“Good teaching is more a giving of the right questions than a giving of the right answers,” said Josef Albers, designer and educator. This degree provides future teachers with the tools to stimulate their students to learn and to question. The plan includes grounding in teaching methods and best practices, as well as an understanding of issues and challenges faced by today’s and tomorrow’s schools.
The BSEd in Elementary Education is available in person at several sites across the state of Arizona, including Yuma and Flagstaff. Additionally, NAU offers the BSEd in Elementary Education using instructional technology. Students meet online at a specific time using live online technology with the entire class and instructor and engage in learning experiences together. This option replaces face-to-face classes at the South Mountain and Pima CC-Downtown campuses in order to best serve our teacher candidates.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Candidates in this program are required to demonstrate content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and skills, professional knowledge, and professional dispositions to be eligible to enter student teaching or internship placements.
Content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge or skills, professional dispositions are demonstrated through candidate performance on key assessments embedded in the following course(s):
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
This program may lead to licensure.
Purpose Statement
The Bachelor of Science in Education, Elementary Education degree program, which leads to Arizona teacher certification, provides candidates with the necessary foundation to teach in K-8 th grade classrooms. This nationally recognized program emphasizes sound pedagogical practices while stressing the skills, knowledge, and dispositions necessary to confidently enter the field of education. Candidates engage in a purposeful program of study, which is grounded in theory and infused with practical experiences in schools. Candidates pursue foundational coursework in mathematics, liberal studies, educational foundations, bilingual and multi-cultural education, educational psychology, special education, curriculum and instruction, and educational technology curriculum. Candidates select from various Clinically-Based Partnership sites and models and complete 135 practicum hours over the course of three semesters prior to student teaching, which occurs in semester four.
During the course of study, candidates are able to demonstrate outcomes aligned to the standards of the CAEP and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium. These outcomes include, but are not limited to, constructing learning opportunities that support students’ development, acquisition of knowledge, and motivation; knowing, understanding, and using major concepts in subject matter fields to enhance student learning and development; creating instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse students; knowing, understanding, and using various assessment strategies to plan, evaluate, and improve teaching and learning; and reflecting and continuously improving educational practice.
Candidates who complete this program will be prepared to contribute to and participate in the education of future generations through public, charter, and private schools, as well as other venues where such coursework and certification may serve the job, such as training/teaching in organizations, non-profits, and agencies.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with the Standards from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC).
STANDARD 1 – Understanding and Addressing Each Child’s Developmental and Learning Needs Candidates use their understanding of child growth and development, individual differences, and diverse families, cultures and communities to plan and implement inclusive learning environments that provide each child with equitable access to high quality learning experiences that engage and create learning opportunities for them to meet high standards. They work collaboratively with families to gain a holistic perspective on children’s strengths and needs and how to motivate their learning.
STANDARD 2 – Understanding and Applying Content and Curricular Knowledge for Teaching Candidates demonstrate and apply understandings of major concepts, skills, and practices, as they interpret disciplinary curricular standards and related expectations within and across literacy, mathematics, science, and social studies.
STANDARD 3 – Assessing, Planning, and Designing Contexts for Learning Candidates assess students, plan instruction and design classroom contexts for learning. Candidates use formative and summative assessment to monitor students’ learning and guide instruction. Candidates plan learning activities to promote a full range of competencies for each student. They differentiate instructional materials and activities to address learners’ diversity. Candidates foster engagement in learning by establishing and maintaining social norms for classrooms. They build interpersonal relationships with students that generate motivation, and promote students social and emotional development.
STANDARD 4 – Supporting Each Child’s Learning Using Effective Instruction. Candidates make informed decisions about instruction guided by knowledge of children and assessment of children’s learning that result in the use of a variety of effective instructional practices that employ print, and digital appropriate resources. Instruction is delivered using a cohesive sequence of lessons and employing effective instructional practices. Candidates use explicit instruction and effective feedback as appropriate, and use whole class discussions to support and enhance children’s learning. Candidates use flexible grouping arrangements, including small group and individual instruction to support effective instruction and improved learning for every child.
STANDARD 5- Developing as a Professional Candidates promote learning and development of every child through participation in collaborative learning environments, reflective self-study and professional learning, and involvement in their professional community.
Take the following 66 units. A minimum NAU cumulative GPA of 2.5. Additionally, a minimum combined GPA of 3.0 is required for teacher preparation courses noted with an asterisk (*). For all major requirements, a passing grade is required and a Grade of "C" or better is required for course evaluated on an A-F scale.