Major in Elementary Education

Bachelor of Arts
The career of a teacher requires intellectual competence, dedication to service, and a love of children. For those willing and able to meet the rigorous standards for teacher certification, the joys of helping students grow and learn are lifelong rewards.

Aurora University has designed its certification programs around the concept of achieving excellence in teaching and learning through "professional education communities." We believe that teachers are best prepared for the classroom when their professional education has involved various stakeholders such as individuals with expertise in an area, practicing teachers and school administrators, service providers, paraprofessionals, university and college faculty, profit and non-profit organizations, government agencies, school students, parents. Professional learning communities provide environments where everyone involved brings their expertise and knowledge to contribute to the personal, professional and academic development of everyone in the community with the aim to improve schools for the benefit of all students and, ultimately, society.

The elementary education major leads to Illinois State Board of Education certification for Kindergarten through grade Nine. An elementary education major must satisfy state requirements in both elementary education and general education, including completion of an area of emphasis. It is therefore essential that the entering freshman work closely with an advisor in order to ensure that all course requirements will be met within four years of college academic coursework. It is advisable for students to work toward fulfillment of state requirements early in their academic careers. Students seeking certification must apply to the College of Education for acceptance no later than the end of the sophomore year, or upon admission to the University as a transfer student in the case of those who have completed the sophomore year. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to a major in the College of Education. Admission to the program is based on passing the Illinois Certification Testing System Basic Skills Test, writing ability, and prior GPA. Because of the extensive nature of the program requirements, which overlap some of the University general education requirements, students must plan coursework carefully in consultation with education faculty. Only students who have been accepted into the College of Education may take methods courses.

The College of Education is currently undertaking a major redesign of its programs based on a conceptual framework. Students must be aware that there is the possibility that this redesign may alter some of the requirements currently stated in this catalog and your program could be subject to these changes.

Required Elementary Education Courses: 37 semester hours
ART/COM360 Media Technology for Instructional/Corporate Settings
EDU220 History and Philosophy of Education
EDU226 Educational Psychology
EDU290-1 Career Exploration Field Experience: Pre-Teaching (Elementary) (1 semester hour)
EDU336 Methods of Teaching Mathematics
EDU337 Methods of Teaching Science (2 semester hours)
EDU338 Methods of Teaching Social Studies (2 semester hours)
EDU342 Methods of Teaching Language Arts
EDU348 Methods of Teaching Reading
EDU375 Methods Practicum (2 semester hours)
EDU450 Corrective Techniques in Teaching Reading
EDU475 Career Application Field Experience: Student Teaching (9 semester hours)

Elective Courses: Students are to choose at least 3 semester hours, but not more than 6 semester hours:
EDU/ENG218 Children's Literature
EDU340 Philosophy and Methods of Outdoor Education
EDU344 Middle School: Mission and Methods
EDU394 Career Application Field Experience: Directed Field Study (2 semester hours)

Required for State Certification in Elementary Education: 71 semester hours
9 semester hours in communications:
ENG 101 Composition I: Introduction to Academic Writing
ENG 102 Composition II: Introduction to Research Writing
COM150 Public Speaking

6 semester hours in mathematics

12 semester hours in science (including at least 3 semester hours in biological sciences, 3 semester hours in physical sciences, and one laboratory course)

15 semester hours in humanities which includes:
3 semester hours in American History: HIS105 Colonial America, HIS110 Nineteenth Century America or HIS115 Twentieth Century America
3 semester hours English (grammar, literature or composition)

9 semester hours in social science which includes:
3 semester hours PSC211 United States Government
3 semester hours SOC335 Racial and Ethnic Relations
3 semester hours PSY346 Exceptional Individual

2 semester hours in health and/or physical development (activity courses in golf, volleyball, etc., will not meet this requirement)

3 semester hours in non-western, third world cultures

18 semester hours in one academic area of mathematics, science, humanities or social sciences (9 of the 18 semester hours must be at the upper division level). If the area chosen is mathematics, students must complete a 3 semester hour course in Methods of Teaching Middle School Mathematics as part of the 18 semester hours. All 18 semester hours are in addition to the other requirements in this section.

NOTE: Students interested in middle school endorsement in any of the academic areas taught in these schools must complete the following additional courses:

PSY337 Adolescent Development and Learning
EDU344 Middle School Mission and Methods