Elementary Education

PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The School of Education offers a strong professional program with a solid foundation in the arts and sciences, providing knowledge and perspective for disciplines taught in elementary schools. Within their educational program, elementary education students master a variety of methods of classroom instruction and assessment in courses that can lead to teacher certification in any state. Drake students are also empowered to apply their learning through classroom experiences in some of Iowa’s top schools in all four years of the program. In the junior year, elementary education students have a variety of field experiences that are tailored to extend the research-based coursework in reading, science, mathematics, and social studies by applying those methods in elementary classrooms.

DEGREE OPTIONS
Bachelor of Science in Education for teaching at the elementary level. The School of Education supports subject endorsements at the elementary level (K-6) in art, early childhood, English/language arts, health, mathematics, reading, history, science, theater and communications studies, social studies, and unified (early childhood with emphasis on special education). Endorsement course requirements vary according to discipline.

FACULTY
The School of Education includes 23 full-time faculty; all have earned their doctoral degrees. All full-time faculty are engaged in teaching classes from the introductory to advanced levels.

ACADEMIC PREPARATION
As preparation for the elementary education program, students should have a well-rounded, academic high school curriculum and an interest working with children.

SAMPLE COURSES
In the first year, education students enroll in Introduction to Education, which involves both time in the college classroom and an observational component in the elementary or secondary classroom. During the sophomore year, students complete their pre-professional requirements: Foundations of Education (including a 40 hour elementary or secondary practicum placement), Human Development, and Introduction to the Exceptional Child. Junior and senior years, students complete professional requirements, including methods courses and one semester of full-time student teaching.

DRAKE CURRICULUM
The Drake Curriculum, required of all undergraduates, is designed to help students meet personal and professional goals as they acquire fundamental knowledge and abilities in ten Areas of Inquiry, including communication, critical thinking, artistic experience, historical consciousness, information and technology literacy, international and multicultural experiences, scientific and quantitative literacy, values and ethics and engaged citizenship. Students work closely with their academic advisers to craft a program of study in general education that prepares students for civic and professional leadership.

The Drake Curriculum also requires first-year seminars, which foster development of critical thinking and written and oral communication skills through a topical focus; and a Senior Capstone, in which students demonstrate the capacity to bring information, skills and ideas to bear on one project.

The School of Education supports subject endorsements at the elementary level (K-6) in art, early childhood, English/language arts, health, mathematics, reading, history, science, theater and communications studies, social studies, and unified (early childhood with emphasis on special education). Endorsement course requirements vary according to discipline.

INTERNSHIPS AND OPPORTUNITIES
Education majors begin observing working classrooms during their first year in order to experience a variety of educational settings at all levels of elementary certification (grades K-6). In their sophomore year, elementary education majors complete a 40-hour practicum at two levels in two local elementary classrooms. The variety of field experiences in the junior year give elementary students specialized methods instruction and prepares them for the education capstone experience—student teaching. During student teaching, elementary education students spend 15 weeks in Iowa PK-6 classrooms under the mentorship of an experienced teacher. The elementary education program at Drake follows a coaching model, including weekly contact with a university supervisor.

Students can gain additional enriching experiences through university or community organizations. For example, students can tutor adults as part of the Drake School of Education Adult Literacy Program, act as student mentors for the Drake Community Center, volunteer for the Des Moines Big Brother-Big Sister organizations, and even collaborate with faculty on research projects through Undergraduate Research Assistantships. Other tutoring opportunities are available through area service agencies.

CAREER OPTIONS
With licensure in elementary education and an academic endorsement, elementary education graduates become teachers in a self-contained elementary classroom K-6 in all subjects except physical education. Elementary education graduates may also become teachers in an elementary school that uses subject-specialty teachers in their endorsement area. In addition, many businesses seek education graduates because of their abilities to design plans, solve problems, and communicate well.

ORGANIZATIONS
Kappa Delta Pi, the education honorary, regularly conducts service projects within the School of Education and the metropolitan community. Drake Education Association, the local affiliate of the National Education Association, also has an active chapter that works on educational issues.

Visit the School of Education Web site