Early Childhood Education (B.A.)

This undergraduate program is offered by the School of Professional Studies.

Faculty

Dr. Marie Celeste, Associate Professor of Education and faculty in the School of Education support Trinity’s early childhood education program.

Description

In conjunction with the School of Education, the School of Professional Studies offers a B.A. in Early Childhood Education.

This education major prepares students for teaching careers in early childhood education, which focuses on children ages 3 through 8. Candidates who successfully complete the B.A. major in education and fulfill the other requirements set by the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education (O.S.S.E.) are eligible for teacher certification in D.C. and in other jurisdictions, as determined by reciprocity agreements.

Trinity’s B.A. in Early Childhood Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (N.C.A.T.E.), approved by O.S.S.E., and nationally recognized by the National Association for
the Education of Young Children (N.A.E.Y.C.).

Program Requirements

Acceptance Criteria and Advising

Interested students should direct any questions about the process for formal acceptance into the education major to their undergraduate advisor in the School of Professional Studies. Students majoring in education should follow the required sequence of courses. This course sequence is designed to contribute to a liberal arts education while preparing students in content areas that, as early childhood teachers, they will be teaching. As early childhood teacher licensure requires minimum grades in major courses as well as minimum qualifying scores on licensure exams, the program is structured to help our students meet those requirements.

Formal acceptance into the Early Childhood Education program requires:

  1. A minimum grade of “B” (3.0) or better in all courses taken as major requirements (both pre-acceptance EDCC and EDTE courses and all courses taken as major requirements).
  2. Overall GPA of at least 2.5.
  3. Qualifying scores on the Praxis I, A.C.T., S.A.T., or G.R.E. prior to registering for education courses at the 300-level or above, with the exception of EDTE 301.
  • Note: The Praxis I exam may only be attempted twice.  Students who do not earn qualifying scores after the second attempt can submit a petition to attempt the test a third time.

Students who are not interested in pursuing licensure as an early childhood teacher should speak to their undergraduate advisor in the School of Professional Studies to discuss how completing a degree in Early Childhood Communication Education can still allow graduates to work in various early childhood educational settings.  The District of Columbia Career Guide for Early Childhood and Out of School Time Professionals can also help students make an informed decision about whether or not to pursue teacher licensure.

Field-Based Instruction

Teacher preparation at Trinity emphasizes field-based instruction that includes a series of mandated integrated field experiences and practicum experiences at different grade/age levels in a variety of school settings.

School districts, individual schools, and other service providers vary in their requirements for entering their site and observing students. Most schools and service providers require a Tuberculosis test (TB), fingerprinting, and a criminal background check prior to activities that bring the university candidate into working contact with clients/students.

Prior to observing or working with individuals or groups as required by courses (course assignments, field experience, practicum), a Trinity candidate must have communicated with the site, prior to their arrival, to ensure the candidate will have met any specific site prerequisites .

A sample course requiring field experience:

BA Main Campus EDCC 340- Teaching and Learning Requires each candidate to observe two teachers in an early childhood classroom for a total of 15 hours.


Application for Student Teaching

Undergraduate students may not student teach until all of the following conditions are met:

  1. Core Curriculum requirements are completed,
  2. Educational Core courses are completed,
  3. Education Methods courses are completed, and
  4. Praxis I and II is passed.

During the semester before prospective teachers plan to student teach, they must submit an application for student teaching. This form must be signed by the student and the student’s advisor. Failure to complete this form and obtain the requisite approvals may disqualify prospective teachers from student teaching. The completed and signed form is due to the program within two weeks of the opening of registration for the semester in which the student wishes to student teach.

A Tuberculosis test (TB) and a background check is required the semester before the pre-student teaching experiences (practicum) and student teaching (Internship).

Major Requirements

Early Childhood Education students must complete a set of required courses. With the exception of EDTE 301, students must also provide evidence of qualifying scores on the Praxis I, A.C.T., S.A.T., or G.R.E. prior to registering for education courses at the 300-level or above. Students are strongly encouraged to take courses in the recommended sequence.

Education majors must earn a minimum grade of “B” (3.0) or better in all courses taken as major requirements (both pre-acceptance major requirements courses and all courses taken as major requirements after acceptance to the program).

Co-requisite Courses
In addition to all courses in the Core Curriculum, students must take:

POLS 103 The American Political Process
MATH 115 Mathematics for Educators

Pre-Acceptance Major Requirements 
Students take ALL of these courses before admission into the early childhood education program:

EDCC 205 Children, Families, Culture and the Community in Early Childhood
EDCC 207 Development of Learning Experiences in Early Childhood Education
EDCC 211 Development of Early Childhood Oral Language and Literacy Skills
EDCC 213 Observation, Description and Measurement of Growth in Early Childhood
EDCC 215 Human Growth & Development
EDCC 220 Foundations of Education
EDCC 250 Technology in Education
EDTE 232 Art and Movement in the Classroom
EDTE 292 Praxis Preparation

Major Requirements 
Students take ALL of the following courses after admission into the program:

EDTE 301 Classroom Management
EDCC 330 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 340 Teaching and Learning
EDTE 401 Classroom Assessment
EDTE 421 Emergent Literacy
EDTE 430 Theory and Practice of Oral Language and Literacy in Early Learning
EDTE 432 Curriculum Construction and Integration for Early Learning
EDTE 436 Theory and Practice of Early Learning in Math & Science
EDCC 440 Research in Education
EDTE 471 Student Teaching Early Childhood Education
EDTE 499 Advanced Seminar in Teaching

Program Policies

Fingerprinting and Nationwide Criminal Background Check: School districts, individual schools, and other service providers vary in their requirements for entering their site and observing students. Most schools and service providers require a Tuberculosis test (TB), fingerprinting, and a criminal background check prior to activities that bring the university candidate into working contact with clients/students.  Additionally, in order to be licensed, professionals in the field of teaching must undergo fingerprinting and a nationwide criminal background within a year of application for licensure.

Advanced Placement: Credits earned through Advanced Placement Examinations may fulfill core curriculum for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a 4 or 5 on the examination and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

CLEP Policy: Credits earned through C.L.E.P. Examinations may fulfill core curriculum for certification courses in cases where the student has earned a score that confers credit following the guidelines of the A.C.E. and the credits have been reviewed by education faculty members.

Attendance Policy: In all 300- and 400-level EDCC/EDTE courses, two late arrivals or early departures of 20 minutes or more constitute a single class absence, and any student with class absences or the equivalent that total more than 2 weeks’ worth of class meetings automatically fail the course. Faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at the 200-level may adopt this policy in their syllabi as well, and faculty teaching EDCC/EDTE courses at any level may adopt a stricter policy in their syllabi.

Grades in Education Courses: Undergraduate students are required to earn a minimum grade of “B” (3.0) or better in all courses taken as major requirements (both pre-acceptance EDCC and EDTE courses and all courses taken as major requirements).

Pass/No Pass: Courses fulfilling the major, including core curriculum courses required for certification, may not be taken Pass/No Pass.

Student Assessment: Assessments of student proficiencies required of students in the major are further described on the School of Education page concerning the Student Assessment System.

Study Abroad: Courses taken through a study abroad program approved by Trinity may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, education courses taken abroad will not count toward the major.

Praxis Policy: Students must provide evidence of qualifying scores on the Praxis I, A.C.T., S.A.T., or G.R.E. prior to registering for education courses at the 300-level or above, with the exception of EDTE 301. The Praxis I exam may only be attempted twice.  Students who do not earn qualifying scores after the second attempt can submit a petition to attempt the test a third time.

Experiential Credit Policy: Credits earned through experience may count toward general education courses required for certification, pending review and approval by education faculty and the faculty of the appropriate academic program. In general, experiential credits may not substitute for education courses counted toward the major.

Transfer Credits: Transfer credits may be awarded only after appropriate program review. Courses at the 400-level and above must be completed at Trinity. Courses taken as part of the School of Education program of study must be taken at Trinity.

Course Descriptions

Explanation of Course Prefixes and Numbers Courses designated “EDCC” are education core and common courses across various programs in the School of Education. Courses designated “EDTE” are largely specific to the teacher education program. Students must provide evidence of qualifying scores on the Praxis I, A.C.T., S.A.T., or G.R.E. prior to registering for education courses at the 300-level or above, with the exception of EDTE 301.

EDCC – Education Core and Common Courses

EDCC 205 Children, Families, Culture and the Community in Early Childhood
EDCC 207 Development of Learning Experiences in Early Childhood Education
EDCC 211 Development of Early Childhood Oral Language and Literacy Skills
EDCC 213 Observation, Description and Measurement of Growth in Early Childhood
EDCC 215 Human Growth & Development
EDCC 220 Foundations of Education
EDCC 250 Technology in Education
EDCC 330 Education of Exceptional Children and Youth
EDCC 340 Teaching and Learning

EDTE -Teacher Education Courses

EDTE 232 Art and Movement in the Classroom
EDTE 301 Classroom Management
EDTE 401 Classroom Assessment
EDTE 421 Emergent Literacy
EDTE 430 Theory and Practice of Oral Language and Literacy in Early Learning
EDTE 432 Curriculum Construction and Integration for Early Learning
EDTE 436 Theory and Practice of Early Learning in Math & Science
EDTE 471 Student Teaching Early Childhood Education
EDTE 499 Advanced Seminar in Teaching