Early Education Degree Program, PreK-4 (Bachelor of Science)


帮助学生培养对学习的热爱
最佳教育学院荣誉徽章
If you dream of becoming a certified teacher who helps shape young children’s social, language, and reasoning skills, 从我们的B开始你的旅程.S. 在幼儿教育学位课程. Our program focuses on early childhood development and includes a path to PreK-4 teacher certification. 
At GMercyU, we have been helping students become the teachers they’re meant to be for more than 60 years. You will have access to expert faculty and all the resources you need to develop your teaching and classroom management skills. 

Certification: This program was designed to meet the certification requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. If you reside in a different state, you should carefully review 你所在州的认证要求 在参加这个项目之前.

Exciting News! The Pennsylvania Department of Education has waived the requirement to pass a Basic Skills assessment in order to pursue Teacher Certification. 阅读下面的教师认证途径. 

About the Program

TAP student你多久才能在真正的教室里呆上一段时间? As early as the second week of September of your freshman year!

As part of our 教师学徒计划(TAP), Early Education students gain first-hand insight into how the real world of education works through classroom observations.

你总共要花8个学期在教室里学习! Your final two semesters will be dedicated to pre-student teaching and student teaching experiences where you can take your turn at the head of the class.

While it is important to be knowledgeable about your curriculum, it is also important to develop your personal teaching style for the classroom. 通过GMercyU在课堂上的动手方法, 你会学到有效的课堂管理方式, 一组通信方法, 并且能够处理课堂上的冲突. Our real-world approach to teaching will prepare you to better understand your students in a dynamic setting.

*Please note, Education students must provide their own transportation to and from their various field experiences.

No matter your major, all GMercyU classes are taught by full-time or part-time faculty members – no teaching assistants. In fact, the professors in our Education Programs have more than 130 years of combined experience as educators!

作为一名早期教育专业的学生,你的支持包括:

  • A personal advisor 谁将指导你度过这四年.
  • Field Placement Coordinator, Dr. Cheryl Malfi, who will help ensure that you have a successful student teaching experience.
  • 认证和就业专家. 一旦进入教师资格认证的轨道. Pat McAleer will ensure you meet all requirements to become a certified teacher in Pennsylvania.

教育学位课程-教师证书更新

帮助解决全国教师短缺的问题, the Basic Skills requirements for candidates entering teacher preparation programs have been waived.  This means incoming Education majors do not need to pass a Pennsylvania Department of Education Basic Skills assessment prior to entering a teacher certification track. 这是来自Dr. 克里·赫尔姆,宾夕法尼亚州教育部:

7月8日,沃尔夫州长签署了2022年第55号法案, 2022, requires the Secretary of Education to waive the requirement to satisfactorily complete the assessment of basic skills required under section 1207.3 and 22 Pa. Code § 49.18(c) (relating to assessment) for 3 years from July 8, 2022 through July 8, 2025. This applies to all students who enter preparation programs during this period as well as otherwise qualified candidates for licensure who make application during this period. 

学生仍然需要满足3.0 GPA要求,如下所述.   

Transfer Students 我以3分的成绩被这所大学录取.0 GPA or higher and at least 48 credits will be admitted directly into the Teacher Certification track of their choice.

所有其他被录取的学生,包括即将入学的新生 会以教育研究专业入学吗. They will be eligible to enter a Certification track once they have earned between 48 and 60 credits with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher. Students will work with their respective advisors to monitor this progress.

将这份弃权书签署成为法律, students who aspire to be teachers will have a smoother path to a Certification track during the approved waiver period. Incoming students will work with the Program Coordinator to pursue that path.

An essential part of becoming a certified teacher in Pennsylvania is passing the required Pennsylvania Department of Education tests.

在GMercyU,我们将帮助您准备这些测试. 你不仅要和你的导师密切合作,而且我们的 Student Success Center provides many opportunities to help you prepare for these tests, 包括一系列基本技能工作坊, 为考试做练习的计算机程序, private one-on-one tutoring, and a variety of materials for you to take and prepare on your own.

Gain leadership skills, grow professionally, and make friends by getting involved!

Education Outreach Club
Its mission is to provide an opportunity for those with a passion for helping the community to come together to learn, collaborate, 分享教育经验. This club offers its members the option to connect with professionals, 参加教育和社会活动, and volunteer. 成为这个俱乐部的一员将促进相互理解, education, 以及GMercyU社区的最佳实践.

Best Buddies
Our Best Buddies chapter matches GMercyU students with members of the community who have Intellectual and developmental disabilities, hosts monthly events, 并参与筹款活动.

Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society
它是历史最悠久、规模最大的教育荣誉学会. 邀请加入是基于学术成就, 把教育作为一种事业的承诺, and a professional attitude that assures the member’s steady growth in the field of education.

除了通识教育的要求, you will complete the following courses for an early education degree:

Core Courses:  69 Credits

EDU 100  Education in America
EDU 104 Health & Motor Development Pre K-4
EDU 216 Foundations of Teaching & Learning Pre K-4  
EDU 223 Teaching Science Pre K-4
EDU 224 教授K-4学前社会研究
EDU 226 阅读序列1 -早期读写能力研究的基础
EDU 227 Math Methods for Pre K-4
EDU 228 Art and Humanities
EDU 229  Reading Sequence II – Lang. Dev. & Early Literacy, Instruction & Assessment
EDU 309  K-8学前教育中的技术整合
EDU 314   阅读序列三-早期识字教学 & Assessment
EDU 316  阅读序列四:读写能力教学、评估 & Intervention
EDU 351 满足英语学习者的需求
SPE 205 Exceptional Person
SPE 231  包容性环境中的轻度/中度残疾
SPE 331  Curriculum, Instruction & 轻/中度残疾评估方法
EDU 414   幼儿园-4班的课堂管理
EDU 415 学前班教学
EDU 498 K-8学前学生教学(12学分)
EDU 4000 

Capstone Seminar

PreK-12 Special Education Certification - Additional Courses
SPE 232 在教育环境中有复杂需要的学生
SPE 332  Research-Based Practices in the Assessment and Instruction of Students

Credit Requirements
A minimum of 120 credits is required for a bachelor’s degree in early education.

这个项目需要犯罪背景调查, child abuse clearance, and certain immunizations and other health-related clearances in order to participate in all field experiences.


Undergraduate Minors

Increase the value of your early childhood education degree by adding an undergraduate minor 这最能满足你的个人和职业目标.

Here’s a closer look at just a few of the courses you’ll take as an Early Education major at GMercyU.

阅读序列1基础早期文学研究
This is a foundational course on literacy instruction for PreK-4 students. The course will provide students the opportunity to: review the evolution of American Reading Instruction, explore various instructional processes for teaching reading and writing, 探究阅读和写作教学的技巧, discover the role of assessment in literacy instruction and become familiar with the Pennsylvania Literacy Standards.

课程名称:EDU 414 PreK-4课堂管理
This course is designed to prepare teacher candidates to understand and use provisions and procedures needed to create and maintain an environment in which effective teaching and learning can occur. 将介绍各种学科模型.

Prek-4学前摆脱电子游戏mg官方网站
The student is required to participate in classroom activities of local schools one day each week during the semester. Two different placements are offered to the student in preparation for the student's anticipated certification categories. The experience is to promote the development of professionalism in the school and community setting while affording the opportunity to apply teaching methodology and educational concepts mastered in coursework. A weekly seminar provides an opportunity to analyze the experience. Application to the Education Committee of Gwynedd Mercy's School of Education is required early in the spring semester prior to the experience.

For all courses in GMercyU’s Early Education program, please refer to the undergraduate catalog.

Deb Schadler
Deb Schadler博士,CPCRT, PRSE
Position: 
商业与教育学院副院长
Did You Know? Dr. Schadler is also the Director of GMercyU’s Autism Institute. She has developed and taught GMercyU’s undergraduate special education curriculum.
Read bio
 

Marianne BoydMarianne Boyd, M. Ed.
Position: 教育学实践教授
Did You Know? Professor Boyd has extensive experience as a classroom teacher and an elementary principal and brings a wealth of experience to her courses. 她是教育拓展俱乐部的联合顾问.
Read bio

如何培养优秀教师
听听GMercyU教师和一名教育专业学生的意见.
Meet an Education Major
Meet more students — watch GMercyU大学之旅的一集!

Career Opportunities

Early childhood education is a field where educators care for and teach children of a young age. Typical ages of children within early childhood education include children from birth until about 8 years of age. This type of education is important since early childhood education teachers help to shape a child's education from the start and can set a precedent for them to succeed later in life.

Early childhood education encompasses teaching fine and gross motor skills, cognitive learning, 以及儿童的社会发展.

一旦你获得了幼儿教育学位, you have a variety of career that you can choose to pursue depending on your specific interests. Some early childhood education jobs include elementary school teacher, school counselor, pre-school teacher, daycare manager, or in-home nanny.

There are numerous locations where you can choose to work within the early childhood education field. Elementary schools, daycares, private homes or specialty care centers are all possible workplaces. A degree in early childhood education can unlock various potential career paths for you in a variety of locations.

宾夕法尼亚州是一个需要教育工作者的州. 根据宾夕法尼亚州教育协会的说法, the number of new teacher certificates issued in Pennsylvania dropped by 74 percent between 2012-13 and 2018-19, with the number of college students completing Pennsylvania teacher prep programs dropping by 32 percent between 2013-14 and 2017-18.

宾夕法尼亚以外也有机会. 商业与教育学院副院长 Deb Schadler, PhD, reports that these states have been aggressive in recruiting GMercyU students:

  • Arizona
  • Colorado
  • Georgia
  • Florida
  • Maryland
  • North Carolina
  • Oregon
  • Texas
  • Washington
  • West Virginia

In these districts and more, GMercyU students have recently completed student teaching and landed teaching positions after graduation:

  • Abington School District
  • Bensalem School District
  • 中央雄鹿学区
  • Colonial School District
  • Council Rock School District
  • 哈伯罗-霍舍姆学区
  • 下摩兰学区
  • MAST Charter School
  • Methacton School District
  • Neshaminy School District
  • North Penn School District
  • Perkiomen Valley学区
  • Philadelphia School District
  • 凤凰城学区
  • Springfield School District
  • St. Malachy School
  • Upper Dublin School District
  • 上莫兰学区
  • Wissahickon School District

According to 美国劳工统计局, in May 2021, the median annual wage for elementary school teachers was $61,690, 收入最高的10%的人收入超过101美元,310.

The median annual wage for special education teachers was $62,950人,收入最高的10%的人收入超过102美元,450.

According to 以下是美国商业资讯的报道.orgPennsylvania and California teachers are top earners in the country. 在宾夕法尼亚州,教师的平均年薪为28美元.比教师平均工资高5%.

Melissa Russo
Melissa Russo '18
Current Position:
南卡罗来纳州默特尔比奇霍利县学校五年级教师 (formerly a 3rd grade teacher for the Wissahickon School District)

梅丽莎在毕业后三天就找到了工作. While at GMercyU, she served as President of the Special Education Club and attended GMercyU’s annual Autism Conference to complement her education. She also led our field hockey team to two conference championships in 2014 and 2017. 

“[Professor Emerita] Ms. Pierantozzi continuously helped me prepare lesson plans and prepare for teaching positions. She actually helped me prepare for an interview with Wissahickon School District where I was hired. GMercyU的教育部门是一个非常亲密的社区. We, as students, knew the professors were there to support us no matter what.”

Read more about Melissa的GMercyU经历.

Read more Griffin Success Stories.

Next Steps

Have you already earned college-level credits at another institution? GMercyU makes it easy for you to transfer — learn how on our Transfer Admissions page.

You can also explore our agreements with area schools on our Transfer Your Credits page, and check out our 转校生保证奖学金.

对GMercyU的入学要求有疑问吗? Our Admissions staff is ready to walk you through the process of applying to GMercyU’s Early Education Program.

Email: admissions@salamzone.com
Phone: 215-641-5510

Apply Now

At GMercyU, we strive to make a quality education accessible to all through financial aid, scholarships, and grants. 作为一所军事友好型大学, we welcome service members and participate in all VA educational benefits programs. 

GMercyU’s Early Education program is one of the best teacher education programs in Pennsylvania. Earn your early childhood education degree and start your teaching journey!

Apply Now