School of Education

Prospective Applicants

Undergraduate Early Childhood Teacher Education Program

Overview
The Early Childhood Education Program is a fully accredited certification program which Students outside Bressler Hall prepares teachers of children in nursery school through grade two. Undergraduate students who elect to become certified in Early Childhood Education must be majors in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Rhode Island. Other students who have previously earned an undergraduate degree in a related field may also apply. Successful completion of the Early Childhood Education Program leads to an initial teaching certificate for nursery school through the primary grades (N-2).

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Admission to the Program
Prior to admission, students seeking admission to the bachelor's degree program in HDF must complete the following courses with an overall GPA of 2.50 or better:

PSY 113	One 100 or 200 level Sociology course
HDF 200 or 201	3 General Education credits in Mathematics

Formal application to this program takes place during the student's sophomore year and requires the student to interview with selected Human Development and School of Education faculty and to present an Admissions Portfolio as well as all three scores on the required PPST Examination at that time. Students with a strong academic background, a demonstrated interest in both teaching and young children, and a desire to share these interests with a diverse population of learners are encouraged to apply. If admitted to the program, students in Early Childhood Education must maintain a quality point average of 2.5 overall and a 2.5 in the major and attain a grade of at least a C in HDF 301, 303, EDC 424, 426, 429 and an S in EDC 350 to be eligible for student teaching.

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Portfolio Information

Admission Portfolio Presentation/Interviews will take place a few weeks after applications are due.
Portfolio Interviews are by appointment only. Sign up for an interview - in person - in the Office of Teacher Education (701 Chafee building) between January 22- February 2 2007.
CCE Providence students should sign-up at the CCE Office of Admissions and Advising. CCE students should sign up in room 245, (Advising Office). Contact the CCE Office of Admissions and Advising for signup dates.
A copy of the application form must be turned in to the Office of Teacher Education NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 2nd, when you sign up for your interview.
A copy of your Praxis I – Pre-Professional Skills Tests (PPST) or Praxis I Computer-Based Tests (PI-CBT) scores must be attached to your application; include another copy of your scores in your portfolio.
No changes in times or dates of interview may occur after February 5th without the student directly requesting such a change with the interviewing professors.
Attending a portfolio session is strongly recommended prior to applying.

Admission portfolios should include one copy of your completed Application Form and a copy of your PPST or PI-CBT scores -- required as well as evidence in these four categories:

I. Interpersonal/Communication Skills

Overview statement - required
Philosophy of Teaching - required
Other evidence as selected by student
Computer generated or assisted projects - required

II. Academic Knowledge Base

Official (sealed) transcripts (URI, other institutions) - required
Praxis I PPST or PI-CBT scores - required
**HDF 203 & Evaluations - required
Letter of recommendation from a URI faculty member- required
Other evidence as selected by student
Graded exam or paper

III. Work Experience/Community Services

Letters of recommendation - required
Other evidence as selected by student

IV. Knowledge/Experiences Working in a Diverse Society

Description of experience - required
Other evidence as selected by student

**If currently enrolled in HDF 203 or planning to take HDF 203 in the summer, continue with the application process. However, it is mandatory that you complete HDF 203 prior to the first fall semester following program admission and prior to taking HDF 301.

Examples of different types of evidence are found in this application. Each piece of evidence should be captioned to indicate: 1) its title, 2) a brief description, and 3) why it is evidence in a particular category, based upon the enclosed Rhode Island Beginning Teacher Standards (BTS).

Admission portfolios are available for your examination at the Reserve Counter at the URI (Kingston) Library, and at the library at CCE, Providence. Ask for ECE Admission Portfolio.

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Test of Basic Skills
All Early Childhood Teacher Education applicants must take a new Test of Basic Skills for admission to the teacher education program, called the Praxis I Pre-professional Skills Tests (PPST) or Praxis I - Computer-Based Test (PI-CBT). Testing is available at the Thomson Prometric Testing Center, 2346 Post Rd., Warwick, R.I., 02886, phone 401-738-9172. For details about the tests, visit PPST Basic Skills Test.

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