Graduation

Elementary Education Program

CALUMET COLLEGE OF ST. JOSEPH’S ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERS A FOUNDATION THAT SUPPORTS YOUR DREAM TO TRANSFORM A COMMUNITY.

Calumet College of St. Joseph’s Elementary Education program supports the mission of the College to prepare a diverse population for professional careers and graduate education. Guided by a Catholic vision of social justice, the education program empowers teacher candidates to improve their personal lives and to create a more equitable society through education.

In the Elementary Education program, teacher candidates will receive justice-oriented educational experiences that reflect current theory and best practice in the profession according to three essential and interrelated pillars:

  • Professional preparation
  • Continuous and critical reflection
  • Ongoing personal and professional transformation

Candidates will also gain real-world experience in:

  • Teaching students in a variety of settings
  • Advocating for the needs of diverse students through community projects
  • Building a professional learning network

Throughout the four-year program, field and clinical experiences will connect candidates with professionals in the field, see best practices in action and gain confidence as an educator.

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Career

Options

Career Options with this major include, but are not limited to work as:

  • Elementary school teacher
  • Tutor
  • Curriculum designer
  • Boards of education
elementary-career-options

Program highlights

Our unique program prepares elementary teachers to meet the needs of the most diverse classroom environment. Immersed in research-based strategies, you will learn how to meet the needs of every student in a compassionate and effective manner. 

Our Elementary Education coursework is dedicated to learning about:

  • English Language Learners
  • students with special needs
  • positive learning environments
  • and more!

Courses are organized as cohorts, allowing you to dig deeply into each subject area. Each three-week course is completed one at a time, giving you the opportunity to focus on the best teaching strategies to use for each subject area and student need. Upon graduation, you will be focused, prepared and ready to make a difference in your community.

Faculty

Nicole Avina, M.A.

Adjunct Faculty

Adrienne Cataldo, M.A.

Instructor, Education

Alyssa Rodriguez, M.S.

Assistant Professor, Education

John Shields, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Education

Program

Objectives and requirements

Five major objectives have been defined under the three pillars: Preparation, Reflection and Transformation. Program graduates are required to:

  1. Demonstrate understanding of how students learn and how they differ by way of Preparation
  2. Demonstrate knowledge of what to teach by way of Preparation
  3. Demonstrate how to teach effectively as Transformation
  4. Demonstrate effective implementation of technology as Transformation
  5. Demonstrate continuous personal and professional growth by way of Reflection

To ensure that teaching candidates are prepared to handle the rigorous coursework and ultimately become teachers, they must meet the following admission criteria to enter the Education Program:

  • Good standing with CCSJ
  • Successful completion of a majority of General Education courses
  • Cumulative GPA of at least 2.50 on a four-point scale
  • Completion of EDUC 200 and EDUC 405 with a grade of C or higher
  • Full criminal history clearance via Safe Hiring Solutions (updated annually)
  • Demonstration of basic skills proficiency through one of the following
    • Praxis CORE exams (at or above 165 in Mathematics, Reading, and Writing)
    • ACT test (composite score at or above 20)
    • SAT test (at or above 530 in Evidence-based Reading and Writing and Math)

You Belong

at Calumet College of St. Joseph!