To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program, the undergraduate degree-seeking candidate must meet the following requirements:
1. File a declaration of intent to major in an area of licensure with the Academic Advising Center immediately after completing UNIV 111;
2. Complete a minimum of 30 cumulative credit hours, with at least 12 hours earned at Gardner-Webb; 3. Complete the Application for Admission to Teacher
Education. Candidates must submit application by published deadline;
4. Candidates are required to have (and maintain) an overall GPA of 3.0 in addition to other factors for admission to Teacher Education;
5. Complete EDUC 250 with a grade of “C” or better (a “C-” is not acceptable). The Teacher Education Handbook provides specific guidelines for the pre- service candidate;
6. Obtain the minimum scores on the PRAXIS Core examinations or the SAT/ACT equivalents as required by the School of Education. These scores are subject to change. Applicants must satisfy the score
requirements in effect at the time of admission to the Teacher Education Program;
7. If majoring in Elementary Education, must be enrolled in MATH 205 with a “C” or better and take the General Curriculum Exam for licensure to be considered for admission. Elementary Education applicants do not have to pass the examination for admittance; and
8. Successfully complete the Teacher Education Program Interview.
9. All other requirements as outlined in the Teacher Education Handbook.
Candidates are not formally admitted to the School of Education until they have met all requirements of the interview.
THE PROFESSIONAL SEMESTER
Before beginning the professional semester (which includes the 16-week student teaching experience), the candidate must meet the following requirements:
1. Submit a completed Application for Student Teaching, to include background check and drug screening, on or before the published deadline; 2. Maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average; 3. Maintain a grade of “C” (2.0) or better (a “C-” is not
acceptable) in all professional education courses; and 4. Complete all requirements for the selected major.
Any exceptions must be approved by the Dean of the School of Education or designee. These requirements are described under the appropriate department listing.
Students will not be permitted to complete more than 50% of the Professional Education minor (excluding student teaching) until they are formally admitted to the Teacher Education Program. All candidates must be fully admitted into the Teacher Education Program a minimum of two full semesters prior to the semester in which they intend to student teach, ideally no later than the end of the first semester of their junior year.
CLINICAL EXPERIENCES/STUDENT
TEACHING
Student teaching assignments and various clinical experiences required throughout the Teacher Education Program are made by the Director of Clinical Experiences and Student Teaching in surrounding public schools. Candidates are required to comply at all times with clinical experience expectations, including the Code of Ethics for NC Educators, while completing clinical requirements. Transportation to and from these sites is the responsibility of the candidate.
Candidates are not allowed to complete clinical experiences without the permission of the Director of Clinical Experiences. Clinical experiences are tiered and candidates should seek to take courses in the correct order. Students should consult their advisor for additional information.
All candidates, in all teacher education programs, must maintain active classroom liability insurance while completing clinical experiences. Specific requirements regarding classroom liability insurance can be found in the teacher education handbook.
COMPLETION OF THE TEACHER
EDUCATION PROGRAM
Successful completion of coursework and licensure requirements, all major requirements, and the Professional Education Minor, including the professional semester, will qualify candidates for licensure in North Carolina. The candidate is responsible for any out-of-state (NC) licensure requirements.
NORTH CAROLINA EDUCATOR
LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS
To be recommended for Standard Professional 1 (SP1) licensure in the state of North Carolina, a candidate must meet the following requirements:
1. Complete an approved program of study; 2. Obtain minimum scores on the state-required
assessments for your licensure area and submit to NC DPI Online Licensure System;
3. Submit the completed application for licensure to the NC DPI Online Licensure System;
4. Provide official transcripts for all college and university work completed at other institutions to the NC DPI Online Licensure System; and
5. Remit the processing fee required by the State of North Carolina at the time of application using NC DPI Online Licensure System.
6. Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary Education, and Middle Grades candidates (and candidates seeking EC licensure) must pass NC licensure exams prior to becoming eligible for licensure. EC candidates must also pass the appropriate PRAXIS exam for EC - General Curriculum (K-12).
7. For candidates wanting to obtain an educator’s license in a state other than North Carolina, the candidate must also fulfill all licensure requirements of the state in which licensure is being sought.
LICENSURE ONLY CANDIDATES
Individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree and wish to obtain a North Carolina Standard Professional 1 license
may apply for admission to the approved program for teacher licensure. The candidate must meet entrance and exit requirements comparable to those required of a degree- seeking candidate in the approved program. A minimum of 21 hours must be taken at Gardner-Webb University to be recommended for licensure by the institution.
MAJOR FIELDS OF STUDY
Birth-Kindergarten (Licensure and Non-licensure Tracks)
Elementary Education (K-6)
Organizational Leadership (Non-Licensure)
MINOR FIELD OF STUDY
Professional Education
Birth-Kindergarten at Gardner-Webb University is state approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education.
CONCENTRATION
Exceptional Children (K-12)
BIRTH-KINDERGARTEN
REQUIRED MAJOR HOURS 43
REQUIRED MINOR HOURS 30
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM HOURS NONE
TOTAL PROGRAM HOURS 73
PRESCRIBED COURSES ATTAINABLE IN GEN ED: NONE
The Birth-Kindergarten Program at Gardner-Webb University is state approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education. .
The Bachelor of Science in Birth-Kindergarten will prepare candidates to teach in, administer, and direct early learning environments for ages birth-five. This degree will contain one licensure pathway and one non-licensure pathway. Both pathways will have an emphasis on child development and professional education based on the North Carolina State Board approved standards for Birth-Kindergarten Teacher Candidates, the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the NC Foundations for early learning and development, and NC Professional Teaching Standards, as well as 21 st Century knowledge, skills, and dispositions that prepare educators for the Birth-Kindergarten field. The Birth-Kindergarten program integrates a core set of pedagogy courses, clinical experiences, and practical applications of child development and early learning. Candidates must meet the requirements
listed in the Catalog for entrance into Teacher Education and for entrance into the Professional Semester.
Program goals and student learning outcomes are subject to change based upon data collected and analyzed by School of Education faculty.
PROGRAM GOALS
1. Candidates will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to effectively serve infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in diverse settings. 2. Candidates will apply developmentally, individually,
and culturally appropriate practices for children with or without disabilities.
3. Candidates will apply evaluation and assessment processes to measure the development of cognitive, motor, social-emotional, and communication domains.
4. Candidates will develop the skills necessary to become competent members of the early childhood profession by serving as team members and leaders by continually reflecting on their practice.
5. Candidates will apply their knowledge of early childhood development to create an integrated curriculum and responsive environment for all children by connecting with ALL children, with and without disabilities, including those at-risk and their families.
6. Candidates will apply their knowledge of early childhood development to conduct appropriate, ongoing, formal and informal assessments used to guide their instructional design.
7. Candidates will apply specific teaching/learning strategies appropriate for children to design, implement, evaluate, and adapt learning experiences.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Candidates will apply leadership skills to assume leadership roles in an educational setting.
2. Candidates will describe and apply the various stages and substages of growth and development in young children, the unique patterns with which children progress through these stages, and the factors that distinguish the wide range of typical from atypical development.
3. Candidates will explain and create the design and implementation of developmentally appropriate learning environments for young children. 4. Candidates will explain and demonstrate the most
effective ways to support families in facilitating their young children’s development.
5. Candidates will analyze data, including screening and assessment procedures focused on individual development, and program evaluation.
6. Candidates will synthesize data from screening and assessment procedures to inform instruction.
7. Candidates will apply current instructional principles, research, and appropriate assessment practices to the use of age-appropriate technology and applications. 8. Candidates will differentiate instruction in an
effective and appropriate manner.
9. Candidates will implement developmentally
appropriate management processes in an educational setting.
10. Candidates will use research and data to adapt instruction.
11. Candidates will be able to demonstrate professional dispositions in varied settings with regard to all members of an organization.