Early Childhood & Elementary EducationEarly Childhood & Elementary Education
Overview
A great teacher can change lives, igniting a love of learning that will last long after a student leaves the classroom. As a preschool or elementary school teacher, you are among a child's first and most important mentors, as they begin to explore and discover their passions, and learn how to respect each other and work together.
If you want to be this kind of difference-maker, Hofstra's fully-accredited programs in early childhood and elementary education will steep you in the theory and practice of teaching. Our program will give you the support, technology, knowledge and facilities needed to become an effective educational leader and meet the changing dynamics of teaching.
Nationally, jobs for kindergarten and elementary school teachers is projected to grow seven percent by 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In New York state, as of May 2017, the average annual salaries for kindergarten and elementary school teachers (except special education) are $77,440 and $80,540, respectively, federal labor data shows.
Hofstra's program will prepare you to be certified in both early childhood (birth-2nd grade) and childhood (grades 1-6) education. We also offer five-year, dual-degree programs in high-demand areas like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and special education.
On-campus, you'll get the chance to work with local elementary school students in our STEM Studio, using hands-on, real-world design challenges in the classroom. There are also research and training opportunities at our Saltzman Community Service Center, which provides child care and other services to the surrounding area.
Off-campus, we'll help you secure challenging, clinically-rich internships, field and student teaching experience, thanks to Hofstra's extensive networks among in Long Island and New York City public schools, In fact, Hofstra students pass the New York assessment required for initial teacher certification - called the edTPA - at a higher rate than the state average. That means you'll graduate better prepared than most to make a difference in the lives of the earliest learners.
Curriculum
Hofstra offers two, four-year degrees in Early Childhood and Childhood Education, and several five-year dual degree programs that combine an early childhood/elementary education bachelor's with a specialized master's degree. All our programs are fully accredited by TEAC (Teacher Education Accreditation Council). Students in programs that lead to New York teacher certification also must complete a minimum of 100 hours of fieldwork as well as student teaching.
Students in this program initially choose a major in the liberal arts and sciences or engineering and applied sciences, and spend their first two years completing 45 semester hours in that major. Then, they apply for admission to the School of Education and declare Early Childhood/Childhood Education.
- BA in Early Childhood/Childhood Education: Students in this program combine the early childhood/childhood education major with an arts or science co-major from either the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science.
- BS in Early Childhood/Childhood Education: This program does not require a co-major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or the DeMatteis School.
Dual-degree specialization programs:
- BS/MA in Early Childhood Childhood Education, and Bilingual Education (MA), Dual Degree
- BS/MSEd in Early Childhood/ Childhood Education, and Early Childhood Special Education
- BS/MSEd in Early Childhood/ Childhood Education, and Elementary Special Education
- BS/MSEd in Early Childhood/ Childhood Education, and Literacy
- BS/MSEd in Early Childhood/ Childhood Education and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
Internships/Experience/Student Teaching
Fieldwork provides an opportunity to put theory into practice. Students are placed in a variety of classroom settings across the full range of grades and ability levels covered by the student's area of certification. Fieldwork is completed at sites arranged by the Office of Field Placement within the School of Education.
Student teaching is a period of guided professional development, when students assume increasing responsibility for all of the activities involved in actual classroom teaching. It is an opportunity to integrate and apply, in a field-based setting, the knowledge, attitudes and skills acquired during the professional sequence. We also offer a program in which students complete their student teaching in the fall and then transition into a paid internship with the same school during the spring semester. Among the schools and districts where our recent students have interned, done fieldwork and/or student teaching:
Upperclassmen benefit from the services of the Office of Field Placement, which is responsible for accepting and evaluating requests for field observations, clinical experiences, and student teaching. The Office of Educational Support Services is a resource that provides certification information related to Hofstra University's New York State approved teacher, administrative and pupil personnel preparation programs. Students in programs that lead to New York teacher certification also must complete a minimum of 100 hours of fieldwork as well as student teaching.
Meet Dr. Roberto Joseph
Dr. Joseph, an associate professor of teaching, learning and technology, is an expert on using gaming and game development to teach math in elementary and middle school, including a project supported by a $1.2 million National Science Foundation Grant. He is also director of Hofstra’s MA program in Technology for Learning.
Related Majors
- Arts Education
- Dance Education
- English- Literature/Children’s and Young Adult
- Music Education
- Physical Education
- Psychology
- Secondary Education
Related Links
- Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development Student Chapter
- Saltzman Center
- Center for STEM Research