Early Childhood Education

Degrees Offered: Ed.M. in Early Childhood Education CAGS in Early Childhood Education Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching

Faculty Contact: Jane Lannak 617-353-3410 jlannak@bu.edu

The goal of the Early Childhood Education program at Boston University is to prepare teachers dedicated to excellence in the field of early childhood education. Our students focus on the development and learning of young children in preschool, public school classrooms, and other appropriate settings in urban and suburban communities.

Professional coursework is concentrated on research and theories of child development and learning, and their implications for curriculum planning and instruction. Among the topics addressed are:

• The design of educational environments
  
• The content and methodology related to mathematics, science, reading, social studies, and the arts
  
• The application and integration of knowledge and skills through fieldwork and through the development of curriculum and learning materials

An important aspect of our program, which sets it apart from other undergraduate teacher preparation programs, is the emphasis on fieldwork. Students in our program typically enter a field site in their first semester followed by three other semester-long placements in preschool, kindergarten and first or second grade classrooms. Accompanying seminars and consistent, attentive supervision by our faculty throughout the semester support the integration of on campus study with classroom practice.

At the heart of our program is our preschool, which is affiliated with and located at the Boston University School of Education. All of our students in the early childhood program complete one semester of fieldwork in our preschool.

Our program also has a strong advising component. Upon acceptance into the program, you are assigned an Early Childhood Education faculty member as your advisor. This assures our students of individual, consistent, and informed advisement throughout their entire undergraduate experience.

The Early Childhood Education program meets licensure requirements for Massachusetts, which has reciprocal licensure agreements with 44 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam. Students are prepared to meet the Massachusetts requirements for an initial teaching license in Early Childhood: Teacher of Students With and Without Disabilities PreK-2.

The Early Childhood Learning Laboratory (ECLL)
The Preschool at Boston University
The Early Childhood Learning Laboratory (ECLL) is a preschool affiliated with and located at the School of Education. The ECLL is a laboratory and demonstration school that is available to Boston University students, parents of children in the program, and other early childhood professionals for observing children and teachers. Children whose families live in the local neighborhood primarily attend this open-enrollment school. There are 20 children, ages 2.9-5, in a mixed age group with two licensed early childhood teachers.

The preschool program employs an innovative, inquiry-based approach to curriculum design. Teachers determine a topic of study that relates to the children’s interest. The concepts or big ideas of this topic are decided upon, and activities are designed to teach those concepts.

Teachers continually monitor the children’s engagement in the activities, documenting their comments, questions, and interactions in order to make on-going adjustments to the plan and the environment. All students in the early childhood undergraduate and graduate programs complete one semester of fieldwork in the ECLL. Our students work closely with the teachers, meeting and planning with them, and implementing their plans with their guidance and support.

The ECLL classrooms are equipped with video recording equipment, which enables the staff to regularly record each student’s work in the classroom. Each student has the opportunity to view the recording to reflect on his or her teaching performance. In addition, each student meets with the faculty supervisor to review the information and discuss the student’s growth in her/his teaching skills. Our students also observe lead teachers and children from the adjacent Observation Room where they can listen through headphones and view the classroom through the one-way viewing windows.

Master of Education (Ed.M.)
The Master of Education (Ed.M.) program that prepares graduate students to teach in early childhood education (PreK-2) and meets the Commonwealth of Massachusetts requirements for licensure consists of 48 credits. It includes three field placements, one each in preschool, kindergarten, and either first or second grade. Full time students may complete this program in three semesters, plus one summer term.

Students who desire to work on a master’s degree without licensure, and those students who wish to complete a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS), work in collaboration with their academic advisor to develop an individualized program of study.

Practicum
Boston University enjoys long-standing relationships with many inner city and suburban school systems in Greater Boston that offer our students rewarding field experiences under the guidance of expert teachers and faculty. The School of Education reserves the right to determine whether a student is fully prepared to enter any professional field experience. This would include passing the SED Literacy Test prior to starting the practicum.

Required Courses for Graduate Students Interested in Licensure
Suggested Schedule of Coursework

Fall 1 (16 credits)

Spring 1 (14 credits)

Summer 1 (6 credits)

Fall 2 (12 credits)

Total Credits: 48

Course descriptions

Download a description of this program