Fact Sheet 07: Elementary Education

Revised June 2007

Elementary Education

The Department of Elementary Education provides programs that prepare you for effective teaching. These programs are based on developmental principles, appropriate practice, and research-based decision making, which enable you to serve the needs of diverse populations of children through the development of active, constructive, and collaborative approaches to teaching and learning.

The programs equip you to apply technology to improve learning. They feature development of a solid content knowledge base and teaching skills which will enable you to teach effectively in diverse settings where no child is left behind.

Also, the department is committed to strong professional programs that support the growth and development of both pre- and in-service teachers. The department believes the building of effective teaching practices is a continuous process that includes direct experience in learning situations, analysis, reflection, and a commitment to life-long learning and to the profession.

Career Opportunities

The elementary education program qualifies you, as a graduate, for the B.S. in education and the Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate to teach kindergarten through grade six. ?Graduates holding an Instructional I or Instructional II Pennsylvania Certificate may add middle school subjects (grade 7-9) to a Pennsylvania certificate by taking and passing the appropriate Praxis subject test (English, math, science, and/or social studies).

In addition to teaching in Pennsylvania, graduates of the Department of Elementary Education have obtained teaching assignments in schools across the nation, in the Peace Corps, and in American schools abroad. The Pennsylvania teaching credential is widely respected and reciprocally accepted by many states.

Many graduates pursue advanced degrees. They are well prepared to enter institutions with strong graduate programs in education and related fields.

Undergraduate Degree

Bachelor of Science in Education - Elementary Education. ?This program is designed to provide a broad education, an understanding of children, and the knowledge, skills, and strategies to teach all aspects of the elementary school program. Graduates qualify for a Pennsylvania Instructional I Certificate, which is valid for six years of teaching kindergarten through grade six, and can add the middle school subjects to it as explained under “Career Opportunities.”

The program includes field experiences and a full semester of student teaching during the senior year. You will usually undertake these experiences in public and private schools in the greater Philadelphia area. You will be exposed to urban, rural, or suburban settings.

Minor

Elementary Education
Typical Courses
Child Development and Behavior
Classroom Management
Creativity in the Classroom
Inclusive Classrooms
Introduction to Reading Instruction
Self and Group Processes in the Classroom
Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary School
Specialized preparation courses in health, mathematics, music, science

Special Study Opportunities

You will have the opportunity to participate in the National Student Exchange Program, spending a semester at a participating college or university in the United States. If you are qualified and receive a high ranking in your first student teaching assignment, you may elect to have your second student teaching assignment in the Study Abroad Program.

Students frequently tutor youngsters in the local community, and you are encouraged to volunteer for work in children's programs.

Advanced Degrees

Master of Education in Elementary Education (Areas of focused inquiry: literacy, culturally responsive education, inclusion, technology, English as a second language, or an area of interest approved by the elementary education graduate coordinator)

Post-Baccalaureate Certification in Elementary Education

Faculty

You can obtain a complete listing of faculty and their academic qualifications for this program from the contact person listed below.

For More Information

Dr. Martha A. Drobnak, Chairperson
Department of Elementary Education
105C Recitation Hall
West Chester University
West Chester, PA 19383
610-436-2944