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Sue Carbary, Director: 212-875-4509
Master of Science in Education: 54 credits
This 54-credit dual certification program in Early Childhood Special and General Education is specifically designed for teachers and prospective teachers who wish to work with young children from pre-school through grade two and with their families. You will develop the understanding and skill to work with children who are developing typically and with children who have disabilities in a wide range of general, inclusive, and special education settings.
Our interdisciplinary approach and the Bank Street developmental-interaction philosophy of early childhood education will provide you with a framework to support the growth, development and learning of the whole child in the context of their family and community. In this curriculum-rich program, you will develop your own potential as an educator, and you will discover exciting ways to engage young children in active learning. You will learn to differentiate learning experiences for a wide range of young learners, including children with specific disabilities. Through studying the ongoing cycle of observation, assessment and instructional planning, you will be able to help young children realize their full functional and educational potential. You will learn to understand the relationships among culture, language and learning in families, communities, and educational program settings. Practical experiences will help you learn how to collaborate with families, other teachers and professionals in your work. You will discover ways to recognize and nurture individual learning styles and build home/school connections.
Certification in Education
You will earn initial and professional New York State certification in Early Childhood General Education and Early Childhood Special Education to work with children birth through grade 2.
Supervised Fieldwork / Student Teaching / Advisement
During one academic year, while you take courses, you will gain teaching experience and intensive advisory support through supervised fieldwork/advisement. If you are not currently working in an early childhood setting, you will do your student teaching with placements at two or three age levels within the early childhood range. Working teachers and assistants who stay with a particular grade in the age range may use their own classroom as their primary site for college-supervised teaching, but they will also need additional college-supervised field experiences or student teaching with children of diverse populations and other ages within the certification range. This requirement will be met through summer school experiences.
During that year, your Bank Street advisor will visit you in your setting each month, and meet individually with you twice a month. You will gather with a small, supportive peer group once a week. The year of supervision and advisement is central to your professional growth and development as you become a successful educator.
Integrative Master's Project
Before graduating, you will complete an independent study (master's thesis), directed essay or portfolio. Your choice will depend on your own goals and learning style. This project allows you to pursue an area of particular interest to you, or to weave together the threads and understandings of your Bank Street graduate experience.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants to the Early Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification program need to have a strong background in the liberal arts and sciences.
Further information
More Early Childhood Programs (birth through grade 2):