Education

This supervised clinical is the first of two sequential, incremental clinical experiences for special education and elementary (40 hours required), and early childhood (50 hours required) majors. Students work with an individual child or small group, assess and plan instruction in the area of reading, assist in building the child’s self-esteem and confidence, aid in the development of thinking skills, and gain experience, practice, and training in the application of theory and skills when working with students. The candidates will give at least three pre- and post-assessments to determine the impact of student learning from the beginning of the clinical experience to the end. They will also teach a minimum of five lessons to an individual student and/or small group of students. Pass/Fail Grading. Offered Fall and Spring. Students must sign up for the clinical using www.tinyurl.com/clinicals

This supervised 50-hour clinical is the second of two sequential, incremental clinical experiences for early childhood majors. Students work in a public school setting with a partnership school and observe, manage, plan for and instruct a large group, as opposed to an individual child. The course gives students the experience, practice, and training in technology, arts integration, and classroom management and the application of theory and skills acquired in core courses in early childhood education. This practicum builds on the experiences in EDU 101. All placements are in a partnership school. No placement requests are allowed for this clinical. Offered Fall and Spring Terms.

This supervised 50-hour practicum graded on a pass/fail basis is the second of two sequential, incremental clinical experiences required of elementary majors. Students work in a public school setting and observe, manage, plan for, and instruct a large group, as opposed to an individual child. The practicum gives students the experience, practice, and training in the application of theory and skills in the classroom acquired in core courses in elementary education. This practicum builds on the experiences in EDU101. Sign-up deadlines are involved. Pass/Fail grading. Offered Fall and Spring terms.

First-Year Seminars constitute a common and academically significant experience in a student’s first year at Converse University. All incoming first- year students are required to take a 3-credit hour FYS in the fall semester, choosing from a variety of discipline specific topics. Each FYS carries the corresponding departmental prefix, but with the common number (except for designated honors sections). Each FYS course is designed to have no more than 18 students and counts in some designated category of the General Education Program. Strong writing and speaking components are required of the course.

Required of all prospective secondary teachers. The course is for prospective secondary school teachers in all academic areas. Students observe and participate in the instructional program of a secondary school under the supervision of a classroom teacher and a college supervisor. Requirements include seminars, assigned readings, and the preparation of a journal to supplement the field experiences. Faculty advisers can supply sign-up deadlines for each term. Pass/fail grading. Offered Spring Term.

This supervised clinical is the second of two required sequential, incremental clinical experiences for secondary education majors. In a classroom setting appropriate to their major, teacher candidates focus on such topics as self-esteem, thinking skills, and vocabulary development. Faculty advisers can supply sign-up deadlines for each term. Pass/fail grading. Offered in Fall Term.

This course will introduce students to the importance of current technology in the PreK – 12th grade classroom. It will cover basic teaching knowledge, learning preferences, and instructional support, all related to modern technology. It will also introduce students to various digital tools to support student academic goals, teacher pedagogy, and different student learning styles. The course is designed to utilize technology during each class session. The course will also introduce students to effective lesson planning and classroom management and how they correlate with the effective integration of technology.

This course will equip the elementary candidate with the tools necessary to diagnose and remediate the struggling readers in the general education classroom. Along with analysis of various assessment data, the candidate will be involved with the study of the language arts; theoretical models for literacy development and learning; and the foundations of reading behaviors and stages of reading development.

This course combines elements of learning theory and child growth and development with the actual observation of children. Special topics include self-esteem and confidence, multi-ethnic and pluralistic preschool settings, and principles of tests and measurements. This course covers the social, physical, emotional, and intellectual development of the child from prenatal through preadolescence  (8 years of age) and gives special emphasis to language acquisition and pre-operational thought. The course requires observation of children and is a prerequisite to EDU412b. Offered Fall Term.

This course will equip the early childhood candidate with the tools necessary to provide instruction in literacy, diagnose and remediate struggling readers in the general education classroom. Along with analysis of various assessment data, the candidate will be involved with the study of the language arts; theoretical models for literacy development and learning; and the foundations of reading behaviors and stages of reading development.  R2S Literacy Course, students must earn a C or better in the course for certification.

This course acquaints the student with traditional and modern literature for children, interests of children of different age levels, criteria for evaluating children’s books, creative writing, and methods of integrating children’s literature into the curriculum. This course is a prerequisite to EDU 412a and 412b. R2S Literacy Course, students must earn a C or better in the course for certification.

This course is designed to familiarize students with science content in life sciences, physical sciences, and earth/space sciences appropriate for the elementary child (grades 2–6), to develop pedagogical skills in science, and to build positive attitudes toward science and science instruction. Candidates are provided with hands-on science experiences, preparation for the Praxis II exam, and field experiences. 

The course will include best practices in teaching social studies, strategies, and methods that emphasize active student engagement, and the development of units of study that are based on South Carolina Standards and integrate technology. 

The course will include best practices in teaching English Language Arts, strategies and methods that emphasize active student engagement, and the development of units of study that are based on South Carolina Standards and integrate technology.

This course focuses upon methodology for scaffolding reading and writing development of the student in intermediate grades. Teaching candidates will focus on the transition from beginning reading and writing to reading and writing in the content area. Effective strategies and materials for teaching the fluent reader and writer will be emphasized. A 15-hour clinical is required for the course and the student should register using www.tinyurl.com/clinicals. Offered Fall and Spring Terms.  R2S Course: Teacher candidates must earn a C or better for certification.

This course will examine the history and theories of literacy processes and instruction (reading and writing). Participants will engage in reading about current issues, history, theory, policy, evidence-based practice, and professional development in literacy instruction. Teacher candidates will explore their personal theory of how students gain literacy proficiency as well as closely examining other theoretical perspectives to empower educators to make complex decisions that connect theory, practices, and student learning. R2S Course, candidates must make a C or better for certification.

This course is primarily for students in special education. It includes methods and materials for a wide number of reading problems encountered among exceptional learners. The course emphasizes diagnosing reading difficulties and techniques of remediation. This course includes a clinical. R2S Literacy Course, students must earn a C or better in the course for certification.

This course gives the prospective secondary science teacher an opportunity to develop the laboratory skills necessary to manage a laboratory and to design experiments, laboratory and field activities, and demonstrations. In addition, the student must satisfactorily complete required reading and assignments. This required course for prospective secondary science majors is available (with the approval of instructor) when there is a demand from juniors or seniors.

This course is a hands-on, activity-oriented course designed to guide students in the preparation of teacher-made instructional materials in each area of the early childhood curriculum and the implementation of carefully prepared lessons for an actual early childhood setting. Students plan appropriate lessons. The course emphasizes language development and listening, speaking, writing, and reading readiness experiences; explores a variety of teaching techniques and organizational arrangements, and emphasizes individualized instruction. This course is a prerequisite to EDU 412b. Offered Spring and Summer Terms.

Admission to Teacher Education is required. This course is a study of the curricular needs of early childhood (pk-3) children, a review of early childhood programs/settings, and an exploration of applying teaching/learning theory to the early childhood setting. Special topics include working with parents, classroom management techniques/strategies, and curricula in math, language arts, science, social studies, art, physical education, and music. Students make on-site visits to a Montessori school, a private kindergarten, public-school kindergartens, a university laboratory preschool, and a hospital-based child development center. This course is a prerequisite to EDU 412b. Offered Fall Term.

Students normally take this course, which integrates theory and practice, during the senior year. The 60-day course includes observation, participation, and directed teaching experience in a local public school. The experience requires conferences with the Program Director, University Supervisor, and the cooperating teacher, demonstration of the integration of technology into instruction, and attendance at such required seminars as training sessions, orientation sessions, and other workshops. The University Supervisor visits the student-teacher periodically during the semester. Students must request a student teaching placement by February 15 for Fall Term placement in the following year or by June 15 for Spring Term placement in the following year. Pass/fail grading. Offered Fall and Spring Terms. Special fee. Meets the GEP capstone, and writing-intensive requirements.

Students normally take this course, which integrates theory and practice, during the senior year. The 60-day course includes observation, participation, and directed teaching experience in a local public school. The experience requires conferences with the Program Director, University Supervisor, and the cooperating teacher, demonstration of the integration of technology into instruction, and attendance at such required seminars as training sessions, orientation sessions, and other workshops. The University Supervisor visits the student-teacher periodically during the semester. Students must request student teaching placement by June 15 for Spring Term placement in the following year or by February 15 for Fall Term placement in the following year. Pass/fail grading. Offered Fall and Spring Terms. Special fee. Meets the GEP capstone, and writing-intensive requirements.

Students normally take this course, which integrates theory and practice, during the senior year. The 60-day course includes observation, participation, and directed teaching experience in a local public school. The experience requires conferences with the Program Director, University Supervisor, and the cooperating teacher, demonstration of the integration of technology into instruction, and attendance at such required seminars as training sessions, orientation sessions, and other workshops. The University Supervisor visits the student-teacher periodically during the semester. Students must apply for student teaching by June 15 for Spring Term placement in the following year or by February 15 for Fall Term placement in the following year. Pass/fail grading. Offered Fall and Spring Terms. Special fee. Meets the GEP capstone and writing intensive requirements.

Students normally take this course, which integrates theory and practice, during the senior year. The 60-day course includes observation, participation, and directed teaching experience in both elementary and secondary local public schools. The experience requires conferences with the Program Director, University Supervisor, and the cooperating teacher, demonstration of the integration of technology into instruction, and attendance at such required seminars as training sessions, orientation sessions, and other workshops. The University Supervisor visits the student-teacher periodically during the semester. Students must apply for student teaching by June 15 for Spring Term placement in the following year or by February 15 for Fall Term placement in the following year. Pass/fail grading. Offered Fall and Spring Terms. Special fee. Meets the GEP capstone and writing intensive requirements.

Corequisite for art students: ART 316L. EDU 201 is a prerequisite to EDU 202 Clinical. EDU 202 must accompany or follow EDU 425. Admission to Teacher Education. This course assists teachers in the teaching of reading in a variety of content areas. Teachers will learn to develop study guides, introduce content area texts, use study plans, determine reading expectancy and levels, develop comprehension questions at various levels, and assess the readability of text materials. Offered Fall Term. R2S Endorsement course, candidates must earn a C or better for certification.

This course provides critical content in the teaching of reading and writing in a variety of K-12 special areas including art and music. Drawing on student's own experiences and best practices in the field, this course will focus on the development of literacy knowledge and teaching strategies for the K-12 specialist educator and help them create a literacy enriched classroom environment. Students will learn how to determine reading expectancy and levels, how to develop comprehension questions an assessments at various levels, how to implement the writing process for content areas and how to assess readability of text materials and writing in the K-12 specialist content area. Online, On-campus. 

This course is the capstone and experiential component for the Child and Family Studies (CFS) major. Only declared CFS majors may sign up for this course. The course places CFS majors in the community, embedded in organizations that emphasize improving and enhancing the quality of life for families and children. Those who seek to work with families and children in the community need to be aware of national and state best practices in improving and enhancing the quality of life for families and children. Students will be embedded in an organization that seeks to improve the quality of life for families and children. This internship will be a minimum of 60 hours over the course of a semester (fall or spring). Students will be responsible for documenting and reporting on their experience in the final class and at the campus-wide Intern Expo. Content will vary dependent on organization with which student is placed.

This course covers the application of specific behavioral teaching procedures used to decrease or eliminate behaviors, with emphasis on ethical interventions and the desirability of least restrictive and non-aversive strategies. It also emphasizes procedures and plans to teach communication, social, and self-help skills. It covers the purpose, rationale, and methods for conducting and interpreting functional analyses of challenging behaviors. Prerequisite: SED 321- Foundations of ASD.

This course covers the application of specific behavioral teaching procedures used to decrease or eliminate behaviors, with emphasis on ethical interventions and the desirability of least restrictive and non-aversive strategies. It also emphasizes procedures and plans to teach communication, social, and self-help skills. It covers the purpose, rationale, and methods for conducting and interpreting functional analyses of challenging behaviors. 

Prerequisites: SED 321 and 331