Teacher of Pre-School through Grade 3, Instructional Certification: Teacher Certification in Preschool through Grade 3 - Graduate - 2009 University Catalog

You are viewing the 2009 University Catalog. Please see the newest version of the University Catalog for the most current version of this program's requirements.

Students with a baccalaureate degree and interest in teaching may pursue the Post-baccalaureate program for certification.

Additional undergraduate course work in the content area the candidate chooses to teach may be required to meet certification standards.

Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be recommended to the New Jersey Department of Education for a teaching certificate. Students interested in teaching elsewhere should seek information from the appropriate state authorities; requirements are generally similar.

As a condition of New Jersey's Beginning Teacher Induction Program, candidates who have completed undergraduate or post-baccalaureate teacher certification programs must successfully complete one provisional year of teaching under a provisional certificate to be eligible for a permanent, standard New Jersey teaching certificate. Candidates who already possess a New Jersey standard certificate and who are seeking an additional teaching endorsement are exempt. Persons recommended by the University for certification will receive a Certificate of Eligibility With Advanced Standing which authorizes the holder to seek and accept offers of employment in New Jersey schools and in other states. The certificate is valid for the lifetime of its holder.


TEACHER OF PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH GRADE 3

  1. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE CERT

    1. CHILD DEVELOPMENT

      Complete 1 course from the following list

      FCST 214 Child Development I 3
      FCST 512 Child Development I: Theories of Child Development 3
    2. SPEECH

      Complete by examination or complete

      SPCM 101 Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement 3
    3. PHYSIOLOGY & HYGIENE

      Take exam in County Office and submit results to the Graduate School office.

  2. REQUIRED COURSES

    Complete 24 semester hours including the following 3 requirement(s):

    1. CORE COURSES

      Complete 3 courses for 9 semester hours:

      ECEL 501 Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Diverse Society 3
      ECEL 518 Families, Communities, and Schools: Diversity, Culture and Democracy 3
      READ 500 The Nature of Reading 3
    2. CONTENT/METHODS COURSES

      Complete 1 course for 3 semester hours from the following list.

      ECEL 516 Social Studies and the Arts: Understanding Democracy in Elementary Classrooms 3
      ECEL 517 Integrating Science and Technology in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms 3
      MATH 577 Mathematics Education in the Elementary School 3
    3. PROFESSIONAL SEQUENCE

      Complete the following 3 requirement(s):

      1. Complete 3 courses for 6 semester hours:

        ECEL 502 Seminar I: Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms 1
        ECEL 510 Clinical Experience I in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings 2
        ECEL 528 Early Childhood Curriculum in Inclusive Settings 3
      2. Complete for 1 semester hours.

        ECEL 504 Seminar II: Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms 1
      3. Complete 1 course from the following list to earn 5 semester hours. (ECEL 514 is for students in full-time teaching positions)

        ECEL 511 Clinical Experience II in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings 5
        ECEL 514 In-Service Supervised Graduate Student Teaching 5

Course Descriptions:

ECEL501: Perspectives on Early Childhood and Elementary Education in a Diverse Society

Examines the historical, social, political, and philosophical trends and ideologies that impact the care and education of children. Emphasis will be placed on how models have changed over time to respond to the evolving needs and dispositions of our society with regard to brain research, inclusive practices and culturally responsive teaching and learning. 10 hours field work required. 3 sh.

ECEL502: Seminar I: Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms

Accompanies ECEL 510, Clinical Experience I in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings, and offers students a forum for discussion, reflection, and critical thinking with regard to clinical work in inclusive elementary classrooms. 1 sh.

Prerequisites: Admission to M.A.T. in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Program in Early Childhood or Elementary Education.

ECEL504: Seminar II: Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms

Provides students with a forum to discuss the role of the teacher as teacher candidates take on full-time classroom responsibilities. Discussions focus on identifying and involving oneself in the professional field of early childhood/elementary/middle school education, upholding and advocating for ethical standards, engaging in continuous and collaborative learning, and taking a critical stabnce to inform practice. Teacher candidates demonstrate that they can make and justify decisions based on their knowledge of central issues such as developmentally appropriate practice, culturally responsive learning and teaching, and the context of children's lives. 1 sh.

ECEL510: Clinical Experience I in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings

Provides clinical experiences in an early childhood or elementary setting to foster the skills and dispositions necessary to become effective and nurturing teachers. Students provide learning opportunities that support children's intellectual, social, and emotional development; design environments that support culturally responsive teaching; and plan and assess high quality curriculum. Students develop skills as reflective and questioning practitioners, promote democratic values and communication in the classroom, and build relationships with school colleagues, families, and agencies in the larger community. 2 sh.

Prerequisites: Admission to M.A.T. in Early Childhood or Elementary Education or Post-Baccalaureate Program in Early Childhood or Elementary Education.

ECEL511: Clinical Experience II in Inclusive Early Childhood and Elementary Settings

Students demonstrate their knowledge of child development and the significant role of families and communities with regard to children's learning by planning and implementing developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive curriculum in an inclusive early childhood/elementary classroom. Focusing on the diverse needs of individual children, students develop, implement, and assess an integrated curriculum unit that incorporates the Core Curriculum Content Standards and emphasizes literacy across the curriculum. As reflective practitioners, students utilize multiple strategies to assess children's learning, classroom climate, and effective classroom management. Students are responsible for the full range of teacher activities in the classroom and are expected to seek out the resources of parents, administrators, and school colleagues. Students are to demonstrate their strengths as a teacher. 5 sh.

Prerequisites: ECEL 510.

ECEL514: In-Service Supervised Graduate Student Teaching

Replaces student teaching for students who are employed as full-time teachers with primary responsibility for a classroom. Students are supervised by university faculty during one semester. Students must obtain permission of the school district and department and complete a COP application. Specific qualifications are required. 5 sh.

Prerequisites: ECEL 522 or ECEL 528.

ECEL516: Social Studies and the Arts: Understanding Democracy in Elementary Classrooms

Introduces students to critical pedagogy through the process, skills, and inquiry of social studies and the arts. The content focus of the course will be diverse communities, weaving together history, geography, social studies (anthropology, economics, archeology, etc.) and the visual and performing arts. Special emphasis will be placed on developing a critical perspective on social studies and the arts, exploring arts media and fostering dialogue focused on creativity, literacy strategies, and culturally responsive teaching and learning. 3 sh.

ECEL517: Integrating Science and Technology in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms

Explores the nature of science as a discipline and examines how to integrate science, math and technology into the classroom curriculum. Students will learn strategies to engage children in active explorations aligned with the NJ Science, Math and Technology Standards. Students will recognize the integration of science and math content as vehicles for critical thinking, and children's engagement in the wonder and study of the natural and physical (human-made) world. Students will experience hands-on, minds-on science activities supported by technology and will examine successful management techniques and science safety codes. Students will gain confidence and skills in the scientific concepts and principles that unite the science disciplines: systems, order, and organization; evidence, models, and explanation; change, constancy, and measurement; evolution and equilibrium; and form and function. 3 sh.

ECEL518: Families, Communities, and Schools: Diversity, Culture and Democracy

Provides students with an understanding of how social and cultural influences shape children's development and learning. The relationships among teacher, parent, child, and community as they affect learning will be explored. Methods for developing school/family partnerships will be discussed. Students will learn to take into account issues of child diversity and culturally responsive teaching as they create learning experiences. Crosslisted with Family and Child Studies, FCST 518. 3 sh.

ECEL528: Early Childhood Curriculum in Inclusive Settings

Provides students with strategies to assess professional goals, develop authentic assessment practices, and respond to the cultural, linguistic, and learning needs of individual children. Development, implementation, and assessment of an integrated unit that defines essential questions, aligns with state standards, and adopts lessons for children with special needs is required. May be repeated once for a total of six credits. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: ECEL 501.

FCST214: Child Development I

This course takes a developmental approach to the study of young children from conception to age 10. For each developmental stage, physical, socio-emotional, cognitive, and language domains are discussed. Developmental theories are woven into each part of the course. Observational and research methodologies are emphasized. Out-of-class observations/interviews required. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: PSYC 101.

FCST512: Child Development I: Theories of Child Development

This course both examines and critiques the standard theories of so-called "normative" child development along with newer contextual models that consider the role of oppressive structures in the lives of children. 3 sh.

MATH577: Mathematics Education in the Elementary School

The contemporary mathematics curriculum of the elementary and middle school. The role of behavioral objectives and learning theory in curriculum development/teacher training. Related research findings. 3 sh.

Prerequisites: Permission of graduate program coordinator.

READ500: The Nature of Reading

Examines the foundations of reading: the nature of the reading process, readiness, beginning instruction, current practices in the teaching of reading in early childhood and elementary education, a reappraisal of the role of reading in a technological society. 3 sh.

SPCM101: Fundamentals of Speech: Communication Requirement

This course introduces students to the theoretical and practical requirements of different types of public presentations and helps students develop an understanding and appreciation of the dynamic nature of the communication process. The course focuses on the basic elements of the communication process, listening, communicator and audience characteristics, basic research skills, and message composition and delivery. Students learn about the demands of public presentations in culturally and professionally diverse environments and develop presentation competence and flexibility. Meets Gen Ed 2002 - Communication, Communication. Meets the 1983 General Education Requirement (GER) - Communication, Speaking/Listening. 3 sh.

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Additional Requirements for State Certification The following additional requirements must be met prior to student teaching. Upon admission to the program, the student's submitted transcripts are evaluated to determine if any of these requirements have been fulfilled by previous coursework. In such cases, the requirement(s) appears on the degree audit as being waived.

  • SPCM 101 - Fundamentals of Speech or Speech Challenge Exam or Documented & approved experience
  • Physiology & Hygiene - free test at county office of education or BIOL/HLTH course
  • Educational Psychology - ELRS 580 Learning: Process & Measurement or PSYC 560 Advanced Educational
  • Psychology or equivalent undergraduate course work

Note: Certification requirements are subject to change.