Childhood Inclusive Education / Special Education Program at Fredonia
You can change the world by influencing young minds as an elementary school teacher. The Childhood Inclusive Education / Special Education program prepares teacher candidates for dual certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6) and Students with Disabilities (Grades 1-6). Fredonia’s cutting-edge approach of developing high quality programs enhanced by rich clinical experience is supported by a long history of alumni now in successful teaching careers across the country.
The Fredonia Difference
Fredonia is the gold standard of teacher education, being a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a nationally recognized accrediting body approved by New York State Education Department. As a future teacher, you will be in the field - in a real classroom - as soon as your first semester. The program emphasizes appropriate development as you go along, making your educational experience exciting but not overwhelming. As part of our teacher preparation program, teacher candidates complete a series of four field-based experiences in local schools. Each field experience is taught in conjunction with a required educational course to clearly connect educational theory and practice. Each of the field experiences is highly structured, well supervised, and intended to provide multiple opportunities for teacher candidates to plan, instruct, reflect, and respond with students in general education classroom settings. One field experience and one student teaching placement are specifically designed to enable candidates to assess and teach students with special needs.
Career Opportunities for Childhood Inclusive Education / Special Education
- Early childhood educator with concentration of your choice
- Elementary educator with concentration of your choice
- Middle school educator
It's Different Here
Student Story
Why Childhood Inclusive Education at Fredonia?
Real teaching experience
As early as your first semester, you gain real-world classroom experience. You will plan and teach lessons, gather pupil data, and reflect on - and respond to - the outcomes.
Accreditation
Fredonia's College of Education is a member in good standing of the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a nationally recognized accrediting body approved by New York State Education Department.
Helen L. Johnson Fredonia Hamburg Internship Program
A program in place for over 45 years gives students a pipeline to a local school district for student teaching and careers.
Sample Courses
EDU 355 Assessment & Instruction of Students with Learning & Behavior Disorders in Inclusive Ed Settings
Critical examination of students with special needs in inclusive educational settings with an emphasis on the connections between core curriculum, ongoing assessment, and varied instructional strategies.
EDU 349 Educational Psychology
Areas of psychology utilized in the teaching and learning processes. Analyzing and interpreting scientific data related to individual differences, growth, learning, group processes, systematic assessment, measurement, and evaluation.
EDU 250 Introduction to the Exceptional Learner
Introductory survey of nature, needs, and education of children who are exceptional because of intelligence, behavioral disorders, and/or physical development.
Program Additional Links
What does a 4-year degree look like?
What are all the required and elective courses offered to obtain this degree?