Program Mission
The major purpose of Clinton College’s Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program in teacher education is primarily to prepare future educators with a solid foundation in technology, an understanding of human values, and a dedication to teaching, research, and service. As a result, professionals who complete the professional education unit are socially conscious, reflective practitioners and service-oriented leaders who support children and education and use research, industry best practices, and ethical principles to inform their decisions. The conceptual framework is in line with the institution’s values and goals. To be competent, a person must attain academic excellence, which includes the knowledge, abilities, and attitudes necessary to be a successful practitioner as outlined in the institutional standards.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education program aligns with the mission elements of promoting academic achievement through its conceptual knowledge and skills-based student learning outcomes. Student learning outcomes focused on supporting children and families align with the mission elements of promoting positive moral and spiritual development, fostering leadership qualities, assessment, emphasizing critical and analytic thinking, professionalism, oral and written communication skills, enabling teacher candidates to confront the substantive challenges facing the global society.
Moral and Spiritual Development: Teacher candidates will prepare developmentally appropriate lessons and projects for diverse settings, where theory is applied to practice.
Leadership Qualities: Teacher candidates will prepare lessons in their content courses that will be taught during their field experience in a variety of inclusive settings.
Assessment: Teacher candidates will be provided opportunities to use formal and informal assessment strategies as they evaluate, reflect and plot the growth of students’ learning after teaching lessons to students in diverse settings. Candidates will use data to drive decisions and solve problems in and out of the classroom.
Critical and Analytic Thinking: Teacher candidates will demonstrate their understanding of instruction by developing a Teacher Work Sample during their Advanced Specialized Methods course and Student Teaching.
Professionalism: Teacher candidates will demonstrate the expectations of professionalism related to success in the field of education and beyond (fairness, commitment to collaboration, community, reflective practice, and attention to 21st century skills and practices) as they collaborate with students, teachers, and parents during their field experience.
Degree Requirements (121 hours)
This listing of requirements is for information purposes as of the dating of this catalog. Part One of this bachelor’s degree is identical to the Associate of Arts Early Childhood Education. Part Two is restricted to students admitted to the bachelor’s degree and having a class standing of junior or senior.
Total 61 Hours
General Education Requirements (31 total hours)
Elective (total hours 3)
Requirements for the Major – Part One (total hours 27)
EDU 100: Introduction to Elementary Education
EDU 102: Human Growth and Development
EDU 103: Early Childhood Literature
EDU 104: Exceptional Children
EDU 106: Community and Family Relations
EDU 205: Health, Safety, and Nutrition
EDU 220: Special Topics
EDU 230: Teaching Art to Children
EDU 231: Teaching Music to Children
Total 60 Hours
General Education Requirements (4 total hours)
Major Requirements (56 total hours)
EDU 232: Teaching Health/ PE to Children
EDU 300: Foundation of Reading/Writing
EDU 302: Teaching in a Diverse Society
EDU 304: Reading/Writing Content Area
EDU 306: History, Principles, Philosophy
EDU 320: ELEM Curriculum and Assessment
EDU 330: Technology for Teachers
EDU 332: Instructional Strategies
EDU 400: The Teaching of Reading
EDU 401: Teaching Language Arts
EDU 403: Teaching Social Studies
EDU 406: Classroom Management
EDU 422: Teaching Math to Children
EDU 423: Teaching Science to Children
EDU 450: Professional Clinical Practice I
Career Options
These are just a few of the careers you could start with a degree in Elementary Education!
Teacher
Teachers help students learn by creating lessons, delivering instruction, and assessing progress. They may teach multiple subjects in elementary school or specialize in one subject at the middle or high school levels.
Instructional Coordinator
Instructional coordinators develop curricula and train teachers to improve classroom effectiveness. They analyze student data to guide teaching strategies and school programs.
Education Administrator
Education administrators support school operations, student services, and enrollment processes. Entry-level roles include positions in admissions, advising, or student affairs.