ECE 495 Practicum

Connections Paper: An Assignment that Combines Learning with Experience

During my time at Dakota Prairie Early Childhood, I have observed many routine

practices including guidance, curriculum, assessment, family communication, and

professionalism. Guidance practice is one practice that is always happening throughout

the day at the program. Directions are given clearly and at times with signs, such as

wait and stop. Choices are used to help give structure to the children, but also at times

to allows children to choose what they want to do, whether that be playing with a certain

toy or choosing a color. Redirection is also used when children are not doing the

desired action. Modeling is very important in this program. With modeling children learn

how to do tasks and how to meet expectations. Modeling is used with picture schedules

also, such as how to wash hands.

Assessment is another practice that this program relies heavily on. Children must be

screened and evaluated to determine whether they need to receive services or if they

qualify to be in the preschool setting at Dakota Prairie. After the screenings and

evaluations, teachers must create objectives and goals for each child, which are

monitored by doing objectives and observations. The teachers track development and

progress in an objective system they have created and using plus or minus signs. The

practice of assessment is always ongoing in the program, so being reflective and

insightful can help you determine progress and what steps you as a teacher need to

take to help the child succeed.

My previous early childhood education and like courses have prepared me in many

ways for this practicum experience. In many courses I have learned the importance of
modeling, choices, redirecting, and giving clear instructions. Although I have learned it

in many classes, I feel it is best to be able to practice these skills in a classroom. I have

learned about a lot of these practices in the Fishback Center as an assistant teacher

and at First Lutheran as a student teacher. What I have seen at Dakota Prairie Early

Childhood Program is consistent as what I have learned as best practice from Mary

Bowne, Kay Cutler, Laura Gloege, and many other professors whose courses I have

taken. The component with all those practices is that you must speak in child friendly

tone and make sure it is age appropriate.

The course ECE-325 was a course that really prepared me for the assessment

aspect of my experience from doing mock assessments. Although it was hard learning

about it and writing assessment materials for the first time, the class prepared me on

what the tool is, why you use it, what is included, and so forth. This semester I got to

practice writing evals, reports, progress reports, scoring BDI’s, and observing and

administering screenings and evals. The assessments aligned with what I learned in my

course, but I also learned that format and what you choose to include and do has some

guidelines, but it also depends on your professional judgment. I am thankful for my

ECE-325 course and for my practicum to allow me to get more familiar with

assessments and I do feel more confident in doing them myself, but also knowing that I

have resources that I can always ask questions.

The education from my classes, textbooks, and my practicum experience will be

impact and influence my professional career greatly. I have learned in my classes how

to be a teacher and best practices to do that, but in my practicum experience I have

learned not only how to apply that but all aspects of teaching. Teaching is more than
what you learn in your college classes, but also how to build relationships with each

student and how you can help each child succeed, which means differentiating and

being creative. This experience at Dakota Prairie has been such a great experience for

me and I feel that I have grown as a professional in many ways. I will use ideas, such as

a skills checklist that is aligned with age appropriateness, in my future classroom. I also

have seen many different teaching approaches between the classrooms, teachers, and

for each student. I feel that my learning with affect my personal and professional

practice by encouraging me to be adaptable and have growth mindset, as there will

always be changes in the profession, but the most important thing to remember is what

is best for my students and their families.