Early Childhood & Childhood Education (B-6), B.S.Ed.
Program Description
The Early Childhood (Birth-Grade2) and Childhood (Grades 1-6) degree provides students with the skills they need to teach children from Birth to Sixth Grade. Upon successful completion of this program, students will earn a B.S.Ed. degree and certification in both Early Childhood (B-2) and Childhood (1-6).
Medaille College’s Education programs seek to prepare constructive thinkers for today and tomorrow’s world. Teacher candidates are taught theoretical perspectives and practical applications of teaching. This ensures that graduates are prepared to successfully meet New York State Learning Standards in their classrooms. The generalist concentration embedded the Common Core Curriculum Learning Standards, Regents, Reform mandates, NY State Education department mandates, and Race to the Top content into the program in a coherent and consistent manner. Additionally, course content covers the performance indicators on the NYS Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE).
The B.S.Ed. in Early Childhood/Childhood (B-6) Education Generalist Concentration is rigorous in nature and provides students with multiple opportunities to engage in practical application of coursework. The literacy courses and the methods courses will have instruction delivered in 2 hours blocks to allow students supervised opportunities in area schools.
The teacher candidates in this program as with the other education programs will graduate
- knowing the subject matter in their certification areas;
- meeting the needs of diverse learners through effective pedagogy and best teaching practices;
- demonstrating scholarship supported by the use of technology;
- as caring and competent educators.
All students working toward New York State Certification will take coursework in the professional, field-centered curriculum. The program provides for completion of a campus-based course of study and clinical field experiences.
Program Goals
- To provide students with individual supervision and assessment during their course work and field experience to assure that each teacher candidate has the opportunity to develop appropriate professional skills.
- To offer a contemporary curriculum that provides majors with the knowledge of subject matter, teaching techniques and principles of classroom management.
- To prepare specialized content matter experts who are also strongly grounded in the liberal arts and professional studies.
- To provide majors with an understanding of the foundations or educational practice and the philosophical, historical, social, psychological and pedagogical principles that guide instructional decisions.
- To prepare teachers who are skilled in collaboration and team work both with professional colleagues and families.
- To foster graduates who participate in professional growth opportunities as life-long learners and who are potential leaders in community and educational settings.
- To develop positive and supportive classroom environments in which all students will be valued and successful.
- To produce graduates able to effectively teach in inclusive and culturally diverse classrooms and to promote learning and healthy development for all children.
- To prepare graduates who can effectively integrate theory and practice, engage in critical reading and questioning or current theory and research, and be problem solvers.
- To prepare teachers who understand, practice and model the highest standards of professional behavior and responsibility in their interactions with students, parents and other caregivers, school colleagues and the community.
- To produce teachers who will provide informed and thoughtful advocacy for adolescents.
Professional Dispositions
The Department of Education at Medaille College prepares students to enter the world of teaching birth through grade twelve. We believe that a major component of professional teacher education (both in Medaille College classrooms and in P-12 schools) includes preparing students to fulfill professional habits of conduct. As part of the learning and preparation processes, students must understand and engage in professional behaviors that adhere to both policy and guiding principles required in private and public schools and community agencies. The development of values such as commitment, responsible behavior, professional communication/collaboration, confidentiality, and integrity/honesty are essential for sustained employment within the professional workforce. Prospective educators are expected to view and assume these professional dispositions as a crucial component of their academic training.
The Professional Dispositions aligned with Medaille College and the Department of Education provide a framework for these professional behaviors. Instructors and staff will demonstrate and work with our students to assure that they understand and are able to demonstrate the dispositions in every class and learning experience. When interacting with administrators, professors, teachers, peers and students (while on all Medaille campuses and during field experiences), teacher candidates must exhibit their professional commitment to becoming an excellent teacher through engagement, words and actions. A full list of expected behaviors is located in program handbooks.
Students will sign an acknowledgement of these professional dispositions upon entrance to their program.
Clinical Experiences
Candidates are required to complete a minimum of 150 hours of clinical experience. These foundational and intermediate clinical experiences will include meaningful engagement with children in Pre-kindergarten - Grade 6 to allow candidates to demonstrate the practices that support student learning and development in the field of education. Hours must be satisfactorily completed by the end of the semester of the corresponding course.
All students in initial certification programs are required to successfully complete a minimum of two culminating clinical student teaching placements. Undergraduate students must have satisfactorily completed all pre-requisites and have a minimum 2.5 GPA to participate in student teaching. For detailed student teaching information, go to http://www.medaille.edu/student-teaching.
Students who receive an unsatisfactory grade (U) for one student teaching placement must enroll and satisfactorily complete the one-credit course EDU 482 Refocus for Sucess and repeat the student teaching experience.
Note: All education teacher candidates must be able to, with or without accommodation, complete all New York State mandated course, field experience, and student teaching requirement
Department of Education Undergraduate Dismissal Policy
All BSED majors must meet the NYSED mandated 2.5 CUM GPA at the conclusion of their sophomore year (completion of 60 credits). Students who do not meet this requirement will be dismissed from the Education major.
Students will also be dismissed from the program when referred to the Department of Education Professional Disposition Committee during any two semesters prior to their senior year (completion of 90 credits).
In both cases, students wishing to appeal dismissal and seek reinstatement must do so in writing within 30 days following the end of the semester. This written appeal should be directed to the DOE Chair. Student’s appeal will be carefully reviewed by the Chair based upon available evidence. Their decision regarding reinstatement is final.
In addition, a teacher candidate may be immediately suspended or dismissed from Medaille College’s Department of Education for a crime or act indicating lack of “good moral character,” such as
- physical or sexual abuse of a student or minor;
- sale, possession, or use of illegal drugs;
- any crime committed either on any school property or while in the performance of teaching duties; or
- other acts which bring into question the teacher candidate’s “good moral character.”
Degree earned: B.S.Ed.
Total number of credits: Generalist Concentration: 132-133
Certificate/licenses titles and types: Childhood 1-6/Early Childhood Birth-2
Credit Distribution
Students must receive a grade of C or above for all pedagogical and concentration courses. Otherwise, the course must be repeated.
As a requirement for graduation, all students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Education degree must attain a minimum 2.5 cumulative average to graduate.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Core | ||
| Writing Courses | ||
| ENG 110 | College Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 112 | College Writing for Multilingual Students | |
| ENG/HON 200 | Advanced College Writing | 3 |
| or ENG 202 | Advanced College Writing for Multilingual Students | |
| Critical Dialogues Course | ||
| INT 110 | Introduction to Dialogues in Critical Thinking 1 | 3 |
| American Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Photographers, Writers, and the American Scene | ||
| Social Issues in Policing a Multicultural Community | ||
| Justice and Democracy in America | ||
| African-American History | ||
| Cultural Interaction in Colonial North America | ||
| Enduring American Dialogues | ||
| Creative and Reflective Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Contemporary Photography as Cultural Landscape | ||
| Beginning Drawing | ||
| Basic Photography: Criticizing Photography | ||
| Introduction to Creative Writing | ||
| Creative Nonfiction Writing | ||
| Creative Expression | ||
| Introduction to Theatre and Performance | ||
| Sustainability Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3-4 | |
| Introductory Biology | ||
| Human Nutrition | ||
| Botany | ||
| Enviromental Studies | ||
| Introductory Chemistry | ||
| Scientific Discovery | ||
| Physical Science | ||
| Principles of Physics I | ||
| Global Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| British Literature I: Middle Ages to the 18th Century | ||
| British Literature II: Late 18th Century to The Present | ||
| Themes and Topics in World Literature & Culture | ||
| Major Global Literary Figures | ||
| Baccalaureate Capstone I | ||
| Medieval World | ||
| The History of Ireland | ||
| History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict | ||
| The Arts in Society | ||
| Psychoanalysis & Politics | ||
| Seminar in Religion and Belief | ||
| Classical Music Studies | ||
| Truth & Justice | ||
| Citizenship Dialogues Course | ||
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| Baccalaureate Capstone II | ||
| Capstone in Citizenship | ||
| Psychology Capstone | ||
| MAT 114 | Intermediate Algebra (or higher) | 3 |
| MAT 125 | Concepts in Mathematics I | 3 |
| SPE 130 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| Major Requirements | ||
| EDU 207 | Dignity for All Students Act Seminar 2 | 0 |
| EDU 210 | Educational Foundations 3 | 3 |
| EDU 223 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| EDU 240 | Literacy I: Language Development and Pre-Emergent Literacy | 3 |
| EDU 241 | Literacy II: Emergent to Early Readers and Writers | 3 |
| EDU 242 | Literacy III: Transitional to Fluent Readers and Writers | 3 |
| EDU 340 | Child Abuse, School Violence and Other Current Issues in Education 4 | 0 |
| EDU 370 | Methods of Language Arts with Children's Literature: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 371 | Methods of Mathematics: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 372 | Methods of Science and Technology: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 373 | Methods of Social Studies and Creative Arts: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 375 | Strategic Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners: Early Childhood/Childhood | 3 |
| ESP 230 | Introduction to Special Education | 3 |
| Student Teaching | ||
| EDU 378 | Field Experiences and Seminars | 3 |
| EDU 478 | 12 | |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences Courses | ||
| Foreign Language I | 3 | |
| MAT 201 | Statistics and Society | 3 |
| HIS 140 | Early United States History | 3 |
| PHY 104 | Physical Science | 3 |
| PSY 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 210 | Child Development | 3 |
| Computer Information Systems | ||
| CIS 175 | Technology Applications in Education | 3 |
| Generalist Concentration | ||
| ENG 205 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| or ENG 215 | Survey of World Literature | |
| ENG 210 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| ENG 375 | Children's Literature: From Ancient Myth to the Digital Age | 3 |
| ENG 485 | The English Language: Past, Present & Future | 3 |
| MAT 126 | Concepts in Mathematics II | 3 |
| MAT 152 | College Geometry | 3 |
| BIO 101 | Introductory Biology | 3 |
| HIS 315 | History of Ethnic America | 3 |
| HIS 402 | The History of New York State | 3 |
| Select one course of the following: | 3 | |
| British Literature I: Middle Ages to the 18th Century | ||
| British Literature II: Late 18th Century to The Present | ||
| Literature of the United States: Colonial to the Civil War | ||
| Literature of the United States: Civil War through the 21st Century | ||
| Multicultural Literature of the United States | ||
| Total Hours | 132-133 | |
- 1
Required of first-year students; all other students may substitute a 300/400 level Liberal Arts and Sciences elective
- 2
Requires co-registration with EDU 210 Educational Foundations
- 3
Requires co-registration with EDU 207 Dignity for All Students Act Seminar
- 4
Requires co-registration with ESP 230 Introduction to Special Education
New York State Teacher Certification (NYSTCE)
Students seeking certification in New York must successfully complete the New York State Teacher Certification Exams (NYSTCE) as a prerequisite for certification.
Suggested Sequence
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| INT 110 | Introduction to Dialogues in Critical Thinking | 3 |
| ENG 110 | College Writing | 3 |
| EDU 210/207 | Educational Foundations | 3 |
| PSY 100 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| MAT 114 | Intermediate Algebra | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| American Dialogues | 3 | |
| ENG 200 | Advanced College Writing | 3 |
| ESP 230/EDU 340 | Introduction to Special Education | 3 |
| SPE 130 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking | 3 |
| HIS 140 | Early United States History | 3 |
| MAT 201 | Statistics and Society | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Creative Dialogues | 3 | |
| PSY 210 | Child Development | 3 |
| BIO 101 | Introductory Biology | 3 |
| ENG 205 | Introduction to Literature | 3 |
| EDU 223 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| MAT 125 | Concepts in Mathematics I | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Sustainability Dialogues | 3 | |
| EDU 240 | Literacy I: Language Development and Pre-Emergent Literacy | 3 |
| ENG 210 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 |
| MAT 126 | Concepts in Mathematics II | 3 |
| HIS 315 | History of Ethnic America | 3 |
| CIS 175 | Technology Applications in Education | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PHY 104 | Physical Science | 3 |
| EDU 241 | Literacy II: Emergent to Early Readers and Writers | 3 |
| ENG 375 | Children's Literature: From Ancient Myth to the Digital Age | 3 |
| MAT 152 | College Geometry | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 | |
| ENG 305/315/325/335/365 | British Literature I: Middle Ages to the 18th Century | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| EDU 378 | Field Experiences and Seminars | 3 |
| Global Dialogues | 3 | |
| EDU 242 | Literacy III: Transitional to Fluent Readers and Writers | 3 |
| ENG 485 | The English Language: Past, Present & Future | 3 |
| HIS 402 | The History of New York State | 3 |
| EDU 375 | Strategic Literacy Instruction for Diverse Learners: Early Childhood/Childhood | 3 |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| INT 450 | Capstone in Citizenship | 3 |
| EDU 370 | Methods of Language Arts with Children's Literature: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 371 | Methods of Mathematics: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 373 | Methods of Social Studies and Creative Arts: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| EDU 372 | Methods of Science and Technology: Birth to 6th Grade | 3 |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| EDU 478-E | Student Teaching (B-6) and Seminar | 6 |
| EDU 478-C | Student Teaching (B-6) and Seminar | 6 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 132 | |
Please Note: The above shows the ideal suggested sequencing and scheduling of courses and credits by semester. It is based on eight semesters for a traditionally-structured baccalaureate degree. Degree program requirements and the scheduling of courses are subject to change, based on writing/math placements and course availability. This chart should be utilized a guide and is not a written contract. Students will be notified of changes that may affect their academic progress.