Early Childhood Education Major
Major
As a BU Pilot early childhood teacher, you will be prepared to lead as well as master the most current research-based knowledge of instruction and curriculum for early childhood. Bethel enjoys partnerships with area school districts. Throughout the Teacher Preparation Program, you will gain hundreds of hours of classroom experience, including a 12- to 15-week Student Teaching experience and a full-day kindergarten classroom experience, in partnership with the School City of Mishawaka.
An effective teacher’s development includes acquiring the necessary skills, knowledge, and disposition to teach in a classroom or online setting. Bethel’s programs continually seek ways to ensure our teacher candidates receive the best instruction based on the latest educational research.
12- to 15-week
student teaching placements
11:1
student-to-faculty ratio
100%
of students receive some form of financial assistance
Early Childhood Education Major
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Program – 4 years
Introductory Courses focus on subjects that teachers need to succeed in their field. They typically include:
- Foundations of Education: An introduction for teacher candidates to the profession of education.
- School-Age Growth and Development: An examination of the prevailing philosophies and theories of child development.
- Educational Pedagogy I: Introduces teacher candidates to theories and research concerning teaching and learning.
- Diversity in the Classroom: An examination of students from diverse cultural, racial, economic and language groups – as well as students with physical, psycho-social and intellectual exceptionalities.
Higher-Level Courses continue to prepare you for the tasks and challenges of the classroom. You will be studying:
- Child/Adolescent Development, Motivation, and Learning: An exploration of the social, physical, emotional and intellectual growth of children as related to learning and the motivation to learn.
- Effective Practices: Planning, Instruction, and Assessment: An examination of the effective practices and the challenges of the modern classroom – including the ability to modify instruction for learners with needs outside of mainstream instructional practices.
- Community-Building for Effective Classroom Management: An exploration of the strategies for fostering a sense of community in the classroom and developing positive relationships with and among students.
- Exploring Dimensions of Literacy through an in-depth study of literacy development and the strategies for helping students learn to read and develop vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, writing skills, content-area literacy and media literacy.
- Instruction and Assessment: An in-depth study of teaching strategies designed to ensure mastery of content and help students become effective citizens of a democratic and culturally diverse society.
Prepare for an exciting future as a/an:
- Teacher
- Curriculum Specialist
- Instructional Coordinator/Specialist
- Academic Coach
- Educational Consultant
- Child Care Director
- Camp Director
Recent graduates have found positions in a variety of schools/corporations including:
- Penn-Harris-Madison
- School City of Mishawaka
- Concord Community Schools
- Elkhart Christian Academy
- South Bend Community Schools
You’ll gain career-shaping skills such as:
- How to teach in a classroom.
- Social, political, economic, and historical issues within schools.
- The prevailing philosophies and theories of child development.
- Theories and research concerning teaching and learning.
- An examination of students from diverse cultural, racial, economic, and language groups – as well as students with physical, psycho-social, and intellectual exceptionalities.
- The social, physical, emotional, and intellectual growth of children as related to learning and the motivation to learn.
- Effective practices and adaptations for challenges of the modern classroom.
- Strategies for fostering a sense of community in the classroom and developing positive relationships with and among students.
- How to help students learn to read and develop vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, writing skills, content-area literacy, and media literacy.
All education majors begin working in classrooms with students during their freshman year.
Student Teaching
The final step in earning a Bachelor’s in Education — and a critical step in qualifying for teacher certification in most states — is to spend time in an actual classroom. Typically, your program will place you in a local school, where you will gradually assume complete teaching responsibility and take full control of the classroom for six to eight weeks during a 12- to 15-week placement.
Early Childhood Education Major Highlights
Be prepared to lead as you master the most current research-based knowledge of instruction and curriculum for early education. Gain hundreds of hours of classroom experience through the teacher preparation program, including a 12- to 15-week Student Teaching experience and a full-day kindergarten classroom in partnership with the School City of Mishawaka.
Take part in the mentor-mentee program created by the Bethel Education Club for incoming education majors to facilitate a smooth transition into the field or participate in Education Department events intended to build camaraderie within the department and among the teacher candidates.
Also Consider These Areas of Study
As you’re pursuing a career in early childhood education, you may also look at the following degrees:
Still deciding?
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Meet Our Faculty
Jim Bennett
Program Director of Education; Department Chair of Education
Michelle Fish
Associate Professor of Education; Director of Student Teaching
Kim Meyer
Assistant Professor of Education; Licensing Advisor
Financial Aid
Obtaining a License in Another State
The State of Indiana has a compact agreement with most states. That means that if you hold a valid Indiana license, it should be relatively easy to obtain a license in most states. It is important to obtain your Indiana license first. Other states may have different requirements than Indiana regarding coursework, testing or GPA.
To obtain information for out-of-state licensing, please contact the Department of Education within the state you are seeking licensure. Please visit the United States Department of Education website and select the particular state of interest for license requirements and application procedures.
For current information regarding out-of-state licensing, please visit the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) website.
Have questions? Please contact the Bethel University Education Department, Licensing Advisor.
Take the Next Step
Take the first step toward your Bethel University degree in early childhood education. Visit campus, apply, request information or ask questions about financial aid.