Aspiring teachers who wish to work with students in 1st through 6th grades face unique challenges and opportunities. Many choose to enter a graduate degree program that focuses specifically on learning the latest progressive methods to teach children at a crucial time in their development.
Bank Street Graduate School of Education offers a Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification Master’s Program that prepares educators for a vital role in elementary education. The dual certification allows students to qualify for state certification in special education for elementary school age children. Offered both online and on campus in Manhattan, Bank Street’s program is known for producing some of the most qualified teachers in New York City, ready to become model teachers in a variety of diverse settings.
Advantages of Bank Street Graduate School Courses
The Bank Street Graduate School’s Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification Master’s Program focuses on providing an education that prepares teachers to become the most successful educators possible. This is accomplished in a variety of ways:
- Small class sizes. Bank Street keeps classes small to offer a more effective, personal education.
- Teachers are prepared to teach children from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds, as well as those who experience social, emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive issues.
- Emphasis on field experience. A key component of a Bank Street education is the emphasis on providing graduate students the chance for extensive fieldwork. Under the supervision of graduate school faculty and experienced teachers, small groups of students (typically five to seven) work collaboratively, supporting each other as they make a deep inquiry into their own practice of the teaching profession.
- A focus on how children learn. Graduate students in the Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification Master’s Program learn about issues connected with how a child learns, including social and emotional practice and language acquisition.
Additionally, those in the Bank Street program gain expertise in how to develop learning experiences that encourage students to follow their curiosities. Bank Street graduates also develop a strong sense of social justice and understand how to create partnerships with parents, family, and fellow educators.
Where Dual Certification Will Take Your Career
Students who graduate from the Childhood Special and General Education Dual Certification master’s program are prepared for initial certification in Childhood General Education, provided they pass state assessments and meet experience requirements. They are also prepared for certification in Teaching Students with Disabilities, upon passing state assessments and meeting experience requirements. After three years of experience, teachers are eligible to earn professional certification.
For teachers who want to work with students in these important years, the dual certification prepares them for both general and special education careers. It’s a major step to developing their teaching skills, as well as setting them up for a stable teaching career in New York City and beyond.