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Elementary Education (1–6) ACCREDITATIONS The University of St. Francis is accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) and the Illinois Board of Higher Education (ibhe.org). College of Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (ncate.org).
As an Elementary Education (Grades 1–6) major, you’ll interact with experienced professors who have extensive experience and who model teaching strategies that are inspired by the latest research. Classes are stimulating, engaging, and information learned will directly apply to elementary classrooms. Many courses have a school-based component, allowing you to visit a variety of classrooms as you progress through the program. This encourages direct application of the concepts you are learning, and provides opportunities for collaboration, mentoring and networking with teaching professionals and school districts in the Joliet area. To further increase your marketability, you can easily add an endorsement in Special Education Bilingual Education, or English as a Second Language (ESL) to your program of study. Finally, you’ll benefit from small classes and a full-time advisor, and USF’s excellent reputation with area schools will make you highly employable after graduation. The College of Education successfully supports teacher candidates through the edTPA process. The edTPA is a national assessment required in Illinois that helps to guarantee that new teachers are the very best that they can be.
Elementary Education (1–6)
The years I spent at USF were a truly amazing experience. From the first day that I walked on campus, I was treated as a priority and not as a number which was great. I spent the majority of my time at in the College of Education, which went above and beyond in terms of preparing me for a career in education. USF goes a step beyond most universities in the fact that it creates a family-like atmosphere. I am very thankful for my time at USF and feel prepared in my career. Cory Schild ’15
W H AT C A N YO U D O W I T H THIS DEGREE?
G R O W T H R O U G H R E A L- W O R L D EXPERIENCE
Earning an Elementary Education degree from the University of St. Francis is evidence that you have been expertly prepared to teach children in all subject areas. However, there is more to our Elementary Education degree than academics. We believe the heart of a teacher candidate is equally as important as the mind. With a mind and heart that are cultivated by caring, experienced instructors in the teacher preparation program, you’ll be prepared to motivate, encourage, mentor, comfort, reassure and positively influence children. You will be equipped to be a significant role model and mentor in the life of each child that you teach, initiating positive change, and shaping the future of communities and our world.
Elementary Education majors are immersed in practical field experiences each semester, starting freshman year. While working in elementary school classrooms, teacher candidates get significant time interacting with students while gaining more real-world experience than in a traditional student teaching model. You’ll assist elementary teachers with classroom routines, individual and group work, student work assessments and will help support the classroom environment. Additionally, you’ll improve your interpersonal skills and gain selfconfidence. The program concludes during senior year with Internships I and II, where you’ll spend time in an elementary classroom, applying what you’ve learned in a supervised setting.
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