Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate)
The Early Childhood Development and Learning: Diverse Children and Families: Additional NYS Certification (Advanced Certificate) program prepares candidates for professional roles in classrooms, homes, and communities across the birth through grade 2 age range. Clinical experiences are a critical component of the program and designed to provide reflective experiences in order to develop competencies in working with young children of diverse ages, abilities, cultures, and languages and their families. These experiences are purposely sequenced so candidates learn new competencies that build upon those acquired in earlier experiences.
Students participate in clinical experiences which include:
- developmental field experiences (fieldwork)
- supervised teaching (pre-student teaching)
- supervised teaching (student teaching/practicum)
Clinical experiences take place in two of three age group requirements, birth through 4 years; kindergarten; and first or second grade.
Supervised Teaching (pre-student teaching and student teaching/practicum) experiences are administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences (OCE). Students must apply for supervised teaching (pre-student teaching and student teaching/practicum) to gain registration permission and placement. For registration and placement processes and procedures see below. Students must obtain fingerprint clearance.
Clinical Experiences Requirements
For a full list of clinical experience requirements consult the course catalog in conjunction with the course sequence and program trackers. The course catalog provides descriptions detailing fieldwork requirements per course, important progress standards, and exit requirements based on matriculation date. Students must meet with the faculty advisor to determine their particular course of study before registering for classes.
Course Catalog
Review the course descriptions, progress standards, and exit requirements in the Course Catalog based on start date.
Course Catalog Summer 2022 onward
Course Catalog prior to Summer 2022
Course Sequence and Program Tracker
COVID-19 Guidelines for Clinical Experiences
Students must follow COVID-19 protocols determined by the host organization or school.
Security Clearance Requirements
Fingerprinting is required for certification and select clinical experiences (fieldwork and student teaching/practicum). Visit Fingerprinting for Hunter College School of Education Students for complete requirements, processes and procedures.
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork)
Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are applied experiences in classrooms, homes, or community settings in conjunction with a course. Select courses have fieldwork requirements. Developmental Field Experiences (Fieldwork) are not administered by the Office of Clinical Experiences. For support, please contact the course instructor. Registration, placement, and application processes for fieldwork requirements vary by course.
Supervised Teaching: Pre-Student Teaching
Students participate in supervised teaching (pre-student teaching). Pre-student teaching combines coursework and a sustained clinical experience in preparation for student teaching and/or practicum. Pre-Student teaching requires one full day per week over 10 weeks (to be assigned) for one semester if completed during the academic year or 2-3 days per week for 5 weeks if completed during the summer. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors during the semester. Students may not complete pre-student teaching in their current job.
Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures
All students must apply to the Office of Clinical Experiences and receive permission prior to registering for pre-student teaching. Students will be placed at a Hunter College partner program in New York City including community-based and New York City Department of Education programs.
Application
Students must apply for the following Pre-Student Teaching course through the Office of Clinical Experiences before registering:
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: March 1st
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews pre-student teaching applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences will inform students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences will place students at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify them via their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Supervised Teaching: Student Teaching/Practicum
Students participate in supervised teaching (student teaching and/or practicum) as the culmination of their course of study. Student teaching and/or practicum requires three full days per week for one semester if completed during the academic year or five full days per week if completed during the summer. Students are observed by Hunter College Clinical Supervisors throughout the semester. Students may complete practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study and meets specific Early Childhood Development and Learning (ECDL) practicum requirements.
Registration, Placement and Application Processes and Procedures
All students must apply for student teaching/practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences for registration permission and, for student teaching, to be placed.
Student Teaching Placement
Student Teachers are placed by the Office of Clinical Experience with a mentor/cooperating teacher at a Hunter College Partner program in New York City. Students teach alongside the mentor/cooperating teacher throughout the semester.
Practicum
Students working full time as assistant, associate or head teacher may be eligible to complete Practicum in their current job if it is aligned with their pending certification/area of study.
The following are required for Practicum eligibility:
- The age-range must be aligned with pending certification and different from the age range of SPEDE 776
- Student must be responsible for teaching at least three children with IFSPs/IEPs in the remaining age range
- Programs must be located in New York City
- Site must be pre-approved by faculty and/or Office of Clinical Experiences
- Student must submit a letter from worksite/school program director
Practicum Site Approval Form
Application
All students must apply for student teaching and/or practicum through the Office of Clinical Experiences.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester: April 1st
- Spring Semester: November 1st
- Summer Semester: March 1st
Registration and Placement Process
- The Office of Clinical Experiences reviews student teaching/practicum applications for eligibility.
- The Office of Clinical Experiences grants registration permission.
- One week before each semester registration opens, the Office of Clinical Experiences will inform students of next steps through their myhunter.cuny.edu email.
- If students require placement, the Office of Clinical Experiences will place them at a Hunter College School of Education partner site in New York City and notify their myhunter.cuny.edu email
Internship Certificate
Current students who are eligible for practicum and secure a teaching position that requires NYS certification may apply for an internship certificate. Students must apply for practicum first and will only receive instructions thereafter.
Visit the Internship Certificate page for eligibility requirements and application processes and procedures.
Supervised Teaching Time Record Form
Support
The Office of Clinical Experiences administers and provides support for students regarding supervised teaching (pre-student teaching and student teaching/practicum). The Office is led by Marshall George, Olshan Professor of Clinical Practice, and the Director of the Office of Clinical Experiences, Ileana Infante.
Each program has a Clinical Placement Specialist to work with students regarding supervised teaching (pre-student teaching and student teaching/practicum).
Clinical Placement Specialist
- Joyce Rittenburg, Clinical Placement Specialist (Acting)
- email: jr8479@hunter.cuny.edu
- Elizabeth Harrison, Clinical Placement Specialist (On Leave)
Contact for questions concerning the following:
- Fieldwork placement
- Student Teaching/Practicum application and placement
- Joyce Rittenburg, Clinical Placement Specialist (Acting)