Requirements for a Major or Minor in Education
Programs offered Elementary Education in grades K-8 (65 credits), with one of the following areas of specialization: • Pre-Primary, ages 3-kindergarten (20 credits) • Communication Arts/Literature, grades 5-8 (20 credits) • Mathematics, grades 5-8 (20 credits) • Science, grades 5-8 (25 credits) • Social Studies, grades 5-8 (20 credits) • World Languages (French, German, Latin, Norwegian or Spanish), grades K-8 (24 to 28 credits) Secondary/K-12 Education (28 to 36 credits in education) plus credits in each of the following areas (see department pages for descriptions): • Art, grades K-12 • Biology, grades 9-12 • Chemistry, grades 9-12 • French, grades K-12 • German, grades K-12 • Health, grades 5-12 • Latin, grades K-12 • Mathematics, grades 5-12 • Music (instrumental, vocal or dual), grades K-12 • Norwegian, grades K-12 • Physical Education, K-12 • Physics, grades 9-12 • Spanish, grades K-12 Interdisciplinary Programs for Secondary Education: • Business Education major, grades 5-12 (42 credits plus 32 credits in education) • Communication Arts/Literature licensure: – English major, grades 5-12 (52 credits plus 36 credits in education) – Communication Studies major with Communication Arts/ Literature teaching licensure, grades 5-12 (52 credits plus 36 credits in education) • General Science, grades 5-8 (32 credits) • Social Studies, grades 5-12 (52 credits plus 32 credits in education) Additional Opportunities for Elementary and Secondary/K-12: Any teacher education candidate may add on any of these specialty areas or licensure programs: • Communication Arts/Literature, grades 5-8 • French, grades K-8 • German, grades K-8 • Latin, grades K-8 • Mathematics, grades 5-8 • Norwegian, grades K-8 • Science, grades 5-8 • Social Studies, grades 5-8 • Spanish, grades K-8 • Program leading to licensure for Teachers of Parent and Family Education • Preparation for teachers coaching sports (see physical education and health) (non-licensure program) Mission Statement of the Department of Education The purpose of the department of education is to prepare caring, competent, and qualified teachers who act in the best interests of the students they serve. Five Key Propositions 1. Teachers must possess or acquire knowledge of their students. 2. Teachers must know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students. 3. Teachers must be responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. 4. Teachers must reflect regularly about their practice. 5. Teachers must understand their role in the context of the communities and society they serve. In cooperation with other departments in the college, the department of education develops curricula and clinical experiences to enable prospective teachers to meet the Minnesota Board of Teaching Standards for Effective Practice. Within a liberal arts college, the department of education emphasizes both a broad base of knowledge across academic disciplines and a depth of knowledge in the discipline in which the student plans to teach. To ensure that Concordia teacher education programs are relevant for today’s schools, local K-12 teachers provide advice on policies and curricula. In addition, graduates and their employers assess how effectively graduates are prepared for their first teaching jobs. Because teachers wield great influence in the lives of children and youth, the department of education believes it is imperative that schools be provided with teachers who are professionally of the highest competence in subject-matter knowledge and effective teaching strategies, and who approach their profession with a clear sense of vocation. The education department provides learning experiences that prepare students to achieve the following outcomes: • understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines taught and be able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students • understand how students learn and develop and must provide learning opportunities that support a student’s intellectual, social and personal development • understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and create instructional opportunities that are adapted to students with diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities • understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills • use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation • be able to plan and manage instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals • understand and be able to use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the student • be a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of choices and actions on others, including students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community and actively seeks out opportunities for professional growth • be able to communicate and interact with parents or guardians, families, school colleagues, and the community to support student learning and well-being Additional Opportunities for Elementary Education and Secondary/K-12 Education Program Leading to Licensure for Teachers of Parent and Family Education A student with an interest in education in family life/parenting may choose to fulfill the requirements for licensure by the Board of Teaching of Minnesota. This license prepares students for a variety of positions including teaching parents in an Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program or administering an ECFE program; teaching parents or working with families in Head Start programs; and working with children or families or parents in human service agencies, churches or hospitals. To be licensed in the state of Minnesota, a student must take the following 38 credits: • CFS 220 – Family Systems, 4 credits • CFS 236 – Child Development, 4 credits • CFS 336 – Parenting, 2 credits • CFS 389 – Adult Education, 2 credits • EDUC 210 – Foundations in K-12 Education, 2 credits • EDUC 221 – Teaching in the Middle School, 2 credits • EDUC 399 – Orientation to Student Teaching, no credit • EDUC 421 – Advanced Reading Methods of Teaching for the Elementary School, 2 credits • EDUC 425 – Education of the Exceptional Child, 2 credits • EDUC 439 – Human Relations, 2 credits • EDUC 487 – Practicum in Parent Education, 2 to 10 credits (see education department chair for most current information) • PSYC 212 – Educational Psychology, 4 credits Minimum GPA of 2.75 is required. Coaching Preparation (non-licensure program) For more information, refer to the course descriptions for this program in the physical education and health pages of the catalog.
Course Catalog
