Elementary Education (BS/BA)

Degrees and Programs

Our Mission
Preparing Competent, Compassionate, Committed Educators.

Pre-Teacher Peparation Status
As an undergraduate you will enjoy pre-Teacher Preparation status until you are formally admitted into the Teacher Preparation program. This typically occurs during the sophomore year. Each student must pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) Basic Skills Exam and formally apply to the Department of Teaching and Learning.

Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education (BSELED)
The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education degree is a professional degree with an emphasis in the curriculum and methodology of teaching in the elementary school setting.

Bachelor of Arts with Elementary Certification
You can also choose to pursue a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Elementary Certification.
With either option, you will complete the following areas:
 

Majors and Minors: Elemetary Certification (correct as of January 2008)

*Pending State of Michigan Approval
**Added Endorsement Only
***Fourth Minor Only

Programs

Student Teaching Semester
During your time at Andrews you will devote a minimum of 15 weeks to student-teaching. This experience includes full-time observation, participation, and teaching under supervision in an elementary or secondary school. The department will assist in finding placement for you in a local school; assignments are available in both public and private educational institutions. This is a time when you focus solely on teaching responsibilities.

First Days of School Experience
This program focuses specifically on the weeks surrounding the first days of school. It provides direct answers to every pre-service teacher's question, "What do I actually do during the first days and weeks of school?" The program includes the practical application of classroom management theories. Your professors will emphasize the tasks teachers must perform in the weeks before school opens, organizing and conducting the all-important first day, and the tasks teachers encounter during the initial weeks of school.

The skills you will learn include:

• Short and long range planning
• Constructing units of instruction
• Selecting materials and supplies
• Organizing and managing the classroom
• Establishing discipline procedures
• Record keeping

Resources and Affiliations

Advising
Expect to develop a close relationship with an academic advisor. Your advisor will provide you with resources and assistance as you choose classes, look for jobs and volunteer work, and navigate challenges during your educational experience.

Counseling & Testing Center
To help you better explore options, our Counseling and Testing Center offers a number of professionally certified aptitude, personality, and psychological tests. You should take several tests, rather than just one. This will allow you to receive a more complete picture of your preferences, profile, and career options. In the end, you should be able to combine your test results with your intuitive feel and reach some very important decisions.

Student Success Center
A vital support unit of Andrews University, the Student Success Center, coordinates a variety of services to help students reach their full potential. This includes tutoring, testing, academic counseling, and a support system to help you find your way successfully through college.

Program Approvals
Andrews University is approved for teacher education and certification by:

• State of Michigan Board of Education
• National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
• The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
• North American Division Office of Education of The General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Consortium for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching and Technology
Andrews University is a founding member of the Michigan-based Consortium for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching and Technology (COATT). This consortium of higher education institutions exists to promote the use of technology in P-12 schools. COATT issues certificates of recognition for pre-service and in-service teachers who demonstrate an exemplary use of technology in teaching.