Our mission is to prepare prospective elementary school teachers who are capable of and committed to a lifetime of inquiry in teaching and to a powerful education for all students in our diverse society. We believe that public education is a vital element in a dynamic and just democracy.
If you pursue your professional education in the elementary teacher education program at the University of Michigan, you will study with an exceptional group of faculty, instructors, and cooperating teachers, all dedicated to the improvement of schooling and to your professional growth. You will progress with a cohort of your peers in a spirit of dialogue, debate, and cooperation. You will combine and connect challenging educational and academic coursework with guided experiences in schools. And you will put together your commitment to young people, your intellectual curiosity, and your spirit of adventure in one of the most demanding and rewarding professions available at a time of great need and great challenge.
We welcome your interest.
As a prospective teacher in the undergraduate elementary program, you will be part of an intensive, sequenced, four-term program of professional study. Students typically begin the program during their junior year, after demonstrating strong academic preparation. The program is structured so that, each semester, you participate in both academic and professional coursework while working in an elementary classroom. Experiences within each term are complementary; the work in one school setting or course informs the work in another school setting or course. Your knowledge and confidence will grow in successive terms, as coursework and fieldwork build upon and expand what you have already learned.
The undergraduate elementary teacher education program prepares you to teach in:
With successful completion of the program, you will earn a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree in Education and will be recommended to the State of Michigan for elementary teacher certification. "Successful completion" means candidates have satisfied all requirements specified in the Summary of Program Requirements for Teacher Certification .
For the application deadline, please see our critical deadlines page.
Here are the steps for completing an application to the undergraduate teacher certification program. (Links will open in a new window. Close the new window to return to this page.)
1. Prospective teacher certification students should begin their inquiries by attending an M-Teach Information Session. Once a prospective student attends a session, he or she is eligible to meet one-on-one with a School of Education academic advisor.
For a schedule of M-Teach Information Sessions: http://www.soe.umich.edu/generaladvisingsessions
2. Once you have attended an M-Teach Information Session, please schedule a one-on-one meeting with a School of Education academic advisor to discuss coursework, eligibility for the program, and any other questions you might have about the program. To schedule an appointment, e-mail soe.advising@umich.edu or call the Teacher Education Office at (734) 615-1528. Provide name, phone number, times you are generally available (M-F, 9-5), and indicate program of interest (e.g., elementary certification, secondary certification).
3. Visit http://www.admissions.umich.edu and complete the undergraduate application. Please see our ‘Application Help’ sheet for assistance in filling out the application. If you experience any difficulties while completing the on-line application, please contact our Office of Student Affairs at (734) 764-7563.
If you are interested in other School of Education programs, return to the "Academic Programs" home page by clicking on the tab above or by clicking here.
In order for you to develop both the breadth and depth of understanding necessary to teach a diverse group of children, your teaching major and minor should each be comprised of a coherent program of study. To facilitate this coherence, we have done two things: 1) outlined specific general studies requirements, and 2) carefully designed the possible teaching majors and minors to take advantage of the University of Michigan's rich academic resources and to meet State of Michigan requirements for initial certification. The following teaching majors correspond to core elements of the elementary school curriculum; the teaching minor options include the possibility of a fine arts option.
Click on the links below to view the general studies, teaching major and teaching minor requirements.
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Teaching Majors:
Teaching Minors:
Whether you are completing your initial degree or obtaining a second bachelor’s degree, you must complete the General Studies requirements indicated below.
The following 45 credits comprise the General Studies requirement:
- Humanities: English composition, one philosophy course and electives to total 9 credits.
- Natural Science: One 3-credit course in biology, one in geo-science, and one in physical science (chemistry or physics)
- Social Science: One course in U.S. history, one course in introductory psychology, and one elective to total 9 credits.
- Mathematics: Math 385, 489 and one elective to total 9 credits.
- Creative Arts: Two of three methods classes – Ed 427 (Teaching Art), Ed 408 (Teaching Music), or PE 336/354, and one elective to total 9 credits.A.2.a.1.b Elem TC: Overview – Program Components –
Each semester the focus of the professional coursework changes and adds to your evolving base of knowledge and understanding. The undergraduate elementary teacher education program includes three semesters of practicum and one semester of student teaching. There is a different focus for practicum each semester based on the course of study and emerging themes for that term.
Fieldwork
As a student in a professional program, "clinical" or "field" experience--real-life experience in the real settings and circumstances of your chosen profession--is an essential part of your preparation. In each of the first three terms, you will, typically as part of a pair, spend about six hours per week in classrooms - observing the classroom in action, collecting data on student learning and teaching practice in conjunction with your coursework, and contributing to instruction by tutoring, co-teaching, and planning with cooperating teachers and your university partners.
The culminating field experience is the student teaching term, when you will follow the calendar and schedule of your placement classroom for a period of 14-15 weeks. During this experience, you will spend five days per week, for the full school day, immersed in the classroom environment. You will slowly and deliberately take on all aspects of instructional responsibility, building toward "lead teaching" when you will be responsible for most or all aspects of the school experience for your K-8 students. Lead teaching generally happens in the 8th -10th week of the student teaching experience and lasts 2-3 weeks.
School Partnerships
Substantial field experience in a diverse array of classrooms, urban to rural, is a key component of each semester of the program. Students should expect at least one field placement in Ann Arbor, at least one placement in an outlying district (ex. Willow Run, Chelsea, Plymouth/Canton, Ypsilanti), and they should expect to be assigned to grade levels spanning kindergarten through sixth grade. Student teaching placements in Detroit and Southfield may also be available for those interested in learning more about urban education.
Cohorts
One way that reflection and engagement is promoted throughout the program is with the use of cohorts. As a member of the same cohort of 20-25 students each semester you are in the program, you will have the opportunity to make sense of and interpret your experiences with others sharing in those experiences. At the same time, you will be developing a network of colleagues who illuminate the multiple perspectives different individuals bring to the field of education. University faculty and staff interact with you and your cohort on an ongoing basis to encourage and support this development.
Transportation
Because of the essential role fieldwork plays, students are responsible for getting to their assigned school sites. Some students arrange car pools during practicum, and public transportation is a possibility for a few placement sites. During student teaching, however, a significant majority of our students find that having individual transportation is essential.
Following are the courses and experiences that define each semester of your program:
Undergraduate Elementary Teacher Education Program Course Sequence
Year One (Junior Year) |
|
Fall (semester 1) |
Winter (semester 2) |
EDUC 391 Educational Psychology |
EDUC 392 Foundations of Education |
11 credits |
11 credits |
MATH 385 is typically taken this semester. Students often also take one of the following creative arts methods courses: EDUC 427 (Art), MUSED 408 (Music), PHYSED 336 (Phys Ed). |
Math (EDUC 489) is typically taken this semester. Students often also take one of the following creative arts methods courses: EDUC 427 (Art), MUSED 408 (Music), PHYSED 336 (Phys Ed), or PHYSED 354 (Dance). |
Year Two (Senior Year) |
|
Fall (semester 3) |
Winter (semester 4) |
EDUC 411 Teaching Elem School Math |
EDUC 301 Student Teaching |
8 credits |
16 credits |
Students often also take one of the following Creative Arts Methods courses: EDUC 427 (Art), MUSED 408 (Music), PHYSED 336 (Phys Ed), or PHYSED 354 (Dance). |
Students will receive instructions about which sections of 490 they should register for. TOTAL PROGRAM CREDITS = 46 |
In addition to the requirements of our program, the State of Michigan has requirements with which any teacher candidate must comply in order to receive teacher certification. These requirements are applicable to all of the teacher certification programs within the state.
Michigan Public Act 18 of 2003 requires all teacher candidates to be certified in CPR (Child and Adult) and First Aid prior to being recommended for teacher certification. The legislation stipulates that this training must be completed through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association .
NOTE: Because the CPR certification is valid only for one year, the program recommends that teacher candidates complete this training during their student teaching, or final, term in the program (whichever is later).
In order to help our teacher candidates meet this certification requirement, the School of Education has partnered with the Washtenaw County chapter of the American Red Cross to offer this certification course to School of Education students during fall and winter semesters. Information about course dates and times will be distributed to teacher candidates at the beginning of their student teaching term. Teacher candidates also have the option of contacting the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association directly to arrange to take a CPR/First Aid course.
Teacher candidates must send copies of the front and back of their CPR/First Aid cards to the Teacher Education Office (Room 1228) in the School of Education, to the attention of the academic advisors. Cards should include both the instructor and student signature.
Criminal Background Check and Fingerprinting
Michigan's "School Safety" legislation (2005) requires that all potential employees of public schools in the State of Michigan be fingerprinted and subjected to a criminal background check prior to hire. A teacher candidate can be denied initial certification, or certification can be delayed, if his or her background reveals a felony or certain enumerated misdemeanor convictions.
All newly admitted teacher candidates must provide proof that a State of Michigan and FBI criminal background check (via LIVESCAN fingerprinting) has been conducted. The results of the criminal background check must be submitted to the program according to current policy. This must be done before any field placement in a K-12 setting can occur.
Additionally, two signed criminal affidavits are required: 1) prior to student teaching, and 2) prior to recommendation for certification to the State of Michigan.
It is likely that school districts in which teacher candidates are placed for practicum and/or student teaching may ask for fingerprint results before agreeing to host the teacher candidate.
Teacher candidates are expected to report any criminal convictions that occur during their tenure in our teacher education program to their program coordinator as soon as they occur.
Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC)
The MTTC Basic Skills and Subject Area tests are designed and implemented by the Michigan Department of Education, and are meant to ensure that each certified teacher has the necessary basic skills and subject area knowledge to serve in Michigan schools.
Basic Skills Test:
Candidates in our teacher education programs must take and pass all three sections (Reading, Math, and Writing) of the Basic Skills test prior to being eligible to student teach.
Subject Area Tests:
The Subject Area tests should not be taken before the teacher candidate's final year in the program.
Elementary candidates: Before being recommended to the State for teacher certification, elementary teacher candidates must take and pass the MTTC test in Elementary Education. Additionally, elementary teacher candidates who wish to teach in subject-specific classrooms in grades 6-8, must take and pass MTTC tests in their teaching major and minor. The program strongly encourages elementary teacher candidates to take and pass the appropriate subject-area tests. So, as an elementary teacher candidate, you can expect to take 2-4 MTTC tests while in our program.
Secondary and K-12 candidates: Before being recommended to the State for teacher certification, secondary teacher candidates must take and pass the subject area tests in their teaching major(s) and minor(s). As a secondary teacher candidate, you can expect to take at least three MTTC tests while in our program.
Test Registration Information:
MTTC tests are offered four times each year: in January, April, July, and October. MTTC registration information, as well as test objectives and study guides for each subject-area test, are available online at: http://www.mttc.nesinc.com
Please visit http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,1607,7-140-5234_5683_5857-116214--,00.html#MTTCTestReg for MTTC Frequently Asked Questions
The following requirements must all be satisfied in order for the School of Education to recommend a teacher candidate for a Michigan provisional teaching certificate:
Upon successful completion of all program and degree requirements, teacher candidates will be recommended to the State of Michigan for a provisional teaching certificate. This certificate is valid for a period of six years.
