Elementary Education
The NDMU School of Education strives to prepare teacher candidates to respond to the supply and demand of the teacher education workforce and endeavors to prepare candidates who are highly skilled and equipped to teach children regardless of learning style, differentiated or special needs, and racial or socio-economic status. As such, candidates are encouraged to pursue certification in more than one content area or specialization; e.g, Certification in Biology and Special Education; or in English and TESOL; or in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. In some cases, candidates can even obtain three or four certifications (e.g, elementary, special education, early childhood education and/or TESOL).
Having more than one certification yields several benefits: 1) Most important of all, candidates are exposed to specific content and instructional strategies that may be unique to targeted individuals or groups of students (e.g, second language generation students whose parents speak only in their native language). 2) Candidates acquire a deeper, richer background in the vast variety of instructional strategies that one might employ, irrespective of the student's classification (e.g, a student in a Gifted and Talented class might respond just as readily to a 'reward and praise' technique as would a student with special needs). 3) Candidates find that, when seeking employment, they are more marketable because principals are afforded greater flexibility in assigning them to teaching positions that fit the needs of their school and student population (e.g, if given two equally qualified candidates from which to select, a principal is more likely to hire a candidate who has more than one certification, thereby giving them more flexibility to assign highly qualified teachers to classrooms based on that certification).
In essence, the teacher candidates enter the education profession with a larger and more diverse skill set of instructional strategies and content knowledge to better meet the needs of the school system, where employed, and the children whom they are entrusted to teach.
Pathways to obtain dual, triple, or even four certifications are outlined in the following tables, based on professional courses needed, content areas, programs and degrees.
Course Matrix for Traditional Undergraduate Elementary Education BA Degrees
Required Professional Courses |
Bachelor of Arts Degrees** - Elementary Education |
||||
Elem Education |
Elem & Special Education |
Elem & Early Childhood |
Elem & TESOL |
Elem, Special, and ECE |
|
EDU-300 Technology for Instruction and Management |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-303 Elementary Reading Materials |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-357 Processes & Acquisition of Reading |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-252 or 253 or SPE 373 Clinical Field Experience |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-319 Human Development and Learning |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-307 Social Studies in the Elementary School |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-308 Issues in ESOL |
(3 credit) |
||||
EDU-309 Instruction in Reading |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-310 Mathematics in the Elementary School |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-312 Science in the Elementary School |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-315 Curriculum Methods/Mat. for the Young Child |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
|||
EDU-346 Methods and Materials ESOL |
(3 credit) |
||||
EDU-347 Assessing Second Language |
(3 credit) |
||||
EDU-360 Techniques of Teaching Reading & Writing to Students with Limited English Proficiency |
(3 credit) |
||||
EDU-402 American Education in Historical Perspective |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-409 Internship: Teaching ESOL K-12 |
(6 credit) |
||||
EDU-410 Internship: Teaching in Early Childhood Educ. |
(6 credit) |
||||
EDU-411 Internship: Teaching in the Elementary School |
(16 credit)* |
(10 credit) |
(10 credit) |
(10 credit) |
(10 credit) |
EDU-440 English Grammar for ESOL Teachers |
(3 credit) |
||||
EDU-460 Assessment of Reading |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
EDU-400 edTPA for Education |
(1 credit) |
(2 credit) |
(2 credit) |
(2 credit) |
(2 credit) |
SPE-326 Special Education for the Classroom Teacher |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
SPE-337 Communication Skills for the Special Educator |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
|||
SPE-321 Methods of Teaching Students with Special Needs |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
|||
SPE-344 Assessment in Special Education |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
|||
SPE-421 Elementary Curriculum Design and Adaptation |
(3 credit) |
(3 credit) |
|||
SPE-475 Student Teaching in Special Education |
(6 credit) |
(6 credit) |
|||
TOTAL |
42 credit |
64 credit |
55 credit |
64 credit |
67 credit |
*16 credits for traditional undergraduate, 12 credits for CAUS
** Some programs may require coursework during the summer and/or winterim.
Courses
EDU-252 Clinical Field Experience: Elementary
Offers a direct instructional field experience in an assigned area elementary public school for three weeks, all day. Includes instruction in school organization, curriculum, characteristics and diverse needs of children, and issues in teaching and learning. Classroom observation and participation seminars. [ 3 credits ]
EDU-253 Clinical Field Experience: ESOL
EDU-300 Technology for Instruction & Management
EDU-301 Educational Psychology
EDU-303 Elementary School Reading Materials
EDU-307 Social Studies in the Elementary School
Provides a conceptual and analytical approach to teaching and learning social studies in the elementary school. Emphasis on integration of content and process through use of experimental, activity and inquiry approaches to meet the needs of diverse learners. Includes information related to selecting instructional resources, developing curriculum materials and integrating concepts, skills and values. Requires construction of learning materials and peer teaching. [4 credits]
EDU-308 Issues in ESOL
Introduces students to the field of TESOL by providing an overview of instructional programs and approaches for teaching English as a second language to students from K-12 to postsecondary levels. The course includes bilingualism, legal and political trends as they pertain to ESL students in various educational settings, and the impact of state and national initiatives, such as the Common Core State Standards and ESSA, on ESL students and TESOL. [3 credits]
EDU-309 Instruction in Reading
Increases the participant's familiarity with a representative array of research-based instructional techniques and strategies in reading. Participants will learn age-appropriate instructional routines and strategies in the five major components of reading instruction (phonological and phonemic awareness; phonics, spelling and word study; fluency development; vocabulary; and comprehension). Throughout the course candidates will demonstrate their knowledge of the instructional routines and strategies by role-play, live demonstration, critiquing models, using the Common Core Reading Standards and reviewing the research in support of those approaches. [4 credits]
EDU-310 Mathematics in the Elementary School
Integrates mathematical concepts with the methods employed to teach mathematics in the elementary school. Emphasis on National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Standards and implementation of the Common Core Mathematics standards in instruction. Focus on a hands-on approach using manipulatives. Includes preparation of lesson plans and microteaching experiences. [4 credits]
EDU-312 Science in the Elementary School
Integration of basic concepts of physical, life, earth and space sciences. Emphasis on discovery of concepts through demonstrations and investigations. Addresses the three domains of
science education: knowledge, skills and attitudes. Attention given to National Standards, the Common Core Science Standards and the use of indicators in planning, instruction and assessing. Includes preparation of a science unit and microteaching experience. Permission required. [4 credits]
EDU-313 Science and Social Studies in the Elementary School
EDU-315 Curriculum/Methods and Materials For the Young Child
Presents curriculum, methods and materials for early childhood programs, preschool through primary grades. Family and community involvement strategies. Instruction in planning, implementation and assessment of interdisciplinary activities to stimulate cognitive, linguistic, social and motor development to meet the diverse needs of learners. [4 credits]
EDU-344 Teaching Reading and Writing in the Secondary School Content Areas I
Studies principles and techniques in teaching interactive reading and writing in secondary school content areas: vocabulary and skill development; pre-reading, reading and post-reading strategies. Techniques for assessing student literacy levels and readability levels of texts. Strategies for individualizing instruction to address the unique needs of diverse learners; e.g., gifted and talented, second language learners, students with special needs, etc. Includes classroom observation and participation in Baltimore area secondary schools. Preparation of lesson plans and peer teaching. [3 credits]
EDU-346 Methods and Materials for ESOL
EDU-347 Assessing Second Language Acquisition
EDU-357 Procurement & Acquisition of Reading
EDU-360 Techniques of Teaching Reading and Writing to Students With Limited English Proficiency
Addresses the development of reading and writing from a cognitive perspective. Students will become familiar with the approaches, methods and techniques appropriate for the teaching of reading and writing to English Language Learners. Special topics such as the integrated skills curriculum, language-specific rhetorical styles and free voluntary reading will also be discussed. Students will evaluate and design appropriate classroom materials. [3 credits]
EDU-373 Field Exp in Spec Ed
Provides supervised classroom observation and participation in special education in diverse Baltimore area schools. Assigned by the School of Education in cooperation with local school systems. Permission required. [3 credits]
EDU-376 Clinical Field Experience: Secondary
Provides direct instructional field experience in an assigned Baltimore area public middle school for three weeks, all day. Includes instruction in middle school organization and curriculum, characteristics and diverse needs of middle school children, and issues in teaching and learning. Classroom observation and participation. Weekly seminars. Permission required. Three-week session, full school days. [3 credits]
EDU-402 American Education in Historical Perspective
EDU-409 Internship:Teaching ESOL K-12
EDU-410 Internship: Teaching in Early Childhood Education
Incorporates full-time observation and supervised student teaching required. Internship fee required. [variable credits: 2-5 credits]
NOTE: Student Teaching Internships may start earlier than the official term start dates. Please refer to the information received at the internship orientation or contact the Education Department. Students preparing for dual certification neroll in designated alternative sections of appropriate internships for 105 credits each. Consult program advisor before registering.
EDU-411 Internship: Teaching in the Elementary School
Provides full-time observation and supervised internship experiences in diverse Baltimore area professional development schools. Seminars on various topics in education such as analysis of teaching in elementary schools, school and family relationships, and interviewing and employment practices. Permission required. Teaching internship fee required. [5-11 credits] NOTE: Student Teaching Internships may start earlier than the official term start dates. Please refer to the information received at the internship orientation or contact the Education Department.
EDU-413 Internship:Teaching in the Secondary School
Incorporates full-time observation and supervised internship teaching experience in diverse Baltimore area professional development schools during the fall semester only. Permission required. Teaching internship fee required. [11 credits] NOTE: Student Teaching Internships may start earlier than the official term start dates. Please refer to the information received at the internship orientation or contact the Education Department.
EDU-420 Dim Curric/Inst Sec Sch
Examines aims, organization and administration of American secondary schools. Principles of curriculum organization and design for middle and senior high schools. Curriculum development in school systems, in specific schools, and in academic disciplines. Multicultural and gender issues are considered. Class is interrelated with methods courses in study and application of principles of teaching-learning, used of technology for instruction, analysis of teaching, assessment of classroom management. [3 credits]
EDU-429 Meth Bus Ed/Sec Sch
Students in all methods courses examine the nature of the academic discipline, the structure and modes of thinking through which knowledge in the discipline advances, current research on teaching the subject, models of teaching, and techniques appropriate for instruction in the content area. Application of teaching-learning theory to the content area in planning, motivation, instruction, questioning, discussion and assessment in the content area. Evaluation and use of the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum and student learner outcomes (as applicable), other curriculum guides, textbooks and resource materials in the field. Presentation and evaluation of demonstration lessons. Videotaping for analysis of teaching. Permission required for all methods courses. [3 credits]
EDU-430 Art N-12
EDU-431 English in the Secondary School
EDU-432 Modern Foreign Language in the Secondary School
EDU-433 Mathematics in the Secondary School
EDU-437 Science in the Secondary School
EDU-439 Social Studies in the Secondary School
EDU-440 English Grammar for ESOL Teachers
EDU-451 Teaching Reading and Writing in the Content Areas II
EDU-460 Assessment of Reading
EDU-491 Topics in Education
SPE-321 Methods of Teaching Students With Special Needs
SPE-326 Special Education for the Classroom Teacher
SPE-337 Communication Skills for the Special Educator
Addresses human relations, communication and informal counseling skills and their critical role in meeting the diverse needs of students with disabilities. Explores role of the special
educator as a member of an interdisciplinary team. Includes research on parent/teacher attitudes, roles and responsibilities. Presents models and techniques for effective interface with parents as well as other professionals encountered in the process of holistic programming. Additional topics include parent training, advocacy, multicultural considerations and accessing community services. [3 credits]
NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both SPE-237 and SPE-337.
SPE-344 Assessment in Special Education
Introduces diagnostic processes used in special education. Includes student-conducted informal and formal assessments as well as analysis, interpretation and presentation of test results.
Covers prescriptive techniques and instructional planning as well as current trends in student assessment. Addresses P.L. 94-142, COMAR and other related legislation. [3 credits]
SPE-373 Field Experience in Special Education
SPE-421 Elementary Curriculum Design and Adaptation
Applies principles for adapting curriculum to special needs students at the elementary level. Includes analysis of diagnostic and developmental factors, goal setting and IEP formulation. Explores instructional strategies, identification of materials and resources, and evaluation techniques as they relate to the basic content areas and the Common Core Standards. Prerequisites: SPE-326. Permission required. [2 credits]
SPE-475 Internship: Teaching in Special Education
Provides student with opportunities for full-time supervised teaching in a special education program in diverse Baltimore area schools. Permission required. Teaching internship fee required. [5 credits] NOTE: Student Teaching Internships may start earlier than the official term start dates. Please refer to the information received at the internship orientation or contact the Education Department.
SPE-491 Top: Comm Skills for Spec Educ
This course is reserved for specialized topics and independent study. [3 credits]