Why Study Elementary Education?
Elementary school teachers change lives. You鈥檒l serve as a role model of curiosity and inquiry, spark their imagination by teaching them to read, open young minds to the communities that surround them, and bring important world events to the classroom. During this critical stage of your students鈥� development, you can help them build self-confidence and acquire the interpersonal skills that will make them stronger individuals and better citizens.
Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Ida Maduram
As North Park鈥檚 Golden Apple Scholarship liaison, Dr. Ida Maduram works with students who commit to serving in high-need schools, allowing them to 鈥渓earn from the extended classroom of Chicago,鈥� she says.
Make a Difference. Teach.
Elementary school teachers make a real difference in the life of a child. With a North Park degree in elementary education, you鈥檒l have the strong academic foundation and extensive classroom experience to make an immediate impact at schools and institutions nationwide. Our mission to prepare students to lead lives of significance and service creates courses, extra-curricular activities, and campus-wide discussions that will challenge you to become a teacher who is a competent, respectful, and reflective professional comfortable serving diverse learning communities.
Classroom Experiences
The elementary education program gets you into real classrooms early and eases your transition from observer to student teacher. Here鈥檚 the progression:
Targeted observations as part of the methods course
Teacher Aiding: observe and assist teacher/students (70+ hours)
Mini-Teaching: prepare and teach one lesson each day (7 weeks)
Student Teaching: full-time teaching (12 weeks)
Approvals and Endorsements
As an elementary education major, you will have the opportunity to add an endorsment or approval that matches your academic and professional interests. Options include bilingual education, English as a Second Language, and special education.
Golden Apple Scholars
Golden Apple Scholars are teachers in Illinois with a passion for serving children in high-need schools. As one of the program鈥檚 partner schools, North Park education majors can apply to this competitive program, which offers college scholarships and the chance to participate in summer institutes for further training to teach in challenging school settings. Learn more about the Golden Apple program.
Beyond the Classroom
Enhance your own education by getting involved with various service and extracurricular activities at North Park. Opportunities include:
- Joining North Park鈥檚 chapter of Kappa Delta Pi
- Volunteering through Urban Outreach, including at local tutoring programs
- Instructing tutoring sessions or working in the Writing Center
- Participating in Global Partnerships trips
- Studying abroad
Where Alumni Work
- Adkison Elementary, Ceres, Calif.
- ASPIRA Haugan Middle School, Chicago
- Belding Elementary, Chicago
- Carl Sandburg Middle School, Mundelein, Ill.
- First Covenant Church, Seattle, Wash.
- New Life Center, Chicago
- Urban Academy Charter School, St. Paul, Minn.
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