Mission Statement

The mission of the early childhood teacher education program at the University of Maryland is to prepare knowledgeable, skilled and reflective practitioners who base their practice on theory, research, and pedagogy appropriate for the developing child.

Rationale for the Program

Based upon a strong departmental research agenda and national standards for teacher education programs, the ECE curriculum has been developed around:

  • Child development
  • Research infused content courses
  • Extensive observations
  • Field experiences in high quality professional development schools
  • Integration of the Center for Young Children (CYC) into the program/PDS Network.
  • A critical component of the program is the need for students to understand and value the importance and complexity of children's families and communities.
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