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Elementary Teaching Major (B.A.)

Students who wish to earn teacher certification for elementary grades K-8 must complete the Elementary Teaching Major. Students must maintain a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA to qualify for licensure in the state of Idaho. Before student teaching, students must pass their required Praxis exams. Students should consult with Education Department faculty early in their program to ensure they are on a proper pathway toward licensure.

Major Requirements

101-103 credits

Mathematics (11 credits)

MATH-1013Math for Elementary Teachers I

4 credits
MATH-1014Math for Elementary Teacher II

4 credits
MATH-1020The Art of Mathematical Thinking

2 credits
COFI-1998Natural Sciences and Mathematics Colloquium

0.5 credit
COFI-1998Natural Sciences and Mathematics Colloquium

0.5 credit

Complete two semesters of COFI-1998 Coloquium for a total of 1 credit.

Social Sciences (4 credits)

POEC-1100United States Political Economy

4 credits

American History (4 credits)

Complete one course.

HIST-2110History of the Modern U.S.

4 credits
HIST-3100Vast Early America

4 credits
HIST-3110Presence of the Past: Intro Public Hstry

4 credits
HIST-3140The United States Since 1945

4 credits

World History (4 credits)

HIST-1000Civ: Origins of the Modern World

4 credits

Biology (4 credits)

Complete one of the following and its associated lab.

BIOL-1102Biology of Human Disease

4 credits
BIOL-1140Idaho Natural History

4 credits
BIOL-1145Drugs, Brains, and Behavior

4 credits
BIOL-2201Molecules to Cells

4 credits

Physics/Chemistry (2-4 credits)

Complete one of the following and any associated lab.

CHEM-1000Introduction to Chemistry

2 credits
CHEM-1011General Chemistry I

4 credits
PHYS-2001General Physics I

4 credits

Earth/Space/Environmental (4 credits)

Complete one of the following and any associated lab.

ENVS-1001Environmental Systems Science

4 credits
ENVS-1050Introduction to Human Geography

4 credits
ENVS-1060Physical Geography

4 credits
ENVS-1070Physical Geology

4 credits
ENVS-2001Knowing Birds

4 credits
ENVS-2002Knowing Land

4 credits
ENVS-2003Knowing Water

4 credits
PHYS-1000The Universe

4 credits

English Language Arts: American Literature (4 credits)

Complete one course.

ENGL-2010Closely Reading Poems

4 credits
ENGL-2110African-American Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2115Prose & Cons: American Prison Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2120Literature of the American West

4 credits
ENGL-2125Native American Fiction

2 credits
ENGL-2130Visions of Environment

4 credits
ENGL-2140American Roots Music

2 credits
ENGL-2165Topics in American Literature

4 credits
ENGL-3120Advanced Topics in American Literature

4 credits
ENGL-3155Seminar: Adrienne Rich

4 credits

English Language Arts: British Literature (4 credits)

Complete one course.

ENGL-2030Thiefmaking and Thieftaking

4 credits
ENGL-2035Women's Voices in British Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2200Topics in British Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2250Regionalisms in British Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2420WWI and Modern Literature

4 credits
ENGL-3200Advanced Topics in British Literature

4 credits
ENGL-3225Ghosties and Ghoulies

4 credits
ENGL-3230The Brontës

4 credits

English Language Arts: Postcolonial Literature (4 credits)

Complete one course.

ENGL-2310Introduction to Postcolonial Literature

4 credits
ENGL-2320The Literature of Immigrants

4 credits
ENGL-3350Advanced Postcolonial Literature

4 credits

Education Core (44 credits)

EDUC-1000Introduction to Teaching

4 credits
EDUC-2050Language and Literacy Development

4 credits
EDUC-3040Literacy in Content Areas

4 credits
EDUC-3050Literacy Assessment and Intervention

4 credits
EDUC-3055Literature for Children and Adolescents

4 credits
EDUC-3060Writing Instruction, Process, and Assessment

4 credits
EDUC-3100Foundations of Schooling

4 credits
EDUC-3200Teaching Exceptional Children

4 credits
EDUC-4030Teaching in a Diverse Society

4 credits
EDUC-4050Curriculum and Instruction

2 credits
EDUC-4055Instructional Methods and Assessment

2 credits
PSYC-2010Developmental Psychology

4 credits

Student Teaching (12 credits)

Complete one semester of full-time student teaching at a local school.

EDUC-4580Elementary Student Teaching

10 credits
EDUC-4590Student Teaching Seminar

2 credits

Outcomes

The Learner and Learning

Standard 1: Learner Development. The teacher candidate understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Standard 2: Learning Differences. The teacher candidate uses understanding of individual differences and diverse cultures and communities to ensure inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards.

Standard 3: Learning Environments. The teacher candidate works with others to create environments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

Content

Standard 4: Content Knowledge. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

Standard 5: Application of Content. The teacher candidate understands how to connect concepts to use differing perspectives to engage learners in critical thinking, creativity, and collaborative problem solving related to authentic local and global issues.

Instructional Practice

Standard 6: Assessment. The teacher candidate understands and uses multiple methods of assessment to engage learners in their own growth, to monitor learner progress, and to guide the teacher’s and learner’s decision making.

Standard 7: Planning for Instruction. The teacher candidate plans instruction that supports every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context.

 
Standard 8: Instructional Strategies. The teacher candidate understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage learners to develop deep understanding of content areas and their connections, and to build skills to apply knowledge in meaningful ways.

Professional Responsibility

Standard 9: Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher candidate engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Standard 10: Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher candidate seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession.

State Specific Standards

Standard 11: American Indian Tribes in Idaho*. The teacher candidate should be able to distinguish between each of the federally recognized tribes with respect to the retention of the ancestral lands in Idaho: Coeur d’Alene Tribe, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, Nez Perce Tribe, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, and the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes. Teacher candidates build capacity in learners to utilize the assets that each learner brings to the learning community based on their backgrounds and experiences.

*The federal, state, local, and tribal governments of Idaho recognize the unique inherent self-determination of each tribe. The self-determination of each tribe recognizes Indigenous people as peoples, rather than populations or national minorities. The tribes are separate and distinct from each other.

Standard 12: Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators. The teacher candidate understands the Code of Ethics for Idaho Professional Educators and its place in supporting the integrity of the profession.

Standard 13: Digital Technology and Online Learning. The teacher candidate knows how to use digital technology to create lessons and facilitate instruction and assessment in face-to-face, blended, and online learning environments to engage students and enhance learning.