Bachelor of Science in Elementary School Education
Prepare to Have a Dynamic Impact in the Classroom
The Educator Preparation Program (FEP) at St. Catharine College is Kentucky’s first entirely field-based education curriculum. From your very first semester in college, you will be placed in the elementary school classroom experiencing what it is like to lead a class. Initially, you will be observing in classrooms, but by the second half of the first semester, you will be assigned to two different classrooms to assist students who need tutoring, help the teacher prepare materials for use in class and, in general, get a feel for the elementary school teaching experience.
Through the program, you will be exposed to a wide variety of schools and classrooms so you can understand the different types of situations you may face as a classroom teacher. You will also learn to work with students from diverse backgrounds including those with special needs and language barriers. By the time you graduate, you will have experienced a total immersion in the elementary school classroom and be ready to take on any teaching challenge.
Concentrations Available:
Students work toward certification in elementary education grades K-5.
Special Program Highlights and Features:
- SCC students are exposed to a wide variety of classrooms including urban disadvantaged, magnet school for creative and performing arts, Spanish language immersion, parochial and rural.
- St. Catharine offers Kentucky’s first field-based education program.
- Nearly all SCC graduates of the program find teaching positions upon graduation.
- SCC students can get help with job placement through the education department’s contacts, if desired.
- SCC students learn to work with elementary children who have special needs, a language barrier or other challenges.
- SCC students begin their student teaching experience sooner than in other programs and they get a longer exposure than the two weeks of teaching many colleges offer. SCC student teachers are responsible for the full teaching load for at least twelve weeks.
- SCC Education students are welcome to participate in our very active chapter of the Kentucky Education Association Student Program (KEA-SP).
Interesting Courses You Will Take:
Introduction to Education - An exploration of the purposes and organization of United States elementary, middle and secondary education and the role of educators within these existing structures.
Classroom Management: Positive Discipline in the Classroom – This course is designed to teach future educators how to implement discipline techniques that are respectful of both the student and the teacher. Children/students are empowered to use class meetings to solve problems, learn conflict resolution techniques, and establish class rules and responsibilities. The teacher strives to provide a sense of belonging and significance for each student. This approach to discipline advocates parent education as part of communicating positive parenting education by schools.
Curriculum Development – This course is designed to assist pre-service teachers in developing an interdisciplinary unit of study taught and assessed in the Clinical Experience.
Meet the Instructors
The instructors within the Education Department at St. Catharine College are highly experienced in the classroom. They know first hand the challenges you will face when you have a classroom of your own. In addition to courses taught by full-time faculty, the College also offers classes taught by several excellent education professionals from the area. All are exceptional classroom teachers in their own right who have a love for instruction that will inspire you to become an outstanding educator.
Career Outlook for Major
Well-trained teachers are always in demand. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for kindergarten through secondary school teachers is expected to grow by 13 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.
