Child reading in a library

About Early Childhood Education

Early childhood and childhood education majors are prepared to teach children from birth through sixth grade. They develop expertise in child development, oral and written communication, instructional design and delivery, assessment of student learning, collaboration with families and other professionals, and classroom management. Through their coursework and fieldwork, early education/childhood education majors develop a strong work ethic, organization and management skills, experience interacting with people from diverse backgrounds, flexibility, and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Early Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 2), B.S.

Early Childhood and Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 6, combined program), B.S.

 

Degree Information

Early childhood and childhood education program graduates have been employed in childcare centers, Head Start and universal pre-K classrooms, and public, private, and charter elementary schools across the globe. School districts in New York City, Texas, and others states in the Southwest eagerly hire our graduates. Locally, our graduates are teaching in every school district in Western New York.

Once certified in early childhood and childhood education you may choose to add on additional certifications at the master’s or post-master’s level including literacy, special education, educational leadership and teaching English to speakers of other languages.

If you eventually decide that teaching in a classroom setting is not for you, alternative career options include:

  • Adoption Agency/Foster Care Administrator
  • Childcare Center Employee/Manager/Director
  • Childcare Provider at a Religious Organization
  • Educator to Adults in Corporate or Nonprofit Settings
  • Home-based Service Provider (“Nanny”)
  • Nonprofit Child Services Specialist
  • Park/Community Center Activities Coordinator
  • Summer Camp Counselor/Manager

 

Elementary Education Club: This organization enables elementary education students to socialize, discuss current issues in education, plan and implement service projects, and participate in professional development activities.

Global Book Hour (GBH): Global Book Hour integrates geography, vocabulary, music, visual arts, and healthy eating in a weekly session for neighborhood children from many diverse cultures.

Kappa Delta Pi: The International Honor Society in education is a prestigious organization dedicated to scholarship and excellence in education.

Tutoring in Area Schools: Multiple opportunities are available for students, staff, and faculty to engage PK-12 students through one-on-one tutoring in schools throughout Western New York.

TeachLivE™: A computer-simulated, immersive, virtual reality classroom that provides teachers the opportunity to develop their skills in a safe, digital environment.

International Initiatives: Students have the option of teaching in foreign countries, including Chile, Zambia, Italy, and Germany.

Undergraduate research opportunities are plentiful in local Professional Development School (PDS) sites and in combination with travel opportunities as faculty collaborate with students to conduct applied research in school settings. Each year, the department sponsors student travel to the National Association of Professional Development School (NAPDS) annual meeting to present their undergraduate research to a national audience.

All students majoring in early childhood education complete student teacher placements in settings for infants/toddlers, prekindergarten/kindergarten and grades one and two. Many of the courses in our professional sequence are taught in authentic settings for clinically rich mentored experiences. As a result, the teacher candidates will have observation, tutoring, and teaching experiences in a variety of placements in our PDS Consortium.

PDS Consortium

You Can Make a Difference

Have you always had a special place in your heart for children? Do you want to plan fun, hands-on lessons that teach children basic skills through exploration and play? Are you patient, flexible, and enthusiastic? Early Childhood Education might be perfect for you. 

National Recognition

Our education programs have received awards from the National Association of Professional Development Schools for outstanding work in collaborating with school partners to provide exemplary teacher preparation programs.

Preparation

Candidates emerge from our education programs with quality clinical experiences to ensure success in the field.

Individualized Attention

Classes required for the major have a typical class size of 12-25, with the field-based courses having a maximum class size of 15, which means plenty of individualized attention from professors.

Experienced Faculty

All faculty members are certified, experienced classroom teachers who have continued their own professional development through research, professional presentations and/or publications.​

Alumni Connections

The rich tradition of teacher education at Buffalo State has nurtured relationships with many generous alumni who have sponsored scholarships for our majors

Awards and Scholarships

Carolyn M. Anderson Lecturer
Madeline Q. Angelo Lecturer
Christie L. Angrisano Lecturer
Rosemary Arioli Lecturer
Elizabeth W. Bair Lecturer
Nathaniel Barnes Lecturer
Dalphne M. Bell Lecturer
Dana M. Breidenstein Lecturer
Nicki M. Calabrese Lecturer
Nancy A. Chicola Associate Professor Emeritus
Robert W. Christmann Lecturer
Jill A. Clark Lecturer
Susan H. Corrie Lecturer
Maria M. DeMartinis Lecturer
Pixita M. Del Prado Hill Chair and Professor
Kristin A. Dudek Lecturer
Kathleen B. Dust Lecturer
Crystal A. Elias Lecturer
Alayla J. Ende Assistant Professor
Beth A. Farrar Lecturer
Susan M. Frey Lecturer
Ellen S. Friedland Associate Professor Emeritus
Robert E. Gallagher Lecturer
Keli A. Garas-York Professor
Patricia D. George Lecturer
Joseph A. Giarrizzo Lecturer
Kathleen C. Gramza Lecturer
Gary A. Halicki Lecturer
David R. Henry Associate Professor
Julie J. Henry Professor
Arleen L. Hollas Lecturer
Corinne M. Kindzierski Assistant Professor
Robyn A. Kuchta Lecturer
Elizabeth G. Kuttesch Lecturer
Ann E. Laudisio Lecturer
Mary K. Lavin Lecturer
Peter W. Loehr Associate Professor
Thomas J. Lyons Lecturer
Lindsey M. Mack Lecturer
Jill M. Marinaro Lecturer
Diana M. Maskell Lecturer
Dianne S. McCarthy Professor
Dennis G. Mike Lecturer
Kurt J. Minervino Lecturer
Nanci M. Monaco Associate Professor
Fran L. Paskowitz Lecturer
Sara E. Peter Office Assistant 1 (Keyboarding)
Donna M. Podsiadlo Lecturer
Ashley D. Rapsinski Lecturer
Jennifer M. Reichenberg Assistant Professor
Maura M. Rustowicz Lecturer
Matthew L. Rydelek Lecturer
Kristin K. Saperston Lecturer
Susanna T. Schenk Lecturer
Christopher T. Shively Associate Professor
Kirsten B. Smith Lecturer
Asma T. Syed Lecturer
Sandy L. Terrance Lecturer
Christine L. Tredo Lecturer
Kim S. Truesdell Associate Professor Emeritus
Anne M. Tryjankowski Lecturer
Jeremy J. Ventura Lecturer
Tamara J. Wagner Lecturer
Sherri M. Weber Associate Professor
Julie M. Wholf Administrative Assistant 1
Emma N. Widmer Lecturer
Kristin M. Witkowski Lecturer
Scott S. Wolf Lecturer
Jing Zhang Associate Professor

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