Elementary Education, BS

In addition to receiving a comprehensive liberal arts background, students in the Elementary Education Program are prepared for teaching and instructional leadership in elementary schools. With extensive site-based instruction, students learn alongside their professors through guided practice and reflection that increases in scope over time, culminating in a full year of student teaching. Students will be in the classroom, working with children and program faculty, for seven of their eight semesters. The Elementary Education Program and its faculty emphasize learning through doing, collaborative inquiry, a nurturing environment, and the development of a professional identity. By completing the major and all required standardized tests, students will meet state licensing requirements for grades K-6. Specific curriculum requirements are available at www.butler.edu/education.

Elementary Education Student Learning Outcomes

In addition to the COE College-level outcomes, students will:

apply knowledge of content specific pedagogy to engage K-6 students in inclusive, equitable, and just learning opportunities.
demonstrate the ability to skillfully plan for instruction, meaningfully assess learning, and use a variety of instructional methods to effectively teach diverse K-6 students.
cultivate a sense of belonging among the diverse families, community members and stakeholders of students in their classrooms.

Curricular Requirements

122 Total Credit Hours (Includes Butler University Core Requirements)

At least 40 of the 122 hours needed for graduation must be in upper division courses - courses numbered 300 or above. Following this curricular plan will ensure that you meet the core curriculum course requirements, Butler University graduation course requirements, and the initial Indiana licensing course requirements.

University Core Requirements (27 hours)

First Year Seminar Min Units: 6 (grade of C or better required)
Global and Historical Studies Min Units: 6
Perspectives in the Creative Arts Min Units: 3
Text and Ideas Min Units: 3
Natural World Min Units: 5
Analytical Reasoning Min Units: 3
Well-Being Min Units: 1
Butler Cultural Requirement (8 events prior to graduation)

Elementary Education majors meet the requirements for the following University Core Requirements through their major coursework:

Social World Min Units: 3
Indianapolis Community Requirement (1 course)

Professional Education Courses (89 hours)

Foundations

ED 112 - Introduction to Professional Educators Min Units: 3
→ Recommended to be taken with ED 242 and ED 245
ED 242 - Foundations of Special Education Min Units: 2
→ Recommended to be taken with ED 112 and ED 245
ED 245 - Inquiry into Technology Min Units: 1
→ Recommended to be taken with ED 112 and ED 242
ED 299 - Integrated Foundations of Teacher Education Min Units: 6
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 112

→ Equivalent course combination: ED 241 and ED 244

Methods

Students who have completed all Foundations courses (ED 112, ED 242, ED 245, and ED 299) and First-Year Seminar (or equivalent) with a grade of C or better, have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and are not currently on a required Candidate Growth Plan (CGP) will be eligible for admission to the Teacher Education program. Students must meet these admission requirements in order to enroll in the following courses:

ED 204 - Infusing Arts in Early & Middle Childhood Curriculum Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 112
ED 206 - Intro to Early and Middle Childhood Education Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 112
ED 243 - Methods & Materials: Strategies for Teaching Students w/ Mild Disabilities Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 242 and ED 299
ED 303 - Reading Comprehension & Language Arts: K-6 Min Units: 6
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
→ Must be taken with ED 316 and ED 320
ED 308 - Reading Foundations & Language Arts: K-6 Min Units: 6
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
ED 316 - Teaching Mathematics: Early Childhood Min Units: 6
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
→ Must be taken with ED 303 and ED 320
ED 318 - Teaching Science and Social Studies: PreK-8 Min Units: 4
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
ED 320 - Assessment and Documentation Methods in Elementary Classrooms Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
→ Must be taken with ED 303 and ED 316
ED 398 - Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Learning and Society* Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): completion of 24 hours at Butler University or by permission of instructor
ED 414 - Teaching Mathematics: Middle Childhood Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 299
ED 491 - Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Learning Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 242
ED 492 - Special Education Law Min Units: 1
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 242
ED 498 - Methods for Teaching Multiling Min Units: 3
→ Prerequisite(s): ED 242 and ED 299

Clinical

Student Teaching is a full-time, supervised experience that is completed in a continuous sequence of weeks for a designated time period. The clinical experience requires a total commitment on the part of each student. Normally no other courses other than those listed below should be taken.

To be placed in a Student Teaching/Internship experience, students must:

be a Senior in good academic standing or successfully meet the requirements of the COE Student Handbook for to apply as Nondegree Graduate Student
be fully admitted to COE Teacher Education program
currently not be on a required Candidate Growth Plan (CGP)
have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
complete all major/minor courses with a grade of C or better
complete the Student Teaching/Internship application process, including attending an Information Session and collaborating with your Academic Advisor to submit the application form.

Elementary majors are required to complete 2 full semesters of student teaching. At least one of those semesters must be in a generalist setting.

Taken together during the Fall Semester:

ED 430 - Current Issues in Education Min Units: 1
ED 440 - Student Teaching: Early/Middle Childhood 1 Min Units: 9
ED 441 - Integrated Lab: Early Childhood Min Units: 5
Taken together during the Spring Semester:
ED 345 - Integration of Technology Min Units: 1
  → Prerequisite(s): ED 245

  → Recommended to be taken during Spring Semester Student Teaching, but may be taken earlier

  → Must be taken with a course that includes field experience (as noted in course description)
ED 442 - Student Teaching: Early/Middle Childhood 2 Min Units: 9
ED 443 - Integrated Lab: Middle Childhood Min Units: 5

Required Minor & University Electives (10+ hours)

The Indiana Department of Education REQUIRES all Elementary Education students to have a minor or pathway to licensure in one of the areas listed below. Electives from any coursework at the university may be used towards completion of a minor. These courses should be taken PRIOR to Student Teaching/Internship.

Minor with Pathway to Licensure

Special Education - Mild Intervention (additional courses required: ED 454, ED 479, ED 485, ED 490, ED 493)

Pathway to Licensure ONLY

Teacher of English Language Learners (additional courses required: ED 408, ED 465, ED 490)

Other Minors (see appropriate college for additional course requirements)

Teaching Licensure Requirements

These requirements have fees associated with their implementation and candidates are encouraged to plan ahead in saving for these costs that will come during the senior year.

PRAXIS Exams

PRAXIS exams that test both pedagogy and content knowledge are required for teaching licensure in the state of Indiana. The testing provider for the State of Indiana is ETS. Candidates should request that scores be sent to BOTH Butler and the Indiana Department of Education. Information on PRAXIS exams can be found here: www.ets.org/praxis/in

Additional information on licensure and testing can be found on the COE student Canvas site: butler.instructure.com/courses/16694

APPROXIMATE costs for ETS Testing for Indiana: $120-$170 per exam, ranging from $120-$465 per licensure area

Teacher Performance Assessment*

A Teacher Performance Assessment must be submitted during Student Teaching by all licensure areas.

*According to the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) which is the accrediting body for Butler University College of Education, this assessment is included as a graduation requirement for Elementary Education and Middle/Secondary Education majors

There is no additional fee associated with this assessment.

Awareness/Prevention Trainings^†

Applicants who receive an INITIAL teaching license in the State of Indiana must have successfully completed training in the following areas: CPR/AED/Heimlich certification, suicide awareness/prevention, gang awareness, McKinney-Vento identifying signs of homelessness, recognizing signs and symptoms of seizures, human trafficking training, and signs of child abuse/neglect training. Most trainings are offered to College of Education students free of charge during their Student Teaching Seminar course. Documentation verifying your completion of these trainings is required to be submitted when applying for licensure in Indiana.

Students must complete CPR/AED/Heimlich certification through an Indiana Department of Education approved provider (www.in.gov/doe/educators/educator-licensing/cpr-and-aed-certification/). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training must include a test demonstration on a mannequin, automated external defibrilator (AED), removing a foreign body causing an obstruction in an airway, and Heimlich Maneuver.

^†similar training and certifications may be required for licensure in other states

APPROXIMATE costs for CPR Certification: $80

State Licensure Application Fee

APPROXIMATE costs for Indiana State Licensure Application Fee: $35