As an Elementary Education major, you will interact with faculty who have extensive experience and who model teaching strategies inspired by the latest research. Classes are stimulating and engaging. The knowledge and skills you gain will apply directly to elementary classrooms.
Many courses have a school-based component, allowing you to visit a variety of classrooms as you progress through the program. This encourages the direct application of the concepts you are learning and provides opportunities for collaboration, mentoring and networking with teaching professionals and school districts in the surrounding area. To further increase your marketability, you can easily add an endorsement in Special Education, Bilingual Education or English as a Second Language (ESL) to your program of study.
Ultimately, you will benefit from the College of Education’s excellent reputation with area schools and will be highly employable after graduation.
The University of St. Francis is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org), a regional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. College of Education programs are further approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (isbe.net).
As an Elementary Education major, you will be immersed in practical field experiences each semester, starting your freshman year. While working in elementary school classrooms you will spend significant time interacting with students. You will assist with classroom routines, individual and group work, assessing student work, and providing overall support in the classroom environment. You will improve your interpersonal skills and gain self-confidence. The program concludes with Internships I and II during the senior year, where you will spend time in an elementary classroom applying what you have learned in a supervised setting.
Earning an Elementary Education degree from the University of St. Francis is evidence that you have been expertly prepared to teach children in all subject areas. However, there is more to our Elementary Education degree than academics. We believe the heart of a teacher candidate is equally as important as the mind. With a mind and heart that are cultivated by caring, experienced instructors in the teacher preparation program, you will be prepared to motivate, encourage, mentor, comfort, reassure and positively influence children. You will be equipped to serve as a role model and mentor in the life of each child that you teach, initiating positive change, and shaping the future of communities and our world.
