At-a-Glance
Degree Granted: Bachelor of Science in Education
Specialization Options: The undergraduate licensure program in middle childhood education provides for discipline-specific preparation in two to four content areas: language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies. The program is designed to provide undergraduates with formal course work in education for teaching adolescents ages 9-14 (grades 4 to 9). In addition to needed course work, a recommendation for Student Teaching requires taking PRAXIS examinations, with provisional licensure requiring the successful completion of any applicable PRAXIS examinations as mandated by the State Board of Education.
Minimum Hours Required for Degree: 128 to 154 semester hours
Teaching Credential: Ohio four-year Resident Educator teaching license in Middle Childhood (ages 9 to 14 and grades 4 to 9).
Portfolio: All teaching license students are expected to maintain a portfolio while completing their professional coursework and field experiences. The portfolio will evolve from a working portfolio to a professional portfolio and finally to an employment portfolio. In it, students are responsible for housing various required and optional artifacts that demonstrate their level of competency in each of the outcomes of their program.
At various portfolio checkpoints, students must meet specific portfolio criteria in order to be eligible to continue to the next phase of their program. For complete information on portfolios, students are strongly encouraged to access the Student Portfolio Handbook available at: www.csuohio.edu/cehs/students/eportfolio/docs/PortfolioHandbook.pdf.
As of Fall semester, 2007, all students entering teacher license programs are required to maintain their portfolios in the Cleveland State University ePortfolio System. As of Fall semester 2012, all students entering teacher licensure programs are required to maintain their portfolios in TaskStream.
Accreditation: Having met current curriculum guidelines set by the National Middle School Association, the Middle Childhood Education Program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Admission to Major: Must be admitted to the College of Education and Human Services (requires 2.50 cumulative grade-point average). Must also be accepted into a College of Education and Human Services program. This requires 2.50 cumulative grade-point average, grade of C or better on college-level English composition course, grade of C or better on college-level math course, an intake interview, and verification of good moral character.
Advising: Admission and program guidelines may be secured from the Education Student Services Center, Julka Hall 170A, 216-687-4625. Continuing academic, personal, and professional advising is available from assigned faculty advisers.
Evening Program: There is no evening program since students must be available for field placements in area schools during the day. However, those classes that do not require fieldwork are frequently offered in the evenings.
Department Office: Teacher Education; Julka Hall 302A, 216-687-4600.
The Middle Childhood Education Program is intended to prepare candidates for teaching children from ages 9 to 14. Taken as a whole, the curriculum focuses on the nature and needs of early adolescents as they particularly relate to the design, delivery, and evaluation of culturally and developmentally responsive instruction. Throughout the program, the acquisition of professional knowledge and skills is aided by reflective practice and inquiry. To that end, the observation of middle- and junior-high school students and settings accompanies relevant study, is followed by on-site practice, and culminates in supervised student teaching. As previously noted, the program provides for concentrated study in at least two teaching fields.