Introduction

WNMU’s Early Childhood Programs offer two Bachelor Degree Professional Pathways leading to either New Mexico Early Childhood Teacher License or a Bachelor Degree without licensure.

An Early Childhood degree prepares students for a range of careers that include:

• Teachers of children ages birth through 3rd Grade
• Child care provider
• Home visitor
• Program Administrator
• Program development specialist
• Parent support specialist
• Early interventionist

This competency-based program is a part of the New Mexico Early Childhood Higher Education Articulation for two and four year institutions. The program provides extensive field experiences to enhance classroom learning, and guides pre-service students to performance outcomes in:

• Child Growth, Development and Learning
• Health, Safety and Nutrition
• Family and Community Collaboration
• Developmentally Appropriate Content
• Learning Environment and Curriculum Implementation
• Professionalism
• Assessment of Children and Evaluation of Programs

The early childhood education program prepare students to provide high-quality care and education to young children birth through 3rd grade through experiential learning, students plan and implement activities appropriate to the developing child.

• Professors closely monitor student progress while utilizing multiple ways of assessing student work.

• Integration of hands-on experiences and technology in classroom instruction is included throughout the program.
• Courses focus on developmentally appropriate practices and individualized learning to support the full participation of every child.
• Courses promote the establishment of aligned services and supports which build on the unique assets of each child, and acknowledge the strengths of children’s families’ heritage, language, and culture.
• Courses and field experiences offer opportunities for students to work with diverse populations (gender, ELL, exceptionality, ethnicity)

Students also demonstrate knowledge in creating and administering a safe, health environment that uses developmentally appropriate curriculum practices. Students will demonstrate professionalism through adherence to the ethical and professional standards of the early childhood education profession. The program provides a theoretical base in the growth and development of young children and early childhood education curricula and activities. The practical experiences in various early childhood education setting facilitate the development of the skills needed to implement curriculum that fosters the cognitive, motor, social, and emotional development of the child.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Making Subject Matter Comprehensible to all students including culturally and linguistically diverse students and students with exceptionalities
2. Planning instruction and designing learning experiences for ALL students including culturally and linguistically diverse students and students with exceptionalities
3. Assessing and evaluating – using assessment to inform instruction and support learning
4. Creating and Maintaining Effective Environment for Learning for all students
5. Engaging and Supporting Learning for all students
6. Communicating and Collaborating with Families and Communities,
7. Developing as a Professional Educator – using reflection to grow as an educator

Practice Teaching

Practice teaching is the culminating field experience for all teacher education candidates. The general intent of this intense experience is to facilitate the transition from student to beginning teacher. It provides teacher education candidates the opportunity to assume the full-time responsibility of a classroom teacher under the supervision of a school based clinical faculty or cooperating teacher.

Candidates must have a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.75 to apply for Practice Teaching.

Students desiring a placement for Practice Teaching in locations other than in the Cobre, Deming, Hatch, Lordsburg, Silver City or T or C school districts must have a 3.0 and obtain permission from the Professional Education Committee (PEC); this request needs to be in writing. Permission must be obtained from the committee prior to any contact with the desired placement. There are prerequisites for being allowed to teach outside the local area.

Teacher Education Exit Requirements

In order to exit the Teacher Education Program, receive a diploma and/or be eligible for teacher licensure in New Mexico, WNMU students must provide the following evidence by the end of the Practice Teaching semester.

These requirements represent

In order to exit the Teacher Education Program, receive a diploma and/or be eligible for teacher licensure in New Mexico, WNMU students must provide the following evidence by the end of the Practice Teaching semester.

These requirements represent the summative value of mastering the outcomes of the Teacher Education Program.

1. Teaching Event
2. Complete all required PRAXIS tests with passing scores.
3. Teacher Educational Exit Survey (EBI-TEES)
4. Professional Behaviors and Dispositions Assessment

the summative value of mastering the outcomes of the Teacher Education Program.

1. Teaching Event
2. Complete all required New Mexico Teacher Assessments (NMTA) or National Evaluation Series (NES) with passing scores.
3. Letter of Recommendation from clinical faculty or cooperating teacher
4. Teacher Educational Exit Survey (EBI-TEES)
5. Professional Behaviors and Dispositions Assessment

Contact Information

For more information about any of the Early Childhood Degree plans or certificate options call 575-538-6307 or email ecp@wnmu.edu.

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