Graduate SchoolThese are some of the most frequently asked questions about our NEW Consulting Resource Teacher program.
- What is the purpose of this program?
- What will I earn at the conclusion of this program?
- How long is the program?
- When are the classes offered?
- What courses would I need to take?
- What undergraduate degree should I have to be admitted to this program?
- Can I take classes just for professional enrichment and not for a degree?
- Would I be able to use this for another certification level or area?
- Can I transfer any credits I have already earned into the program?
- Will any of these courses be offered online?
What is the purpose of this program?
The program for the Consulting Resource Teacher seeks to equip teachers to serve students and educators in an inclusion setting where the diverse population of students requires general and special educators to collaborate.
Program Objectives
The program is designed to prepare students to do the following:
- Serve as a specialist and resource person within a school setting providing assistance and direction for the school’s staff
- Classify the laws, regulations, and policies dictating the procedures needed to assist students in inclusion settings
- Assess the academic abilities of students in order to determine the learning potential and appropriate teaching techniques for each student’s success
- Design individualized learning programs for the remediation and adaptation for special needs students in the inclusion classroom
- Create interdisciplinary instruction for integrated learning in the inclusion classroom
- Differentiate specific learning theories and the evidences of their successes or failures with individual learner types
- Track the developmental characteristics of children regardless of the special needs evident
- Identify the distinctive characteristics of students with reading problems
- Diagnose the reading levels of individual students and determine the strategies required for effective reading instruction for those students
- Synthesize the results of the assessment, instruction, and observation in making recommendations for a student’s success in the classroom. : TOP :
What will I earn at the conclusion of this program?
Students completing the degree program will earn a Master of Education, as a Consulting Resource Teacher. The degree program is also designed to offer the student an option of achieving advanced certification from the Pennsylvania Department of Education as a Reading Specialist by completing the professional core courses and the specified programmatic electives. : TOP :
How long is the program?
The program consists of 39 credits. Courses are offered in a cycle enabling students to take 6 credits each semester and 9 credits during the summer. The length of time for program completion will depend on the rate at which the student completes these courses. : TOP :
When are the classes offered?
The classes are offered for one week modules during the summer. The courses during the school year are currently offered weekends. The classes are taught on five selected Friday evening/ Saturday morning and afternoon combinations during the semester. : TOP :
What courses would I need to take?
In order to earn the M.Ed., each student must complete the professional core (21 credits) and a set of professional electives (18 credits) for a total of 39 credits in the program.
Master of Education Degree Requirements:
Professional Core (21 Credits)
__ GO 500◊ Orientation Seminar (0 cr)
__ CR 511 Advanced Learning Theory & Instructional Design (3 cr)
__ RS 529◊ A Collaborative Team Approach for Inclusion (3 cr)
__ CR 513◊ Assessment Measures for Special Students (3 cr)
__ CR 515 Development of Children & Adolescents (3 cr)
__ CR 599◊ Seminar and Project in Action Research (6 cr)
__ CR 546 Consultation and Administration for Inclusion Programs (3 cr)Open Electives (18 credits)
__ CR 548◊ Instructional Strategies for the Disabled Reader & Writer (3 cr)
__ RS 524◊ Children’s Literature for Instruction (3 cr)
__ RS 526◊ Diagnostic Assessment & Analysis for Classroom Teachers (3 cr)
__ RS 527◊ Diagnostic Reading Instruction (3 cr)
__ SE 539◊ Legislation Dictating Special Services (3 cr)
__ SE 532 Psychological Characteristics of Students with Special Needs (3 cr)
__ SE 535◊ Manag’t Strategies for Special Students in the Regular Classroom (3 cr)
__ CR 540 Selected Topics in Inclusion Education (3 cr)
__ CR 549 Seminar in LD & other Neurological Impairments (3 cr)
__ SE 537 Technology for Teaching (3 cr) : TOP :
What undergraduate degree should I have to be admitted to this program?
Students applying to matriculate in the M.Ed. program must meet the following criteria:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Education OR its equivalent
- A cumulative GPA of 2.85 or better as documented on a transcript from the undergraduate accredited institution
- A valid certificate at a minimum level of Instructional I OR its equivalent.
- Three references from individuals who have seen the candidate teach or perform in an educational setting
- Completion of the Master of Education application form and submission of the required application credentials
- Personal interview with a member of the Program Director
Students applying to matriculate in a program to solely achieve certification, must meet the following criteria:
- A Bachelor’s degree in Education OR its equivalent
- A cumulative GPA of 2.85 or better as documented on a transcript from the undergraduate institution
- A valid certificate at a minimum level of Instructional I OR its equivalent.
- Two references from individuals who have seen the candidate teach or perform in an educational setting
- Completion of the Certification Program application form and submission of the required application credentials
- Personal interview with a member of the Program Director
Admissions criteria will be considered holistically. Other areas that exceed the minimum expectations may compensate for an item that does not meet the stated expectations. : TOP :
Can I take classes just for professional enrichment and not for a degree?
Yes! Students who wish to take courses solely for personal enrichment or Act 48 credits are classified as nonmatriculating students. Permission for enrollment in courses is based on completion of the Nonmatriculating Application and the adequacy of class space according to course enrollment limitations. If at a later time the student wishes to be admitted into the degree or certification program, that student will need to go through the formal application procedures. Granting credit for courses taken while a nonmatriculating student is not automatic. The Program Director will evaluate course work and grant or not grant credit on an individual basis. : TOP :
Would I be able to use this for another certification level or area?
Yes! A student may earn the Reading Specialist certification by completing the 30 credits indicated with the ◊ and passing the Praxis II exam for that specialization. : TOP :
Can I transfer any credits I have already earned into the program?
Maybe. At the discretion of the Program Director, up to nine hours of transfer credits may be accepted into the student’s graduate program, provided the credit was from an accredited institution, a grade of “B” or better was received, and the courses are applicable to the program of study. : TOP :
Will any of these courses be offered online?
It’s in the works! LBC currently is launching a set of undergraduate courses to be offered online for the fall of 2006. Following the review of the completion of these courses, the college hopes to begin offering some of the courses for this program as “hybrid” courses, where the student would spend some time on campus, and the rest would be online or distance education. Stay tuned! But start now face to face. : TOP :