Education, Early Childhood (PreK - Grade 3)

This degree is the first step of a two-step process that prepares students for certification to teach Preschool Education (birth - age 4) in the state of Florida. The second step requires completion of the Master of Education degree in prekindergarten education (age 3 - grade 3). The undergraduate program develops the foundation knowledge and skills for effective planning, teaching and evaluating young children’s learning and development.

Before Graduating Students Must

• Pass the General Knowledge Test and the Preschool Education Subject Area Test of the Florida Teacher Certification Examination.
• Demonstrate mastery of effective teaching practices by meeting Florida Educator Accomplished Practices 1-6, as determined by multiple instructors across the program.
• Complete requirements for the baccalaureate degree, as determined by faculty.

Skills Students will Acquire in the Major (SLOs)

1. Demonstrate competency for children, birth to age 4, in child development, contemporary research in early childhood, cultural and linguistic diversity, strategies for engaging families, developmentally appropriate instructional practices, special services for children, screening and assessment, safety and mental and physical health.
2. Create, select and implement specific learning goals, appropriate teaching methods and instructional materials and evaluation strategies aligned with goals, using knowledge of children and developmentally appropriate practices.
3. Critically evaluate your own instructional effectiveness to plan future lessons and improve your teaching of all students over time.
4. Effectively communicate with students, including students whose home language is not standard English, as well as parents and other school personnel.

Curriculum Map

I = Introduced; R = Reinforced; A = Assessed

Assessment Types

• UFLI project
• Pre-internship evaluation
• The Florida Teaching Certification (FTCE) General Knowledge and Preschool Education examination