Early Elementary (PK - 4) and Special Education (PK - 12), B.A.

The School of Social Science, Humanities and Education offers a program leading to eligibility for dual certification in Early Elementary Education (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12), in accordance with all established standards of the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) . Program requirements and a suggested four-year curriculum for Early Elementary (PK - 4) and Special Education (PK - 12) can be found in this section.  Students who successfully complete the dual major in Early Elementary Education and Special Education; successfully complete student teaching; and pass all PDE-required certification tests are eligible for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Instructional I Certification. Neumann University provides a dual certification only.

Teacher education at Neumann University emphasizes the liberal arts as the foundation for professional development. The professional component of teacher education is based upon, and combined with, liberal arts in a curriculum which seeks to develop and enhance the student’s level of intellectual curiosity and inquiry and the ability to use the results of inquiry to seek change. Professional ideals and values, consonant with Christian Humanism, are also reinforced as they apply to serving the diverse populations and learning needs of today and the future.

The professional education component of the program includes specialized study of the principles and methods of teaching and learning. Students are involved in actual practice situations from the beginning of their studies through their culminating 14-week student teaching experience. Settings for field experiences and student teaching include public, charter, parochial, and other private schools, as well as preschools, daycare centers, and special education schools and settings. Several courses in the major make specific use of Neumann University’s state-accredited Child Development Center (https://www.neumann.edu/about/cdc.asp).

Neumann University Education Programs Mission Statement

The School of Social Science, Humanities and Education at Neumann University houses education programs at the undergraduate, masters, and doctoral levels. We believe that education is a vehicle through which all learners can become who they were created to be, and that lifelong learning is essential to individual happiness and to a progressive democratic society. Education is a transformative process that prepares all learners to actively engage in the world to promote social mobility and social justice.

Our mission is to prepare culturally responsive and sustaining educators who act as agents for change in schools and society. The educational programs at Neumann University place a strong emphasis on preparing teachers and administrators for the purpose of disrupting inequities in schools and society. Prospective teachers and administrators in our programs learn best practices that are grounded in research and are rooted in social justice. Through our programs our students have opportunities to apply leading-edge practices rooted in our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our students engage with current research and theory in their courses and bring this knowledge to life during a variety of field experiences. Prospective teachers and administrators in our programs learn evidence-based practices and employ these strategies in the field while also learning from practicing master educators.

The following program outcomes, based on the PDE student teaching assessment tool are used to evaluate the success of the program and its candidates. 

1. Planning and Preparation:  Education Student demonstrates thorough knowledge of content and pedagogical skills in planning and preparation. Education Student makes plans and sets goals based on the content to be taught/learned, knowledge of assigned students, and the instructional context.

2. Classroom Environment: Education Student establishes and maintains a purposeful and equitable environment for learning, in which students feel safe, valued, and respected, by instituting routines and setting clear expectations for student behavior.

3. Instructional Delivery: Education Student, through knowledge of content, pedagogy and skill in delivering instruction, engages students in learning by using a variety of instructional strategies.

4. Professionalism: Education Student demonstrates qualities that characterize a professional person in aspects that occur in and beyond the classroom/building. Education Student adheres to the standards of integrity, ethical behavior, and professional conduct as stated in Pennsylvania Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for Educators; and local, state, and federal, laws and regulations

Admission and Progression Criteria

The following is an abbreviated description of criteria, policies and procedures that address admission to, retention in, and completion of the Early Elementary (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12) major/certification program. Detailed Field Experience and Student Teaching Handbooks are always available to students. Students are required to complete an application to the Early Elementary (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12) major at the completion of 48 college-level credits.

Enrollment in any course, Education or other, does not imply acceptance into the major or certification program. Similarly, admission to a certification program does not guarantee that certification will be recommended by Neumann University or granted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.

Admission Criteria

Neumann University complies fully with the laws and regulations enacted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania relevant to admission and exit criteria for teacher education programs in Pennsylvania.

While college catalogs are recognized as a contractual agreement, they are subject to changes in state or federal regulations.The eligibility requirements for admission to an initial professional educator program are:

• Accumulation of 48 credit hours or the full-time equivalent of college-level study.
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 for both entrance to and exit from the teacher education program.
• Six (6) semester credit hours, or transfer credits, in college-level mathematics and six (6) semester hour credits, or transfer credits, in English (three [3] in English composition and three [3] in English literature). These courses are to be credit courses of the institution, and the standards of the preparing institution will be used to identify and develop appropriate curricula.
• In compliance with Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Chapter 354 Guidelines for the Preparation of Professional Educators, candidates for admission to the certification programs are required to have all credentials reviewed by the Teacher Education Committee.

NOTE: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires the successful completion of the basic skills assessment prior to formal entry in the teacher certification program. Identified professional core courses may only be taken after the student has met the basic skills requirement and received a formal Letter of Acceptance to the Education major. 

• ​Two courses of college level mathematics (6 credits) are required for all education majors. Students who have not met the PDE Basic Skills Assessment (BSA) requirement in Math through SAT, ACT, or Basic Skills Math test should take Math 205 and Math 206. A minimum grade of a B is required to meet the BSA requirement. These courses must be taken at Neumann University.
   

Progression Criteria/Degree Requirements

Progression in the Early Elementary (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12) major requires students to:

• Maintain a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA.
• Achieve a minimum grade of “C” for all major and allied requirements. Students earning lower than a “C” must retake the course; courses may be retaken one time only.

After a review of academic standing and personal qualifications, students apply to the Early Elementary (PK-4) and Special Education (PK-12) major. Information on the application process can be obtained through the Education department’s Certification & Compliance Specialist. 

 

Limitation on Transfer Credit

In addition to the institutional requirement of a grade of “C” or better for all transfer courses, and to maintain the most current and highest quality of teacher preparation standards, transfer students are to refer to the following guidelines regarding the acceptance of transfer credits into the degree program: 

• Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited, degree-granting institution and current within a 10-year period. All stipulated transfer criteria as outlined in the University catalog must be met.
• Transfer credits earned more than 10 years ago may be accepted as elective credits, based upon a review by the School Dean, in consultation with the University Registrar.

Field Experience

Throughout their four-year program at Neumann University, Education majors participate in a clinical field experience sequence which is designed to help them connect theory to practice; enhance their observational, instructional, and analytical skills; and develop their professional ethos. Field experiences expose students to a variety of classroom settings with scaffolded involvement to include observation, one-on-one interaction, instructional aide responsibilities, designing and delivering lessons in small groups, and full class instruction.

Course content and assignments are linked to field experiences, and students are required to take a field experience course every semester. Students must obtain and submit to the Field Experience Coordinator all security clearances that meet current state-approved teaching requirements. For current security clearance requirements, contact the Field Experience Coordinator.

Student Teaching (Practicum)

Application for student teaching must be made the semester prior to the anticipated student teaching semester. Students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to apply for student teaching.

All candidates for certification are supervised in the classroom by a qualified Neumann University Student Teaching Supervisor.  Arrangements are made for the placement of candidates in approved schools by the Coordinator of Student Teaching Placements.  Students may take no additional courses other than EDU 462 Senior Seminar II  during student teaching. Students are required to attend EDU 462 Senior Seminar II  on campus during their student teaching experience.