Elementary Education Undergraduate Program

CURRICULUM

The information is designed to answer as many questions as possible about your coursework in the Elementary Education Program, following the sequence of the advising sheet starting with Essential Studies and continues through the necessary courses in the Elementary Education Major. By reading your advising sheet and this explanatory outline, you will be better able to figure out the system and plan your coursework accordingly. Transfer students, of course, may have taken coursework elsewhere that may substitute for some of these courses. (In this case, advisors should be consulted.)

One requirement of Elementary Education Majors not reflected in the course requirements is the continuous process of keeping a portfolio. Contact your the Elementary Education department or advisor for more information.

Total Hours Required: 125 hrs.

• Essential Studies: 39 hrs.
• Minor or Specialty Area: 20-22 hrs (see your advisor for additional information and options)
  

The "Elementary Education Major" includes the following courses:
T&L 250	Introduction to Education	3 cr
T&L 315	Education of Exceptional Students	3 cr
T&L 328	Survey of Children's Literature OR T&L 329 Young Adult Literature	3 cr
T&L 335	Understanding Readers and Writers	3 cr
Math 277	Math for Elementary School Teachers	3 cr
Art 460	Methods, Materials and Philosophy: Art for Elementary Schoool Teachers	3 cr
Mus 442	Music for Elementary School Teachers	3 cr
PEXS 305	Health/PE for Elementary Education Teachers	3 cr
T&L 410	Teaching Reading and Writing in the Elementary School	3 cr
T&L 430	Social Studies in the Elementary School	3 cr
T&L 440	Math in the Elementary School	3 cr
T&L 470	Science in the Elementary School	3 cr
T&L 486	Field Experience	2 cr
T&L 411	Primary Reading and Language Arts OR T&L 412 Intermediate Language Arts OR T&L 413/414 Assessing and Correcting Reading Difficulties/Corrective Reading Practicum	2 cr
T&L 432	Classroom Management	3 cr
T&L 433	Multicultural Education	3 cr
T&L 487	Student Teaching	10-16 cr
T&L 488	Senior Seminar	1 cr

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Minor or Specialty Area

The UND Catalog describes the rationale for this requirement to have 20 or more semester hours that provides a minor or specialty area: "an elementary teacher needs to acquire depth in a content field to which other learning may be related." As listed in the UND Catalog, the appropriate areas include: Antropology, Art, Bilingual Education/ESL, Early Childhood Education, Economics, English, Fine Arts, Foreign Language, Geography, History, Indian Studies, Kindergarten Endorsement, Mathematics, Middle School, Music, Physical Education, Political Science, Psychology, Reading, Science, Social Studies, Special Education, Technology Education, or Visual Arts.

Two courses or a maximum of six hours may be transferred from your Essential Studies to your minor or specialty area.

For exact requirements, see your advisor and the UND Teacher Education Student Handbook.

Two courses or a maximum of six hours may be transferred from your Essential Studies to your minor or specialty area.

PRE-ADMISSION COURSES

Note: The following courses may be taken without being formally admitted into Teaching and Learning.

1. T&L 250 Introduction to Education. 3 credits.
   
2. T&L 315 (Education of the Exceptional Student), 3 credits

 

Post-ADMISSION COURSES

1. T&L 328 (Survey of Children's Literature) or T&L 329 (Young Adult Literature), 3 credits - These courses on Children's Literature provide a good beginning background for later work in reading and the language arts. Either T&L 328 or T&L 329 is a required course on your program of study and is a prerequisite for TEAM.
2. T&L 335 (Understanding Readers and Writers) 3 credits - This foundational course explores the developmental nature of literacy learning, the reading and writing processes, and the conditions for successful literacy learning.
3. Math 277 (Math for Elementary Teachers), 3 credits - This high-demand course is a prerequisite for TEAM and selected required classes. Since it has a prerequisite of Math 103 or an appropriate Placement Test score in order to take it, you should be sure you are ready to take it in your sophomore year. The course involves both mathematical theory and some work with methods and materials.
4. A technology course is required for the major. Csci 101 Introduction to Computers, 3 credits, or T&L 390 Technology for Teachers, 2 credits. T&L 390 is the recommended course.
5. Art 460 Methods, Materials, and Philosophy: Art for Elementary School Teachers (3 credits)
6. MUS 442: Music for Elementary School Teachers (3 credits)
7. PEXS 305 Health and Physical Education for Elementary School Teachers (3 credits)

 

ADDITIONAL REQUIRED COURSES

1. Choose one of the following three options. These three options are the only reading/language arts courses that fulfill this requirement.
   1. T&L 411 Primary Reading/Language Arts, OR
   2. T&L 412 Intermediate Language Arts, OR
   3. T&L 413/414 Corrective Reading/Corrective Reading Practicum
      
2. T&L 432 Classroom Management 3 credits - This course in teacher/student classroom behavior usually has two sections (often one in the morning and one in the afternoon). It is a high-demand course, however, so you should not assume you can get into it automatically whenever you choose. (Note: This course is a prerequisite for student teaching.)
   
3. T&L 433 Multicultural Education 3 credits - This course in multicultural education with an emphasis on Native Americans is one way to fulfill the requirement for North Dakota certification.

ELECTIVES

In addition to the above requirements, you may need to take 2-3 additional units of elective coursework to bring your total hours to 125 for graduation requirements.

Course Descriptions

TL250 Introduction to Education. 3 credits. Prerequisite: At least 30 completed redits. This course is designed for students exploring the profession of teaching in early hildhood, elementary, middle, or secondary schools. It is an introduction to the study if education that explores the foundations of education, how learners differ, and the ,ocial and political contexts of schools. Students complete a classroom field experience, explore related literature, and participate in role-playing, simulations, and peer-teach­ing. This course also introduces students to both the 1NTASC Principles, which guide our preparation of teachers, and to the Senior Capstone Experience. F, S

TL315 Education of Exceptional Students. 3 credits. An orientation course, espe­cially for classroom teachers, stressing the identification, characteristics and educa­tional problems of exceptional children. A field exercise is part of this course. F, S

TL328 Survey of Children's Literature. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Admission to the Teacher Education program. Students survey the broad range of literature written for children. Emphasis is placed on gaining familiarity with the multicultural aspects of literature, understanding the distinguishing characteristics of genre, developing visual
literacy with respect to illustration, and acquiring the ability to evaluate literature, as well as its use, with an understanding of children's developmental needs. F,S

TL329 Young Adult Literature. 3 credits. Discussion and critical evaluation of contemporary literature, both adolescent and adult, which is of interest to young adults, with an emphasis on fiction, drama, poetry, essays, and biographies. On demand.

TL335 Understanding Readers and Writers. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Admission to the Teacher Education program. This foundational course explores the developmental nature of literacy learning, the reading and writing processes, and the conditions for successful literacy learning. Holistic methods for assessing literacy are studied to understand individual language learners. F,S

TL390 Special Topics. 1-3 credits. May be repeated.   Prerequisite: admission to teacher education.

TL410 Teaching Reading and Writing in the Elementary School (TEAM). 3 credits. Prerequisites for elementary education majors: Admission to Teacher Education, T&L 250, 315, 328 or 329, 335, Math 277. Corequisites: T&L 430, 440, 470, 486. Prerequisites for early childhood majors: Admission to Teacher Education, T&L 310/286, 315, 328, 335 and 443. Corequisites: T&L 430, 440, 470, 486. In this course students learn strategic-based approaches to teaching and assessing reading and writing in the elementary school classroom with an emphasis on planning instruction that is child-centered, process-oriented and literature-based. F,S.

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TL411 Primary Reading and Language Arts. 2 credits. Prerequisites. Admission to Teacher Education, T&L 335. Pre- or Corequisite: T&L 328. This course explores a wide variety of developmentally-appropriate instructional practices for teaching primary level children multiple ways of communicating and experiencing language. This
course emphasizes integrating reading, writing, speaking and listening as forms of creative and personal expression. Effective methods of teaching children to decode and encode print are studied. F,S

TL430 Social Studies in the Elementary School (TEAM). 3 credits. Prerequisites for elementary education majors: Admission to Teacher Education; grade of C or better in the following courses: T&L 250, 315, 328 or 329, 335, Math 103 or equivalent, and Math 277; GPA of 2.75 or better. Prerequisites also include Art 460, Music 243, 443 or 449, and PEX 300. Prerequisites for early childhood education majors: Admission to Teacher Education; grade of C or better in the following courses: T&L 310/486, 315, 328, 335 and 443; and GPA of 2.75 in the Early Childhood major. Corequisites: T&L 410, 440, 470, 486. To understand and analyze the different modes of teaching social studies, to gain the competencies necessary for organizing a unit in the social studies, to gain an understanding of the values and multiple perspectives inherent within the various teaching strategies, to develop a preferred perspective on the ideal nature of Social Studies education. F,S

TL432 Classroom Management. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Admission to Teacher Education. The purpose of this class is to study factors that influence classroom behavior and examine a variety of techniques that can be used in planning for positive classroom management. This course views classroom management from a humanistic position
but does not assume a single method as the "best" approach. Students are expected to develop their own eclectic style during the course of this class. F,S,SS

TL433 Multicultural Education. 3 credits. Prerequisite: Admission to Teacher Education. This class takes an anthropological view of multicultural education. It will help students better understand students in culturally diverse classrooms as well as preparing them to teach about cultural diversity. This class examines several cultures but
is particularly interested in Native Americans of North Dakota. F,S,SS

TL440 Math in the Elementary School (TEAM). 3 credits. Prerequisites for el­ementary education majors: Admission to Teacher Education; grade of C or better in the following courses: T&L 250, 315, 328 or 329, 335, Math 103 or equivalent, and Math 277; GPA of 2.75 or better. Prerequisites also include Art 460, Music 243, 443 or 449, and PEX 300. Corequisites: T&L 410, 430, 470, and 486. Prerequisites for early child­hood majors: Admission to Teacher Education, T&L 433. Corequisites: T&L 410, 430, 470 and 486. TEAM Math is the required mathematics methods course for all under­graduate elementary education majors. Students explore how to facilitate the learning of mathematics in a constructivist environment through the use of investigations, manipulatives, technology, and holistic forms of assessment. Current trends in teaching mathematics are emphasized, with particular attention to documents created by the Na­tional Council of Teachers of Mathematics. F,S

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TL470 Science in the Elementary School (TEAM). 3 credits. Prerequisites for elementary and early childhood education majors: Admission to Teacher Education; grade of C or better in the following courses: T&L 250, 315, 328 or 329, 335, Math 103 or equivalent, and Math 277; GPA of 2.75 or better. Prerequisites also include Art 460,
Music 243, 443 or 449, and PEX 300. A survey of teaching strategies, materials, and resources appropriate for promoting science inquiry in elementary classrooms. F,S

TL486 Field Experience. 1-4 credits. (Repeatable to 16). Prerequisites for elementary education majors: Admission to Teacher Education; grade of C or better in the following courses: T&L 250, 315, 328 or 329, 335, Math 103 or equivalent, and Math 277; GPA of 2.75 or better. Prerequisites also include Art 460, Music 243, 443 or 449,
and PEX 300. Supervised tutorial or apprentice teaching experience in an early childhood, K-12 classroom, university, or community setting approved by the program area. S/U grading. F,S

TL487 Student Teaching. 4-16 credits. If repeated, Student Teaching would be taken in a different program area. Prerequisite: Permission of program. Provides student with the opportunity to assume the role of a classroom teacher in an educational setting under the supervision of a cooperating teacher and a University faculty member. S/U grading.
F,S

TL488 Senior Seminar. 1 credit. S-U grading only. A discussion of problems, professional obligations, and careers in teaching. To be taken concurrently with or the semester prior to student teaching.

 

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Last Updated: 4/23/09