Early Childhood Education
Prepared to Teach in Grades Pre-K to 4
Have a passion for working with young children? Want to inspire them towards a love of life-long learning? A major in Early Childhood Education could be the right choice for you. Integral to our programs is the department's signature attribute of social justice, exhibited through a curricular focus upon advocacy for equity, civic engagement, global citizenship, and international/comparative perspectives. Through classroom simulations, observations and common core readings, you’ll begin to appreciate the complexity diversity and social justice lend to education.
What Can I Do With a Degree in Early Childhood Education?
As a content generalist in several subject areas, by program completion, you’ll have a certification to teach grades Pre-K through 4, as well as the opportunity to complete testing for add-on certifications which will allow you to teach grades 5 and 6.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Ready to Teach
Candidates for certification in Early Childhood Education must complete a course of study that consists of two key elements. The first element emphasizes critical concepts and ideas important to one’s general education and academic preparation for teaching. The second element stresses a professional core curriculum organized in the areas of Early Childhood Development, Cognition and Learning, Subject Matter Pedagogy Content (Pre-K to 4), Assessments (PRAXIS, PAPA, PECT), Family and Community Partnerships and Professionalism.
Breadth in Field Placements
As an Education major, you will have field experiences every year from your first year through your senior year. Field placements occur in urban, suburban and rural schools, and in a variety of grades within your certification guidelines, in this case Pre-K through 4th. Our program stresses the importance of quality supervised field experiences which complement on-campus courses in education. It is the embodiment of theory into practice. You’ll have support both in and out of the classroom as your progress and grow from a student to an independent and qualified educator.
Why Study Early Childhood Education?
A major in Education at Elizabethtown is a demanding undertaking. Students must excel in challenging coursework in pedagogy, learning theory, cognition, and liberal arts content. You will repeatedly demonstrate competency in field placement classrooms by working with a variety of school systems, students, and student needs. You will exhibit the dispositions of a professional educator as defined by the PA Code of Conduct and the Department’s Teacher Dispositions Policy. Finally, you must pass required state assessments and complete a professional portfolio for certification. But though challenging, becoming an educator is also rewarding.
Post Baccalaureate Opportunities
Etown offers an M.Ed. in Curriculum & Instruction as well as an M.Ed. in Special Education. Etown also offers certificates such as, an ESL Program Specialist K-12 Certificate, a Graduate Certificate in Curriculum & Instruction, a Graduate Certificate in Integrative Science, Technology, Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Education Endorsement, a Graduate Certificate in Interdisciplinary Autism Support and a Graduate Certificate in Trauma Informed Practice.
Student Organizations
Education Organization (Ed Org)
Ed Org's mission is to provide an atmosphere in which future educators feel safe, accepted and motivated to become successful teachers. The club participates in many social and service activities throughout the year, many times in conjunction with other clubs on campus. These events include literacy nights at the local library, volunteering for the Ronald McDonald House, after-school tutoring, participating in Into the Streets and more. Ed Org also hosts an annual benefit for A-T (ataxia telangiectasia), a progressive, degenerative disease affecting children.
Kappa Delta Pi (KDP)
Kappa Delta Pi is the International Honor Society in Education, founded in 1911 at the University of Illinois by William Bagley, Truman Kelly and Thomas Edgar Musselman. The mission of KDP is to sustain an honored community of diverse educators by promoting excellence and advancing scholarship, leadership and service. The founders chose the name from the Greek words knowledge, duty, and power. Kappa Delta Pi grew from the local chapter to the international organization it is today.
The Elizabethtown College chapter, Tau Iota, participates in many service activities throughout the year, such as Math night, Social Studies night, Literacy Alive! to name a few. To qualify for membership, candidates must have completed 60 hours or more of credits, be a full-time student, have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 and achieve department recommendation.
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
This is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is an international community of professionals and network of student chapters that work to improve, through excellence and advocacy, the education and quality of life for children and youth with exceptionalities and to enhance engagement of their families. The Etown student chapter of CEC connects college students across areas of study with individuals with disabilities and their families through service and development activities.