The College of Education offers the undergraduate major in Elementary Education leading to the B.A. in Elementary Education and an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) in elementary grades (1-6). Elementary Education majors may also pursue dual licensure at the middle grades (5-8) level with an additional 3-credit methods course in the area of the teaching specialization. Required general education courses expand candidates’ knowledge of the subject matter content in elementary school curricula while professional education courses provide preparation for teaching and an understanding of students’ development and learning. Our program, nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), includes a combination of classroom instruction, intensive pre-student teaching field experiences, and a supervised student teaching experience in two distinct program tracks.
Track 1: The baccalaureate degree in Elementary Education is offered in a face-to-face daytime program for traditional candidates. Professional education courses in Track 1 are scheduled predictably, two-three days per week, over a period of four fall/spring semesters and one summer, enabling candidates who wish to be employed part- or full-time until their final semester, 15 weeks of full-time student teaching.
Track 2: An alternative pathway to the B.A. in Elementary Education and licensure is offered through the Para to Teacher Program for candidates employed as teacher assistants, permanent substitute teachers, or paraprofessionals in elementary and middle schools with which we have established Memoranda of Understanding (MOU). These agreements with partner school districts permit candidates to continue their work in the schools during the day while completing online classes over a period of five fall/spring semesters and two summers. Through the MOU, the paraprofessional’s school agrees to provide all required clinical experiences and supervision for their candidate. This slower-paced program permits candidates to maintain the highest quality in their work as paraprofessionals as well as in their course and clinical work toward Elementary licensure. Individuals interested in the Para to Teacher Program in Elementary Education should contact the program advisor.
Candidate Handbook
Additional information is available in the Elementary and Middle Grades Education Program Handbook.
Admission to Teacher Education
After meeting the university admission requirements, students must meet the following requirements to become a candidate in the Elementary Education program:
- * be admitted to Governors State University and be in good academic standing; present transcripts showing a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher in all undergraduate work attempted;
- * earn a grade of “B-” or better in EMED-3321 Effective Teaching for Diverse Students and Effective Teaching Laboratory (4) and EMED-3333 Educational Linguistics (3) taken at Governors State University;
- * submit an application for teacher candidacy; and successfully complete the GSU-approved Criminal Background Check, FERPA, DCFS, and all other required trainings prior to initial field experience in the schools (Note: Some field sites may also require students to provide a report of a brief physical exam, including a TB test, as well as to submit to the school’s own fingerprint background check);
- * demonstrate professional dispositions through classroom interactions and/or interviews with faculty/staff; receive a positive recommendation from the Elementary Education faculty to continue in the program.
For more information on the criminal background check, please contact the Director of Educator Preparation in the Division of Education. Consult with the Elementary Education advisor for information concerning related GSU policies and procedures.
Candidate Progress
The Elementary Education faculty monitor and evaluate candidate progress continually. The section entitled “Licensure of Teachers and Other School Professionals” in this catalog provides a general description of the standards used to evaluate candidate progress. A more detailed statement of the standards and processes followed by the Elementary Education faculty is available in the Elementary and Middle Grades Education Program Candidate Handbook;
Conditional Continuation
The Elementary Education faculty may permit a candidate to continue conditionally. In such cases, faculty review the candidate’s records to identify evidence that the candidate is likely to be successful in the program. Candidates are informed in writing of the conditions necessary for them to be transferred to good standing status. The status of a candidate allowed to continue conditionally is reviewed by the faculty each term. When conditions have been met, the candidate is informed in writing of the transfer to good standing status. Consequences for failing to meet established and agreed upon conditions for continuation may include dismissal from the program. Candidates will not be admitted to student teaching unless they are in good standing status.
Teacher Licensure Requirements - Illinois State Board of Education
Our nationally CAEP-accredited program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for recommendation of the Professional Educator License endorsed in Elementary Grades (1-6) by entitlement. To be recommended for licensure by Governors State University, candidates must:
- * complete 49-51 credits of general education earning the designated GPA; complete 66 credits of professional education course work in Elementary Education with a grade of at least a B- in every course, including EMED-4999 Student Teaching;
- * complete 18 credits in an area of teaching specialization, Bilingual Education, ESL Education, English/ Language Arts, General Science, Mathematics, Social Science;
- * pass, prior to student teaching, the Illinois Licensure Testing System Elementary (Grades 1-6) Education Content Test (305) and any other state required examinations.
Admission to Student Teaching
All general education, professional education, and teaching specialization course work as well as the Illinois Licensure Testing System Elementary Content Test must be completed before the candidate’s student teaching semester begins. For those students who intend to student teach in a content area at the middle-grades level, all middle grades endorsement requirements must also be completed before the student teaching semester. Note that students who elect a teaching specialization in Bilingual Education or ESL Education must have completed additional requirements (see below).
To be admitted to student teaching, candidates must:
- * complete all professional education courses with a grade of B- or better; complete the 49-51 credits of general education requirements with a GPA of 2.75 or higher;
- * document 100 clock hours of pre-student teaching field experiences in conjunction with required professional education courses (Note: For candidates electing a teaching specialization in ESL Education, an additional 100 clock hours of field experience must also be documented (200 total hours of required field experience). For candidates electing a teaching specialization in Bilingual Education, an additional practicum is required, and an additional 100 hours of field experience must also be documented (300 total hours of required field experience));
- * complete the required 15 credits in the teaching specialization content with a GPA of 2.75 or higher and the related methods course with a grade of B- or better; receive a positive recommendation from the Elementary Education faculty;
- * and verify successful completion of the Elementary Grades (1-6) Content Test (305) of the Illinois Licensure Testing System, and if appropriate, the Middle Grades (5-8) Content Test in English Language Arts (201); Middle Grades (5-8) Test in Mathematics (202); Middle Grades (5-8) Test in Science (203); or Middle Grades (5-8) Test in Social Science (204). There is no required content test for the ESL Education teaching specialization; however, there is a language content test for candidates with a teaching specialization in Bilingual Education (Foreign/World Language Content Area Test, test code number varies by language); submit a Student Teaching Application to studentteachingapplications@govst.edu by February 1 for spring student teaching placement and October 1 for fall student teaching placement in accordance with the Schedule of Important Dates.
Candidates must verify for the Director of Educator Preparation that each of these requirements has been met by June 1 of the semester preceding fall student teaching and by November 1 of the semester preceding spring student teaching. Candidates must work with the program advisor in preparing the application for student teaching one year prior to the student teaching experience.
Note: Student teaching is not offered during the summer session.
