Childhood Special Education – MSEd, EdM
Prepare yourself to be a model teacher in specialized settings.
This program is for teachers and prospective teachers like yourself, wishing to work with children with variations in grades 1 through 6. As a student in your program you have the opportunity to work in a range of special education settings. This includes children from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds. You will think specifically about designing accessible curricula and differentiated experiences for children with a variety of social, emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive variations.
You Will:
- Construct developmentally responsive learning experiences that encourage all learners to follow their curiosities.
- Create accessible curricula so all learners can explore literacy, literature, mathematics, science, arts, and social studies content.
- Develop a strong social justice focus in order to advocate for and with children and families.
- Plan for dynamic and collaborative partnerships with families and school professionals.
- Engage in critical explorations of yourself, others, and the wider world.
This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education or a Master of Education (for those students with a prior master’s degree in education), and requires 36 credits.
Become A
Bank Street Teacher
Childhood Special Education – M.S.Ed, Ed.M
Prepare yourself to be a model teacher in specialized settings
This program is for teachers and prospective teachers like yourself, wishing to work with children with variations in grades 1 through 6. As a student in your program you have the opportunity to work in a range of special education settings. This includes children from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds. You will think specifically about designing accessible curricula and differentiated experiences for children with a variety of social, emotional, behavioral, physical, and cognitive variations.
You Will:
- Construct developmentally responsive learning experiences that encourage all learners to follow their curiosities.
- Create accessible curricula so all learners can explore literacy, literature, mathematics, science, arts, and social studies content.
- Develop a strong social justice focus in order to advocate for and with children and families.
- Plan for dynamic and collaborative partnerships with families and school professionals.
- Engage in critical explorations of yourself, others, and the wider world.
This program culminates in a Master of Science in Education or a Master of Education (for those students with a prior master’s degree in education), and requires 36 credits.
Become A
Bank Street Teacher
Career Opportunities for Master’s Degree in Childhood Special Education
Required Courses for Childhood Special Education
Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement
Supervised fieldwork/advisement lies at the heart of a Bank Street education. Through sustained experiences in the field, supervision from core faculty, and close collaboration with peers, our graduate students develop the ability to connect theory to practice and to reflect deeply on their own growth as educators. In this program, you will:
- Be supervised by your advisor, a core graduate faculty mentor, and experienced teacher.
- Participate in a weekly conference group of 5 to 7 students and your advisor.
- Reflect on a lesson with your advisor once each month.
- Meet individually with your advisor twice each month.
- Complete projects to help you take a deeper look at the setting and students you work with.
During your fieldwork experience, you will work in a classroom setting as a full-time head teacher or assistant, or as a student-teacher (3 days each week):
- As a student, you will be placed in one special education setting within grades 1-6.
- As a working head or assistant teacher in an approved setting, you will use your own classroom as your fieldwork.
New York State requires all graduate students in this program to have a supervised fieldwork experience in a special education or inclusion setting. Student-teachers fulfill this experience through their placement in the fall or spring. Working teachers and assistants may need to enroll in an additional fieldwork placement, where they will be placed by Bank Street in the appropriate setting to fulfill their degree requirements
Additional Application Requirements
In addition to the main admissions criteria, there are additional requirements needed to apply for this program:
- Applicants must already hold a valid New York State certification in General Education at the Early Childhood or Childhood level.
Certifications
When you complete this program, you will be eligible for your:
- New York State initial certification Teaching Students with Disabilities, grades 1-6: for those who meet experience requirements and pass state assessments.
After teaching for three years and provided that you meet experience requirements, you will be eligible for New York State professional certification.
Sara Saltzman
GSE ’15
Meet our alumni
“During my undergraduate years at a small liberal arts college, I was deeply invested in my dream of becoming a special education teacher. I greatly benefitted from meeting regularly with my advisor and small cohort of peers while studying best teaching practices.
Choosing Bank Street to continue my studies was the best decision for me because I felt supported and confident in its community in New York City. The small class sizes, hands-on approach, and conference group discussions reflected the systems I needed as a student. Additionally, Bank Street’s philosophy aligned with my vision of a successful and thriving classroom community. I learned more about differentiation, social justice, and authentic learning experiences from dedicated professors and mentors in engaging courses.
In addition to taking courses and teaching, I became involved within the community as a staff member in the library and at Bank Street Summer Camp. As I continue to work with students with a variety of needs and learning styles, I value Bank Street’s approach and inclusiveness.”
Frequently Asked Questions
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The per-credit cost for the 2021-2022 academic year is $1,710, starting with the Fall 2021 Term. There are scholarships and financial aid available to support your participation in the program. Please contact your Application Specialist at 212-652-8722 to find out more about tuition and financial aid at Bank Street.