Elementary Education (MAT)

Program Entry Courses (9 credit hours): Prerequisites to Professional Courses and admission to the College of Education.

• EDUC 6150 (3 credit hours) Foundations of Education
  The student will construct a foundation for understanding teaching and schooling in a diverse society by investigating historic and current understandings of education in a changing world. 10 hours of field experience required. Prerequisite for Professional Coursework.
• EDUC 6250 (3 credit hours) Integrating and Assessing Learning in Diverse Classrooms
  The student will develop resource kits and interdisciplinary unit plans that promote problem solving, critical thinking,  and collaboration in diverse classrooms including English language learners and learners with special needs. 10 hours field experience required. Prerequisite for Professional Coursework.
• EDUC 6350 (3 credit hours) Learning, Language Acquisition, and Cognition across Cultures
  The student will explore the key learning, language acquisition and cognitive theories pertinent to classrooms with language and cultural diversity. 8 hours field experience required. Prerequisite for Professional Coursework.

Upon completion of the Program Entry Courses, Education Studies students must be admitted to Teacher Candidacy to continue and enter the MAT Elementary education program as Teacher Candidates before enrolling into the Professional Courses. See Transition Points in the MAT Elementary Program section in the Graduate Catalog for more information.

Block 1 Professional Courses (9 credit hours)

• EDEL 6901 (3 credit hours) Teaching English Language Arts: Content
  The candidate will explore the conventions for language and literacy development (reading, writing, speaking, listening) in linguistically diverse classrooms – including English language learners and learners with special needs. An examination of various genres and characteristics in children’s literature that will meet the needs of all learners. 10 hours of field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.
• EDEL 6902 (3 credit hours) Teaching English Language Arts: Methods and Assessment
  The candidate will develop effective, creative, and research-based strategies for language and literacy development (reading, writing, speaking, listening) in linguistically diverse classrooms, including English language learners and learners with special needs. 10 hours of field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.
• EDEL 6290 (3 credit hours) Characteristics and Instruction of Exceptional Learners
  The candidate will identify the characteristics of exceptional learners (physical, psychological, behavioral/social, and academic) and needs, including those of the gifted and talented learner. 12 hours of field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.

Summer 1 Professional Courses (3 credit hours)

• EDEL 6922 (3 credit hours) Professionalism, Leadership, Communication, and Ethics for Pre-service Elementary Teachers
  The candidate will articulate and demonstrate the competencies, attitudes and behaviors for effective teaching and classroom management in linguistically and culturally diverse classrooms. No field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.

Block 2 Professional Courses (6 credit hours)

• EDEL 6908 (3 credit hours) Teaching Science: Content, Methods and Assessment  
  In this course, students will: (i) acquire proficiency in elementary grades science content (physical, life and earth sciences, including engineering and technology), standards, curriculum and assessment for diverse classrooms—including English language learners and learners with special needs. Methods include planning and teaching lessons that utilize inquiry, creative thinking and problem solving. 20 hours field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education

• EDEL 6910 (3 credit hours) Teaching Social Studies: Content, Methods, and Assessment
  The candidate will acquire proficiency in elementary grades social science content (including Illinois history, geography, economics, and civics), standards, and curriculum for diverse classrooms. 10 hours of field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.

Block 3 Professional Courses (6 credit hours), EDEL 6919 taken concurrently in the same semester

• EDEL 6918 (3 credit hours) Teaching Physical Education and the Fine Arts: Content, Methods, and Assessment
  The candidate will explore and develop effective and creative strategies to teach the skills that are pertinent to life-long physical well-being and creative expressions in the classroom. 10 hours field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to the College of Education.
• EDEL 6919 (3 Credit Hours) Teaching Elementary Mathematics for the 21st Century
  In this course, students will acquire proficiency in elementary grades math content, standards, curriculum and assessment, and develop effective and creative strategies to teach mathematical concepts, procedures, and reasoning processes in diverse classrooms – including English Language Learners and learners with special needs. 20 hours field experience required. Prerequisite: admitted to Teacher Candidacy

Summer 2 Professional Courses (3 credit hours)

• EDUC 6920 (3 credit hours) Introduction to Research Methodology: Action Research
  The candidate will develop research and writing skills essential to Action Research, gain proficiency in organizing thoughts and arguments in the context of Action Research, and demonstrate the integration of research and pedagogy within the education context.

Student Teaching Internship (6 credit hours)

• EDUC 6985 (0 credit hours) Student Teaching Seminar
  Focus on portfolio related issues, skills, and areas of knowledge, specifically in preparation for submitting the student teaching summative assessment.
  • Fee: Required
  • Prerequisite: Enrolled in Student Teaching internship or Capstone
• EDEL 6920 (6 credit hours) Elementary Grades Student Teaching Internship
  The Student Teaching Internship is in an elementary classroom every day during the sixteen-week semester under the guidance of a Cooperating Teacher. The Student Teacher will be supported and evaluated by a University Supervisor. Candidates must meet the requirements for Transition Point Two: Admission to the Student Teaching Internship Semester to begin the internship. Subsequently, candidates must meet the requirements for Transition Point Three: Completion of the Student Teaching Internship Semester. Attendance at scheduled edTPA seminars and Colloquium is required. The Student Teaching Internship Semester Handbook provides details and guidelines for meeting the criteria for successful completion of the Internship Semester and the process for obtaining the Illinois Professional Educator License.
  
• EDUC 6925 (3 credit hours) Capstone Student Teaching: Elementary Education
  An accelerated pathway for eligible teaching candidates that will waive the traditional, supervised student teaching experience in favor of a MAT Capstone Course where the approved teacher candidate will teach in their own classroom under the guidance of an authorized school official in lieu of the 16-week student teaching internship course. This course for students in the accelerated pathway will be a 3-credit hour course including completion of the Educational Summative Teaching Portfolio Assessment and a Positive Impact Presentation (PIP) and all other requirements as outlined by ISBE. Prerequisite: Provisional and final approval by the Director of the Office of Field Experience and the division chair. B or higher in EDSC-6602, EDSC-6605, EDSC-6606, EDSC-6618, EDSC-6619, EDEL-6908, EDEL-6910 or EDEL-6918. Pass/Fail only

The College of Education Student Manual provides details and guidelines for meeting the criteria for successful completion of the Internship Semester and the process for obtaining the Illinois Professional Educator License. Successful completion includes

• Satisfactory completion of the Internship by meeting or exceeding all assessment benchmarks.
• Prepare and present documentation of positive impacts on student learning from your internship teaching (Positive Impact Presentation).
• Complete all State required assessments at the time of the internship (Content Area Test).

Capstone Experience

• Positive Impact Presentation
• Summative Portfolio Assessment – portfolio to be submitted and achieve a passing score prior to licensing.

Clinical Experience (Pre-Professional Hours)

• 100 hours – all pre-professional hours are embedded in the MAT coursework and must be completed prior to student teaching).

Each course will describe the number of hours required in classrooms and the nature of the experience that a candidate must complete.

Seminar in Higher Education (EDU 6015)

In addition to the base program curriculum, international students attending face-to-face classes on the CUC campus are required to take the Seminar in Higher Education, a 3-credit course. This requirement will not apply to international DBA students studying exclusively online.