College of Education
New bachelor’s program to be offered in ECE
3/19/2008
Beginning in Fall 2008, the Department of Early Childhood Education (ECE) will offer a Bachelor of Science in Education Birth Through Five (B-5) Teacher Education program, the first program of its kind in Georgia. This program developed through several years of planning and gives current and future educators a new option in furthering their education and certification.
In the past, certifications offered in early education have been limited to pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade. With growing state and national attention to the importance and capability of child-development at a young age, the B-5 program is designed to extend the age range of students that teacher candidates will be qualified to teach.
“There is a significant number of young children in Georgia who are cared for and receive child development programming outside of the home. With the B-5 license we will be preparing teachers to meet the needs of those children and families,” says Ruth Saxton, clinical assistant professor in the early childhood education department and B-5 coordinator.
The program will prepare teachers by combining disciplines such as teacher education, child development and special education. Required courses in the program include those in the Departments of Early Childhood Education, Educational Psychology and Special Education, Kinesiology and Health, and the College of Arts and Sciences’ sociology department. Five of the 13 courses in the major focus on building competencies to work with children with disabilities and their families in a comprehensive approach. With completion of the B-5 certification at Georgia State, teachers are awarded a Preschool Special Education endorsement.
Through an articulation agreement between the University System of Georgia (USG) and the Department of Technical and Adult Education (DTAE), the B-5 program has the unique ability to prepare not only incoming freshman at Georgia State University but also teachers who have completed course requirements at technical and two-year colleges.
“We anticipate having students in our program who have their associate’s degree in early care and education and are experienced teachers seeking their bachelor’s degree. We also welcome candidates seeking preparation for their first career and career-changers who want to work with young children,” says Saxton.
Experienced educators will be able to build on the knowledge and skills they already have and utilize their current work settings for the program’s required field experiences. Students not currently employed in the field of birth through five will receive placements in model child development settings. For example, the B-5 program will collaborate with the two child development centers on-campus, Suttles and Capitol Hill, in order to provide field experience.
Currently, candidates are being recruited from two-year and technical colleges and child development centers in the metro Atlanta area. Freshman learning communities with a focus on education will also receive information about the new degree program. Those seeking the degree will identify themselves as “pre-Birth through Five majors” and maintain close contact with advisors. More information on the B-5 degree can be found at : http://education.gsu.edu/ece/BirthThroughFive.htm.