Elementary Education (B.A., B.S.)

Student Success Advisor(s)

Sample Degree Plan

Program Learning Outcomes

LEARNER DEVELOPMENT

• Collaborates with families, colleagues, and other professionals to promote student growth and development.
• Creates developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences based on each learner’s strengths, interests, and needs.

PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

• Is responsible for compliance with federal and state laws, State Board of Education administrative rules, state assessment policies, local board policies, and supervisory directives.
• Is responsible for compliance with all requirements of State Board of Education Rule R277-530 at all levels of teacher development.

LEARNING DIFFERENCES

• Allows learners multiple ways to demonstrate learning sensitive to diverse experiences, while holding high expectations for all.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

• Develops learning experiences that engage and support students as self-directed learners who internalize classroom routines, expectations, and procedures.
• Collaborates with students to establish a positive learning climate of openness, respectful interactions, support, and inquiry.
• Utilizes positive classroom management strategies, including the resources of time, space, and attention, effectively.

CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

• Bases instruction on accurate content knowledge using multiple representations of concept.
• Supports students in learning and using academic language accurately and meaningfully.

ASSESSMENT

• Uses data sources to assess the effectiveness of instruction and to make adjustments in planning and instruction.
• Engages students in understanding and identifying the elements of quality work.
• Documents student progress and provides descriptive feedback to student, parent, and other stakeholders in a variety of ways.

INSTRUCTIONAL PLANNING

• Demonstrates knowledge of the Utah Core Standards and references them in short- and long-term planning.
• Integrates cross-disciplinary skills into instruction to purposefully engage learners in applying content knowledge.

INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES

• Practices a range of developmentally, culturally, and linguistically appropriate instructional strategies to meet the needs of individuals and groups of learners.
• Provides multiple opportunities for students to develop higher-order and meta-cognitive skills.
• Supports and expands each learner’s communication skills through reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• Uses a variety of effective technology and resources to support learning.
• Develops learners’ abilities to find and use information to solve real-world problems.
• Uses a variety of strategies, including questioning, to promote engagement and learning.

REFLECTION AND CONTINUOUS GROWTH

• Adapts and improves practice based on reflection and new learning.

LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATION

• Participates actively in decision-making processes, while building a shared culture that affects the school and larger educational community.
• Advocates for the learners, the school, the community, and the profession.

Program Information

• Students are strongly encouraged to consult their advisor before making coursework selections. 
• For Elementary Education majors with available elective credit, it is highly recommended that students choose their electives as an endorsement, concentration, or specialization to make them more marketable. Please consult your Student Success Advisor as early as possible to optimize opportunities.
• If a student graduates with an Elementary Education major and then returns to college to pursue an optional endorsement, concentration, or specialization, the student may not be eligible for federal financial aid.
• Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. For a bachelor’s degree, students must earn a minimum of 40 upper-division credits (courses numbered 3000-4999). Students may need to select additional upper-division courses not included in their major requirements in order to reach this minimum. It is important to see an advisor early to determine the number of credits for your degree plan.
• The following courses are not required but are highly recommended:
  • Either BIOL 1010 - Introduction to Biology  & BIOL 1015 - Intro to Biology Lab  OR BIOL 2500 - Environmental Biology  (can be used to fulfill General Education Life Sciences Knowledge Area)
  • GEO 1110 - Physical Geology  (can be used to fulfill General Education Physical Sciences Knowledge Area)