Early Childhood Education Endorsement Program
UNO's Early Childhood Education (ECE) endorsement is community-centered and built upon trusting, respectful, and caring relationships with an emphasis on inquiry, equity, and the well-being of young children. In this endorsement, you'll learn to develop curricula and programs to meet the diverse needs of children and families in early childhood programs, schools, and organizations in the community.
The ECE endorsement is for educators who wish to be highly qualified to teach children from birth to primary ages in a variety of settings. The program of study also includes courses for individuals who often work with children and families in areas such as counseling, social work, psychology, library science, public administration, and educational leadership. Thus, the ECE program of study can be beneficial for individuals with careers in non-profit and government agencies, as well as a variety of community settings such as libraries and museums.
Program Highlights
- Distance-friendly
- Graduate-only courses
- Application to the needs of schools and the community
Program Options
- Early Childhood Education Endorsement
- Concentration in a graduate program
- Non-degree professional development
Faculty
Dr. Kerry-Ann Escayg is an Assistant Professor. Her primary research and teaching areas include anti-racism education, young children and race, racial socialization, whiteness studies, and critical race theory.
Dr. Anne Karabon is an Assistant Professor. Her research focuses on teacher education that supports culturally-responsive and socially-just practices for young children and families. She is particularly interested in practices that inform STEM content through children's experiences at home, in the community, and during play.
Dr. Susan McWilliams is an Associate Professor. Her teaching and research interests include literature, creative arts, science and math for the young child, community engagement, service learning, and inquiry-oriented teaching.
Dr. Debora Wisneski is an Associate Professor. Her teaching and research interests include play, early childhood curriculum, teacher action research, storytelling and story acting, early literacy, peace education, and education foundation.
Courses
The focus of courses in this program is on developmentally appropriate practice, equity, interactions with families and communities, strategies for developing inquiry classrooms, as well as perspectives on early childhood education in the broader sense.
- Social Worlds of the Young Child
- Literature for the Young Child
- Play as a Learning Medium
- Advanced Curriculum in ECE
- Developmental Assessment of the Young Child
- Trends in ECE
- Leadership in ECE
- Family, School, and Community Partnerships
The ECE endorsement requires a supervised practicum that can be completed in the candidate's own classroom if the age and setting are appropriate. For those candidates without a classroom, an appropriate placement will be arranged through the university.