Elementary Education Degree (B.A.)

This course provides a survey of children and young adult literature and aims at expanding levels of literacy for teachers and their prospective students. Students consider various genres of literature as well as award-winning books for children. While reading widely in this rich contemporary and classical body of work, particular attention is given to criteria for the selection and evaluation of literature for the classroom. Books with alternative views of childhood, families, and diversity are examined.

This course examines the goals and methods of elementary health and physical education. Students will look at the role of health education in today’s society and the need for a coordinated health education program in schools. Students will also construct, teach and evaluate a short unit in health education.

Students explore and practice teaching and learning mathematics as a subject area that requires problem-solving and critical thinking. Preservice teachers will re-conceptualize mathematical concepts and develop skills reasoning with various representations while building knowledge and critically examining the complexities of elementary school mathematics instruction. Focus will be given to reasoning about shapes, symmetry, transformation geometry, and reasoning about chance and data. 

This course is designed to help pre-service teachers organize an enriched learning environment and develop strategies for managing and motivating students to help them become better and more responsible learners. This course is an introduction to the theory and application of management techniques that provide the basis for an effective, efficient, and positive classroom climate.