Program Overview
Education Primary Education
Program Overview
The Education Primary Education program at Ohio State University is designed to prepare students to teach in pre-k to 3rd grade. The program is offered on the Columbus, Lima, Marion, Mansfield, and Newark campuses. Students in this program receive training in rigorous methods courses that prepare them to think critically and reflectively about their own teaching practice and to teach across all content areas in inventive ways that meet the needs of all learners.
Curriculum
The early childhood education major provides students with the preparation necessary to teach in pre-k to 3rd grade. The components of this major have been designed to meet state and national standards, Ohio licensure requirements, and General Education requirements at Ohio State. The principal philosophy behind the curriculum is to provide a liberal education in subjects relevant to teaching students in pre-k to 3rd grade as well as numerous opportunities for the student to experience, learn, and reflect on effective pedagogy.
- Courses can include:
- Art for Teachers
- Childrens Literature
- Critical Reading in Content Fields
- Early Childhood Pedagogy
- Equity and Diversity in Education
- Evaluation and Instruction Decision Making in Literacy
- Introduction to Exceptional Children
- Language Arts for Children Ages 39
- Learner-Centered Assessment
- Literacy, New Media, and Creative Pedagogies for Classrooms
- Music for Teachers
- Psychological Perspectives on Education
- Reading Foundations
- Teaching and Learning Math Pre-K3
- Teaching and Learning Science Pre-K3
- Teaching and Learning Social Studies Pre-K3
- Teaching as a Profession
- Understanding Phonics
Study Abroad
The Global Option in Education and Human Ecology is an option for students in good academic standing on any Ohio State campus. In this program, students develop their ability to communicate with and work alongside individuals from other cultures through education abroad programs and globally themed coursework.
- Israel: Teaching and Learning Globally is a 10-day exploration of one of the world's most culturally rich settings: Tivon, Israel.
- Indonesia: First Education Experience Program teaches students about the education profession through classroom observations in multiple Indonesian schools from various socioeconomic settings.
- Scotland: First Education Experience Program is an opportunity to focus on the rural populations of Ohio and communities where Appalachian ancestors hail.
- England: Imaginative Teaching and Learning teaches active and dramatic approaches to inquiry-based education at an urban elementary in Newcastle, England.
Internship
Field experiences are introduced early and culminate in an extended student teaching experience in the senior year. Teacher education is conceptualized as an apprenticeship with equal parts content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge and skill. Because they provide placement sites for all Columbus campus students, the schools in Franklin County, particularly Columbus City Schools, are critical partners in teacher education.
Honors and Scholars
The College of Education and Human Ecology Honors Program offers students rigorous coursework and opportunities to work closely with faculty to design and complete a research project. Students in this program also have access to smaller classes, priority scheduling, and unique housing opportunities.
Research
Students can work with the Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, a multidisciplinary research center dedicated to conducting high-quality research that improves childrens learning and development at home, in school, and in the community.
Student Organizations
- Kappa Phi Kappa is a national professional co-ed fraternity in education devoted to the professional development of its members.
- EHE Peer Mentors engage in discussions with new first-year and transfer students about adjusting to Ohio State and college life, university resources, and how to understand university policies and procedures.
Possible Careers
Early childhood education graduates may seek teaching positions in pre-k to 3rd grade at public and private schools. Since the state of Ohio has high standards for teacher preparation, graduates could potentially be hired as teachers anywhere in the United States. Many opportunities also exist within the community and public sector.
Salary Estimates
Average salaries in the continental United States for beginning teachers are $35,000 to $43,000.
Program Objectives
Through their coursework and fieldwork, students will:
- Use their understanding of childrens and adolescents characteristics and needs and of multiple interacting influences on childrens and adolescents development and learning to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children and adolescents.
- Know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of childrens and adolescents families and communities.
- Know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment.
- Integrate their understanding of and relationships with children/adolescents and families; their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge of academic disciplines to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children and adolescents.
- Identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood education teaching profession.
Teaching Credentials
Early childhood education graduates will receive Ohio teacher licensure for pre-k to 3rd grade upon successful completion of the program and state requirements.