Mar 29, 2024  
2012-2013 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2019 
    
2012-2013 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2019 THIS CATALOG IS ARCHIVED. BE SURE YOU ARE ACCESSING THE MOST ACCURATE CATALOG FOR YOU.

Elementary Education Major (B.A.)


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs

SVSU is authorized by the State of Michigan to recommend students for initial certification at the elementary level, grades kindergarten through eighth. Students seeking elementary (K-8) teaching certification must fulfill the general requirements for a bachelor’s degree that include General Education , a content major or two content minors, a planned program of additional content courses, and professional studies, as described below. The sequence of professional studies courses includes academic knowledge essential for professional competence in teaching and practical experiences in K-8 classrooms that prepare elementary education majors to work effectively in a variety of educational settings.

In addition, students may elect to add an endorsement onto the elementary teaching certificate in one or more of the following areas: Early Childhood , Special Education , Spanish , French , or English as a Second Language . Students who elect to add an additional endorsement to the elementary teaching certificate should anticipate taking a longer time to complete all of the elementary education major requirements plus specific endorsement requirements.

The Elementary Education teacher preparation program consists of the following components:

  1. General Education   requirements;
  2. Prerequisites for admission  to the Elementary Teacher Education program;
  3. Pre-professional courses that are prerequisites to the first semester of professional studies;
  4. Educational Psychology ;
  5. Content Major/Minors;
  6. Planned Program;
  7. Professional Studies.

General Education Requirements (35 credits)


Highly Recommended for Elementary Education Majors

Category 5:


Three credits from:

Category 6:


Three credits from:

Category 8:


Three credits from:

Category 9:


Three credits from:

Prerequisites for Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program (5 credits)


Educational Psychology (3 credits)


Language Arts Minor (27 credits required)


The minor requires 27 credits. The Planned Program requires 15 credits.

Students selecting the Language Arts Minor will be required to join one of the following professional organizations:

  • TALL Readers (SVSU Student Affiliate of Michigan Reading Association)
  • Michigan Reading Association
  • International Reading Association
  • Michigan Association of Speech Communication
  • Michigan Council of Teachers of English
  • National Council of Teachers of English

Required courses that meet General Education   requirements and count for prerequisites to courses in the Language Arts Minor/Planned Program include:

Language Arts in the Planned Program Minor (15 credits required)


Prerequisites for ENGL 380 (3 credits)


 One course from:

Language/Linguistics (3 credits required)


One course from:

Creating or Performing Texts (3 credits required)


One course from:

Mathematics Minor (24 credits required)


A prerequisite of MATH 103  or satisfactory placement is required for all Elementary Education Majors.

The minor requires 24 credits (including 4 credits for General Education   Category 3). The Planned Program requires 12 credits (including 4 credits for General Education   Category 3).

Students who select the Elementary Education Mathematics Minor may satisfy General Education   Category 3 by any one of the following courses: MATH 120B , MATH 125 , MATH 132A , MATH 132B  or MATH 161 .

For all other Elementary Education students, it is highly recommended to take MATH 132A  or MATH 132B  for  General Education   Category 3.

Mathematics in the Planned Program (12 credits required)


Integrated Science Minor (28 credits required)


The minor requires 28 credits (including 8 credits for General Education   Category 4). The Planned Program requires 12 credits (including 8 credits for General Education   Category 4).

Life Science Core Course (4 credits)


One course from:

Life Science Course (4 credits required)


Physical Science Courses (8 credits required)


Advanced science students may choose to substitute the following: CHEM 111  and CHEM 111L  for CHEM 102B ; and PHYS 111  and PHYS 111L  for PHYS 107 .

Integrated Science in the Planned Program (12 credits required)


Physical Science Course (4 credits required)


One course from:

Social Studies Major (40 credits required)


The major requires 40 credits (including 12 credits for General Education   Categories 5, 6, 7, 8). The Planned Program required 18 credits (including 12 credits for General Education   Categories 5, 6, 7, 8).

Highly recommended courses that meet General Education   requirements and count for the Social Studies Major/Planned Program include:

Social Studies in the Planned Program Minor (18 credits required)


History Courses (6 credits required)


Political Science Course (3 credits required)


Professional Studies (47 credits required)


Prerequisites: admission  to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; TE 300 - Foundations in Elementary Education  ; and PSYC 310–Child Psychology. The following sequence of professional studies courses is required.

Semester 1 Professional Studies (11 credits required)


Prerequisites: PSYC 310 , TE 300 , and admission  to the Elementary Teacher Education Program.

Semester 2 Professional Studies (12 credits required)


Prerequisites: MATH 103  or competency, MATH 110  , 8 credits of science and successful completion of semester 1 professional studies.

Semester 3 Professional Studies (12 credits required)


Prerequisites: ENGL 380 , MATH 210  and successful completion of semester 2 professional studies.

Semester 4 Professional Studies: Student Teaching (12 credits required)


Prerequisite: Successful completion of all required Professional Studies courses with at least a 3.0 GPA, at least a 2.75 GPA in the required content courses for major(s) and minor(s), and an approved application for Student Teaching. No student may enroll for any additional credits without written permission from the Dean.

The following courses must be passed to be recommended for certification as a K-8 teacher.

*NOTE:


Elementary Education majors who are also in the Early Childhood program  will take TE 484  instead of TE 343  and TE 344 . Elementary Education majors who are also in the Special Education program  will take TE 430  and TE 516  instead of TE 343  and TE 344 .

Elementary Teacher Education Program Requirements


 

Grade Point Average Requirement


Students in the Department of Teacher Education will be required to maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00 in all professional studies courses, and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 in the required content courses for major(s) and minor(s) in order to student teach.

Students failing to maintain the required GPA in either case may be dismissed from the program, subject to an appeal. Information for an appeals process may be obtained from the dean’s office.

Seven Year Time Limit for Professional Studies Courses


All professional studies courses (credits and requirements) must be completed within seven (7) years prior to the date on which the degree is to be granted.

Student Teaching


TE 410  and TE 420  are graded on a pass/fail basis. Evaluations are made and kept on file in the College of Education Office. Application forms for student teaching can be obtained from the College of Education web site and must be returned to the Office of Clinical Experiences by the last working day of the month of November for the next year’s Fall Semester Student Teaching assignment, or by the last working day of the month of March for the next year’s Winter Semester Student Teaching assignment.

Student teaching and the seminar (TE 410 , TE 420 ) constitute a full course load. No student may enroll for any additional credits without written permission from the Office of Clinical Experiences. Student teaching normally involves 14 weeks of full-time teaching in an area school. Assignments are made by the Office of Clinical Experiences.

Student teaching assignments are routinely made only for fall and winter semesters.

Note: It is particularly important that students placed in student teaching assignments for a given semester immediately notify the Office of Clinical Experiences when they are not able to fulfill their placement obligation. When a student drops student teaching without approval of the Office of Clinical Experiences, he/she will not be given a student teaching assignment during the following semester. When this student reapplies, he/she may be asked to appear for a formal hearing of the Department of Teacher Education.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Programs