Apr 20, 2024  
2009-2010 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2016 
    
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Elementary Education Major (B.A.)


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SVSU is authorized by the State of Michigan to recommend students for initial certification at the elementary level, grades kindergarten through eighth. As such, the elementary education degree plan includes course work in the following areas: General Education, specialty studies and professional education. In keeping with state requirements, SVSU requires that all elementary education majors complete a minimum of 35 credits in 10 areas of General Education. The specialty studies component is a planned sequence of courses and experiences consisting of academic knowledge essential for professional competence in teaching and other professional education assignments. The academic knowledge of the subject matter is acquired through course work in the minor areas of academic study. The professional studies component prepares elementary education majors to work effectively in a variety of educational settings. This component is a planned sequence of courses and experiences consisting of both knowledge about education and clinical experiences derived from professional practice in schools. Throughout the sequence of courses and experiences, prospective teachers are required to integrate cognitive knowledge of education with practical experiences with children and youth in schools.

The Elementary Education Program consists of three components:

  1. General Education (35 credits in 10 areas; described under Baccalaureate Degree Requirements)
  2. Academic Minors
  3. Professional Education Requirements

Academic Minors


Elementary Education majors are required to have a foundation in English Language Arts, mathematics, the natural sciences, and the social sciences beyond the general education requirements. To achieve this, a minimum of three minors must be selected from Categories A and B.

Category A


First, select two minors from the following four core content areas. The approved list of courses for each of these areas is given below.

English Language Arts Minor (27 credits required)


NOTE: The English Language Arts Minor is pending state approval by the Michigan Department of Education. Approval is expected by the end of 2009. After December, 2011, the Michigan Department of Education will not ceritify the English Minor as defined in earlier catalogs. Students who will not graduate by December, 2011, are required to follow this English Language Arts Minor or English Language Arts Planned Program Minor for certification.

General Education Requirements and Recommendations


Students selecting this minor should also follow these requirements and recommendations:

COMM 105A is required for General Education Category 9.

ENGL/MFL 205 is highly recommended for General Education Category 1.

THEA 128A or THEA 128B [CI] is highly recommended for General Education Category 2.

English Language Arts as a Planned Program Minor


Students who select English Language Arts as a planned program minor must take the following courses (12 credits required).

Mathematics Minor (20-24 credits required)


The total number of credits earned for a mathematics minor (20-24 credits) may vary depending on whether a student must take MATH 103, which can be waived by successfully completing the Algebra Placement Test given by the Academic Advisement Center.

Required Electives (4 credits)


Students who possess a more advanced background than the courses listed below will be counseled into higher level math courses.

Integrated Science Minor (28 credits required)


Required Foundation Course (4 credits)


Required (24 credits)


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

Social Studies Minor (28 credits required)


Students who plan to minor in social studies must follow the guidelines for the minor as indicated.

Social Studies as a Planned Program Minor


Students who select social studies as a planned program minor must take one course in history, one course in economics, one course in political science, and one course in geography, to total a minimum of 12 credits.

Category B


The student then will use the remaining two core content areas to build a 24-credit “Planned Program Minor.” This minor consists of 12 credits in each of the two remaining core content areas. The courses to build the planned program minor also must be selected from the approved list of courses for the academic minors above.

Example
A student selects English and mathematics as minors from Category A.Then, under Category B, the student builds a planned program minor consisting of 12 credits from the approved courses for natural science and 12 credits from the approved courses for social studies. Note: Students using courses from the social studies minor toward their planned program minor must choose one course from each social studies area (i.e., history, political science, economics and geography).

Professional Education Requirements (47-56 credits required)


Pre-Professional Studies (5 credits required)


Support Courses (6 credits required)


Student Teaching (12 credits required)


  • Must be passed to be recommended for certification as a K-8 teacher.

Professional Studies Requirement block


Courses within the Professional Studies Requirement block should be completed in the following sequence with the approval of the student’s Elementary Education Program advisor.

Student Teaching (12 credits required)


[Prerequisite: TE 100: Exploring Teaching (1 cr); PSYC 100:General Psychology (4 cr), admission to Teacher Education, successful completion of all required professional courses, 2.50 GPA,application for Student Teaching. No student may enroll for any additional credits without written permission from the Dean.]

  • Must be passed to be recommended for certification as a K-8 teacher.

Teacher Education Program Requirements


Grade Point Average Requirement


Students in the Department of Teacher Education will be required to maintain an accumulative GPA of at least 2.50 in all professional studies courses in order to student teach. Additionally, NCATE accreditation requires an accumulative GPA of 2.50 prior to recommendation for certification.

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/Methods Courses


All professional studies/methods 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 420 and TEMS 422 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 director 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 410/420 or TEMS 412/422) constitute a full course load. No student may enroll for any additional credits without written permission from the Director of Clinical Experiences. Student teaching normally involves 14 weeks of full-time teaching in an area school. Assignments are made by the Director of Clnical Experiences.

Student teaching assignments are routinely made only for fall and winter semesters. Summer student teaching assignments may be approved by the faculty of the Department of Teacher Education upon recommendation of the Director of Clinical Experiences. Such assignments are to be exceptional and/or experimental.
Note: It is particularly important that students placed in student teaching assignments for a given semester immediately notify the Director of Clinical Experiences when they are not able to fulfill their placement obligation. When a student drops student teaching without approval of the Director 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.

Additional Minors Available


In addition to the content minors outlined above, students may complete the following minors in preparation for additional specialization and certification.

Bilingual Education Minor (24 credits required)


An interdisciplinary minor in bilingual education is available for students in the Elementary Education and Secondary Teaching Certificate programs.

Spanish


Students who select this minor also must demonstrate proficiency in basic standard Spanish by successfully completing SPAN 211, SPAN 212 and SPAN 302 or by demonstrating knowledge of that material by way of an examination given by the Department of Modern Foreign Languages.

Early Childhood Minor (20 credits required)


Students enrolled in the early childhood minor must complete two academic minors and a planned program minor. Prerequisites: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; PSYC 310, Child Psychology.


Course requirements for TE 322 and TE342 are met through completion of the early childhood minor courses.

Required Courses (20 credits)


Student teaching must be in K-2. Internship must be completed immediately before or after elementary student teaching.

The early childhood minor will be offered in cohorts with the following sequence of courses:

Semester 1
Introduction to Early Childhood Education
Semester 2
Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Programs or Assessment of Children in Early Childhood Programs
Semester 3
Curriculum Development for Early Childhood Programs or Assessment of Children in Early Childhood Programs
Semester 4
Internship in Preprimary Programs

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