Early Childhood Special Education

Portfolio

Each ECSE master’s student must complete a professional portfolio and present this portfolio to a committee.  This occurs in the last semester of the program and is a requirement for graduation.  The portfolio should reflect the student’s growth as a professional in demonstrating the Initial Practice-Based Professional Standards for Early Interventionists/Early Childhood Special Educators from the Council for Exceptional Children and Division for Early Childhood (see below; Standards 1-7 only).

Products

• You will create the following products:
  • Resumé
  • Philosophy statement
    • This includes your role as a professional and view of education.  You may want to write about learning and development, families, inclusion, least restrictive environment, etc.  You may also consider if and how your philosophy has changed over the course of the master’s program.
  • Artifacts
    • You should select two artifacts from your coursework, field placements, and/or traineeships that demonstrate professional growth for two standards (one artifact per standard).  Artifacts do not need to be perfect, but they should meet the standard highlighted and show how you have developed as a professional. 
  • Videos
    • You should select 2-4 short videos that show you in your best light as a professional, or that show the progression of your skills across your program.  (Note: You must have permission from the parents/guardians of children included in the videos.)
  • Reflective statement
    • This statement should include the following components:
      • A description of each artifact, why you selected it, how it meets the standard selected, and what it demonstrates about your development as a professional.
      • A description of the videos you included, why you selected them, and what they demonstrate about your development as a professional.
      • Two standards you want or need to continue to work on.  Describe the standards and why you selected them.

Presentation and Discussion

• Create a presentation that includes an overview of your philosophy, your artifacts and the standards they reflect (highlighting your strengths and growth), and the standards you will continue to work on.  You may also choose to share your videos in your presentation.
• Present what you have prepared, answering questions as they arise from committee members.
• Discuss with committee members what you believe are the strengths of the ECSE master’s program and suggestions for improvement. (Note: This does not need to be included in your presentation.)

Evaluation

• A committee of three people will review your portfolio.  Committees will include two faculty members and one doctoral student.  You will be informed of your committee members in advance.
• Your committee will complete a short evaluation of your products and presentation.
• You will receive a summary of the committee’s feedback after your presentation.

Timeline

• You will obtain feedback from your advisor on your products and presentation prior to finalizing it (at least two weeks prior to your presentation).
• The portfolio presentations will be scheduled for late in the spring semester (typically April).  Your products and presentation should be uploaded to Box at least one week prior to your presentation.
• A Box folder will be shared with you.
• You should notify your committee members when you upload your products and presentation to Box.

Standards for the ECSE Teacher

From: CEC/DEC Standards for EI/ECSE

1. Standard 1: Child Development and Early Learning – Candidates understand the impact of different theories and philosophies of early learning and development on assessment, curriculum, instruction, and intervention decisions. Candidates apply knowledge of normative developmental sequences and variations, individual differences within and across the range of abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities, and other direct and indirect contextual features that support or constrain children’s development and learning. These contextual factors as well as social, cultural, and linguistic diversity are considered when facilitating meaningful learning experiences and individualizing intervention and instruction across contexts.
2. Standard 2: Partnering with Families – Candidates use their knowledge of family-centered practices and family systems theory to develop and maintain reciprocal partnerships with families. They apply family capacity-building practices as they support families to make informed decisions and advocate for their young children. They engage families in opportunities that build on their existing strengths, reflect current goals, and foster family competence and confidence to support their children’s development and learning.
3. Standard 3: Collaboration and Teaming – Candidates apply models, skills, and processes of teaming when collaborating and communicating with families and professionals, using culturally and linguistically responsive and affirming practices. In partnership with families and other professionals, candidates develop and implement individualized plans and successful transitions that occur across the age span. Candidates use a variety of collaborative strategies while working with and supporting other adults.
4. Standard 4: Assessment Processes – Candidates know and understand the purposes of assessment in relation to ethical and legal considerations. Candidates choose developmentally, linguistically, and culturally appropriate tools and methods that are responsive to the characteristics of the young child, family, and program. Using evidence-based practices, candidates develop or select as well as administer informal measures, and select and administer formal measures in partnership with families and other professionals. They analyze, interpret, document, and share assessment information using a strengths-based approach with families and other professionals for eligibility determination, outcome/goal development, planning instruction and intervention, monitoring progress, and reporting.
5. Standard 5: Application of Curriculum Frameworks in the Planning of Meaningful Learning Experience – Candidates collaborate with families and professionals to use an evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, and culturally responsive early childhood curriculum addressing developmental and content domains. Candidates use curriculum frameworks to create and support universally designed, high quality learning experiences in natural and inclusive environments that provide each child and family with equitable access and opportunities for learning and growth.
6. Standard 6: Using Responsive and Reciprocal Interactions, Interventions, and Instruction – Candidates plan and implement intentional, systematic, evidence-based, responsive interactions, interventions, and instruction to support all children’s learning and development across all developmental and content domains in partnership with families and other professionals. Candidates facilitate equitable access and participation for all children and families within natural and inclusive environments through culturally responsive and affirming practices and relationships. Candidates use data-based decision-making to plan for, adapt, and improve interactions, interventions, and instruction to ensure fidelity of implementation.
7. Standard 7: Professional and Ethical Practice – Candidates identify and engage with the profession of early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) by exhibiting skills in reflective practice, advocacy, and leadership while adhering to ethical and legal guidelines. Evidence-based and recommended practices are promoted and used by candidates.
8. Standard 8: Field and Clinical Experience – Early Interventionist/Early Childhood Special Education candidates progress through a series of planned and developmentally sequenced field experiences for the early childhood age ranges (birth to age 3, 3 through 5 years, 5 through 8 years), range of abilities, and in the variety of collaborative and inclusive early childhood settings that are appropriate to their license and roles. Clinical experiences should take place in the same age ranges covered by the license. If the license covers all three age ranges, the program must provide clinical experiences in at least two of the three age ranges and a field experience in the third age range. These field and clinical experiences are supervised by qualified professionals.