Elementary Education (PreK-6)
The teacher preparation program in elementary education (PreK-6) prepares beginning teachers to become highly knowledgeable about subject matter and pedagogy, and to be critically reflective, responsive, compassionate, and committed to meeting the learning needs of all children with diverse cultural, socioeconomic, and linguistic backgrounds.
Outcomes
Candidates use their understanding of each child's developmental and learning needs, individual differences, and diverse families, cultures and communities to plan and implement inclusive learning environments that provide each learner with equitable access to high quality learning.
Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major concepts, skills, and practices, as they interpret disciplinary curricular standards and related expectations within and across literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies for PreK to gr. 6.
Candidates plan and adapt instructional sequences to promote a full range of competencies for every learner based on knowledge of each child, educational goals, instructional practices, disciplinary knowledge, and student assessment.
Candidates design, compose, select, adapt and administer formative, summative, and performance-based assessments appropriately to gather data on student learning and engagement.
Candidates make informed decisions about instruction guided by knowledge of children and assessment of student learning that result in the use of a variety of effective instructional practices.
Candidates use a variety of communication strategies to interact effectively with learners, families, and colleagues as well as work collaboratively with colleagues, mentors, and school leaders in a professional way.
Candidates conduct themselves professionally at all times in accordance to the Connecticut Code of Professional Responsibility for Teachers, Section 10-145d-400a of the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies.
Program Requirements (120 credits)
Students must choose a subject area major designed for elementary education (33-39 credits). Majors include English, geography, history, mathematics, general science with a specialization in biology, and general science with a specialization in earth science. For specific major requirements see individual majors certifiable for elementary education.
Related Requirements (30 credits)
All of these courses, with the exception of EDEL 115, PSY 361 and PSY 362, can be used to fulfill general education requirements.
| HIST 161 | American History to 1877 | 3 |
| or | |
| HIST 162 | American History:1877-Present | 3 |
| PSY 136 | Life-Span Development | 3 |
| SCI 211 | Earth and Physical Science | 3 |
| BIO 211 | Concepts in Biology | 3 |
| MATH 113 | Struct of Math I: Number Syst | 3 |
| MATH 213 | Struct of Math II: Prob & Geom | 3 |
| PSY 361 | Psychology of Early Childhood | 3 |
| or | |
| PSY 362 | Child Psychology | 3 |
| EDEL 115 | Fostering Positive School Climate through Aesthetic Education | 3 |
| EDEL 212 | Foundations of Elem Ed | 3 |
| LLA 240 | Research and Writing in Education | 3 |
Elementary Education candidates with a History major do not take HIST 161 or HIST 162.
Professional Education (40 credits)
Enrollment in the following courses requires acceptance to the Elementary Education Professional Program for teacher certification.
| LLA 315 | Comprehensive Reading Instruction I | 3 |
| EDEL 315 | Principles of Learning: Elementary Education | 3 |
| SPED 315 | Introduction to Educating Learners with Exceptionalities | 3 |
| EDT 305 | Educational Technology For Elementary | 1 |
| LLA 316 | Comprehensive Reading Instruction II | 3 |
| EDEL 322 | Effective Elementary Teaching I | 3 |
| EDEL 415 | Elementary Social Studies Methods | 2 |
| EDT 415 | Developing Instructional Materials | 1 |
| EDEL 420 | Effective Elementary Teaching II | 3 |
| LLA 412 | Literacy instruction in the Elementary School | 3 |
| MATH 412 | Elementary Mathematical Methods | 3 |
| SCI 412 | Elementary Science Methods | 2 |
| EDEL 430 | Elementary Education Student Teaching | 9 |
| EDEL 431 | Topic Seminar in Leadership and Learning Communities | 1 |
Total Credit Hours: 120
The completion of a minor is not required.