University Catalog 2023-2024

Elementary Education

The Elementary Education program in the TELS department offers a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree in Elementary Education with a concentration in either mathematics or science education. The Master’s program prepares teacher leaders who possess strong specialized content knowledge in mathematics or science and a deep understanding of how elementary students learn. The program, designed for those who already hold a current teaching license, is especially tailored to provide candidates with leadership and application skills to transfer their knowledge to their work with elementary school teachers and students.

The program classes are online with many synchronous (real time meetings with the professor and your classmates) classes that align with teachers' schedules and some asynchronous (on your own schedule).

The coursework for the mathematics and science concentrations are approved by the North Carolina State Board of Education. Therefore, graduates of the M.Ed. program are eligible to receive an "add-on" to their North Carolina K-6 teaching license from the Department of Public Instruction designating them as a mathematics or science specialis. The College of Education is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Admission Requirements

Elementary Education Master’s program: Application requirements include a 500-800 word statement describing your background and professional goals, transcripts, reference letters, and a copy of your teaching license. The Graduate School requires a 3.0 GPA in your undergraduate program. The best qualified applicants will be accepted up to the limited number of spaces available for new students.

For the M.S. degree, a minimum of 33 hours is required. The M.S. degree requires a thesis and final oral examination approved by the graduate committee. If an MS is your goal, it is your responsibility to secure an advisor in advance who agrees to supervise this thesis research.

Faculty

Full Professors

  • Sarah J. Carrier
  • James Minogue

Associate Professors

  • Jill Freiberg Grifenhagen
  • Jessica Heather Hunt
  • Temple A. Walkowiak
  • Angela Wiseman

Assistant Professor

  • Michael Andre Jarry-Shore

Practice/Research/Teaching Professors

  • Valerie Ness Faulkner
  • Joanna Koch
  • Jordan Lukins

Courses

ELM 515  Instructional Practice in Schools I  (1 credit hours)  

Prepares pre-service teachers to develop competencies in assessment, instructional design, and tutoring and leads to initial licensure in the elementary grades. Includes 15-20 hours of fieldwork; transportation to schools is the responsibility of the students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 516  Instructional Practice in Schools II  (2 credit hours)  

Prepares pre-service teachers to develop competencies in assessment, instructional design, and teaching in whole class settings and leads to initial licensure in the elementary grades. Includes 30 hours of fieldwork; transportation to the schools is the responsibility of the students.

Corequisite: ELM 572, ELM 573, ELM 575

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 520  Methods of Teaching Elementary School Science  (3 credit hours)  

This course is intended for teachers seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in teaching elementary school science. The course examines the purposes, scope, sequences, materials, and methodologies for teaching science in elementary schools to a diverse student body. It develops skill in planning, instructing, and assessing understanding of science content and processes. It links instruction and assessment and addresses relevant content topics in chemistry, biology, physics, and earth and space science.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 524  Issues in Elementary School Science Education  (3 credit hours)  

Analysis of contemporary elementary school environments specific to elementary science content areas: life, Earth/space, and physical science in elementary school as well as science practices of argumentation, discourse, learning progressions, and science for all.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 530  Social Studies In the Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Advanced professional training in teaching of social studies for middle grades and elementary teachers, including in-depth introduction to research-based teaching strategies, instructional resources and literature of the field.

ELM 533  Targeted Literacy Assessment and Instruction for Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Intended for teachers seeking to expand their knowledge and skills in assessing and teaching elementary reading, particularly to students with reading difficulties. Exploring the purposes, sequences, and materials for identifying students' instructional strengths and learn methods for providing appropriate evidence-based reading instruction. Closely links reading assessment and reading instruction and addresses relevant content topics in elementary reading development, assessment, and instruction.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 537/ECI 537  Teaching Children's Literature  (3 credit hours)  

Instructions for educators in quality children's literature, specific needs of young reader, genres of children's literature, strategies for instructing children's literature, ways to target reader's interests, and design of literature units.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 539  Special Problems in Elementary School Science  (3 credit hours)  

In this course teachers build their science content knowledge in life, physical, and Earth/space science, examine strategies for effective science instruction to provide students with 21st Century skills with applications to young children's cognitive and affective learning.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 540  Reading In the Elementary School  (3 credit hours)  

Theoretical foundations of reading instruction and current methods and materials for teaching reading, with emphasis on planning and implementing reading programs for children in kindergarten through grade six.

ELM 555  Number Systems and Operations: K-5 Mathematical Tasks  (3 credit hours)  

Analysis and construction of effective mathematical tasks in teaching number systems and operations at the K-5 level; attention is also given to the expansion of content knowledge.

Typically offered in Fall only

ELM 556  Rational Numbers and Operations: K-5 Learning Trajectories  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on rational number concepts through learning trajectories at the K-5 level; attention also given to problem solving and content knowledge.

Typically offered in Spring only

ELM 557  Data Analysis and Measurement: K-5 Classroom Interactions  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on statistical literacy of elementary teachers and the teaching of data analysis and measurement to K-5 students; attention is also given to learning methods which facilitate appropriate classroom interactions.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 558  Algebraic Reasoning: K-5 Discourse and Questioning  (3 credit hours)  

Focus on the early algebra concepts of functional thinking and generalized arithmetic in relationship to pedagogical practices centered on questioning in the mathematics classroom.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 559  Geometry and Spatial Visualization: K-5 Assessment  (3 credit hours)  

Formative and summative assessment strategies of students' geometric thinking in elementary grades; Concept development of 2- and 3-dimensional Geometry. Attention also given to diagnosis of student errors.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 560  Mathematical Modeling: K-5 Leadership  (3 credit hours)  

Generating mathematical representations and making explicit connections between concepts; Pedagogy designed to equip elementary teachers to become mathematics teacher-leaders in school settings; Focus given to topics integrated within mathematical strands.

Typically offered in Summer only

ELM 570  The Foundations of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom  (3 credit hours)  

This course serves as an introductory course for preservice teachers to develop the initial knowledge connected to the pillars of reading instruction needed to teach reading at the elementary-school level. This course builds on evidence-based perspectives on Grades K-6 reading instruction and the "science of reading," and provides candidates with the knowledge needed to teach the foundations of reading. This course serves as a prerequisite for ELM 572 ("The Structures of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom").

R: Graduate standing and admission to the Elementary Education Master of Arts in Teaching program or English as a Second Language Master of Arts in Teaching Program, or by permission of instructor

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 571  Language Arts, New Literacies and Media for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Examine research-based processes for writing instruction, effects of and approaches for use of technology on literacy development, and effects of media and new literacies (non-print literacies, e.g. digital, visual, film) on literacy learning and development in elementary schools. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 572  The Structures of Reading Instruction in the Elementary-School Classroom  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 572 prepares pre-service teachers to teach reading and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. The course examines specific research-based methodology that relates to the theory and practice of teaching reading for elementary readers. Restricted to ELM, MAT students.

R: Graduate standing and admission to the Master of Arts in Teaching program, or by permission of instructor.; Prerequisite: ELM 570.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 573  Methods for Teaching Elementary School Science for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

ELM 573 prepares preservice teachers to teach science and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. The course examines specific research verified methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching science to elementary students. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 574  Methods for Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary Classroom for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Prepares preservice teachers to teach mathematics and leads to licensure in the elementary grades. Examines specific research-based methodologies that relate to the theory and practice of teaching mathematics to elementary students. Limited to students enrolled in MAT Elementary Education program.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 575  Social Studies in the Elementary School for Initial License  (3 credit hours)  

Designed to prepare pre-service teachers to teach social studies and to lead to licensure in the elementary grades. The course is an examination of curriculum, instruction, and learning in K-6 social studies education, Emphasis include development of the social studies, curricular principles and components, research verified teaching strategies, and learner outcomes. Restricted to ELM MAT students.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 590  Special Problems in Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

In-depth study of topical problems in teaching and learning of current and special interest to elementary education practitioners.

Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer

ELM 630  Independent Study in Elementary Education  (1-3 credit hours)  

Detailed investigation of topics of particular interest to graduate students under faculty direction on a tutorial basis. Determination of credits and content by faculty member in consultation with department head.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring

ELM 644  Practicum in Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

Supervised practical experiences in schools and area agencies concerned with education of elementary-age students.

ELM 654  Internship In Elementary Education  (1-6 credit hours)  

Supervised opportunities for advanced professional development in contexts concerned with elementary grades education.

Typically offered in Fall and Spring