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Lasell University
Lasell University

School of Humanities, Education, Justice & Social Sciences

Early Childhood Education Licensure (pre-kindergarten - grade 2)

Teacher interacting with preschool children

Early Childhood Education Licensure (pre-kindergarten to grade 2) at Lasell

The Early Childhood Education (PreK-Grade 2) major is designed for students who seek licensure in the Early Childhood licensure program (Pre-K-2nd grade).  The program teaches you developmentally appropriate practices for teaching and learning in grades pre-kindergarten through 2. 

Students complete practicum experiences all four years in suburban and urban school settings through our partner school district sites. 

 A fifth-year option allows you to graduate with a Master of Education.

Program Features

  • Lasell’s two on-campus Holway Child Study Centers give you the chance to work with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers steps from your dorm – from the start of your first year.
  • Gain additional teaching skills using innovative technologies like TeachLivE which simulates a real classroom and allows you to try out strategies and methodologies.
  • Courses include literacy development in preschool and early elementary school districts.
  • Complete pre and full practicums in urban and suburban school districts.
  • Students are expected and supported to complete their MTELs so that they can be licensed and ready to teach once leaving Lasell.

Note: Lasell offers licensure and non-licensure degree programs in education that are designed to meet the licensure requirements in the state of Massachusetts. Licensure may be valid in other states but may require additional steps and cannot be guaranteed. To learn more about licensure requirements in other states, please visit the Licensure Disclosure page.

What You'll Learn

From your first day, you’ll take courses in your major, work with students, and advance towards graduation with a yearly plan. Not sure what classes to take? We’ll help you create the perfect plan. 

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Colleges of Distinction - Education 2020-2021
Lasell University's education program has been recognized by Colleges of Distinction for its excellent programming. 

 

Learning Outcomes

  • Become am effective and engaging teacher who can write a lesson plan and lead a classroom
  • Create learning environments to support:
    • learners’ diverse needs (e.g., hearing or vision needs, learning styles, multiple intelligences)
    • students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds
    • opportunities for all students to demonstrate academic ability
  • Be understanding of own learning style and be able to to evaluate and modify your own teaching methods. plan and implement their own professional development based on their critical reflections.

For a complete list of courses and Learrning outcomes, view the Academic Catalog >>


Accelerated Master's Program

Save time and money — earn your graduate degree in just 1 year with the Accelerated Master's program. Learn more and how to apply >>

Undergraduate alumni return to Lasell for second (or third!) degrees 
Read their stories >>

Career Success with an Early Childhood Licensure Degree

Our students have practice taught at:

  • Cabot Elementary School, Newton
  • Douglas MacArthur Elementary School, Waltham
  • Franklin Elementary School, West Newton
  • Gardner Pilot Academy, Allston
  • Hurley K-8 School, Boston
  • Lincoln-Eliot Elementary School, Newton
  • McDevit Middle School, Waltham
  • Mission Hill K-8 School, Jamaica Plain
  • Oakdale Elementary School, Dedham
  • Pierce School, West Newton
  • Saint Bridget School, Framingham
  • Summer School, Lynnfield
  • Ward Elementary School, Newton
  • Whittemore Elementary, Waltham
  • William H. Lincoln School, Brookline
  • Williams Elementary School, Auburndale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Request more information about the Early Childhood Education major:

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ED109 - Invitation to Teaching

This course explores careers in teaching beginning with the unifying question: Why should I become a teacher? Students examine their motivations to become teachers while they learn about college and state requirements and expectations.

ED110 - Teaching & Learning in American Schools

This course provides students pursuing or considering initial teacher licensure with an overview of the teaching profession. Students study and discuss history and philosophies of education systems, as well as current trends and issues. Massachusetts professional standards and requirements for licensure are explored. This course is a prerequisite for all other ED courses. Twenty-five hours of observation and tutoring in varied school settings are required. This is a presentation-intensive course.

ED206 - Early Literacy Teaching & Learning

This course explores literacy development in the preschool and early elementary years, including transitions to reading and writing, role of phonemic awareness and phonics in emergent and early literacy, varied informal assessments to measure developing literacy, instructional strategies and materials to support young learners. Minimum 25 pre-practicum hours in a placement assigned by the Education Program Placement Coordinator or the Program Director. This is a writing intensive course. Co-requisite ED 206L

ED208 - Elem Literacy Teaching & Learning

This course explores literacy development in the elementary years (through grade 6), including reading in content areas, fluency, reading/writing connections, varied assessments to measure literacy development, and instructional strategies and materials to support elementary learners through grade 6. Minimum 25 pre-practicum hours; Prerequisite: ED110 Co-requisite ED208L.

ED219 - Supporting Learner Variability

This course introduces students to characteristics of learners with special needs in classroom and community settings. It focuses on principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in developing appropriate learning environments to meet the variability of all students in Pre-K through high school settings. A required minimum 25-hour pre-practicum provides opportunities to teach and observe in area classrooms. Prerequisite: ED 110

ED309 - Sheltered English Immersion

This course provides a grounding in current theory and practice related to teaching English Language Learners in Sheltered and bilingual programs. In particular, students learn to effectively shelter their content instruction, so that ELL students can access curriculum, achieve academic success, and contribute their multilingual and multicultural resources as participants and future leaders in the 21st century global economy. This course meets Massachusetts DESE standards for the required SEI endorsement. Course includes a minimum 25-hour pre-practicum in license-appropriate classrooms.Placement in schools is assigned by the Education Program Placement Coordinator or the Program Director. Prerequisite: ED110

ED327 - Literacy Assessment & Instruction

This course explores strategies for integrating the language arts and teaching literacy across the curriculum for learners through grade 6, including assessment for planning and evaluation, classroom organization, management, unit and lesson planning, and resources. This is a writing intensive course. Prerequisites: ED 208; pass all required MTEL Communication and Literacy Test; Co-requisite 327L

ED335 - Teaching Mathematics: PK - 2

This course covers the development of number sense, one to one correspondence, meaning of operations, estimation, graphing, and patterns. The use of developmentally appropriate materials, manipulatives, technology, and children’s literature for the teaching of math are addressed. The course explores a variety of math curricula, assessment techniques, and the use of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks for designing instruction. Includes a 25-hour pre-practicum. Prerequisite: Pass all required MTEL.

ED338 - Inclusive Education

In this course, students develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to create learning environments appropriate to the full variability of learners in pre-K through grade 6. Through in-class activities and a 25-hour pre-practicum, students expand their understanding and use of strategies and resources including Universal Design for Learning, appropriate instructional technology, and positive behavioral supports. Prerequisites: ED 219, Co-requisite ED 338L

ED342 - Teaching Science Concepts: PK - 2

This course engages students in integrating early childhood science content with state and national curriculum standards and resources, including instructional technology, to develop effective science lessons. The course includes practice in integrating science concepts with early childhood curriculum and requires a 25 hour pre-practicum in local classrooms. Prerequisite: pass all required MTEL. 4 credits

ED417 - Pre-Practicum: PK - Grade 2

In this course, students complete a minimum of 150 hours of supervised field experience in classrooms appropriate for their concentration. Students observe, teach, and assist the cooperating teacher with classroom responsibilities. A weekly seminar provides a forum for discussion of pre-practicum-related issues. Prerequisite: ED 330 and permission of the Education Program Director

ED420 - Integrated Instruction: PK - Grade 2

In this course, students explore research on social studies education as well as the teaching methods and related teaching materials that encourage learning in this discipline among children in the early childhood education setting. In addition, students examine a variety of ways to effectively integrate the arts into the early childhood curriculum.

ED421 - Curriculum Integration

In this capstone course, students integrate theory and previous field experiences with their 150-hour pre-practicum. Research and discussion topics include classroom management and organization, use of various curriculum materials and resources, and ethical issues in educational settings. Students design a classroom-based research project which will be completed during the practicum (ED 496 or 498). Prerequisites: Senior standing, pass all required MTEL, concurrent enrollment in ED433, 435 OR 437

ED494 - Professional Standards & Ethics

Taken concurrently with ED 496 or ED 498, this capstone seminar engages students in ethical questions such as student confidentiality, testing, and communicating with various constituencies as well as practical aspects of preparing for an initial teaching position. It includes conducting and reporting on the classroom-based research project that was designed in ED 421. Co-requisite: ED 496 or ED 498.

ED496 - Practicum: Early Childhood

This practicum provides experience in two early childhood education settings. One setting is in Preschool or Kindergarten and the other setting is in grade one or two. Students spend five days a week in the classroom, assuming increasing responsibility that culminates with “take over” weeks and completion of the Comprehensive Assessment of Performance State requirement. A weekly seminar provides a forum for discussion of practicum-related issues. Topics of discussion include the ethics of teaching, legal and moral responsibilities, student confidentiality, and working with parents. Permission of the Education Program Director is required. Prerequisite: Passing scores on all required sections of the MTELs.

ENG208 - The Structure of the English Language

This course focuses on essential elements of the structure of the English language: its phonology (sound structure), morphology (word structure), and syntax (sentence structure). Students draw on their own knowledge of language as they examine spoken English; they then study the relationship between spoken and written language. As students discuss issues pertinent to teachers and to writers, the relevance of linguistic analysis both to written language development and to writing practice is considered.

ENG209 - Intro to Literature & Literary Studies

This is a foundations course required for the major and the minor in English. The course provides an introduction to a variety of forms and styles in poetry, drama, short story, fiction, memoir, and essay; European, North American, and world literatures are considered. The focus is on interpreting texts; students are introduced to various schools of interpretation and to standards for supporting an interpretation. Students become familiar with the conventional elements of each genre and with the terminology of critical interpretation. The course introduces print and database tools for research on literature.

MATH107 - College Geometry

This course is an introduction to the essentials of Euclidean geometry. Topics covered include: reasoning in mathematics, the relationship between algebra and geometry, analytic geometry, proofs and constructive triangles, circles, quadrilaterals, polygons, surfaces and solids and historical notes about famous geometricians. Prerequisite: MATH 106 with a grade of C or better or demonstrated competency through placement testing.

MATH304 - Mathematics for Educators

This course engages students in mathematical concepts through examples, investigations, and active problem-solving explorations. Content is drawn from subject matter knowledge required for elementary and early childhood licensure, with emphasis on number theory and operations. This course is for students seeking elementary or early childhood licensure.

PSYC101 - Psychological Perspectives (KP)

In this course, students learn to think like psychologists as they study classic and contemporary topics in human behavior, feeling, and thought. Students learn to apply psychological perspectives of thought, including biological, cognitive, sociocultural, humanistic, psychodynamic, and behaviorist, to better understand the human experience. Students will learn to use these perspectives to explore how individual behavior is influenced by and influences one’s biology, family, community and society. Topics may include human development, personality, psychopathology, human relationships, language, memory, perceptual processes, and intelligence, among others.

PSYC221 - Child Development

This course examines the physical, cognitive, linguistic, social, and emotional development of the child from birth to adolescence. The contributions of social and cultural experiences as well as the role of biological factors in development are examined as are major theories of development. Students are introduced to the research approaches used to study human development and may be required to carry out observations in various settings. Prerequisite: PSYC 101.

SCI103 - Science for Educators I (KP)

This course provides education students with an introduction to the scientific principles governing the contemporary technological world. Topics include scientific methodologies, gravity, energy, electricity, magnetism, light, and introductory chemistry. Laboratory experiments are conducted to complement the material covered in lecture. Prerequisite: ED Majors only

SCI104 - Science for Educators II (KP)

This course provides education students with an introduction to earth science, astronomy, and environmental science. Topics include the weather, solar system, stars, the universe, and global pollution. Laboratory experiments are conducted to complement the material covered in lectures. Prerequisite: ED Majors only