Teacher Education | SUNY Potsdam

If you want to be a teacher, there's no better place for you.

Our teacher education program is the oldest in the SUNY system, dating back to its foundation as the St. Lawrence Academy in 1816. In fact, we're one of the more highly regarded schools of education in the country. Our teacher education programs were recently accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), the most rigorous of the teacher education accreditation standards.

Programs of Study Visit Campus Apply Now

Highlights

Education scholarships
TESA- Teacher Education Student Association
Sheard Literacy Center
Student Teaching opportunities in many counties within NYS, as well as NYC and Canada
Math/Science Center
Small class sizes in Education courses
Multiple opportunities to grow, take risks, and develop your own teaching philosophy
Guidance and support from faculty
4+1 Program
- Pursue an undergraduate degree in four years in:
  - Childhood/Early Childhood (Birth - Grade 6) OR
  - Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12 with 5-6 extension) in English, Science, Math or Social Studies
- Pursue one of the following online graduate programs in one additional year:
  - Literacy
  - Special Education
  - Educational Technology Specialist

Academic Departments

Courtney Ferguson '22, a childhood / early childhood education major at SUNY Potsdam, discusses her reasons for becoming a teacher, and how she strives to be a support system for her students—in the same way that her kindergarten teacher supported her when she was a child.

“I am beyond proud to tell people I went to SUNY Potsdam for both my undergraduate and graduate schooling! Their education department is phenomenal, and I wouldn’t have wanted another college experience! I have met the absolute best friends who I still see, despite living across the state from them!”
Allison Dubbioso '23 & ’24

The Evolution of Literacy

It starts with a single word—but it’s part of a larger transformation in literacy education. Through the Reading Ready program, SUNY Potsdam students are working one-on-one with local children to build foundational reading skills and confidence.

Classroom Calling

Through immersive field experiences—from the Bears Literacy Program to full-time student teaching—Emily Jordan ’26 is gaining the skills, confidence and compassion to help young learners grow, one lesson at a time, as she prepares for a career in early childhood education.

Becoming an Educator

Building on teaching experiences in her father’s kindergarten classroom throughout her youth, Hannah McArthur ’25 pursued a degree in early childhood/childhood education, and gained valuable real-world experience through numerous elementary school classroom placements around New York state.

"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 getting 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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The American Dream

In just four years, Miryam Veliz Calderon ’20 & ’21 graduated from SUNY Potsdam with an undergraduate degree in math and Spanish, followed by a master’s degree in secondary math education. With a unique combination of language, math, and teaching skills, Veliz Calderon quickly landed a job back home on Long Island after commencement, working as a bilingual math teacher for immigrants who recently arrived in the U.S.

Mentor for the Next Generation

Encouraged by his mother to pursue a career in teaching, Noah White ’22 transferred to SUNY Potsdam to combine his passion for chemistry and education through the College’s BA / MST program in secondary science education.