Serving Those Who are Differently Able
Do have a heart for service? Do you love children? Do you find a special connection with disabled individuals? Then our five year undergraduate and graduate program for special education is right for you. Through this 4+1 program, you’ll be equipped to serves PK-12 through twelfth grade students across the spectrum of learning.
Come and learn from master teachers who have years of experience in the classroom. Plus, you’ll start working with students beginning in your very first semester as an aspiring educator, allowing you to get a feel for what the job is really like. Our degree in special ed prepares future teachers to engage with students with a variety of struggles and special needs – from students with Downs Syndrome, ADHD, behavioral disorders, emotional disorders, learning disabilities and more – to achieve so much more in the classroom. Learn how to an creative effective IEP (individualized education plan) and other important skills that any special ed teacher needs. Through a combination of Bible classes, field placements in diverse educational settings (including Christian schools, public schools, daycare, preschools and Montessori academies), coursework and field experiences that focus on understanding the needs of the child and implementing developmentally appropriate practices, this is an educational experience like none other.
Programs leading to teacher certification are approved by Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE).
This course offers an introduction to the teaching profession by examining the characteristics of an effective teacher and the professional training required for an individual to be certified. It also reviews the school environment where instruction takes place, the educational philosophies that direct the design of teaching and learning, and the legislation that has impacted education at all levels including teacher preparation. These foundational concepts are analyzed in light of a biblical worldview for education.
This course will survey key writers and works in the history and development of literature for children and young adults. Students will examine the aesthetic features of different genres and identify thematic characteristics relevant to each age group.
This course introduces students to the principles of instructional design. Students will understand the role outcomes and standards play in instructional design and will design ways to assess learning. Effective lesson planning will be discussed and practiced as students explore various instructional methods and materials. Instructional design will be observed and studied in classroom experiences.
This course will provide a general introduction to the diverse student population present in preK-12 classrooms. These students include those who are at risk, those who are culturally diverse, and those with any academic, emotional, mental, physical, or communicative differences. Discussions will include the assessment process, identification for eligibility, IEP development, and general pedagogical implications for each group.
This course is designed to equip the early childhood (PK-4) teacher with the knowledge and skills in order to more effectively instruct young learners in mathematical concepts, computation, and application. The students will be exposed to methods and materials used in preschool and primary grade mathematical instruction.
This course is designed to give the pre-service teacher an overview of formal and informal assessments. It includes rubric development for authentic assessment and the development of the teacher made tests. Specifically, it includes a discussion of both formative and summative assessment, an overview of standardized achievement tests, IQ tests, and the No Child Left Behind mandated state given tests.
This course will examine the collaborative relationships that every teacher must maintain with parents, colleagues and the community. The students will review how these relationships are built, the elements that contribute to the maintenance of them, and the cultural influences for each. Relationships with professionals at every level will be analyzed to determine the influences and effects on classroom instruction.
This course is designed to introduce the student to the basic principles and practices in the teaching of reading in grades PK-4. The meaning and purpose of reading will be the focus as methods and strategies are developed. Foundations for critical, creative, and evaluative reading related to a Christian view will also be explored and incorporated in the student’s development of reading lessons. All students must demonstrate a competency in basic phonic knowledge.
This course includes a review of the skills and knowledge required to teach science to children in grades PK-4 and 4-8. The role of inquiry as the major focus and means of science instruction is examined and numerous sources of science education and brain research as foundations for inquiry are provided. Students review the National Science Education standards and the PA Academic standards as guides for the instructional design. Science education from a biblical worldview is integrated throughout the course.
The course is designed for pre-service teachers to explore a range of models and strategies that facilitate developing a personal approach to classroom management. Through the examination of theoretical concepts and practical applications to classroom management, students are prepared to manage a classroom environment, know the legal aspects of management, understand the potential and the consequences of maintaining appropriate student behavior, provide adaptations for diverse students, and produce their own personal management plan.
Today’s pre-service teachers are preparing to teach in a world which is pluralistic and diverse. In order to best prepare pre-service teachers for the educational environment of the 21st century, they must have an awareness of the diverse cultures present in the world and the role of education within these cultures. The activities within this course provide these experiences through reading, reflection, and cross-cultural experiences.
This course introduces students to the principles of instructional design. Students will understand the role outcomes and standards play in instructional design and will design ways to assess learning. Effective lesson planning will be discussed and practiced as students explore various instructional methods and materials. Instructional design will be observed and studied in classroom experiences.
The course is designed for pre-service teachers to explore a range of models and strategies that facilitate developing a personal approach to classroom management. Through the examination of theoretical concepts and practical applications to classroom management, students are prepared to manage a classroom environment, know the legal aspects of management, understand the potential and the consequences of maintaining appropriate student behavior, provide adaptations for diverse students, and produce their own personal management plan.