About this Program:

PreK-3 Program Perspective:

The PreK-3 Program is designed to provide students the perspectives and skills necessary to work with young children from infancy through grade three in inclusionary, developmentally appropriate settings. The program involves a large field based component and makes significant use of the UVM Campus Children's Center and local elementary schools as practicum sites. Graduates of the program are eligible for licensure (PreK-3) from the State of Vermont.

In order to provide developmentally appropriate educational experiences at the early/primary level, PreK-3 educators need to be well schooled in a pedagogy consistent with this developmentally appropriate practice model. The structure of the teacher education program is to provide these skills.

In particular, this pedagogy is characterized by an emphasis on age-appropriate activities presented in an inquiry based mode; the full inclusion of children with special needs into the regular classroom setting; a special emphasis on the ability to observe and document children's theories-in-action, and a view of the child as an active, competent, intentional giver and receiver of knowledge.

Last modified August 25 2010 09:20 PM