Admission into the Department
To be admitted into the Early Childhood Education Department, students are required to follow specific conditions set by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Prior to taking classes within the initial certification program, such as ECED 262 and ELED 264, students need to screen into the department. Students need to have proof of a 3.0 QPA, all clearances, and they need to have their scores for the Praxis I academic skills assessments. Students also need to complete six credits of math and six credits of English (English Composition and Literature). Students entered in the Elementary Education program need to meet regularly with their academic advisor so they become familiar with the requirements and procedures for admission into each program. Other screening in requirements should be discussed with the students’ advisors. Students cannot take 400 level ECED major courses until they are admitted into the department. Transfer credits are evaluated by appointment with the department chair for equivalent university courses. A description of the Admittance Process is available in the department office.
Experiences in the Field
In the Early Childhood Education program students are given multiple opportunities to gain practical experience within a variety of settings. These field experiences are an essential, required part of the of the Early Childhood Education program. Students also have the opportunity to student teach in urban and inclusive settings. The relationships between coursework and various field experiences are important and are a required part of the Early Childhood and Elementary Education. Three unique opportunities are listed below.
Professional Development Schools (PDS)
Part of the Dual Major, involvement in Professional Development School occurs the semester prior to the resident student teaching semester. The Professional Development School Apprentice semester integrates five courses (ELED 311, 344, 345, REED 313, SPED 315) along with weekly fieldwork in an elementary classroom and involvement in a professional learning community. Students should see their academic adviser or contact the field experience office at 570-422-3471 for more information.
Student Professional Program
The program offers a full year of field experience in early childhood and elementary schools. (Refer to ELED 497 and ELED 498 Student Professional Programs at the end of the course descriptions.)
Student Teaching
In order to be certified in Early Childhood Education, students must complete a full semester of student teaching. Scores from the Praxis II Fundamental Subjects: Content Knowledge (0511) test must be submitted to the students’ advisor during the Student Teaching Review process. Students need to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher to student teach and become certified in the State of Pennsylvania.
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