Elementary Education
Bennion
Center
LEAP
Courses
Getting Started
- Complete your USBE federal background clearance
- EDU 1010, Intro to Teaching
- ED PS 2030, Research & Inquiry in Education
- SP ED 2011, Inclusive Classrooms
Making Progress
- Meet with your advisor often
- Create a degree audit to track your requirements
- Enhance your ELEM major by exploring minors, additional endorsements, and certificates
- Explore scholarship opportunities
- Finish up general education and pre-major requirements
- Submit your UITE application for admissions to officially declare the major
- Make a plan for taking your professional licensing exams
Finishing Up
- Continue meeting with your advisor
- Complete student teaching or a teaching internship
- Apply for graduation
- Apply for your Utah Professional Teaching license
Community
Getting Started
- Join a learning community like LEAP, Diversity Scholars, or Honors College
- Participate in events hosted by the COE Student Council
- Attend MUSE events
- Join a student organization/club
Making Progress
- Volunteer with the Bennion Center
- Get to know the students in your Teacher Education Core courses
- Meet with faculty to get inspiration or ideas for your own career
- Engage in leadership opportunities by joining ASUU
- Become an Orientation Leader, LEAP peer mentor, Bennion Center Scholar, and/or college ambassador
Finishing Up
- Connect with the Utah Education Network and Utah Education Policy Center to complete an undergraduate research project
- Join the Alumni Association
- Learn about the Utah Education Association
Knowledge & Skills
Getting Started
- Check out academic resources like the Marriott Library, Knowledge Commons, Writing Center, Math Center, & Learning Center
- Research scholarship and other financial aid options
Making Progress
- Consider part-time employment in schools; work as a paraeducator during the school year or in summer school, after school, and residential programs
- Volunteer with the University Reading Clinic
- Complete a Hinckley Global Internship or learning abroad experience
- Attend the Education Research Symposium to get ideas for your own research
Finishing Up
- Explore graduate programs/jobs that take your knowledge to the next level and deepen skills
- Present a project/research at the Education Research Symposium
Transformation
Getting Started
- Develop a Teaching Philosophy statement that reflects your values and beliefs about teaching and learning
- Find mentors in classroom and school-based community-learning experiences
Making Progress
- Meet with an advisor, Career Coach, and/or Student Success Coach to discuss your goals
- Get to know your Education faculty
- Work on an Honors Thesis or Undergraduate Research project
- Attend conferences, lectures, & symposiums on a variety of topics
- Keep a record of lesson plans/unit plans to build a teaching portfolio
- Update your Teaching Philosophy as you gain knowledge, skills, and experience
Finishing Up
- Create a portfolio of your student teaching artifacts that you can reference in job interviews
- Participate in the university and college graduation events
Impact
Getting Started
- Explore events on U calendar
- Attend a COE faculty or a guest lecturer presentation
- Explore programs like UROP, Bennion Center Scholars, and the Honors College
Making Progress
- Complete an UROP project and/or work with one of the College of Ed.’s research groups and centers
- Consider applying to go on an Alternative Spring or Fall Break through the Bennion Center
- Participate in volunteer work in an elementary classroom
- Consider workshops or trainings offered through the Counseling Center, Mindfulness Center, or Center for Student Wellness
Finishing Up
- Lead an Alternative Spring/Fall Break group
- Present your research/project at a conference
- Join a professional organization in education
Careers
Getting Started
- Activate your Handshake account to find jobs/internships
- Draft a resume representing your skills & accomplishments
- Identify the people who can support you in reaching your educational and professional goals
Making Progress
- Meet with the Career and Professional Development Center
- Regularly update your resume and Teaching Philosophy
- Attend career fairs hosted by local school districts
- Apply to volunteer & work opportunities in your field
- Look into student leadership roles that offer networking opportunities
- Consider applying for a paid student-teaching internship for your final year
Finishing Up
- Refine your resume and practice interviewing with a Career Coach
- Explore graduate programs to take your knowledge and skills to the next level
- Get involved with the Alumni Association
- Stay connected with COE and reference UITE’s Teacher Resources
Start Your Career Journey
Find support at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)
About the Major
The Elementary Education (ELEM) major in the Urban Institute for Teacher Education (UITE) at the University of Utah is an interdisciplinary teacher preparation program that provides you with professional training to work with elementary students across various ages, ability levels, and from diverse cultural linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
In the ELEM major, you will take a set of professional teacher education core courses that address topics such as child development, language development, reading methods, writing instruction, math instruction, assessment and instruction principles, legal and policy foundations, and classroom technology integration. In your final year, you will complete a full-time student teaching or internship experience in an elementary school, and be paired with an experienced educator to mentor you through your final capstone teaching experience.
Upon graduation and completion of licensure exams, you will be recommended to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) to receive your Elementary Education K-8 Utah Professional Teaching License. The U’s Elementary licensure program prepares you to teach grades K-6 as part of the K-8 licensure recommendation; if you’re interested, you can also complete a few additional specialization requirements to be able to teach in K-8 classrooms.
In the ELEM major, you will take a set of professional teacher education core courses that address topics such as child development, language development, reading methods, writing instruction, math instruction, assessment and instruction principles, legal and policy foundations, and classroom technology integration. In your final year, you will complete a full-time student teaching or internship experience in an elementary school, and be paired with an experienced educator to mentor you through your final capstone teaching experience.
Upon graduation and completion of licensure exams, you will be recommended to the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) to receive your Elementary Education K-8 Utah Professional Teaching License. The U’s Elementary licensure program prepares you to teach grades K-6 as part of the K-8 licensure recommendation; if you’re interested, you can also complete a few additional specialization requirements to be able to teach in K-8 classrooms.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structure of the discipline(s) you will teach and create learning experiences to make them meaningful to students.
- Design, adapt, and deliver instruction that address students’ diverse learning strengths and needs.
- Advocate for the learners, the school, the community, and the profession. Collaborate with essential partners to create a learning culture that promotes student growth and development.
- Be a reflective practitioner who uses evidence to continually evaluate and adapt your practice to meet the needs of each learner.
- Seek new knowledge that will lead to improvements in the education and lives of all students and their families.
- Demonstrate the highest standard of legal and ethical conduct by adhering to and upholding laws, rules, policies, and directives.
Plan & Prepare
At the U, we plan for our students to have an exceptional Educational Experience identified by four broad categories we call the Learning Framework: Community, Knowledge & Skills, Transformation, and Impact. This major map will help you envision, explore, design, and plan your personalized Exceptional Education Experience with the Learning Framework at the core. In addition to assisting you in planning your coursework and navigating the requirements of your major, this map will help you incorporate other kinds of experiences to expand your knowledge, support your development, and prepare you for the future you want.