Program Coordinator: Dr. Mira Cole Williams
Phone: (540) 568-3473
Email: willi9mc@jmu.edu
The IECE program draws heavily from research and theories in child development, family systems, special education, differentiated teaching and learning.
Through course work and extensive field experiences, the teacher candidate is prepared to design activities that have an cross disciplinary focus, reflect an understanding of the individual child’s development and learning, recognize the importance of family and developmental influences, support the young child in constructing knowledge about self and the world, and involve parents in supporting the child’s growth and development.
The JMU program prepares teachers for endorsements in Early Childhood Special Education, birth to five, and Early Childhood Education, PreK-3. The program is based on these assumptions:
- Early childhood educators must have a strong liberal education.
- Early childhood educators should possess a broad range of knowledge that provides a context for understanding individual behavior, family and environmental influences and major social issues in a modern democratic and technological society.
- Early childhood educators must have professional preparation that develops critical thinking and problem– solving skills to become educational decision makers who consciously choose appropriate curriculum based on an understanding of how children develop and learn.
The courses in the IECE Education program are sequentially organized throughout four undergraduate and three graduate semesters to help candidates develop an understanding of how children learn and interact in learning environments as well as familiarity with methods and materials appropriate for teaching and working in a collaborative way with families and other professionals.
Field experiences are provided along with course work to enable candidates to apply their knowledge in a variety of family and learning settings. Candidates must be accepted in teacher education to begin upper level IECE course work.
Assessment occurs each semester and performance will be reviewed at each assessment gate. Candidates must demonstrate satisfactory performance before moving on to the next semester.
Satisfactory performance includes a “C” or higher in all education coursework with an overall 2.5 GPA, demonstration of professional behaviors, and acceptable performance in practica and on key assessments.
To be recommended for licensure in ECSE and PreK-3, candidates must satisfy the following requirements:
- Complete the General Education and degree requirements of the university.
- Complete a major in IDLS .
- Meet all admission and retention requirements for teacher education and the IECE program.
- Complete the 49 credit hour pre-professional program with an overall 2.75 GPA.
- Be admitted to The Graduate School.
- Complete the 30 hour graduate program including student teaching.
- Candidates in this program must meet with an IECE program adviser to declare the pre-professional licensure program in inclusive early childhood education.
The IDLS major is assigned two advisers. One adviser is the adviser for the education pre-professional licensure program who will guide the student through the licensure program requirements. The other adviser is the IDLS adviser who will guide the student through the IDLS major requirements. Students should plan on consulting both advisers regularly. Typically, the education adviser is assigned when the student meets with the head of his/her licensure program and elects the licensure program. This may be as early as the first semester of the first year. The IDLS adviser is assigned when the first year student advising folders are transferred to the IDLS office (second semester, first year) Students are required to check with advisers regularly to ensure timely graduation.
