B.S.Ed. Early Childhood Education (PreK-4)
The Leading Teacher Program (LTP) in Grades PreK-4 (Early Childhood) Education is designed to prepare leading teachers for preschool and elementary classrooms across the nation. Teacher candidates who successfully complete the requirements for this degree will be qualified to teach in pre-school and early elementary classrooms, through fourth grade. Throughout the program, teacher candidates have the opportunity to develop professional and personal competence by participating in experiences that are both theoretical and applied in regional schools. All teacher candidates complete a set of core experiences in teaching methodology and participate in guided fieldwork. Dual certification in Special Education with Early Childhood Education is an available option.
The LTP in Grades PreK-4 Education is guided by Pennsylvania state standards and by standards of national professional organizations. The Early Childhood program earned national accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Teacher candidates address professional standards in each of the early childhood and elementary school curriculum content areas through course projects and learn to implement the standards through coursework and fieldwork. All of the experiences in the LTP in Grades PreK-4 Education program reflect the themes of leadership, diversity and technology and are based on the five domains of the Leading Teacher Program.
The LTP in Grades PreK-4 Education program consists of a minimum of 124 credits of courses and experiences organized into three major areas of study: University Core/General Education (36 credits); Foundations of Education (35 credits); Professional Preparation (60 credits). The majority of the General Education and Foundations courses are completed in the first two years of study.
Curriculum
124 minimum credits
General Education/Bridges Common Learning Experience Courses
(for Gen Ed/BDRG slots)
- English Elective (Any 200+ level English Course), 3 cr
- Philosophy Elective (Any 200+ PHIL Course), 3 cr
- Theology Elective (Any 200+ THEO Course), 3cr
- MATH 102 Problem Solving, 3 cr
- Choose 1 (3 or 4 cr) of:
- MATH 101 + MATH 101R
- MATH 105
- MATH 111
- MATH 115 Calculus I
- MATH 125
- MATH 225
- Choose 1 (3 cr) of:
- CHEM 107 Chemistry in the New World, 3 cr
- PHYS 123 Core Physics, 3 cr
- SPRG 109 Physical Science, 3 cr
- Choose 1 (3 cr) of:
- BIOL 120 Core Science Biology, 3 cr
- ENVI 126 Energy and the Environment, 3 cr
- ENVI 191 Intro to Earth Systems Science, 3 cr
Semester 1 (16 cr)
- BRDG 100 Research and Information Skills, 1 cr
- BRDG 101 Writing and Analysis, 3 cr
- EDUC 181 Cohort Experience, 0 cr
- EQ Essential Questions Seminar, 3 cr
- Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- LTFL 110 Intro to Critical Education, 3 cr
Semester 2 (18 cr)
- BDRG 102 Writing and Literature, 3 cr
- BDRG 105 Intro to Ethical Reasoning, 3 cr
- EDUC 110 Classroom Management, 3 cr
- EDUC 182 Cohort Experience, 0 cr
- Gen Ed/ BDRG, 3 cr
- Gen Ed/BDRG, 3 cr
- LTSP 203 Fnd of Inclsv Educ Prct Sp Ed, 3 cr
- LTSP 293 Incl Field Experience Stage I, 0 cr
Semester 3 (18 cr)
- English Elective / Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- LTEC 201W ECE Theories & Practices, 3 cr
- LTFL 102 Ethics, Education & Teaching Profession, 3 cr
- LTFL 209 Ed Psych; Development, Learning and Motivation, 3 cr
Semester 4 (18 cr)
- EDUC 222 Math Knowledge for Teaching, 3 cr
- English Elective / Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- Gen Ed / BRDG, 3 cr
- LTEC 203 Integrated Curriculum Programs in Early Childhood, 3 cr
- LTEC 204 Children's Literature, 3 cr
- LTFL 203 Social Justice in Community Engaged Educational Setting w/ Level 1 Field, 3 cr
Semester 5, 6 and 7
In semesters 5, 6, and 7, candidates will rotate through three focused semesters, each concentrating on a different area of curriculum for grades PreK-4. A related practicum in each of the three focused semesters places students in a K-4 setting where practices and strategies will be applied in area classrooms.
Focused Semester Options
Science and Social Studies
- LTEC 334 Pract for Sci. & S.S. – Lvl 3, 3 cr
- LTEC 335 Content Knowledge & Pedagogy for Science, 3 cr
- LTEC 336 Content Knowledge & Pedagogy for Social Studies, 3 cr
Early ELA and Math
- LTEC 325W Foundations in Early Literacy, 3 cr
- LTEC 326 Foundations in Early Numeracy, 3 cr
- LTEC 327 Grades K-2 Practicum, 3 cr
Upper ELA and Math
- LTEC 375W ELA in Upper Elem Sch, 3 cr
- LTEC 376 Math Ped. in Upper Elem Sch, 3 cr
- LTEC 377 Elementary (3-4) Practicum, 3 cr
In addition to methods courses in each curriculum area in the three focused semesters, candidates will take the following courses:
- LTEC 304 Family, School, & Community, 3 cr
- LTSP 345 Accommodations for Learners with Special Needs, 3 cr
- LTET 345 Instructional Technology for PreK4 Preservice Teachers, 3 cr.
- LTFL 215 Fundamentals of Assessment, Grades PK-4, 3 cr
- LTEL 201 Mtg. the Needs of ELL, 3 cr
- LTSP 355 Assessment in Special Education, 3 cr
Semester 8 (15 cr)
- LTEC 405 Early Childhood PK4 Capstone, 3 cr
- LTEC 492 Student Teaching PreK-4, 12 cr
Learning Outcomes
- Exhibits exemplary knowledge in the content and professional areas of certification.
- Demonstrates the ability to plan instruction appropriate to a child’s developmental level that also aligns with state and national content standards.
- Utilizes resources from professional organizations specific to the content areas and for education in general.
- Plans and implements instruction that attends to and supports learners from diverse backgrounds and academic needs.
- Demonstrates the ability to design formative and summative assessments of students' understanding, and to use the results of those assessments as the basis of instructional decision-making at the individual and whole-class level.
- Demonstrates the capacity to attend to social equity issues in planning and organizing instruction in PreK-4th grade classrooms.