Elementary Education Major
The elementary education major prepares qualified candidates with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to teach elementary students (grades 1-6), and to evidence Christian values in their personal and professional practice while respecting the exercise of individual moral decisions. Candidates who successfully complete the major are eligible to receive an Illinois Professional Educator License for grades 1-6.
Program Outcomes:
Students graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education will:
- display thorough content knowledge to teach in their respective fields.
- be able to plan, deliver, and assess effective instructional experiences that align with learning standards, educational theory, and knowledge of student development
- exhibit appropriate professional dispositions that reflect the personal, professional, and practical components of teaching
- evidence Christian values in their personal and professional practice, while respecting the exercise of individual moral decisions
- address the differing needs of a diverse student population with professional competence, respect, and fairness
Additional Licensure Requirements
Candidates must pass the appropriate content area test(s), the teacher performance assessment (edTPA), and all required licensure tests in order to complete their program. Candidates are required to comply with all state requirements that are in place at the time of application for licensure. Consult the Division of Education for specific information.
Optional Additional Endorsement
A candidate may earn the Learning Behavior Specialist 1 (LBS1) endorsement (an addition to the teaching license) by completing ED 330, ED 352, ED 353, and ED 354, and passing the appropriate Illinois Licensure Testing System exam. Earning this additional endorsement may be a good investment of elective credit hours for interested candidates, since LBS1 is currently a teaching shortage area throughout the state of Illinois.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Courses | ||
| ED 101 | Introduction to Teaching | 1 |
| ED 103 | Professional Skills for Teachers | 1 |
| ED 124 | Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education | 3 |
| ED 260X | Educational Psychology/Human Development | 3 |
| ED 309 | Foundations of Teaching English as a Second Language | 3 |
| ED 310 | General Teaching Methods | 2 |
| ED 311 | General Teaching Methods Pre-Clinical Experience | 1 |
| ED 312 | Literacy Methods for Emerging Readers | 3 |
| ED 322 | Literacy Methods for Upper Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ED 330 | Introduction to Special Education | 3 |
| ED 342 | Methods of Teaching Science, Health, and Social Science 1 | 3 |
| ED 345 | Methods of Teaching Mathematics | 3 |
| ED 356 | Integrating Specials into the Elementary Curriculum | 1 |
| ED 350 | Integrated Pre-Clinical Experience | 2 |
| ED 380 | Diversity in Education | 1 |
| ED 381 | Diversity Pre-clinical Experience | 1 |
| ED 401 | Clinical Practice in the Elementary School | 12 |
| ED 421 | Classroom Management | 1 |
| ED 422 | Advanced Seminar in Education | 2 |
| ED 430 | Educational Research and Assessment | 2 |
| ENG 323 | Children's and Adolescent Literature | 3 |
| Required Courses for Licensure | ||
| In order to meet state licensure requirements, including broad content preparation in the multiple areas of elementary teaching, students must develop content knowledge in a range of subjects. Generally this can be accomplished through the general education courses though some courses beyond the required general education will be required. To meet state licensure requirements, and be recommended by Trinity for licensure, all elementary education candidates will need to have studied (evidenced by transcript) the following areas: | ||
| Art Appreciation (or) 2 | ||
or ART 233X | Comparative Arts | |
or MUH 121 | Music Appreciation | |
| Introductory Biology 2 | ||
| Introduction to Economics 2 | ||
or BUS 207 | Microeconomics | |
| English Composition 2 | ||
| Critical Thinking and Composition 2 | ||
| World Geography 2 | ||
| United States History Through the Civil War 2 | ||
or HI 122 | United States History Since the Civil War | |
| Introduction to Health and Wellness 2 | ||
| The Western Heritage I: From Antiquity to the Reformation | ||
or HUM 210 | The Western Heritage II: From the Scientific Revolution to the Twentieth Century | |
or HUM 220 | Literary Classics of the Western World | |
| Mathematics in the Modern World 2 | ||
| College Algebra and Trigonometry 2 | ||
| American Government 2 | ||
| Introduction to the Physical World | ||
| Total Hours | 54 | |
| 1 | All candidates must pass a competency test in Illinois history or meet the competency requirement through transfer of an appropriate course prior to taking ED 342. |
| 2 | May be used to fulfill a general education requirement. |