Practicum Information

CHLD 201 focuses on the application of evidence-based knowledge, skills, and dispositions within early childhood settings. Students will work with young children and families in high-quality, culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse early childhood settings under the supervision of a site supervisor and a college course work supervisor. 

This 3 credit hour course requires six hours of lab/practicum work each week, in addition to a 1 hour weekly seminar.  Students are required to provide documentation of meeting all State of Illinois requirements in regard to health (completion of TB test, DCFS Health Form) and criminal background checks BEFORE and THROUGHOUT practicum placement. 

The practicum is an exciting part of your journey where you get to apply all that you have been learning in support of young children and their families. For your practicum experience, you are expected to document six hours per week with two different early childhood age groups (birth to 3; preschool; or kindergarten through 2nd grade). This expectation is reflected in the course design, where the first weeks of the class will occur in a setting with one specific age group and the second eight weeks with another.  These two segments mirror one another and are designed to help you learn about the classroom environment, the children and families within it, and develop your expertise and confidence as a teacher.

CHLD 206 is similar to CHLD 201 in format; however, the content focus is infants and toddlers. 

While you may complete your work within your place of employment, your practicum experience must reflect substantive growth and application of course materials. Please note that if you elect to complete your practicum within your own environment, you will be asked to document changes/growth through a journal and site and course supervisor evaluations. 

Need assistance securing a practicum site placement?  Please contact Johnna Darragh Ernst at johnna.darragh@heartland.edu.