Mar 28, 2024  
2012-2013 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2012-2013 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Elementary Education, B.A. Major in


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Associate Professor Libresco, Adviser

The Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership strongly recommends an emphasis on course work dealing with multicultural issues and social contexts of education. In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students in B.A. degree programs with majors in elementary education must complete course work from each of the content areas below. When programs are planned carefully, these requirements may be satisfied while completing the Hofstra Distribution. Specific courses and minimum credits required for prospective teachers are indicated.

Whereas satisfaction of the Hofstra Distribution may require more credits in the indicated areas than those stipulated below, the designated courses within the following areas must be included in the B.A. degree program of the elementary education major. Comparable course work must be completed by New College and School of Communication students in each of the areas below.

Transfer students must plan their courses of study carefully with an academic adviser to assure that their programs will fulfill both University and New York State Education Department requirements.

Students receiving a grade lower than C- in a professional education course must repeat the course and receive a grade of C or higher in order to remain in the program.

Undergraduate Teacher Preparation for Elementary Education (Grades 1-6)


The undergraduate elementary education program leads toward New York state initial teacher certification in childhood education (grades 1-6). The elementary education program is designed to blend on-campus preparation with field experiences in a variety of school settings, culminating in full-time student teaching. Literacy, multicultural education, and information technology are integrated throughout all aspects of the program. The program conforms with the standards and guidelines of the Association for Childhood Education International and with the New York State Learning Standards for Childhood Education.

Program Requirements


Students select a B.A. degree program from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (excluding fine arts, dance, drama, music and speech-language-hearing sciences) or a B.A. degree program in Speech Communication and Rhetorical Studies from the School of Communication. After completing a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work, students choose elementary education as a co-major. Hofstra’s undergraduate program in elementary education is a New York state-registered program. Students who successfully complete this program and who obtain passing scores on the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) will qualify for New York State initial teacher certification.

Admission Criteria for the Elementary Education Program


After completing a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work, students may apply for admission to the School of Education through the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership. Admission into a B.A. degree program in the Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership is based  on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria, including the following:
A passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam or, for students who entered New College for Interdisciplinary Studies prior to fall 2006, completion of the New College for Interdisciplinary Studies Writing Program. 

  • An overall GPA of 2.75 or higher in overall course work and liberal arts and sciences course work.
  • Two letters of reference addressing the applicant’s potential to succeed in the teaching profession.
  • A written personal statement of professional intent and rationale.

 

Required Course Work


The Department of Teaching, Literacy, and Leadership strongly recommends emphasis on course work dealing with multi-cultural issues and social contexts of education. In order to ensure that prospective teachers have a broad education in the liberal arts and sciences, all students in the B. A. degree programs with co-majors in elementary education  must complete course work from each of the content areas below. When programs are planned carefully, these requirements may be satisfied while completing the Hofstra Distribution. Specific courses and minimum credits required for prospective teachers are indicated.

Whereas satisfaction of the Hofstra Distribution may require more credits in the indicated areas than those stipulated below, the designated courses within the following areas must be included in the B.A. degree program of the elementary education major.

Areas to be included in partial fulfillment of the Hofstra Distribution and New York State Education Department requirements:

Included Areas


Areas to be included in partial fulfillment of the Hofstra Distribution and New York State Education Department requirements:

Artistic Expression/Humanities - Semester Hours: 3


Any LT or AA course listed under the Humanities Division of the Hofstra Distribution.



Communication - Semester Hours: 3


Information Retrieval


Historical/Social Science Concepts - Semester Hours: 6


Include at least one HIST course listed under the Social Science Division of the Hofstra Distribution  (prerequisite to ELED 126A ).

Language Other Than English - Semester Hours: 0-12


Completion of 3 s.h. in a language other than English, or placement at level 2 or above. American Sign Language, ASL 191 , may be used to satisfy this requirement but does not carry liberal arts credit.

Scientific Processes - Semester Hours: 3


Any NS course listed under the Natural Sciences Division of the Hofstra distribution .

Mathematical Processes - Semester Hours: 3


Any MATH course listed under the Mathematics/Computer Science division of the Hofstra distribution .

Written Analysis and Expression - Semester Hours: 6


WSC 001 , 002  and a passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Examination (Students transferring from other institutions must pass the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam).

Transfer Students


Transfer students must plan their courses of study carefully with an academic adviser to assess that their progress will fulfill both the University and the New York State Education Department requirements.

Pedagogical Core Requirements for Elementary Education


Phase 1


Satisfactory completion of 45 semester hours of college level course work and admission to the Elementary Education Program.

Phase 3. Admission to Student Teaching


Students receiving a grade lower than C- in a professional education course must repeat the course and receive a grade of C or higher in order to remain in the program.

Student Teaching Prerequisites for the Program


Program Phases 1 and 2 must be completed prior to student teaching. Application forms for student teaching are available in the Office of Field Placement and are due by May 1 for the succeeding spring semester and February 15 for the succeeding fall semester. Admission criteria for student teaching are as follows:

  1. a cumulative GPA of 2.75 on overall course work;
  2. a GPA of 2.5 or higher in liberal arts and sciences course work;
  3. a grade of C- or higher in each ELED course completed and
  4. no unresolved INC grades in professional education course work.

Graduation Requirements


Graduation from this program requires:

  1. completion of all graduation requirements for the appropriate B.A. degree in the liberal arts and sciences;
  2. completion of all course requirements for the co-major in the elementary education program;
  3. successful completion of at least 131 semester hours. (Military Science courses may not be counted toward this total semester hour requirement.);
  4. completion of at least 93 semester hours in liberal arts and sciences course work (FDED 111 and 127 may be counted toward this requirement);
  5. a minimum GPA of 2.75 in overall course work;
  6. a minimum GPA of 2.5 in liberal arts and sciences course work; and
  7. an electronic portfolio, illustrating the student’s education course work and professional accomplishments.

Teacher Certification Requirements


Upon the successful completion of a Hofstra state-approved teacher education program, students are eligible for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. A request for recommendation must be submitted to the Office of Educational Support Services the semester in which the student is graduating. There will be opportunities to attend a certification workshop during the student’s final semester, to receive all the necessary information regarding applying for certification. Students who apply directly to New York state for certification are responsible for learning about and satisfying the certification requirements set by the state. It should be noted that such requirements may differ from those in Hofstra’s registered programs.

All prospective early childhood (Birth-Grade 2), elementary (Grades 1-6), secondary (Grades 7-12) and special subject teachers as well as educational leaders are required to pass the New York State Teachers Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) administered by National Evaluation Systems, Inc., for state certification requirements. Students should consult with the Office of Educational Support Services regarding the appropriate examinations for their area of study.

We anticipate that teacher and school building leader candidates applying for certification on or after May 1st, 2014, will be required to take certain new exams. At the February 2012 meeting, the New York State Board of Regents approved a change to the implementation schedule for the new testing requirements for the initial certification of teachers and school building leaders. Please contact the office of Educational Support Services at Hofstra University at (516) 463-5747 or consult the state website.

For candidates graduating prior to May 2013, it is strongly recommended that students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Test (LAST) prior to student teaching, and the Assessment of Teaching Skills Written (ATS-W) and the Content Specialty Test (CST) during student teaching. Students not receiving passing scores on these examinations will not be eligible for certification.

In addition to fulfilling the required courses of study, the Commissioner’s Regulations mandate that all prospective teachers, pupil personnel and education leaders receive instructions regarding:

  1. Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
  2. Fire and Arson Prevention
  3. School Violence Prevention and Intervention
  4. Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Abuse
  5. Highway and School Safety/Prevention of Child Abduction

New York state legislation also requires all persons seeking certification in special education, speech and language disabilities or school administrators working in special education, to have training in the area of children with autism.

Hofstra University offers the above listed educational law seminars through the Office of Educational Support Services. All of these seminars must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.

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