Early Childhood
In order that students interested in kindergarten and early childhood programs are adequately prepared, it is recommended that they complete:
-A six-week early years placement in Year 1 (nursery, JK or SK)
-An internship in Kindergarten or in a Kindergarten/Child Care integrated program in Year 2
-A 3-week, full-day placement in a child care setting with infants and toddlers in tandem with a 12-hour intensive ECE seminar series (additional fee*) offered in April/May
-At least one graduate level early childhood elective from the AP&HD roster of courses. Recommended electives are listed below. Some "Special Topics" courses dealing with early childhood may be offered as well (HPD1238). Course offerings vary from year to year.
HDP1211 - Psychological Foundations of Early Development
This course examines research on the psychological foundations of early childhood and relates those foundations to practice in the preschool and primary years. Early education is considered in relation to program factors such as teachers' beliefs and curriculum areas, to child and family factors such as temperament and attachment, and to social factors such as childcare experience and community. Young children's physical, cognitive, communicative, social and emotional development are explored as contributors to and as consequences of early learning experiences.
HDP1238 - Special Topics: Early Learning in Mathematics
This course will focus on general developmental issues concerning young children and mathematics learning. As part of this course, we will examine international early years mathematics curricula as well as Ontario's early years focus on inquiry and play-based learning in mathematics. Investigations of mathematics content area include: the development of number sense and early arithmetic, spatial and geometric understandings, classification and data management and patterning.
HDP1238 - Special Topics: Cognitive Development in Infancy and Early Childhood
The course is designed to provide students with an in-depth understanding of current developmental research on infants' and children's cognition. We will explore children's understanding of physical (inanimate) objects, psychological kinds (people), and symbols. You should expect to gain an understanding of some of the main theoretical questions underlying current developmental research and the methods used to address these questions. We will begin with a review of the major theoretical perspectives on cognitive development, spanning from Piaget's theory, to sociocultural theory, to current neuroscience approaches. We will then survey children's development in several core domains.
HDP1241 - Outcomes of Early Education and Child Care
Does early childhood education make a difference? Are "day care kids" different from those cared for at home? If there are differences, what are they? For whom are those differences, if any, meaningful? Are those differences, if any, lasting? How do we know? And, who cares? This course will explore these issues; we will examine a variety of early childhood programs, historical and contemporary, and the research and evaluation studies related to them. Students will select and critique a published evaluation study on aspects of early education/care, and design their own evaluative study of an element of an early education/care program of personal interest. ("Early childhood" = up to 9 or 10 years of age.)
HDP1259 - Child and Family Relationships – Implications for Education
This course examines the connections between family systems and the educational system. Family-service connections with childcare and other services are also considered, with emphasis on early childhood. Particular attention is paid to the literature on parent-community involvement in education and related program and policy matters.
HDP1272 - Play and Education
A series of seminars dealing with the definition of the term "play" and its relation to both psychological and educational processes in the young child. The history of play will be examined in relationship to various theories that have been advanced concerning the need children have to play, the functions of play, and their relationship to psychological, social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development. Note: This course is intended primarily for Child Study and Education students and M.Ed. students with an interest in adaptive instruction and special education. Others must seek the permission of the instructor to register.
HDP1279 - Preventative Interventions for Children at Risk
This course examines evidenced based efforts to prevent problems that place children and youth at risk. Focus will be on ways of reducing risk and increasing protective factors. Coverage includes interventions that effectively deal with health, social, and educational issues impacting well being and life chances. Poverty, chronic illness, and intentional and unintentional injury are some of the areas surveyed.
HDP2252 - Independent Reading & Research (in early childhood)
Details vary by student.
JPX 1001 - Parenting: Multidisciplinary Perspectives
This course is designed to introduce students to a multidisciplinary range of approaches to the understanding of parenting. Research, theory, and professional practice are surveyed in a number of disciplines. Levels of analysis extend from the psychology of parenting to the societal context. Synthesis of the material is achieved via an organizing framework based on the social ecology of human development and via critical comparisons of different disciplinary perspectives. (Offered jointly by OISE, the Faculty of Social Work and the Department of Psychology)
Please note that not all of the courses listed above are offered in a given year. Please consult the OISE Graduate Studies Course Schedule for currently scheduled courses:
http://www.oise.utoronto.ca/ro/Graduate_Students/Continuing_Students/Course_Information/Course_Schedules/index.html
Graduates wishing to obtain Early Childhood Education credentials may apply for membership with the College of Early Childhood Educators and receive designation as an RECE (Registered Early Childhood Educator). A one-time application fee and an annual membership fee applies.