3. Promote the nutrition and health of children and protect children from illness.
4. Integrate professional guidelines such as national, state, or local standards and regulations and position statement from professional associations as appropriate for the role/designation in the profession
5. Identify basic policy issues in the profession, including compensation and financing of the early education system; standards-setting and assessment in young children; and issues of equity, bias and social justice that affect young children, families, communities, and colleagues
6. Advocate for resources and policies that support young children and their families as well as for early childhood educators

The learning outcomes for the field placement components are ECPK 481 and ECPK 492 are for students to:

1. Initiate respectful relationships with families and caregivers
2. Sustain respectful relationships with families and caregivers
3. Use family engagement to learn with and from family members as well as promote learning in the home environment
4. Incorporate the resources of the children’s communities to support the achievement of program goals.
5. Creates a positive classroom environment which is physically and emotionally safe.
6. Use authentic assessment including differentiated observation and document methods and evidence-based assessment.
7. Apply the concept of alignment to ensure three components of the curriculum are aligned: assessment, learning objectives, and instructional strategies.
8. Use multidimensional knowledge (developmental period of early childhood, individual child, family, and multiple social identities, race, language, culture, class, gender and others) to intentionally support the whole children
9. Differentiate instruction based on the level of development, individual characteristics, and sociocultural context of young children
10. Evaluate Developmentally Appropriate Practices to improve the program structure
11. Integrate content knowledge, Developmentally Appropriate Practices, and early learning standards design curriculum across
    1. Social and Emotional Development
    2. Physical Development
    3. Language Development
    4. Literacy
    5. Mathematics
    6. Science
    7. Technology
    8. Creative Expression Appreciation for the Arts
    9. Health and Safety
    10. Social Studies
12. Apply the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct