Program Overview

Teacher Education

The Connie L. Lurie College of Education offers a Teacher Education program that focuses on developmentally appropriate practices for young children in grades PK through 3rd grade.

PK-3 Early Childhood Education

The PK-3 Early Childhood Education (ECE) Specialist Instruction Credential program is a fully in-person program that prepares students to design, implement, and facilitate learning activities that engage students according to their developmental needs. The program emphasizes the importance of considering each child's cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, and cultural experiences, as well as any areas of special needs.

Authorization

This credential authorizes the holder to teach all subjects in a self-contained general education classroom setting and to team teach or to regroup students across classrooms, in preschool through grade three. The English learner (EL) authorization provided through this credential aligns with the EL authorization that is earned upon completion of a Single, Multiple, or Education Specialist teaching credential program.

Program Details

• The program focuses on developmentally appropriate practices for young children in grades PK through 3rd grade.
• The program is a fully in-person program.
• The program prepares students to design, implement, and facilitate learning activities that engage students according to their developmental needs.
• The program emphasizes the importance of considering each child's cognitive, social, emotional, linguistic, and cultural experiences, as well as any areas of special needs.

Vision

PK-3 Credentialed Teachers are transformative educators who use their knowledge of human development and developmentally appropriate practice, partner with families, and engage with communities to respond to the holistic learning needs of preschool-aged through third grade students. These teachers make child-centered pedagogical choices guided by theory and research, and leverage cultural wealth to empower students in order to create equitable and inclusive learning environments for all students.

Mission

The program prepares candidates to be transformative leaders in the field and to develop an educational philosophy that challenges societal and educational injustice. The program engages culturally sustaining and linguistically responsive practices in courses and fieldwork and prepares candidates to commit to informing their efforts to create inclusive early educational experiences through inquiry, reflective practice, and family and community engagement.

Academics

The Teacher Education program offers various academic pathways, including:

• Multiple Subject
• Single Subject
• PK-3 Early Childhood Education
• Critical Bilingual Authorization
• Teacher Residency Pathway
• Intern Pathway
• MA, Teaching
• MA Multilingual and Multicultural Literacy Education
• Advanced Teaching Certificate in Common Core Mathematics (K-8)
• Undergraduate Programs

Student Resources

The program provides various student resources, including:

• Academic Expectations & Policies
• Academic Writing Support (AWS)
• Advising
• Apply for Preliminary Credentials
• California Teaching Performance Assessment (CalTPA)
• Financial Aid Opportunities
• Registration
• Student Teaching
• Tech, CPR, U.S. Constitution Requirements