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Graduate Profile
Juan Enriquez '01

Juan is an eighth grade teacher and graduate of the education program.

Watch Juan's story »

Why Choose
Cedar Crest?
  • Personalized attention
  • Average class size <20
  • Women's leadership opportunities
  • Flexibility to add dual major, minor

More personalized attention. More time in local schools. More certification options. That’s the Cedar Crest advantage.

Contact:
Nancy L. King, Ed.D
Assistant Professor and Chair, Education
nlking@cedarcrest.edu
610-437-4471 ext. 3616


Middle Level Education (4-8) Major

The Middle Level Education major will prepare you as a professional educator to meet the many challenges of the 21st century classroom, teaching grades 4-8. You will be instructed by a highly qualified faculty: All full-time and adjunct faculty members in the education department at Cedar Crest are certified teachers and have a minimum of 5 years of teaching experience in K-12 classrooms.

This program leads to Level I certification in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The teacher preparation program at Cedar Crest College is grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation that is aimed at providing our future teachers with a strong background in academic content-area knowledge.

As a prospective middle level teacher, you will select two content areas to study along with your major in middle level education. (Some other institutions offer programming that includes just one content area of study along with education. Our program will make you a more marketable candidate for future employment.) You will take required courses in these selected content areas along with your other education classes. Options include:

  • Social Studies and Math
  • Social Studies and Science
  • Science and Math
  • Science and Language Arts
  • Math and Language Arts

If you wish, you may pursue a dual certification in Middle Level Education and Special Education (PreK-8). Dual certification is an option that is designed to make the new graduate even more marketable as a teacher.

Program Highlights

  • The opportunity to participate in pre-teaching experiences in urban and suburban settings, beginning year one of your studies, including one experience in a special education setting.
  • Faculty members who provide a strong mentoring and support system, helping you select and schedule classes. Also, when you student-teach, your supervisor will go into the classroom with you and provide you with weekly feedback.
  • Guaranteed student-teaching placement in a local school district.
  • Our superior reputation in school districts in the Lehigh Valley means that students who graduate from Cedar Crest are considered strong candidates for future employment.

Course Requirements

Click on the boxes below to see the courses required to complete this major.

Middle Level Education (4-8)

 

Required education courses to be taken in the following order:

  • EDU 100 Perspectives on Middle Level and Secondary Education (prerequisite for all other education courses) 3 credits
  • EDU 102 Educational Psychology 3 credits
  • EDU 150 Educational Planning 3 credits
  • EDU 151 Field Experience I (co-requisite EDU 150) 1 credit
  • EDU 207 Technology for Educators (prerequisite EDU 150) 3 credits
  • EDU 212 Literacy II (prerequisite EDU150) 3 credits
  • EDU 215 Middle Level and Secondary Field Experience II (co-requisite EDU 212) 1 credit
  • EDU 303 Curriculum, Assessment and Learning Experiences in the Middle Level Classroom 3 credits (prerequisite EDU 212)
  • EDU 308 Integrating the Arts Across the Curriculum (prerequisite EDU 150) 3 credits
  • EDU 322 Middle Level Field Experience III (co-requisite EDU 303) 1 credit
  • EDU 351 Middle Level Assessment I (prerequisite EDU 150 and EDU 102) 3 credits
  • EDU 352 Middle Level Assessment II (prerequisite EDU 352) 3 credits
  • EDU 359 Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Student 3 credits
  • SPE 243 The Exceptional Child (prerequisite EDU 150) 3 credits
  • SPE 245 Field Experience IV (co-requisite SPE 344) 1 credit
  • SPE 320 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities (prerequisite SPE 243) 3 credits
  • SPE 344 Adaptations, Modifications, and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child 3 credits

** In addition students must complete the required courses in two content areas as listed on the Middle Level Content Checklist. Contact the Education Department for details.

  • EDU 371 Student Teaching Middle Level Grades 4-8 9 credits (prerequisite: complete all required education courses with a grade of B or higher and content area/major courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher)
  • EDU 374 Professional Seminar (must be taken with EDU 371) 3 credits

Other Required Courses

  • PSY 250 Lifespan Development (prerequisite PSY 100)
  • Mathematics (6 credits, courses appropriate to major)
  • MAT XXX
  • MAT XXX
  • English (6 credits)
  • WRI 100
  • Any American or British Literature course
  • Science (6 or 7 credits, appropriate to major) one course must have a lab
  • U.S. History 3 credits
  • Ethical Life (3cr. Course + community service)
  • AND any other LAC requirements not fulfilled by program requirements

55 credits plus content area and LAC checklist total

Please Note:
*Students may not be enrolled in any other course(s) during the student teaching semester.

Special Education (K-8)

The following courses are required for Level I Certification in Special Education PreK-8: CBPH/D Add-On Certification.

Prerequisites

  • SPE 243 The Exceptional Child (Prerequisite EDU 150) 3 credits
  • SPE 245 Field Experience IV 1 credit
  • SPE 320 Teaching Students with Learning Disabilities 3 credits
  • SPE 344 Adaptations, Modifications and Assistive Technology for the Exceptional Child (Prerequisite EDU 150 and SPE-243) 3 credits

Certification Courses

  • SPE 250 Subject Area Content Access for Students with Learning Disabilities (Prerequisite SPE 243) 3 credits
  • SPE 310 Intensive reading, Writing, and Mathematics Development and Intervention Approaches (Prerequisite EDU 150 and SPE 243)
  • SPE 315 Teaching Students with Pervasive Developmental Disorders 3 credits
  • SPE 333 Screening, Assessment, and IEP Development for Teachers 3 credits
  • SPE 346 Collaborative Partnerships in Inclusive Settings 3 credits
  • SPE 347 Classroom Management for Teaching Students with Behavioral Disabilities 3 credits
  • SPE 348 Teaching Students with Low Incidence Disabilities 3 credits
  • EDU 359 Teaching the Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students 3 credits
  • SPE 375 Practicum in Special Education 3 credits

Students must complete the certification requirements for Early Childhood Education certification (PreK-4) or Middle Level Education (4-8) certification to be eligible for Special Education PreK-8 certification. Students seeking certification in Special Education (CBPH/D) will be required to take a second specialty test of the Praxis II.