Elementary Education

Coursework leading to a degree in elementary education is designed to meet standards of effective practice required for licensure and provide prospective teachers with opportunities to understand central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of disciplines taught in the elementary school; understand children and adolescents and their individual and group behavior; plan and implement instruction adapted to learners of diverse backgrounds and abilities; communicate effectively; encourage critical thinking and problem solving; use formal and informal methods of assessment; and collaborate with parents/guardians, families, school colleagues, and the community in an ethical manner.

A liberal arts education and study in a particular major will lead to the acquisition of a group of skills which enable one to solve problems, communicate effectively, and perform complicated tasks. These skills are essential in any career. The following is a list of important and commonly agreed upon career skills identified by UMM elementary education faculty as a part of the project to Improve Public Understanding of Liberal Learning (IMPULL). The skills are those which all or most students studying elementary education are likely to acquire through classroom instruction, co-curricular or extra-curricular activities.

Artistic/Creative Skills:

- creative writing - conveying feelings and thoughts through body, face and voice

- aware of the value of symbolism - skill in symbol formation - designing and or using audio-visual aids.

- using computers

- human relations skills - the ability to see the world through the eyes of a child

- critical reasoning skills - the ability to create appropriate learning environments

Jobs Obtained by UMM Art History Graduates
Studies conducted by the UMM Career Center have shown that graduates obtain jobs that are both related to their major and jobs that may not be formally related to the major. Over 82% of the elementary education graduates from 1964-1998 said their job was in the same field or related to their undergraduate major. Other studies have shown that liberal arts graduates find employment that makes uses of their skills, special knowledge, values, and interests, even though the employment field may not be related to their academic major. Listed below are some jobs obtained by UMM elementary education graduates:

Accounting Administrator Accounting Clerk Administrative Assistant Administrator Supervisor Adult Education Teacher After-School Care Supervisor AIDS Worker (Mental Health) Assistant Attorney General Bank Vice President/Loan Officer Behavior Analyst Bookkeeper Business Analyst Café Owner Certified Nursing Assistant Childcare Center Director Childcare Provider Childcare Supervisor Children’s Ministry Director Clinical Assistance TA Clinical Social Worker Commodities Broker Trainee Community College English Instructor Community College Vice President Community Education Community Library Director Computer Operator Consultant Corporate Auditor Corporate Representative Corporate Trainer Counselor, Elementary Counselor, High School Customer Service Representative Data Entry Daycare Center Teacher Daycare Director Dev. Adaptations Teacher Director of Religious Ed. Documentation Clerk Early Childhood Early Childhood Educational Consultant Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Education Administration Director Education Coordinator Elementary Counselor Elementary Educational Assistant Elementary School Health Aide Employment Counselor ESL Teacher Family Development Specialist Family Ed. Specialist Fitness Instructor Food Service Manager Free-lance Artist Fundraiser Funeral Director Gifted Ed. Teacher Handicapped Adult Aide Healing Touch Therapist Health Aide Health Science Researcher High School Counselor Insurance Representative Investment Representative Job Developer Librarian Media Paraprofessional Medical Billing Supervisor Minister Museum Dev. Coordinator Music Teacher Music/Worship Minister News Director Newsletter Editor/Writer Newspaper Receptionist Nonprofit Director Nursery School Teacher Office Manager Peace Corp Volunteer Photographer Physical Therapist Postal Clerk PR Accounts Specialist Preschool Teacher Principal, Elementary School

Principal, High School Program Assistant Program Director/Meeting Planner Real Estate Relocation Specialist Registered Nurse Registrar Research Manager Sales School Counselor School Librarian School Technology Specialist Senior Inspector Service Learning Coordinator Sign Language Interpreter Site Supervisor Social Worker Special Ed. Director Special Ed. Teacher Sports Medicine Business Owner Staff Recruiter Teacher Coordinator Teacher, Elementary Teacher, Junior High Teacher, Middle School Teacher, Multi-Age Teaching Assistant Telecommunications Professional Telephone Technician Textile Manufacturer Title Insurance Examiner Title I Aide (Assurance of Mastery) Title I Teacher Tutor Tutor for Deaf Undergraduate Admissions University Outreach Counselor Vocational Ed. – Adult Director Web Developer/Programmer Youth Coordinator

There are many occupations that do not require a specific undergraduate major; they are often learned as a result of on-the-job training rather than prior education. What is sought among prospective employees is the development of certain skills and abilities that can be developed not only through an academic major but through courses taken as part of one’s general education, and through internships, directed studies, tutorials, seminars, study abroad, work-study and summer employment, and volunteer experiences.

Elementary Education (Adobe Acrobat Supplement)
Graduate/Professional Schools in Elementary Education