Birth to Kindergarten Education
The B.A. in Birth to Kindergarten Education is designed for students who are interested in working with young children. The major provides special focus on child development, relationship building in early childhood, and special education. The major leads to recommendation to the Michigan Department of Education for certification in the Birth-Kindergarten grade band which qualifies students to work in early intervention and home visiting programs such as Early On®.
The curriculum is designed for students to complete in sequential phases which are outlined in the Birth to Kindergarten Pathway to Teacher Certification. The pathway includes academic coursework, professional preparation (i.e., field experiences), and passing scores on the relevant Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) exam(s), during or following student teaching.
Certification
The College of Education, Health, and Human Services recommends students for the Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate upon successful completion of the program. The Michigan Department of Education ultimately awards the certification.
Standard Teaching Certificate
The initial teaching certificate awarded to the beginning elementary school teacher is the Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate. This certificate is valid for teaching all subjects to children Birth through Kindergarten. Students are able to obtain endorsements by completing the course work and successfully passing the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) in their grade band area. The Standard Teaching Certificate is valid for five years and can be renewed an unlimited number of times provided that renewal conditions are met. Legislative or other state action may change these specifications. Therefore, students are advised to contact the College of Education, Health, and Human Services’ Office of Student Success to learn of the most recent policies.
Apprenticeship Semesters
Each student enrolled in a teacher certification program at UM-Dearborn is expected to spend two full academic terms in apprenticeship work. The period of time is called the “apprenticeship semesters.” This entails two full day's teaching load and all school-related activities at University-negotiated sites for two seven-week experiences in two different grade levels, ideally within the same context.
Internship (Student Teaching)
Each student enrolled in a teacher certification program at UM-Dearborn is expected to spend one full academic term exclusively in professional work. This period of time is called the internship. The Internship, also known as student teaching, and its related seminar serve as the core for this particular term. This entails a full day's teaching load and all school-related activities at a University-negotiated site.
Opportunities for the internship are available only in the University's fall and winter terms. Students intending on entering their internship in the fall semester should complete this step in the preceding September whereas those entering in the winter term should do so during the preceding January. Information related to the screencast and application materials will be available on the Field Placement Office website. Requirements for acceptance into the professional semester are outlined in the Birth to Kindergarten Education Pathway to Teacher Certification.
Incompletes, Unsatisfactory Grades, and Withdrawals
No student will be assigned to, or registered for, the internship with incomplete work in the Professional Sequence of courses.
Any student, who has withdrawn from or received an unsatisfactory grade in the internship (student teaching), whether through the action of a school district, the University, or by personal choice, will have a request for future placement carefully reviewed by the College. Reassignment to the internship is not guaranteed, nor is it an automatic process.
Students must complete a remediation plan with the Field Placement Director which is subject to approval by the College’s Administrative Council.
General Field Placement Policy
Students in the teacher preparation program are assigned field placements, either as apprentices or as interns (student teachers) , in public or private schools. Field placement shall be made in accordance with the policies and procedures set forth by the College of Education, Health, and Human Services and in compliance with accreditation standards.
The student is expected to maintain professional dispositions in order to conform to the expectations of the placement school and the University. Appropriate academic preparation is required as outlined in the elementary and secondary programs of the College. Professional responsibilities during the Internship (Student Teaching) term are detailed in the "Department of Education Clinical Experience Handbook" which is located on the CEHHS Student Teaching Eligibility website.
The public and private schools exercise the right to screen the University's students. Acceptance or rejection of students is not controlled by the University. A placement school may reject a University student for several reasons, including a lack of placement positions in the school or a determination that the University student's presence in the school or classroom may disrupt or interfere in some way with the educational process.
Currently there is no way in which the University can require the placement school to state specific reasons for rejection.
If a University student is repeatedly denied placement by the field schools, the College of Education, Health, and Human Services will recommend career counseling and terminate matriculation in the teacher certification program.
Licensure Statement
The pathways in our Educator Preparation Program were designed to satisfy educational prerequisites to initial and advanced licensure in only the state of Michigan. We encourage students to contact the appropriate licensing agency in the state in which they are located or, if different, the state in which they intend to seek licensure for more information. While the Educator Preparation Program pathways may or may not fully satisfy educational prerequisites to licensure in other states, academic advisors work with students on an individual basis and are available to discuss teaching certifications and reciprocity opportunities in other states. In addition, the Education Commission of the States website provides solid information as to the expectations each state and the District of Columbia has for obtaining licensure beyond Michigan licensure.
Dearborn Discovery Core (General Education)
All students must satisfy the University’s Dearborn Discovery Core requirements, in addition to the requirements for the major
Requirements
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Language Arts | ||
| EDA 219 | Early Literacy: PreKindergarten to Grade 3 | 3 |
| EXPS 298 | Exploring Writing to Communicate, Learn, & Teach | 3 |
| EDA 210 | Early Literacy: Birth to Kindergarten | 3 |
| Social Studies | ||
| EDM 290 | History Education in Elementary Schools | 3 |
| EDM 291 | Democracy and Education | 3 |
| Mathematics | ||
| MATH 381 | Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 1: Attribution, Geometry, and Measurement | 3 |
| MATH 382 | Mathematics for Elementary Teachers 2: Early Number Concepts | 3 |
| Integrated Science | ||
| NSCI 231 | Inquiry: Physical Science | 3 |
| NSCI 232 | Inquiry:Earth/Planet Science | 3 |
| NSCI 233 | Inquiry: Life Science | 3 |
| Supplementary Content Requirements | ||
| COMP 105 | Writing & Rhetoric I | 3 |
| EDD 416 | Creativty/Crit Thnk Yng Childr | 3 |
| EDF 450 | Health, Nutrition and Physical Activity for Children and Families | 3 |
| EXPS 407 | Inquiry-based Math and Science | 3 |
| Pre-Professional Studies | ||
| EDC 240 | Psych of Child Development | 3 |
| EDC 431 | Constructivist Education | 3 |
| EDC 439 | Child Maltreatment and Trauma | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours | 51 | |
Birth to Kindergarten Education Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDC 325 | Partnering with Families of Children with Disabilities | 3 |
| EDFP 326 | GB Partnering with Families of Children with Disabilities Seminar | 1 |
| EDC 412 | Social Devl/Pos Guidnce Techn | 3 |
| EDC 414 | Early Child Ed Special Needs | 3 |
| EDC 442 | EC: Fam/Sch/Comm Collaboration | 3 |
| EDC 445 | Develop Assess of Young Child | 3 |
| EDC 440 | The Child: Birth to Three | 3 |
| EDB 422 | Lead,Advoc, Admin Early Ch Prg | 3 |
| EDD 422 | Teach Strategies Early Child B-K | 3 |
| EDD 423 | Cross-disciplinary Emergent Inquiry Curriculum in B-K | 3 |
| EDFP 438 | Apprenticeship I: Birth to Kindergarten | 3 |
| EDD 456 | Intervention Strat EC Spec Ed B-K | 3 |
| EDFP 439 | Apprenticeship II: Birth to Kindergarten | 3 |
| EDT 430 | Assistive Technology | 3 |
| EDT 317 | Learning Technologies in Content Areas | 1 |
| EDT 418 | Learning Technologies in the Classroom | 1 |
| Total Credit Hours | 42 | |
Internship
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| EDFP 414 | Internship: Early Childhood Environments | 10 |
| EDD 426 | Seminar for Internship for Directed Teaching: Birth to Kindergarten | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours | 12 | |
Notes:
- The minimum number of semester hours required to graduate is 120.
- CEHHS recommends successful program completers for State of Michigan Certification, however, it is ultimately up to the State of Michigan to issue certificates. Certain offenses on a criminal record can keep individuals from obtaining teacher certification. Please refer to The Revised School Code, Act 451 of 1976, section 380.1539b.
- Students are required to pass all of the MTTC test for Birth to Kindergarten to be recommended for certification.
Birth to Kinder- Pathway to Teacher Certification
The College of Education, Health, and Human Services (CEHHS) at the UM-Dearborn is committed to providing quality preparation for pre-service teachers. A screening procedure is employed to help identify students most likely to achieve the level of excellence defined by the college. This screening procedure is divided into five successive phases. Requirements at one phase must be successfully completed before continuing on to the next. Students are also responsible for meeting all program requirements for their selected degree as listed in Degree Works.
Pre-Professional Studies
- Successful Completion of Pre-Professional Studies Courses (EDC 240, EDC 431, and EDC 439)
- Completion of three field clearances:
- Criminal Background Check Consent Form
- Video Recording Consent Form
- Bloodborne Pathogens Training (online module produces a PDF certification which should be uploaded sent to clearance form)
- Minimum Overall GPA of 2.75 required to move to Professional Studies
- Required Academic Advising Appointment Upon Completion of 36 Credits
Professional Studies
- Successful Completion of EDD 422, EDC 325, and EDFP 326.
- Minimum 55 credits earned to move to Apprenticeship I
- Minimum GPA of 2.75 overall and in major to move to Apprenticeship I
- Completion of Apprenticeship I Application
Apprenticeship I
- Successful Completion of Apprenticeship I
- EDD 423
- EDFP 438
- Minimum GPA of 2.75 overall and in major to move to Apprenticeship II
- Completion of Apprenticeship II Application
Apprenticeship II
- Successful Completion of Apprenticeship II
- EDD 456
- EDFP 439
- Minimum GPA of 2.75 overall and in major to move to the Internship
- Completion of the Internship Application including attendance at an Internship Orientation Meeting.
- Completion of all remaining degree requirements including Dearborn Discovery Core
Internship
- Successful completion of the Internship:
- EDFP 414
- EDD 426
Passing scores on relevant MTTC exam(s) are required prior to recommendation to the Michigan Department of Education for teacher certification.