2024-2025

Elementary and Early Childhood Education, Liberal Studies

Department

Degrees offered

Campuses

Main Campus

The NDMU College of Adult Undergraduate Studies (CAUS) prepares interested students to become certified to teach children in pre-kindergarten through grade three.  NDMU invites students to consider preparing for a career as an early childhood education teacher.  Being a certified early childhood educator allows the professional to teach in a public or private school setting where they work with children who are in pre-kindergarten up to and including grade three.  Teaching at this level requires close attention to the developmental needs of young children and how to appropriately support their learning process.  As with any teaching assignment, the educator must be equipped to effectively plan lessons to engage these young learners in activities stimulating their fine and gross motor skills as well as their kinesthetic, auditory, and visual senses.  Early Childhood Education Program of Study focuses on the academic, social, and cognitive skills that develop in children during their formative years.

Most early childhood educators work throughout the school day in a classroom setting with a single group of students for whom all content areas must be taught, i.e., English language arts, social studies, mathematics, and science instruction.  Regardless of age and grade-level placement, NDMU will prepare all graduates to be highly qualified for any teaching situation by providing multiple opportunities for them to learn and teach in a variety of settings under outstanding mentor teachers.  In fact, NDMU is the only teacher preparation program in Maryland that affords students the opportunity to observe pre-school age children on its main campus in LeClerc Hall in a program called 'A Child's Place', a school for children age 3 through kindergarten.  

Degree candidates must complete the general education classes listed in Engage and Empower as well as liberal arts requirements designated by MSDE.

Elementary & Early Childhood Core Curriculum

EDU-252 Clinical Field Experience: Elementary (Students who work full time in an Early Childhood setting can apply to waive this experience.)
EDU-300 Technology for Instruction & Management
EDU-303 Elementary School Reading Materials
EDU-307 Social Studies in the Elementary School
EDU-309 Instruction in Reading
EDU-310 Mathematics in the Elementary School
EDU-312 Science in the Elementary School
EDU-315 Curriculum/Methods and Materials for the Young Child
EDU-319 Human Development and Learning
EDU-338 English Language Learners for the Classroom Teacher
EDU-357 Processes and Acquisition of Reading
EDU-400 edTPA for Education
EDU-402 American Education in Historical Perspective
EDU-410 Internship: Teaching in Early Childhood Education
EDU-411 Internship: Teaching in the Elementary School
EDU-460 Assessment of Reading
SPE-326 Special Education for the Classroom Teacher

Liberal Arts courses in the Major are exclusive of those required for General Education

Literature (6)
  American literature
  World literature
History (3)
  U.S. History (if World History was selected for general education) or  Non-U.S. History (if American History was selected for general education)
Mathematics (9)
Natural Sciences (8/9)*
  Biological science with lab
  Physical science with lab
Social sciences (6)
  Geography
  Economics, Psychology, Political Science OR Sociology
Fine arts (3)
  Art (if Music was selected for general education) OR Music (if Art was selected for general education)

*Traditional undergraduate students take three four-credit science courses; College of Adult Undergraduate Studies students take four three-credit science courses.



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-300 Technology for Instruction & Management

Provides prospective classroom teacher swith opportunities for planning, designing and producing projects that support the instructional needs of students in grades K-12, including best practices for the integration of technology into curriculum with state and national technology standards. Students complete a variety of projects to develop skills in word processing, Web page development, computer presentations and other technolgies. For education majors only. [ 3 credits ]

EDU-303 Elementary School Reading Materials

Assists participants in selecting and evaluating materials for teaching reading and developing related skills that are consistent with the findings of scientifically based reading research. Strengthens understanding of research-supported programs, approaches and methods to address different levels of reading proficiency within the classroom and thereby enable all students (G&T, ELL, Special Needs, etc) to become strategic, fluent and independent readers. Participants will use a variety of texts and other materials to promote independent reading. Participants will be prepared to involve parents and members of the school and community to promote daily reading inside and outside of school. Throughout the course, participants will apply key concepts to various group and individual tasks and projects, including discussions and simulations. NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both EDU-103 and EDU-303. [3 credits]

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-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. [3 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-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-319 Human Development and Learning

Explores selected aspects of human development related to learning and instruction. Major psychological concepts and learning theories will be examined and applied to the context of eduction. Emphasis will be placed on understanding cognitive and affective domains of development as well as behavior management, motivation, individual differences in learning and instructional practices. Includes reflection, classroom activities, educational philosophy and classroom instruction. [ 3 credits ]

EDU-338 English Language Learners for the Classroom Teacher

Equips mainstream classroom teachers with the knowledge and skills required to address the linguistic needs of students whose language is one other than English. After reviewing recent demographic trends and legal mandates as they pertain to English Language Learners (ELLs) in public schools, this course analyzes factors that influence the challenges of ELLs in K-12, including prior education, first language literacy skills, English proficiency, and cultural issues. Special emphasis will be placed on the linguistic demands of the K-12 curriculum and effective pedagogical approaches for ELLs. [ 3 credits ]

EDU-357 Procurement & Acquisition of Reading

Assists pre-service and in-service teachers in understanding the reading acquisition process through observation and analysis of reading and written language development. The course is organized around current, accepted, research-based theoretical models that account for individual differences in reading. Introduction to language structure including spoken syllables, phonemes, graphemes and morphemes is included. Using current research-based strategies, participants will apply knowledge of the core areas of language to reading acquisition in terms of first and second language acquisition, typical development, gifted and talented and other exceptionalities. Throughout the course, candidates will demonstrate their knowledge of concepts and skills through a variety of tasks such as assessing their ability to identify linguistic units, observations of students and analysis of student work, and presentations of research summaries. NOTE: Students cannot receive credit for both EDU-207 and EDU-357. [3 credits]

EDU-400 edTPA for Educators

This course is designed for education students going through their internship. It prepares them for the submission of the required national teaching portfolio. Students are mentored through the process by School of Education faculty mentors. [ variable credit 1-3 ]

EDU-402 American Education in Historical Perspective

Surveys major developments in the history of American education from colonial times to the present. Examines influential persons, ideas and institutions in the context of American society. Education and public policy, legal issues, priorities and innovations in American education reviewed from a critical perspective. [3 credits]

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-460 Assessment of Reading

Provides students with a background in assessment and its relationship to instruction. Students will learn about the variety of assessments available to the classroom teacher in the areas of reading and writing and how to administer, score and interpret the results of these various assessments. Instructional decisions regarding the educational program of the child, and his/her diverse needs will also be examined. [3 credits] NOTE: Please refer to cohort schedule. Additional clas times may meet in previous semester.

SPE-326 Special Education for the Classroom Teacher

Includes brief history as well as legal foundations of current special education models and practices. Explores characteristics of students with disabilities as well as at-risk populations in general education. Addresses the responsibilities of educators, exploring generic strategies for programming for special needs students in the general education classroom, including the Common Core Standards. Required for all Maryland teachers. [3 credits]