Important Notification to All Education Majors
All programs and degree options in the College of Education lead to New York State Certification and are subject to the guidelines and mandates established by New York State. Additionally, all programs and degree options are held accountable to the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards. As such, any changes made by the New York State Board of Regents or the NCATE review board have the potential to impact the requirements of the program. Undergraduate programs are reviewed each semester to check compliance with state certification and national accreditation requirements. Candidates should meet with their faculty advisors and attend all advisement sessions for up-to-date information on current programs and certification requirements.
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
NCATE is a partnership of over 30 national professional organizations, representing over three million Americans, who have united to ensure high quality teacher preparation. NCATE ensures that subject matter content, and how to teach it, is the priority. NCATE standards expect the College of Education to base its programs on content and teaching standards set by professional associations in each content area. NCATE also expects candidates to gain a firm foundation in the liberal arts. NCATE endorsement adds credibility and national transportability to SUNY Fredonia certification programs.
Office of Student Support Services
Office: E259 Thompson Hall
(716) 673-4768
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.– 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.– 3 p.m.
The Office of Student Support Services provides information for candidates and potential candidates (in all certification programs) in the areas of advisement, New York State testing requirements, SAVE and fingerprinting requirements, course selection and registration information, professional development opportunities, and more.
Certification Programs
The College of Education offers opportunity for certification in the following areas:
- Early Childhood Education
- Childhood Education
- Middle Childhood Education—Mathematics Specialist
- Adolescence Education
Early Childhood Education: Preparation to teach very young children, birth through age 8 (B.S. in Ed. degree: Certification Birth through Grade 2).
Childhood Education: Preparation to teach elementary school (B.S. in Ed. Degree: Certification Grades 1 to 6).
Middle Childhood Education: Preparation to teach middle school mathematics (B.S. in Ed. Degree: Certification Grades 5 to 9). Core education courses for this degree are taught within both the College of Education and the mathematical sciences department. Candidates in this degree program will be assigned an academic advisor from the mathematical sciences department. For information on this program, students should see the mathematics department degrees and offerings.
Adolescence Education: Preparation to teach biology, chemistry, earth science, English, French, mathematics, physics, social studies or Spanish (B.A. or B.S. degree: Certification Grades 7 to 12). Core education courses for these degrees are taught within both the College of Education and the academic departments. Candidates in these degree programs will be assigned an academic advisor from the appropriate academic department. For information on any of these programs, students should refer to the appropriate academic department.
Program Philosophy and Conceptual Framework for All Certification Programs
The College of Education believes that all children can learn and that they learn best when taught by reflective and responsive educators who carefully assess their instructional competence via reflections upon pupil performance. Responsive educators act upon information gleaned from their professional reflections; they make informed decisions and adjust instruction to enhance pupil progress.
All candidates in the College of Education complete a series of four field-based experiences. Each field-based experience is taught in conjunction with a required education course to better establish the link between theory and practice. Each of the field experiences is highly structured, well supervised, and intended to provide multiple opportunities for candidates to Plan, Instruct, Reflect, and Respond.
Candidates enroll in course work related to child and adolescent development, psychology in the classroom, and pedagogical strategies, as well as liberal arts and discipline-specific content courses. All of the courses strengthen the candidates’ Four Pillars of Understanding—Knowledge, Pedagogy, Diversity, and Professionalism—which in turn support the process of effective planning, instructing, reflecting, and responding.
Course work and instruction are rooted in a strong foundation of research-based practices and strategies, contextual factors that influence instruction, and standards for teaching and learning.
Requirements for All Certification Programs
Candidates in the College of Education are regularly monitored and evaluated throughout the program via degree-specific Gated Assessment Models. Each model includes a sequenced series of gates that must be passed through in order for a candidate to remain in good standing in the program. Specific requirements and deadlines, minimal satisfactory performance levels (including grade point average requirements), and remediation plans are detailed in the models. All candidates should obtain a copy of the appropriate Gated Assessment Model from an academic advisor and become familiar with the requirements established therein.
Note: Candidates transferring into a certification program (both internally and externally) must pass through each of the aforementioned gates regardless of the candidate’s academic standing at the time of transfer.
Candidate Disposition for All Certification Programs
Candidates in professional education are expected to demonstrate a set of values and attitudes consistent with the highest professional standards. The values and attitudes must be demonstrated in concrete ways in their interactions with members of the faculty, school personnel, and most particularly with students. Candidates may obtain copies of these dispositions from their advisor or from the College of Education Office of Student Support Services.
Inappropriate behaviors may warrant remediation, probation, or dismissal from the program.
Candidate Organizations for All Certification Programs
Within the College of Education, a dynamic and active Teacher Education Club offers activities for majors that enhance opportunities for academic, personal, and professional growth.
The College of Education also houses the Zeta Upsilon Chapter of the International Honor Society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi. This invitation-only, service-orientated organization provides multiple opportunities for professional growth.
International Exchange Program
Upon completion of degree requirements, candidates have the opportunity to experience a cultural and educational exchange with either University of Plymouth in Exmouth, England, or Swansea Institute in Swansea, Wales. This five-week internship includes classroom experience in the United Kingdom, organized cultural excursions, and free travel time for individual development. Candidates earn 3 hours of graduate course credit.
Special Requirements for All Certification Programs
Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
All persons applying for certification on or after January 1, 1991 are required to complete a minimum of two contact hours of course work or training in the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment. This requirement can be met by satisfactory completion of EDU 224, EDU 225 or EDU 349, or by completing a state- approved training workshop.
School Violence Intervention and Prevention
All persons applying for certification on or after February 2, 2001 are required to complete a minimum of two contact hours of course work or training in the warning signs related to violence and policies related to safe climates, and effective classroom management.
Foreign Language Requirement
Candidates in all education programs are required to demonstrate competence in a foreign language. This requirement must be satisfied in any one of the following four ways: (1) completion of course work at the 116 level at SUNY Fredonia, (2) transferring of two successful college semesters, (3) scoring at the 50th percentile or higher on the CLEP exam, or (4) completion of three years of high school language with a passing Regents score (65 or higher).
Fingerprinting and Criminal Background
Legislation effective July 1, 2001, requires that all applicants for initial certification and all new school employees be cleared through FBI fingerprinting and criminal background check. The candidate incurs the costs for the fingerprinting and the background check. Current forms and regulations are available at www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/ospra/.
New York State Certification Examinations
Candidates for Initial teacher certification must successfully complete the New York State Teacher Certification Examinations: Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written, Liberal Arts and Sciences Test, and the Content Specialty Test.
Honors and Awards
Academic Excellence in Childhood and Early Childhood Education Eligibility: (1) acceptance to the Professional Year program, (2) an overall GPA of 3.2 or higher, (3) a minimum of a B+ in each education course taken during the freshman, sophomore and junior years, and (4) a minimum of 12 credits in education courses taken at SUNY Fredonia.
Selection process: final decision as to the actual recipients rests with the College of Education Honors and Awards Committee. If needed, input may be requested from the faculty of the College of Education.
Honors in Childhood and Early Childhood Education Methods Eligibility: the candidate must receive an A in each methods course taken during the Professional Year program.
Selection process: (1) in the fall the university supervisors will submit nominations of student teachers whom they consider to have shown “exceptional promise” of continued growth as future classroom teachers, (2) in the spring, the university supervisor, using the nomination checklist supplied by the Office of Field Experiences, will submit nominations of student teachers whom they consider to be “exceptional beginning teachers, and (3) all nominees will be reviewed by the Professional Year faculty and listed under the categories “definite” or “marginal.” Their recommendations will be given to the Honors and Awards Committee who will make the decision as to the final recipients of the award.
Tuition Remission Awards in Childhood and Early Childhood Education
Eligibility: candidates who have received Academic Excellence in Childhood Education Award or Early Childhood Education Award and/or who are on the fall list for Honors in Childhood Education Methods or Early Childhood Education Methods.
Selection process: (1) the Professional Year faculty will submit the list of candidates under consideration for Honors in Childhood Education Methods or Early Childhood Education Methods to the Honors and Awards Committee, (2) notification of eligible candidates by mail will be made within the following week, (3) eligible candidates will be told for which award they are being considered and requested to write a one-page letter justifying their selection, and (4) the Honors and Awards Committee will make its decision as to the award recipients and notify the Fredonia College Foundation. The following awards are included in this category:
- Anthony M. Deiulio Memorial Scholarship
- Helen Kelly Lillie Award
- Floyd and Mabel Melvin Scholarship Fund
- Byron and Carrie Record Scholarship
- Marjorie E. Woods Scholarship
Cash Awards in Childhood and Early Childhood Education
Eligibility: candidates who have received Academic Excellence in Childhood Education Award and/or who have received Honors in Childhood Education Methods.
Selection process: (1) at the end of the second semester methods classes of the Professional Year program, faculty will submit to the committee the names of those candidates who are under consideration for Honors in Childhood Education Methods, and (2) the Honors and Awards Committee, taking into consideration the specific requirements of the individual awards, will decide the recipients. The following awards are included in this category:
- Fanny Bartlett Award (Alumni Association)
- Louis E. Raths Award (Early Childhood Education, even years)
- Helen Buderkin Award (Early Childhood Education, odd years)
- Carol Scrace Pierce Award (Exceptional Education).
College of Education Awards for Adolescence Student Teaching
Eligibility: each academic department having an Adolescence Education program is eligible to submit the name of one candidate for the award in their discipline (English, French, Spanish, Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Social Studies).
Selection process: nominees will be judged on criteria established by their individual departments to include performance in content and methods classes, as well as student teaching. The winning name from each department will be given to the Honors and Awards Committee for presentation.
Junior Year, Tuition Remission Special Education Awards
Eligiblity: the criteria for this award are currently under review.
- Gustave and Geraldine Werner Foundation Scholarship
Adolescence Education in Social Studies Awards
Included in this category is:
- Terry L. Wolfenden Scholarship Fund.
Graduate and advanced certificate programs are available in the College of Education; for more information, see the separate Graduate Catalog or contact the Office of Graduate Studies at (716) 673-3808.