Childhood Education

M.S.T. in Childhood Education

The Master of Science for Teachers in Childhood Education program is 100% online and is recognized and accredited nationally by CAEP, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (formerly NCATE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education). Canadian students who complete this program and all New York State teacher certification requirements are eligible to apply to the Ontario College of Teachers for Ontario certification at the primary / junior divisions. This program is intended for candidates who do not hold a teaching certificate and seek to earn certification in Childhood Education (Grades 1-6). Upon enrollment, instructors can guide you to the pathway of additional B-2 certification. Program start dates: Summer, Fall, Spring.

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Outcomes

Students will be able to:

collect and analyze three student work samples (high, medium and low) that represent patterns of learning at a specific grade and explain how they will reteach the learning objectives for students to gain further success.
implement a self-designed lesson plan that includes consideration for and opportunities to address and integrate issues of diversity (gender, ethnicity, race, age, disability) in 1-6 grade classroom.
analyze and develop lessons that demonstrate skill in the appropriate teaching techniques, including direct instruction, cooperative learning and discovery/ inquiry teaching.
compile a portfolio of various instructional strategies that promote active engagement within an elementary classroom. For each strategy included, candidates will outline the procedural steps required to fully implement the activity. They will also provide an analytic rationale for each protocol, which highlights the educational merit of each selected protocol.

Career Outlook

Employment of elementary school teachers is projected to grow by 4 percent over the next 10 years. Pay for elementary school teachers in New York is among the highest in the nation.

"SUNY Potsdam has a great program, and I couldn’t be happier. It was the best decision I ever made."

Autumn Frazee Brown ’23 Student in the MST program in childhood education

"A School Year Can Change Your Life"

Laura Smith ’23 harnessed the impact and convenience of SUNY Potsdam’s fully online MST in Childhood Education by completing her coursework from Canada with the goal of building classroom communities that function in positive, inclusive, and energizing ways. A mother of three, the online program was the perfect option for Smith, who was then able to complete her student teaching placements right in Ottawa.

Sailing into the Classroom

Much like the character in her children’s book, Katie Yang ’23 has been on her own adventure—teaching English in China, volunteering as an ESL teacher at Fort Drum, and now completing her master’s degree in childhood education at SUNY Potsdam. Her book, “Sailor Sam and the Crab Invasion,” which was written during her Literacy I class with Carolyn Stone, is now on sale at Barnes & Noble.

A Personal Connection

As a parent of a son with autism, Autumn Frazee Brown ’23 has always valued the importance of great educators. A longtime advocate for her son, she has seen the positive impact teachers have had on his life—ultimately influencing her own decision to pursue a master’s degree in education at SUNY Potsdam.

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SUNY Potsdam  Ranks  #18 in the Nation for Teacher Education

The strength of SUNY Potsdam’s legacy in training teachers has earned the College a placing at No. 18 in the nation among institutions offering a bachelor’s degree in teacher education, according to a new ranking released by Study.com. The company considered hundreds of universities and ranked SUNY Potsdam based on academic and career resources, the quality of education, faculty, cost, graduation rates, student retention, job placement, and other factors. 