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Information for Prospective Students

Five-Year Program Preparing Teachers Culminating in a Masters Degree and both K-5 (ELEU) or P-5 (ECEU) and ESL certifications

The integrated Bachelor’s and Master of Arts in Teaching program in Urban Education is designed for students who have completed high school and who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree. The program is based on the School of Education’s conceptual framework for preparing exemplary professionals.  All programs and all courses reflect state and national standards, with special emphasis on the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards. Any student seeking additional endorsements or teaching certificates beyond what is specifically awarded by their academic program should contact the State of New Jersey Department of Education directly for details about any additional courses or standardized tests that may be required.

Students will earn a bachelor’s degree without teacher certification at the end of their fourth year. The bachelor’s degree will be a dual major in a liberal arts major and elementary education. The course of study continues through the following summer and academic year and culminates with the student’s earning a master’s degree in elementary education and NJ certification in teaching English Language Learners and elementary education. Students will need to meet all requirements of The College of New Jersey and the School of Education at the end of the fourth year in order to be admitted to the fifth year. At the undergraduate level, the student must select one of the following liberal arts majors: English, mathematics, history, biology, and math/science/technology.

Urban elementary teachers must have a broad academic background as well as practical understanding of the elementary school curricula. Therefore, along with their two majors, students must take a broad range of liberal learning courses. In addition, the courses of study for the urban elementary program include the following foundation courses and field experiences:

1. The Foundation Courses: Introduction to Urban Education, Child and Adolescent Growth and Development, Literacy, Math and Science methods each include a full-day classroom practicum. Students in the Urban Education program have the additional requirement of demonstrating foreign language proficiency to at least the 103 level.

2. Internship I builds on the basic material offered in the Foundation courses and includes work on differentiating instruction, integrating technology, long-term curriculum planning, reading across the curriculum, and teaching for social justice. Admission to Internship I occurs when a student completes specific courses, has at least a 3.00 grade point average, and is recommended by foundation course faculty members for advanced work.

3. The student teaching experience (Internship II) provides students the opportunity to participate in a full semester of supervised classroom teaching. Students generally are clustered in small groups at professional development school sites located within a 30 mile radius of the College. Students need to provide their own transportation to these sites. Global student teaching is also available. Student teaching is currently available in South Africa, Spain, Ireland, Croatia and Thailand. Global sites change often. Countries that have participated in this program in the past include Botswana, England, Germany, the Netherlands, The Gambia, and Venezuela. Global programs are available in the spring semester only. The global teaching program is jointly supervised by faculty from The College of New Jersey and the host institution.

Elementary or Early Childhood/Urban Education

Effective urban teachers must have a broad background of knowledge. In addition to providing the specific training in pedagogy, the College seeks to enable each teacher candidate to acquire a liberal education. The urban specialization course is designed to increase knowledge in specific areas as well as to prepare for future teaching. Students take education courses that allow them to observe and participate in elementary classrooms in urban contexts. During these courses, students learn about children’s literature and child and adolescent development, and develop skills in the teaching of math, science and literacy. During all course work and field experiences, students participate in activities and gain experience in planning, organizing, and assessing the learning experiences of elementary school children. Students should consult with their departmental advisors in both the education and second major departments in planning their programs. These plans should take into account requirements for the second major, liberal learning, the professional education major, and state certification. The department requires that students visit both the education advisor and the subject matter major advisor each semester. This is the responsibility of the student, as requirements and course offerings are subject to change.

Academic Regulations

In compliance with the State of New Jersey’s regulations, a student must have a grade point average of 2.5 prior to enrolling in the pre-professional experience block of courses. At the completion of the fourth year of study, the student’s grade point average will be assessed to determine if the standard for graduate study, as part of the five-year program, at TCNJ, has been met (overall GPA of 3.0). Students must repeat a required departmental, academic sequence, or professional education course in which a grade of D or F has been received. Such a course may be repeated only once. Students unable to meet departmental criteria as noted will be dismissed from the department. Dismissal will be made at the end of the academic year.

Transfer Students

The program is sequential in nature and structured with courses offered only during certain semesters. Potential transfer students must realize that this may prolong their programs by at least one year in some cases. Transfer students who are accepted into the program must schedule courses with advisement of the program coordinator. Outside transfers must complete an admissions process through the College admissions office. Departmental review of external transfer applications occurs immediately subsequent to the date published by the College.  Interview of applicants may be required.  Students transferring from other schools should check the special education website (for specific information pertaining to transfer students.

Program Entrance, Retention, and Exit Standards

Every major program at the College has set standards for allowing students to remain in that program, to transfer within the College from one program to another, and to graduate from a program. The following are the standards for Early Childhood Education:

• Retention in the program is based on the following performance standards in these “critical content courses”: A grade of C+ or better in ELE 203, ELE 201, and RAL 221, and achieving the required grade in the foundations and critical content courses in the second major.  In addition, students must receive grades of C or better in order to demonstrate language proficiency in each of their foreign language courses.

• Admission to Internship I requires a 3.00 GPA and the recommendation of the student’s foundation course professors.

• Transfer into the program from another program within The College is based upon the following performance standards in these foundation courses: A grade of C+ or better in ELE 203 and ECE 102.They must also achieve a GPA of 3.00 and the required grade in the foundations and critical content courses in the subject matter major.

• Admission to student teaching requires a GPA of 3.00 and the recommendation of the student’s advanced course professors.

• Graduation requires a GPA of 3.00; completion of all courses in the education major; completion of all courses and meeting all standards in the subject matter major; and fulfilling all liberal learning requirements.

The Department of Elementary/Early Childhood and Urban Education maintains the right and the responsibility to dismiss students from the major who have not made satisfactory progress completing the major components of the program or fulfilling department requirements or expectations.

Suggested First-Year Sequences

Early Childhood Education and Biology

Fall

FSP First Seminar

BIO 185/Themes in Biology

CHE 201/General Chemistry I

MAT 127/Calculus A*

Spring

Academic Writing (if not exempt) or Introduction to Urban Education

SCI 103/Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences or SCI 104/ Cancer, Genes, and the Environment

CHE 202/General Chemistry II*

Biology Option—Organismal

MAT 105/Mathematical Structures and Algorithms for Educators I

*If student is required to take pre-calculus (MAT 096) then ECE 102 should be taken in the fall semester in place of CHE 201, and CHE 201 should be taken in the spring semester.

Urban Education and English

Fall

FSP First Seminar

LIT/LNG English program foundation course

MAT 105/Mathematical Structures and Algorithms for Educators I

SCI 103/Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences or SCI 104/ Cancer, Genes, and

the Environment Elementary and Early Childhood Education-4

Spring

Academic Writing (if not exempt) or Introduction to Urban Education

LIT/LNG English program foundation course

MAT 106/Mathematical Structures and Algorithms for Educators II

SCI 103/Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences or SCI 104/ Cancer, Genes, and the Environment

Urban Education and History

Fall

FSP First Seminar

MAT 105/Mathematical Structures and Algorithms for Educators I

HIS 210/World History I

ELE 203 Introduction to Urban Education

Spring

Academic Writing (if not exempt) or ECE 102/Multicultural Children’s Literature

HIS 220/World History II

HIS 230/The United States in World History

SCI 103/Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences or SCI 104/ Cancer, Genes, and the Environment

Urban Education and Mathematics

Fall

FSP First Seminar

MAT 127/Calculus A

MAT 200/Discrete Mathematics

ELE 203/Introduction to Urban Education

Spring

Academic Writing (if not exempt) or ECE 102/Multicultural Children’s Literature

MAT 128/Calculus B

STA 215/Statistical Inference

MAT 099/Orientation to Mathematics and Statistics

SCI 103/Physical, Earth, and Space Sciences

Urban Education and Mathematics, Science, and Technology

Fall

FSP First Seminar

TST 161/Creative Design

MAT 127/Calculus A

ELE 203/Introduction to Urban Education

Spring

Academic Writing (if not exempt) or ECE 102/Multicultural Children’s Literature

MAT 105/Mathematical Structures and Algorithms for Educators I (or MAT 200 for Math specialization)

Science Option by Advisement

ETE 261/Multimedia Design Elementary and Early Childhood Education-5

COURSES

Elementary or Early Childhood/Urban Education

ELE 203/Introduction to Urban Education 1 course unit

This course is designed to be an introduction to schools in urban settings in New Jersey. Through course work designed to acquaint students with an historical/social/political perspective of urban education and a field component in a Trenton school, students will gain a better understanding of urban educational systems in New Jersey. Education is complex and dynamic and shaped by structural and cultural features of our society. Actions of educators and educational systems are frequently constrained by political and economic conditions including and not limited to race, class, and gender inequalities. To understand urban schools, all these issues must be examined from the perspective of the schools, the community, and the larger society.

ECE 102/Multicultural Children’s Literature (Early Childhood) 1 course unit

Explores the use of children’s literature in literacy instruction as a vehicle to help children learn about themselves and their place in the world. Students develop skills in selecting and critiquing various genres, as well as how to incorporate children’s literature in the classroom in a developmentally appropriate manner. Through this course, students will be exposed to a variety of award winning and multicultural literature.

ELE 201 or ECE 201/Infant through Adolescent Development  1 course unit

Corequisite: RAL 221 or RAL 222

Emphasizes the educational implications and applications of research on child development, cognitive science, learning, and teaching from pre-birth through adolescence. Topics of theories of human development, process, and changes of human development with a focus on the cognitive, social, and emotional aspects and the interplay of each domain are included in the course. Additionally, the course covers topics of individual and cultural variations and adapting instruction Elementary and Early Childhood Education-7

to meet students’ individual differences-social differences, emotional differences, and cognitive differences. Simultaneously, through the assignments designed for the course, students will develop skills of observation, application, and analysis.

MST 202/Methods of Teaching Science, Health and Technology 1 course unit

Corequisite: MTT 202

Examines the purposes, scope, sequences, materials, and methodology of teaching science in early childhood, elementary school and middle schools. It develops skill in planning, instructing, and assessing understanding of content. It links instruction and assessment in science and covers relevant content topics in chemistry, biology, physics, and earth and space science. Instruction in the college classroom, observation of an experienced teacher, and teaching in an early childhood or elementary classroom are provided.

SOM 203/Methods of Teaching Social Studies from a Multicultural Perspective 1 course unit

Prerequisites: ELE 201, MTT 202, MST 202, RAL 222

Examines the purposes, scope, sequences, materials, and methodology of teaching social studies in the early childhood, elementary and middle school classroom. Using knowledge and data-gathering processes from history and the social sciences, appropriate and meaningful social studies experiences will be created for teacher candidates. Course content includes anthropology, economics, geography, political science, history, sociology, anti-harassment, human rights, multicultural education, international and global education. Instruction in the college classroom, observation of an experienced teacher, and teaching in an early childhood or elementary classroom are provided.

ELE/ECE 393 Independent Research variable course units

Permission of instructor required Independent exploration of a specific topic under supervision of a faculty member. Could include a unique case study, exploration of a research topic, extensive reading in an area of interest, participation in department of interagency clinics, workshops, etc., or such other independent studies that would contribute to professional growth of the student.

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