EDUC/CEP 300 – Childhood Education: Teaching & Multicultural Competence (Community Engagement Practicum)

Formerly CEP 301 – Practicum Education – Teaching the Other: Study Abroad Teaching & Multicultural Competence

General Practicum Description
Students will teach English in a kindergarten or primary school under the supervision of experienced teachers. Students will also teach some lessons on their own as well as lessons that they themselves have designed. The seminar meets once a week and is based on the students’ Journals about their work, readings and discussions. Readings and activities in the seminar will guide students through the issues involved in teaching a multicultural classroom, as well as the peculiar features of the Italian school system. The seminar will focus specifically on the challenges posed by old and new diversities to teachers and traditional teaching methods. The aim of this practicum is to make it possible for students to participate in a real and significant teaching environment in Italy, and to introduce them to the challenges posed to the traditional school system by a diverse, multicultural society.

Learning Outcomes
On completion of the course, students will be able to:
– Know the challenges to traditional school systems posed by a multi-cultural society.
– Possess a solid experience teaching to children from different cultures within a different school system.
– Know from experience how to overcome those challenges.
– Assess critically their own school or teaching experience.

Course descriptions may be subject to occasional minor modifications at the discretion of the instructor.

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