Mar 28, 2024  
2011-2012 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2018 
    
2011-2012 Undergraduate Academic Catalog | Expires Aug. 2018 THIS CATALOG IS ARCHIVED. BE SURE YOU ARE ACCESSING THE MOST ACCURATE CATALOG FOR YOU.

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. 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 1:


 Three credits from:

Category 5:


Three credits from:

Category 6:


Three credits from:

Category 7:


Three credits from:

Category 8:


Three credits from:

Category 9:


Three credits from:

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


Preprofessional Courses (6 credits)


Educational Psychology (3 credits)


Language Arts Minor (27 credits required)


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

After December, 2011, the Michigan Department of Education will not certify the English Minor as defined in earlier catalogs. Students who will not graduate by December, 2011, are required to follow this  Language Arts Minor or Language Arts Planned Program Minor for certification.

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

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

  • ENGL 205/MFL 205, Category 1 (Prerequisite: ENGL 111)
  • COMM 105A, Category 9
  • Any Category 10 course (Prerequisite: ENGL 111)

 

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)


Phycial Science Courses (8 credits required)


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

Integrated Science in the Planned Program (12 credits required)


Life Science Course (4 credits required)


 One course from:

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:

  • GEOG 201-World Cultural/Regional Geography, Category 8
  • GEOG 202{CI}-North American Regional Geography, Category 6
  • HIST 100B-U.S. History to 1877, Category 5
  • PS 123-The American Political System, Category 7

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 of 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 plus 4 credit co-requisite MATH 210)


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

Semester 3 Professional Studies (12 credits required)


Prerequisites: ENGL 380 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, 2.50 GPA, 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 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 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 420 is 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) 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 Clinical 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.

Endorsements



English as a Second Language: Minor Endorsement (21 credits)

Prerequisite: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; a student who does not complete teacher certification requirements will not be permitted to graduate with this minor.

This course of study is designed to meet the state of Michigan requirements for endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESL). To obtain this endorsement, students must complete all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major as given above, pass the certification test for ESL at the initial level of certification earned: Elementary (K-8); this is not a K-12 endorsement.

Interested students should contact the ESL Program Advisor to schedule an appointment prior to beginning the program. The specific program requirements may be found in the program listing for English as a Second Language: Minor Endorsement.


French Minor – Elementary Teaching Endorsement (23 credits)

Prerequisite: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; a student who does not complete teacher certification requirements will not be permitted to graduate with this minor.

This course of study is designed to meet the state of Michigan requirements for an endorsement to teach French at grades 6-8. To obtain this endorsement, students must complete all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major as given above, pass the certification test for French at the initial level of certification earned: Elementary (K-8); this is not a K-12 endorsement.

Interested students should contact the French Program Advisor to schedule an appointment prior to beginning the program. The specific program requirements may be found in the program listing for French Minor – Elementary Teaching Endorsement.
 

Spanish Minor – Elementary Teaching Endorsement (23 credits)

Prerequisite: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; a student who does not complete teacher certification requirements will not be permitted to graduate with this minor.

This course of study is designed to meet the state of Michigan requirements for an endorsement to teach Spanish at grades 6-8. To obtain this endorsement, students must complete all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major as given above, pass the certification test for Spanish at the initial level of certification earned: Elementary (K-8); this is not a K-12 endorsement.

Interested students should contact the Spanish Program Advisor to schedule an appointment prior to beginning the program. The specific program requirements may be found in the program listing for Spanish Minor – Elementary Teaching Endorsement.
 

Early Childhood Minor (28 credits required)

Prerequisites: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; PSYC 310, Child Psychology; a student who does not complete teacher certification requirements will not be permitted to graduate with this minor.

This course of study is designed to meet the state of Michigan requirements for an endorsement to teach Early Childhood, birth to age 8. To obtain this endorsement, students must complete all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major as given above, pass the certification test for Early Childhood in addition to the certification for Elementary Education, and complete a student teaching internship in addition to TE 420 Student Teaching: K-8.

Interested students who have been admitted to the Elementary Teacher Education Program should contact the Early Childhood Program Advisor for an application to the Early Childhood Program. The specific program requirements may be found in the program listing for Early Childhood Minor.

Elementary Education Major course requirements for TE 343 and TE 344 are met through completion of the early childhood minor courses as noted above.
 

Special Education Major – Elementary (B. A.) (40 credits required)

Prerequisite: Admission to the Elementary Teacher Education Program; a student who does not complete teacher certification requirements will not be permitted to graduate with this major.

This course of study is designed to meet the state of Michigan requirements for an endorsement to teach Special Education, K-12. To obtain this endorsement, students must complete all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major and the Special Education Major, pass the certification test for Special Education in addition to the certification test for Elementary Education, and complete student teaching in a Special Education setting in addition to TE 420 Student Teaching: K-8.

Interested students who have been admitted to the Elementary Teacher Education Program should contact the Special Education Program Advisor for an appointment prior to beginning the Special Education Program. The specific program requirements may be found in the program listing for Special Education Major – Elementary (B. A.).

Requirements for this program are completed in addition to all of the requirements for the Elementary Education Major except TE 343 and TE 344. The requirements for these courses will be met in the required Special Education courses of TE 430 and TE 516.
 

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