Teacher Education

Adolescence Education Courses & Curriculum

The Adolescence Education Department offers nine certification programs at the Adolescence Level (Grades 7-12).

The professional sequences in Adolescence Education give the prospective teacher a thorough foundation in the many facets of modern American education and a gradually increasing exposure to the realities of the classroom. A broad range of field experiences, from observation and tutoring to a full semester of student teaching, is an essential part of the curriculum. Each program also includes an integrated sequence of subject-area courses offered by one or more of the academic departments at the college.

Certification Requirements

• To obtain initial teacher certification, candidates must pass the examinations required by the New York State Education Department. For the most up to date examination information, please click here.
  
  
• Candidates must be cleared by the New York State Education Department through a fingerprint-supported criminal history background check.
  
  
• Candidates in teacher certification programs are required to take three credits of foreign language to meet New York State certification regulations. Canisius College accepts high school foreign language study for the foreign language proficiency requirement for those candidates successfully completing the appropriate Regents Exam with a grade of 85% or higher. For students who graduated from high schools outside New York state, three or more full year courses in a foreign language with grades of ‘B’ or higher are acceptable for the foreign language proficiency. Your proficiency will be evaluated during freshman orientation by the Director of Advisement. Candidates may also demonstrate the foreign language proficiency requirement by passing the appropriate CLEP test. Candidates that do not meet the foreign language proficiency through high school study are required to take a three credit foreign language course at the college level. Candidates that have no prior high school foreign language experience, should register for a 103 level foreign language course. Candidates that have prior high school foreign language experience, should register for a 115 level foreign language course.
  
  
• Academic Criteria for Endorsement and Completion of Program
  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Grade of ‘C’ or higher in content and pedagogical courses
  • Satisfactory performance in field placements
  • Successful portfolio review

Please see the School of Education page for information about transition points in the programs and portfolio requirements.

Adolescence Education Curriculum:

1. Core Requirements
Students in all majors are expected to fulfill Core requirements. View the Core Curriculum requirements.

2. Major Requirements

3. Free Electives
Courses/credits in addition to the Core Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach a minimum of 120 hours for graduation. Students may graduate with more but not less than 120 credit hours.

4. Concentration Requirements (Areas of Certification)
For science concentrations, please consult your adviser and GriffAudit for the appropriate courses.

English Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and English at least two additional English courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections. 

French Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and French at least two additional French courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections.

German Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and German at least two additional German courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections.

Math Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and Math at least two additional math courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections.

Social Studies Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and History at least three additional history courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections.

For those students wishing to add a second major in History, please consult your History department adviser for a list of specific courses.

Spanish Grades 7-12

To complete a dual major in Adolescence Education and Spanish at least two additional Spanish courses are required. See GriffAudit, in consultation with your advisers, for appropriate selections.

Middle Childhood Extension

Candidates wishing to obtain an extension to teach grades 5-6 in their area of concentration must take EMC 352 and EMC 391 in addition to the courses listed above.

COURSES 

EDS 101 Human Growth and Social Development: Adolescence   3 credits
Introduces human developmental processes and variations in the middle and high school years including physical, cognitive, social, and emotional perspectives. Effects of behavioral and cognitive processes, motivation, and diversity on student performance will be emphasized. Fall/Spring 

EDS 223 Foundations of Adolescent Literacy   3 credits
Attribute: Advanced Writing Intensive
Focuses on three strands of literacy teaching for adolescent students: strategies for developing reading and writing skills in all secondary content areas, methods for reading and writing in inquiry projects, and pedagogical practices for integrating critical literacy in all secondary classrooms.Fall/Spring

EDS 224 Adolescent Literacy in a New Literacies World   3 credits
This course addresses the multiple literacies that adolescents use to make meaning in the world. The focus is on the integration, implementation and assessment of New Literacies in the content areas. Requires 20 hours of field placement. Fall/Spring

EDS 360 Evaluation and Teaching Strategies   3 credits
Addresses instructional planning, curriculum development, formal and informal assessment methods and reflecting on one’s own teaching practice. Highlights instruction modifications and various resources to enhance teaching. Requires 30 hours of field placement. Fall/Spring

EDS 370 Teaching Young Adolescent Literature   3 credits
Prepares teacher candidates to teach young adult literature to adolescents, grades 7-12. Candidates will consider what, why and how literature is currently taught and learned in middle and high school classrooms. National and state standards, curriculum and assessment, literature of diverse cultures, as well as contemporary theory and research in English Language Arts will be focal points. Spring only

EDS 390 Cognition, Learning and Assessment of Adolescents   3 credits
Focuses primarily upon seminal learning theories in order to examine the dynamic nature of knowledge and to attend to how changing epistemological positions can affect teaching and learning. Addresses learning processes and the roles that language, motivation, intelligence, creativity and other social processes play in student performance. Emphasis upon instructional design, pedagogical decision making and assessment procedures and instruments.Fall/Spring 

Choose the appropriate course from EDS 402, 403, 404, 405, 406: 

EDS 402 Methods of Teaching English: Adolescence   3 credits
Combines theory and practice to encourage sound, research-based pedagogical strategies for the teaching of English Language Arts for middle and high school students. Focuses on available teaching materials and multiple approaches to teaching literature, writing, grammar and language development, as well as technology integration. Effective lesson planning and unit planning are emphasized. Prerequisite: EDS 360 Fall/Spring

EDS 403 Methods of Teaching Mathematics: Adolescence   3 credits
Combines theory and practice to encourage sound, research-based pedagogical strategies for the teaching of Mathematics for middle and high school students. Focuses on available teaching materials and multiple approaches to teaching, including technology applications. Effective lesson construction and unit planning are emphasized. Prerequisite EDS 360 Fall/Spring

EDS 404 Methods of Teaching Modern Languages: Adolescence   3 credits
Combines theory and practice to encourage sound, research-based pedagogical strategies for the teaching of foreign languages for middle and high school students. Focuses on available teaching materials and multiple approaches to teaching the grammar, literature and culture of French-, German-, and Spanish-speaking countries, as well as technology integration. Effective lesson planning and unit planning are emphasized. Prerequisite: EDS 360 Fall/Spring

EDS 405 Methods of Teaching Science: Adolescence   3 credits
This course focuses on developing a rich intellectual life through study, reflection and practice. Students will have discussions on Philosophy of Science, the philosophy of individual science disciplines and pertinent Education Psychology theories as applied to science teaching. Current research-based science teaching techniques will be emphasized. Students will write reflection papers and use these theories and principles in classroom exercises and presentations. Requires a working knowledge of at least one science discipline. Prerequisite: EDS 360 Fall/Spring

EDS 406 Methods of Teaching Social Studies: Adolescence   3 credits
This course addresses the objectives, methods, curricula, materials and assessment necessary for teaching social studies at the secondary level. Students will examine topics such as teaching for democratic citizenship, authentic instruction and assessment, multicultural social studies curriculum, and technology in the social studies classroom. This course models various instructional strategies and includes practical assignments and experiences for students. Prerequisite: EDS 360 Fall/Spring

Choose the appropriate course from EDS 432, 433, 434, 435, 436:

EDS 432 Applied Methods of Teaching English: Adolescence   3 credits
Attribute: Oral Communication
Includes practica and seminars that focus on professional reflection and topics related to classroom management, increasing family involvement, teaching to higher standards and assessment at the adolescent level. Requires 50 hours of field experience. Prerequisite: EDS 402 Fall/Spring

EDS 433 Applied Methods of Teaching Mathematics: Adolescence   3 credits
Attribute: Oral Communication
Includes practica and seminars that focus on professional reflection and topics related to classroom management, increasing family involvement, teaching to higher standards and assessment at the adolescence level. Requires 50 hours of field experience. Prerequisite: EDS 403 Fall/Spring

EDS 434 Applied Methods of Teaching Modern Languages: Adolescence   3 credits
Attribute: Oral Communication
Includes practica and seminars that focus on professional reflection and topics related to classroom management, increasing family involvement, teaching to higher standards and assessment at the adolescence level. Requires 50 hours of field experience. Prerequisite: EDS 404 Fall/Spring

EDS 435 Applied Methods of Teaching Science: Adolescence   3 credits
Attribute: Oral Communication
Includes practica and seminars that focus on professional reflection and topics related to classroom management, increasing family involvement, teaching to higher standards and assessment at the adolescence level. Requires 50 hours of field experience. Prerequisite: EDS 405 Fall/Spring

EDS 436 Applied Methods of Teaching Social Studies   3 credits
Attribute: Oral Communication
Includes practica and seminars that focus on professional reflection and topics related to teaching diverse students, authentic intellectual work, classroom management, and teaching to higher standards. Requires 50 hours of field experience. Prerequisite: EDS 406  Fall/Spring

EDS 493 Supervised Student Teaching   12 credits
Highlights knowledge, skills and dispositions of professional educators. Two full-time seven-week placements in adolescent classrooms require candidates to become the instructional leader under the supervision of cooperating teachers and college faculty. Prerequisites: Overall G.P.A. of 2.50 to date, “C” in each required subject area course (modern language majors must also pass oral proficiency interview), “C” in each required Education course, interview. Some schools may require certain health tests. Corequisites: EDS 494, EDU 495 and EDU 496. Fall/Spring

EDS 494 Capstone Seminar for Adolescence Education Teacher Candidates   3 credits
This seminar will be the culminating course that complements student teaching for adolescence education majors. EDS 494 will revolve around assessments of how well teacher candidates can integrate theoretical principles and core attributes into the practical work of student teaching. Teacher candidates will complete readings, engage in classroom discussions and construct artifacts that will be assessed for their integration of pedagogical knowledge with issues of diversity, ethics, global awareness and social justice. The artifacts will demonstrate how well each teacher candidate's understanding of the four core knowledge attributes is contributing to his or her development as a teacher. Co-requisites: EDS 493, EDU 495, and EDU 496. Students must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 in their concentration as well as in the major. Fall/Spring

EDU 122 Technology in Education   3 credits
Explores applications of technology in education. Emphasizes evaluation and selection of software, high and low-tech devices, distance learning and state of the art technologies that impact teaching. Fall/Spring

EDU 250 Foundations of Education   3 credits
Attribute: Justice
This course introduces the historical, sociological, philosophical, and organizational foundations of education in the Unites States. Topics include a broad overview of teaching as a profession, an understanding of the role of education in a democratic society, diversity and social justice, home/school/community relationships, educational reform and other current issues in education. Fall/Spring

EDU 410 Teaching Writing in the Schools   3 credits
Emphasizes integrating current theories of writing into classroom curricula. Students develop their own composing ability to teach writing in school settings. Open to all Education and Adolescence Education concentrations. Fall only

EDU 415 Grammar and Language Study for Teachers   3 credits
Attribute: Advanced Writing Intensive
Addresses instruction in English grammar for students who will be teaching English Language Arts, as well as instruction in the history and structure of the English language. The course focuses on the study of the eight parts of speech and skills required for effective sentence construction. In addition, students will be exposed to the study of the history of language and how language functions in our lives. Students will focus on how these two aspects of ELA are taught in the schools. Open to all Education and Adolescence Education concentrations. Spring only

SPE 341 Inclusive Strategies   3 credits
Attribute: Diversity
Highlights best practices in general education for students with disabilities. Illustrates current developments in special education. Emphasizes collaboration to meet the diverse needs of learners. Fall/Spring

EDU 495 Child Abuse Workshop  0 credits
Mandatory training by NY State Education Department for teacher certification. Held during the student teaching seminar. Fall/Spring

EDU 496 Prevention of School Violence Workshop   0 credits
Mandatory training by NY State Education Department for teacher certification. Held during the student teaching seminar. Fall/Spring

EMC 352 Human Growth and Social Development: Middle Childhood   3 credits
Major concepts, principles, theories and research related to the intellectual, emotional, physical, social and moral development of young adolescents. Emphasis on contemporary issues related to middle childhood development.Fall/Spring

EMC 391 Cognition, Learning, Assessment and Diagnostic Teaching: Middle Childhood   3 credits
Concepts, standards and research related to middle level curriculum development stressing the importance of a curriculum that is relevant, challenging, integrative and exploratory. Interdisciplinary middle level curriculum standards and models will be introduced in addition to assessment strategies that promote the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of all young adolescents. Fall/Spring