TEACHER EDUCATION (23) DEPARTMENT CORE COURSES DESCRIPTIONS

100 Career Analysis in Education 1 semester hour

Offered first and second semesters. One hour lecture a week. Fee: $15.00

This course is an introductory analysis of education in America and the potential roles to be played in schools and in the wider community. It provides the student with a preliminary assessment of how the student’s interests and abilities match the demands of the education profession. Course objectives include portfolio development, observations with reflections, and self-assessments. Required: Taken prior to admission to Phase I if attending Frostburg State University. Recommended: Taken within the first two semesters of coursework within an Education program.

152 Early Childhood Foundations 3 semester hours

Offered first semester. Three hours lecture and discussion a week.

This course is an introduction to the profession of early childhood education. Objectives include growth and development of young children. This course examines the historic, theoretical, and philosophical underpinnings of current early childhood programs. This course explores pay, learning environments, and curriculum and looks at the context of families and communities. Students are required to prepare reflective journals, to engage in field observations, and to contribute to portfolio development.

190 Preparation for the Pre-Professional Sequence 1 semester hour

Offered first and second semesters and summer session. This course is offered on a Pass/Fail basis. One hour of lecture/application a week. Fee: $15.00.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the pre-professional assessment series requirements and sequence for education students. Course objectives include the role of the Praxis Series in teacher preparation programs, appropriate State passing scores and the registration process and sequence for the required Pre-Professional Skills Tests. Coursework will include competencies and skills evaluated by the Pre-Professional Skills Tests, the Praxis I assessment format, and test-taking proficiencies. Lecture/application. Required: Candidates for admission to education programs at Maryland four-year institutions must receive the Maryland passing score on the Reading, Writing, and Mathematics sections of the Praxis I Series. Students who can provide documentation that they have successfully taken this assessment will be exempted from this course with Director’s approval.

201 Foundations of Education, Philosophy and Practice 3 semester hours

Offered first and second semesters and as demand warrants in summer session. Three hours lecture and discussion a week.

This course includes an overview of contemporary American education, with an emphasis on historical and philosophical development and current practice, and serves as the basis for study in legal and ethical issues. Course content also includes issues of diversity, current educational events of national and local implications, and the roles of educational professionals and agencies.

Prerequisite: Education 100.

Prerequisite: Psychology 101 is recommended.

203 Human Growth and Development (Psychology 203) 3 semester hours

Offered first and second semesters. Offered as demand warrants in summer session.

Three hours lecture and discussion a week.

The processes affecting and effecting human development, with implications for educational practices used by and in the family, school, and community. Attention given to measurements and evaluative techniques for assessing total growth. The case method will be used, with direct and recorded observation being required.

Prerequisite: Psychology 101 or consent of instructor.

204 Psychology of Learning and Teaching (Psychology 204) 3 semester hours

Offered second semester. Three hours lecture and discussion a week.

A study of human development and its relationship to the theories and principles of learning and teaching. Topics investigated will include self-development, group functioning, individual learning alternatives, and teacher evaluative techniques as they affect learning.

Prerequisite: Psychology 101 and Education 201 are recommended.

293 Early Childhood Learning Environments 3 semester hours

Offered second semester. Three hours lecture and discussion a week.

This course examines and assesses developmentally appropriate environments for young children birth to age eight and includes the planning of physically and psychologically safe and healthy learning environments. This course is designed to provide early childhood teacher candidates with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to effectively establish, adapt, maintain and assess instructional environments appropriate for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary-aged children.

295 Processes and Acquisition of Reading 3 semester hours

Offered first semester. Offered second semester as demand warrants. Three hours of lecture and discussion a week. Fee: $15.00.

The course content includes the process of language development, including impact of phonemic awareness, how the brain responds to reading acquisition and use. Course objectives develop an understanding of the role of experiential background and prior knowledge, motivation, and relevancy to emerging readers. Major themes of the course are the acquisition of literacy skills through a balanced approach and multiculturalism. Course requirements include classroom observation and the demonstration of reading materials, reading series, and other reading resources used by classroom teachers.

Prerequisite: Education 201

296 Special and Multicultural Education 3 semester hours

Offered second semester. Offered first semester as demand warrants. Three hours of lecture and discussion a week. Fee: $15.00.

This course explores the history of the development of special education in America and the legal implications on American schools and community agencies. The characteristics of children with exceptionalities, and an understanding of how exceptionalities, culture, race, ethnicity, socio-economic class, religion, age, language, and intellectual ability influences learning are introduced. Course objectives include and overview of current service delivery models and applicable teaching methods. Students will complete controlled observations.

Prerequisite: Education 201.