+ Early Childhood Education

529 Education, 419-372-7320
365 Education, 419-372-7372
228A West Hall, Firelands, 419-372-0928

The BGSU Early Childhood Education Program prepares teachers to construct developmentally appropriate experiences for children, ages 3-8, in collaboration with their families. Graduates are eligible for licensure as early childhood education teachers for pre-kindergarten through grade three classrooms. The program seeks to develop educators of young children who have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to:

• create, teach, and assess child-centered, constructivist learning experiences for all children in inclusive and diverse classrooms;
• engage and collaborate with families, communities, and other professionals to support the learning and development of young children;
• teach and nurture young children based on knowledge of child development, educational psychology, and diversity in our society;
• act as early childhood professionals who are continuous, collaborative, and reflective learners; who act using ethical guidelines; and who advocate for young children and their families.

The program meets Ohio Department of Education standards for Early Childhood Educators. Ohio licensure mandates that early childhood teachers be prepared to work with children who are typically developing, at-risk, gifted, or who have mild/moderate special needs. The ECE curriculum is based on standards for early childhood programs and teacher preparation programs promulgated by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the content specified in the Ohio Academic Standards.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in early childhood education are expected to demonstrate knowledge of:

1. Constructivist Pedagogy: The student will be able to generate and implement interdisciplinary curriculum and instruction that actively engages young children and facilitates their developmental growth and learning based upon individual needs, backgrounds, research, and content standards.
2. Developmental and Diverse Perspectives: The student will be able to use knowledge of child development to assess the needs and progress of all children and to create an inclusive classroom environment that reflects cultural diversity and multiple perspectives.
3. Collaboration with Families, Communities, and Other Professionals: The student will be able to collaborate effectively with families, communities, and other professionals to meet the individual needs of young children and their families by contributing assessment data and instructional knowledge, listening reflectively, and engaging in mutual decision making.
4. Commitment to Professionalism and Reflective Practice: The student will be able to act as early childhood professionals who reflect on their practice, make decisions based upon the ethics of the profession, and advocate to improve the lives of young children and their families.

Admission and Licensure
This is a highly competitive four-year program. Students are considered for program admission when they have completed at least 45 hours of coursework, including at least 24 semester hours at BGSU for transfer students. Admission criteria relate to state and national standards for accreditation. To be admitted, the pre-early childhood major must demonstrate:

1. Content knowledge with:
   1. an ACT composite of 22 or higher (or an equivalent SAT score), or Praxis I Writing and Mathematics scores of 172 or higher and a Reading score of 173 or higher. NOTE: We recommend that students taking the Praxis I tests earn satisfactory scores by the completion of 30 BGSU hours of coursework.
   2. a minimum overall grade point average of 3.2 at BGSU.
2. Basic skills in mathematics, oral communication, and written communication by earning a grade of "C" or better in MATH 213, IPC 102, and ENG 112.
3. Understanding of the framework of early childhood education by earning a letter grade of "C" or better in HDFS 221, EDFI 300, EDFI 301, and EDTL 204.

To be eligible for Ohio's provisional, or entry-year-level, license, a graduate must complete the major with at least a 2.5 accumulative grade point average and must successfully complete the required Praxis II exams.

Early childhood education majors meeting these criteria qualify to teach from pre-K through grade three (ages 3-8).

Click for 2008-2009 course requirements