Certification
Student Developmental Level - Childhood Education - Grades 1-6
For the childhood (grades 1-6) developmental level, you must complete six semester-hours (s.h.) of coursework focused on childhood education. Acceptable coursework includes pedagogical courses that would be required in a childhood education teacher preparation program. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- methods and strategies for assessing and teaching children ages 6-12
- literacy development for children ages 6-12
- childhood/elementary curriculum
- managing the childhood/elementary classroom environment
- methods of teaching in the elementary school
- literacy instruction in the elementary school
- child psychology courses - if they focus on childhood 1-6 education
Unacceptable courses include those that focus on:
- life span developmental psychology
- coursework spanning grades K-12
- middle level/middle school education
- secondary education
If you need further clarification, you should review college catalogs of institutions that offer childhood teacher certification programs to learn about the types of courses that focus on this developmental level. New York State institutions of higher education that have approved childhood education programs may be identified by using the Inventory of Registered Programs. You can search for programs leading to teacher certification and select: CHILDHOOD 1-6. .