A brief description of the Associate Degree in Education Pathways offered at CPCE.
As the flow chart shows, CPCE offers several teacher training programmes that are designed to meet the needs of a broad category of individuals who want to become teachers. The programmes may lead to an Associate Degree in Education (ADE).
CPCE has made provisions to support teacher candidates who, due to certain extenuating circumstances, are unable to successfully meet admission requirements to the college but who have a deep passion for teaching. These teacher candidates are placed in a supplementary first-year program to reach college readiness. After their successful completion of the remedial first year, these teacher-candidates will then continue to enroll in the 2-year Associate Degree in Education in either the Early Childhood, Primary or Secondary Education programmes.
The two-year Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education Programme prepares teacher candidates to teach young children from 0-8 years. The curriculum includes extensive training in the delivery of core subjects in General Education, which is central to child development. This programme also includes courses in Literacy, Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The two-year Associate Degree in Primary Education Programme prepares teacher candidates to teach children from grades 3-6. Coursework in Primary Education provides teacher candidates with a variety of techniques in instructional delivery, and a solid foundation in content knowledge of the core subjects taught at the primary level. Again, courses in Literacy Studies, SEND and HFLE are requirements for graduation.
The two-year Associate Degree in Secondary Education is routed in two major disciplines–TVET & AA (Technical & Vocational Education and Training, and Allied Arts) and AS (Academic Studies). The flow chart reflects the various specializations for each of the pathways. Teacher candidates enrolled in the secondary programme are required to complete a minimum of 76 credits and a certain number of credits in their various specializations in order to graduate. This programme also includes courses in Literacy, Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
The GTE &TTE programmes are two pathways that lead to the Associate Degree in Education at the end of one (1) year. These two pathways are, 1. Teacher candidates working in the schools with an earned degree(s) (BA, MA or doctorate) in certain recognized fields, but have no formal teacher training, will be admitted to CPCE to complete one year at the college with a focus on instructional delivery. These teacher candidates will earn the status of a Trained Graduate Master/Mistress. 2. Teacher candidates working in the schools with a Technical Certification, (such as certification from Guyana Technical Institute), but have no formal teacher training, will be admitted to CPCE to complete one year at the college with a focus on instructional delivery. These teacher candidates will earn an Associate Degree in Education. Teacher candidates in both of these two pathways must complete a minimum of 60 credit hours, 12 of which must be in their specialization.
Teacher candidates who specialize in any of the following three support programmes– HFLE, Literacy Studies, and SEND earn a two-year Associate Degree in Education. Trained teachers who specialize in any of these support programmes serve as support teachers and/or trained interventionists at any of the levels of schooling–Early Childhood, Primary or Secondary Education.