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EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATOR
When Required
This certificate shall be required for anyone employed as a teacher of grades kindergarten to third.
Validity of Certificates
This certificate shall authorize the teaching of all elementary academic subjects and art, health, music, physical education and technology in grade levels kindergarten through grade three. However, it shall not authorize the early childhood teacher to be the sole provider for art, health, music or physical education.
Professional Educator Class I Certificate Requirements (valid for five years and renewable every five years with special requirements)
On and after August 7, 2003 to receive a Professional Educator Class I Certificate for early childhood teaching, an applicant shall present evidence of meeting the following requirements:
A. Holds a bachelor's degree from an accredited and/or approved institution;
B. Has a minimum of 42 semester credit hours in five of the six general academic areas: English, natural science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language and fine arts;
C. Has a minimum of 36 semester credit hours in professional education in a planned program of study and
experience in early childhood education to be distributed among each of the following:
1. Foundations of Education. (This group includes areas such as philosophy of education, school effectiveness, history of education, and comparative education);
2. Educational Psychology (This group includes such areas as growth and development of children from birth through life span, psychology of learning, child-adolescent psychology and mental hygiene);
3. Curriculum and Methods (This group shall include course work in):
a. Curriculum and methods for typical and special needs children with an emphasis on the least restrictive environment, integrated curriculum and strategies for developmentally
appropriate programs;
b. Learning and teaching of language arts, children's literature, mathematics, science, social studies, expressive arts, health/safety through an integrated curriculum; or
developmentally appropriate curriculum for early childhood; or integrated early childhood curriculum;
c. Observation and assessment of development in young children and planning individualized programs;
d. Classroom organization and facilitating play; or effective teaching and organizational skills in an environment with play; or role of play and the learning environment;
e. Early childhood program models and issues including family and professional collaboration and diversity;
f. Program adaptations for children with special needs; or teaching strategies and related services for children with special needs; or program planning for children with special
needs;
g. Curriculum and strategies for developmentally appropriate practices in the primary grades including study in: teaching and learning, curriculum, assessment, strategies,
classroom organization for the primary grades; and
h. Field experiences including observation, limited participation teaching in grades kindergarten to third grade
4. Student Teaching (supervised observation, participation and full-time responsible teaching in an early childhood classroom, totaling at least 6 but not more than 12 semester credit hours) ; and
5. Educational Technology or comparable computer course;
D. Has successfully completed the required assessments
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