Child Development & Family Science

Practicum Opportunities

All students majoring in a Child Development and Family Science program will engage in a multi-quarter practicum experience, for a total of at least 360 hours. Students will enroll in CDFS 492/592: Child Development and Famliy Science Practicum for a total of 12 credits. While enrolled in practicum, students will intern at an organization that serves children or families at which they can apply what they have learned in the classroom to practice.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the practicum expereince, students will be able to:

• Practice skills in communication and interaction with children and/or families as they directly interact with children and/families at their practicum site.
• Demonstrate professionalism and ethical behavior in a work environment.
• Apply skills they have developed in Child Development and Family Science courses at their practicum site.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of community resources, agencies, and organizations.
• Evaluate their progress toward goals and professional development in their practicum experience.
• Analyze experiences at their practicum site and design programs or interventions to address unmet needs at their site.

Practicum Sites

Once enrolled in the practicum course, students will have access to a database of pracitcum sites with detailed descriptions and contact information. Students will then work with the practicum instructor to determine an appropriate site given students' individual career goals. Students may choose to work with the instructor to establish a partnership with a new organization, or they may complete their practicum at one of our established sites. In the past five years, students have been placed at the following sites:

• 7 Cups
• Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services
• Afterschool Homework Club
• Afterschool Safe Place
• Ages In Stages Child Care
• Albertina Kerr Centers
• Aspen Victim Services
• Auburn Valley YMCA
• Bonney Lake Kids Country
• Bouncing Ball Daycare
• Bright Beginnings for Kittitas County
• Bright Foundations Early Learning Center
• Bright Horizons
• Cadence Academy Preschool
• Camp Anuenue
• Camp C-WOO
• Camp Chmepa - Hospice of Spokane
• Camp Korey
• Camp Side by Side
• Camp to Belong
• Cannon Beach Conference Center
• CareNet Education Project (STATIC Club)
• CASA for Kittitas County
• CDI Head Start Serving Kittitas County
• Chestnut Preschool and Daycare
• Child Life Connection
• Children's Hospital Colorado
• Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters
• Children's Mercy Hospital
• Children's of Alabama
• Children's Village Montessori
• Children's Village Yakima
• Christ's Kitchen
• Clever Keiki Kawai'i
• College Assistance Migrant Program
• Columbia Burbank ECEAP Preschool
• Comprehensive Health (Two Rivers Landing)
• Connect-123
• Conscious Crew
• Corporate Kids Events
• Creative Kids Learning Center
• CWU Family Resource Center
• CWU Wellness Center
• CYO Camp Howard
• Dare to Dream Academy
• Department of Children, Youth and Families
• Dragonfly Daycare
• Dry Creek
• Early Childhood Learning Center Brooklane
• Early Childhood Learning Center Rainbow Center
• Eastside Baptist Church
• Ellensburg Developmental Preschool
• Ellensburg Youth Running Club
• Elmview
• Extended Enrichment Program (EEP)
• F.I.S.H. Food Bank
• Family Healthcare of Ellensburg
• Forward in Grief
• Fred Meyer Playland
• Greentrike
• Gymboree Play & Music
• Habitat for Humanity
• Happy Feet Academy LLC
• Hou Kong Primary School
• HSHS St. Vincent Children's Hospital
• I Know I Can Preschool
• Imagination Station Early Learning Program
• John Campbell Primary School
• Just Like Home Daycare Center
• Kadlec Regional Medical Center
• Kapi-olani Medical Center
• Kenzie's Kinder Kare
• KidsPark
• Kittitas County Early Learning Coalition
• Kittitas Interactive Management
• Kittitas School at Parke Creek
• Kittitas Secondary School
• Kittitas Valley Hospital - Child Birthing and Sibling Preparation
• La Petite Academy
• Law Offices of Tresa A. Sadler, PLLC
• Lazy F Camp (Deaf and Hard of Hearing Camp)
• Little Helping Hands Child Care LLC
• Lord Chamberlain Nursing and Rehabilitation
• Maple Valley Food Bank
• Marshall Community Center - Teen Camp
• Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
• MeBe Family
• Mercer Creek Church After-School Program
• Mercer Creek Kids
• Mill Creek Family YMCA
• Mobius Children's Museum
• Morgan Middle School
• Moses Lake Boys and Girls Club
• Mt. Stuart Elementary
• N The Kutt Dance Studio
• Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital
• North Andover High School
• Northshore YMCA
• Parke Creek Community Facility
• Pathways Children's Services
• Pegasus Project
• People for People
• Project Sunshine Teleplay
• Rady Children's Hospital
• Randall's Children's Hospital
• Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital
• Ridgeview Community Facility
• Ron Britt & Associates
• Rosewood Memory Care
• Sacred Heart Children's Hospital
• Seattle Children's Hospital
• Si View Metro Parks
• Spence and Becky Wilson Baptist Children's Hospital
• Spirit Therapeutic Riding Center
• St. Josepth Catholic Preschool
• Stan Basset Youth Center
• Stanley Stamm Summer Camp
• Summer Learning Program
• Tacoma Rescue Mission
• The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hopsital
• The Children's Hospital of San Antonio
• The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
• The Painted Turtle Camp
• The Pike Market Child Care and Preschool
• The Trellis Center
• Tutor Time
• UC San Diego Medical Center
• VIP Adult Family Home
• Washington Alliance for Better Schools - 21st Century
• Washington Elementary CLC
• WIC - Yakima Valley Fam Workers Clinic
• WorkSource
• Yakima YMCA Jewett Child Development Center
• YMCA of the Greater Tri-Cities
• Youth Services Mentoring Program of Kittitas County

Requirements

Students must have declared a Child Development and Family Science major or be enrolled in the graduate program to participate in a practicum. For more information about declaring a major or applying for the graduate program, contact Dr. Amy Claridge.

Students must have active professional liability insurance while enrolled in the practicum course, purchased through CWU Business Services.

Students will establish a learning agreement with their site prior to beginning any internship activities. The learning agreement will be provided once enrolled in the course.

Contact Information

For more information about the practicum experience, contact Professor Katy Tenhulzen.