ECPK 481 is a 100 hours field experience in an approved early childhood setting, Birth-K, which may be the student’s workplace, and rarely a public-school classroom. Students also attend scheduled seminars. The practicum is at least four weeks long and requires a minimum of 100 documented hours working with children while being supervised by an assigned college supervisor and by a licensed, site-based cooperating practitioner.

Purpose

The ECPK 481 field-experience is a bridge between the Bridgewater State University (BSU) Early Education and Care program’s observational course, ECPK 420, and the capstone practicum semester, ECPK 492.   In ECPK 481, students examine their practices and those of the early childhood settings they are experiencing.   It is a formative experience for ECPK 492.

Students will tend 3 scheduled seminars . The practicum is at least four weeks long and requires a minimum of 100 documented hours working with children while being supervised by an assigned college supervisor and by an Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) certified or Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) licensed site supervisor.

In many cases, the setting will be the student’s current work setting, if EEC licensed the program.  If the student is not currently working in an appropriate early childhood setting, a suitable field placement will be discussed with Early Education and Care Practicum Liaison. Students need to select ONE classroom and arrange regular times when significant program offerings are implemented to interact with the children and to add to the room’s activity offerings.

Prerequisites:

• Three of the five 300-level courses in the major
• ECPK 420
• 2.5 GPA both overall and in major
• Concurrent with ECPK 480
• Application to Early Education and Care Practicum Liaison for registration.

This course may be transferred.