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Mansfield University 2019-2020 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]
Early Childhood and Elementary Education, Bachelor of Science in Education
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Offered by the Department of Education and Special Education
Mission: The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Education degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education is to prepare beginning teachers who will enter their classrooms with passion and vitality, equipped with knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will impact student achievement positively and with the ability to make sound decisions that will enhance their students’ well-being and enrich their own lives.
Values: The Early Childhood and Elementary Education undergraduate teacher education program at Mansfield University advances the theme, “Teacher as Reflective Decision-Maker.” The theme derives from a knowledge base and conceptual framework based on Danielson’s Four Domains of Effective Teaching: Planning and Preparation, The Classroom Environment, Instruction, and Professional Responsibilities. Candidates are prepared to teach in accordance with the professional standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, ACEI, NAYEC, and CEC.
Vision: Our vision is that graduates of Mansfield University with an Early Childhood and Elementary Education degree will recognize that initial certification provides the credentials and experience to begin teaching and that they will continue to seek opportunities for professional growth, including content expertise, knowledge of children, a growing awareness of global influences and opportunities, and a commitment to keeping their teaching dynamic, passionate, and effective.
The program features school experiences throughout all four years in a wide variety of classroom settings, culminating in student teaching. Students also complete an extended pre-student teaching school experience. Graduates of the concentration may pursue teaching or director positions in early childhood preschools and teaching positions in elementary schools from preschool through grade four.
Special Education: PreK-8
Students enrolled in the Early Childhood and Elementary Education program may seek an optional second certification in Special Education. The Special Education certification prepares students to work with children with exceptional needs in the PreK-8 grade band. An additional 15 credits of coursework in Special Education and additional field experiences focusing on special education are required. Graduates with this certification may pursue teaching or director positions in early childhood preschools and teaching positions in elementary schools from preschool through grade four, and they are eligible to teach and provide support in a variety of settings for children with exceptional needs through grade 8.
Student Learning Outcomes for Early Childhood and Elementary Education Program:
A. DEVELOPMENT, COGNITION, AND LEARNING PROCESSES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD
Candidates will demonstrate a deep understanding of child development, including the characteristics and needs of the young child, the cognition and learning processes, the multiple interacting influences on young children’s development and learning, and knowledge of current research based on best practices in early childhood education by:
- Effectively applying the principles and theories of child development in curriculum planning, including Developmentally Appropriate Practices, constructivism, socio-cultural theory, attachment theory, activity theory, and play from birth to age 9.
- Demonstrating a rich understanding of physical and motor development, cognitive development, autonomy development, social-emotional development, and language development for the young child.
- Designing and implementing lessons that address current issues with historical and philosophical background, including general inclusionary practices.
- Supporting theory, research, analysis, and best practices in curriculum and lesson planning, implementation, assessment, classroom design, and the overall learning environment for all diverse early childhood students.
- Identifying and supporting social, economic, and cultural diversity, and the implications for learning and development from birth to age 9.
B.SUBJECT MATTER COMPETENCE: PLANNING, PREPARATION, AND INSTRUCTION
Candidates will use their knowledge of developmental domains and academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate productive experiences that promote positive development and learning for PreK-4 students by:
- Understanding content knowledge and resources in the academic disciplines:
- Language Development and Early Literacy Foundations
- Early Math Foundations
- Science
- Social Studies
- Arts and Humanities
- Motor Development and Health
- Using Pennsylvania’s Learning Standards for Early Childhood, effective instructional principles, inquiry tools, various literature, technology and other resources, and the central concepts and structures of each academic discipline to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each early childhood student.
- Differentiating instruction, assessment, and management strategies to represent a broad spectrum of learning abilities, learning styles, multiple intelligences, and interests.
- Developing inclusionary practices that respect differences and encourage students to work collaboratively.
C. ASSESSMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Candidates will appropriately use various systematic observation and documentation collection strategies as well as various formative, summative, benchmark, diagnostic, norm-referenced, criterion-referenced, and dynamic (value-added) assessments to positively influence the development of every child and for aligning individual and group instruction by:
- Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment, including its use in the development of appropriate goals, curriculum, and teaching strategies for young children.
- Appropriately using observation, documentation, and other applicable assessment tools and approaches, including the use of technology in documentation, assessment, and data collection.
- Demonstrating ethically responsible assessment, interpretation, documentation and reporting, and confidentiality methods to promote positive outcomes for each child, including the use of assistive technology for students with disabilities.
- Establishing and implementing assessment partnerships with families, professional colleagues, and/or multi-disciplinary teams to build effective learning environments
D. FAMILY AND COMMUNITY COLLABORATION PARTNERSHIPS
Candidates will know and apply their understanding of family systems and diversity, effective home-school partnerships, and ways to link families to community resources to create reciprocal relationships that support and empower families and the young child’s development and learning by:
- Understanding the central role that families play in the development of children with and without disabilities.
- Addressing the concerns and support families of individuals with disabilities and/or exceptional learning needs
- Articulating the laws regarding family and student confidentiality and the legal rights of families within the general role and special education processes.
- Describing the impact of differing beliefs, traditions, values, and socio-economic status on family systems and children’s development in a non-biased manner.
- Developing respectful, ongoing, and meaningful communication, conferencing, and partnerships with families
- Determining family strengths, concerns, needs, and priorities and guiding them to appropriate community and school resources.
E. PROFESSIONALISM
Candidates will conduct themselves in accordance with Pennsylvania’s Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators, the NAEYC Code of Ethical Conduct, and the Mansfield University Dispositions Policy to safeguard student health and welfare and actively engage in continuous reflective and value-added professional growth by:
- Articulating and upholding the highest ethical standards and early childhood professional guidelines
- Engaging in continuous, collaborative professional learning in the PreK-4 field to inform research-validated methods and evaluation, develop strong reflective and critical perspectives, and improve the candidate’s own practice in early childhood education.
- Developing partnerships with families, educators, and community members/organizations to engage in informed and culturally relevant advocacy for young children.
F. ACCOMMODATIONS AND ADAPTATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN AN INCLUSIVE SETTING
Candidates will be able to demonstrate core knowledge in the following areas and the ability to use that knowledge effectively to plan and implement effective instruction with students who have disabilities:
- Types of Disabilities and Implications for Learning
- Cognitive Skill Development to Ensure Achievement of Students with Disabilities in a Standards-Aligned System to include All School Environments
- Assessments
- Literacy Development and Instruction in Core and Intervention Areas
- Effective Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities in Inclusive Settings
G. MEETING THE INSTRUCTIONAL NEEDS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELL)
Candidates will be able to demonstrate core knowledge in each of the following areas and the ability to use that knowledge effectively to plan and implement effective instruction with students who are English Language Learners:
- Language
- Culture
- Standards-based Instruction
- Assessment
- Professionalism
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Early Childhood and Elementary Education Concentration
Candidates for teaching certification in Pennsylvania must meet state requirements described in Chapter 354 regulations. A description of requirements, policies, and procedures for teacher certification can be found in the catalog section entitled, “University Policies.”
The Early Childhood and Elementary Education concentration leads to recommendation to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for Early Childhood teaching certification Pre-K-4 beginning with candidates who earn Pennsylvania teaching certification in August 2013 and beyond. The curriculum is based on the early childhood standards of the professional organization National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and early childhood competencies Pre-K-4 developed by PDE.
The Early Childhood and Elementary Education concentration features a foundation in child development and learning, extensive preparation in content subject matter and teaching methodology, and uses of observation and student assessment to guide instructional decision-making. Additional emphases include establishing cooperative relationships with families and community resources and developing the important knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are required of early childhood and elementary education professionals. The curriculum prepares graduates to meet the learning needs of all students and to be successful in diverse modern classrooms. Students also learn to adapt and plan instruction that is based on developmentally appropriate practices and to make effective uses of technology to aid teaching and learning.
The Early Childhood and Elementary Education Concentration features school experiences throughout all four years and in a wide variety of classroom settings, culminating in student teaching. Graduates of the concentration may pursue teaching or director positions in early childhood preschools and teaching positions in elementary schools from preschool through grade four.
Program Student Learning Outcomes*:
1. Developmental Approach to Curriculum Planning
Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the needs, characteristics, and influences that contribute to the developmental needs of young children in the following areas: social, emotional, physical, language and cognition.
2. Relationships/Collaboration
Candidates will demonstrate the ability to support family relationships and to involve family and community in the child’s development.
3. Assessment
Candidates will demonstrate appropriate uses of assessment by identifying goals, benefits, and partnerships and use assessment results to evaluate student learning and to guide program improvement.
4. Instructional Planning and Implementation
Candidates will demonstrate the ability to develop and implement curriculum goals by planning and using developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate instructional practices.
5. Professional and Ethical Leadership Practice
Candidates will demonstrate and understand an application of ethical and professional behaviors. Candidates will demonstrate leadership, advocacy, decision-making and management abilities.
6. NAEYC/CEC Knowledge of Education and Special Education Foundations
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of evidence based principles and theories in Education and Special Education (foundations, laws and policy, historical influences, diversity issues, prevention and early intervention).
7. NAEYC/CEC Adapting Instruction Base on Student Cognitive and Development Levels
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of cognition and development of students with disabilities and to adapt instruction to address individual strengths and needs.
8.** Using Measurement Principles in Special Education
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills in identifying, administering, interpreting and planning instruction based on assessment methods, guided by the legal policies and ethical principles of measurement and assessment used for special education.
9.** Differentiated Instructional Planning
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills in specially designed instruction in academic and nonacademic areas for all service settings through the use of differentiated instruction.
10. NAEYC/CEC Attention to Student Environmental Needs
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills to create a safe and healthful indoor and outdoor environment, which fosters an appreciation of diversity, promotion of emotional well being, and encouragement of positive social interactions.
*These outcomes are based on national standards from the Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
** These outcomes only apply to students who are seeking special education certification.
Program Requirements: Early Childhood and Elementary Education (B.S.Ed.): 120 s.h.
To fulfill requirements for Early Childhood/Elementary Education B.S.Ed., the following courses must be taken from the General Education offerings:
- PSY 1101 - INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
- SOC 2232 - AMERICAN FAMILY SYSTEMS
• English Literature (3 credit hours)
• Foreign Language (six credit hours). Students are required to take two consecutive foreign language courses of the same language. The second course must be at a higher level.
• Mathematics (3 credit hours)
• See also the catalog section entitled “University Policies” for Chapter 354 Gate requirements.
After Gate One Eligibility Met
Extended Field Experience Courses
Early Childhood and Elementary Education with Second Certification in Special Education Concentration
Candidates for teaching certification in Pennsylvania must meet state requirements described in Chapter 354 regulations. A description of requirements, policies, and procedures for teacher certification can be found in the catalog section entitled, “University Policies.”
The Early Childhood and Elementary Education with Second Certification in Special Education Concentration prepares students to work with children with exceptional needs. The concentration features all of the courses and experiences of the Early Childhood and Elementary Education Concentration but requires an additional 15 credits of coursework in Special Education and additional field experiences focusing on the special education.
A concentration in Special Education prepares students to work with exceptional individuals through a variety of teaching methods and practicum experiences. Students who complete the requirements for certification in special education receive a Bachelor of Science in Education degree and a Pennsylvania Instructional I teaching certificate. This certificate allows students to teach children in grades Pre-K-8 with exceptionalities in the areas of mental retardation, emotional disturbance, autism, physical disability and brain injury. This is a second certification which will be in addition to their primary certification in Early Childhood and Elementary Education (Pre-K-4). Many graduates of the certification program also pursue graduate studies after obtaining their undergraduate degree.
Student Learning Outcomes*:
1. Developmental Approach to Curriculum Planning
Candidates will demonstrate an understanding of the needs, characteristics, and influences that contribute to the developmental needs of young children in the following areas: social, emotional, physical, language and cognition.
2. Relationships/Collaboration
Candidates will demonstrate the ability to support family relationships and to involve family and community in the child’s development.
3. Assessment
Candidates will demonstrate appropriate uses of assessment by identifying goals, benefits, and partnerships and use assessment results to evaluate student learning and to guide program improvement.
4. Instructional Planning and Implementation
Candidates will demonstrate the ability to develop and implement curriculum goals by planning and using developmentally, culturally and linguistically appropriate instructional practices.
5. Professional and Ethical Leadership Practice
Candidates will demonstrate and understand an application of ethical and professional behaviors. Candidates will demonstrate leadership, advocacy, decision making and management abilities.
6. Knowledge of Education and Special Education Foundations
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of evidence based principles and theories in Education and Special Education (foundations, laws and policy, historical influences, diversity issues, prevention and early intervention).
7. Adapting Instruction Based on Student Cognitive and Developmental Levels
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge of cognition and development of students with disabilities and to adapt instruction to address individual strengths and needs.
8 Using Measurement Principles in Special Education
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills in identifying, administering, interpreting and planning instruction based on assessment methods, guided by the legal policies and ethical principles of measurement and assessment used for special education.
9. Differentiated Instructional Planning
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills in specially designed instruction in academic and nonacademic areas for all service settings through the use of differentiated instruction.
10. Attention to Student Environmental Needs
Candidates will demonstrate knowledge and skills to create a safe and healthful indoor and outdoor environment, which fosters an appreciation of diversity, promotion of emotional wellbeing, and encouragement of positive social interactions.
*These outcomes are based on national standards from the Council for Exceptional Children and the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Program Requirements: Early Childhood and Elementary Education (B.S.Ed.): 120 s.h. (with Added Certification in Special Education
To fulfill requirements for the Early Childhood/Elementary Education B.S.Ed., the following courses must be taken from the General Education offerings:
- PSY 1101 - INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
- SOC 2232 - AMERICAN FAMILY SYSTEMS
• English Literature (3 credit hours)
• Foreign Language (6 credit hours): Students are required to take two consecutive foreign language courses of the same language. The second course must be at a higher level.
• Mathematics (3 credit hours)
• See also the catalog section entitled “University Policies” for Chapter 354 Gate requirements.
After Gate One Eligibility Met
Extended Field Experience Courses
Special Education Second Certification
Total Credit Hours: 75 (plus Special Education courses)
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