Elementary Education/Generic Special Education, A.A.T.

Program Description

This is a recommended program of study for students planning to pursue a bachelor’s degree with the goal of teaching in an elementary school (grades 1-6) or Generic Special Education (grades 1-12).

Students learn about developmental and learning theories and how these impact diverse children, families, and classrooms. Students plan  developmentally appropriate learning activities, suitable for a multicultural environment, as well as measure children’s mastery of learning. Students also learn how to differentiate learning and learning strategies for a variety of students and settings. Finally, students learn the skills necessary to build positive relationships with parents, families, students, the community, and colleagues, as well as the use of effective communication strategies to enhance these relationships.

Students in this program are required to submit to a criminal background check in order to participate in the required fieldwork courses. More information about the procedure, cost, timeline, etc. can be obtained through the Education Department Advisor.

Participation in the required fieldwork courses is contingent upon the satisfactory completion of the criminal background check. If a student is denied a fieldwork placement (which is required to complete the program) due to a  background check result, the student will meet with his or her advisor to discuss options, which could include dropping the course and changing the program of study.

Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all courses in this program.

Graduation Information: 3.0 cumulative GPA, or 2.75-2.99 cumulative GPA and qualifying scores on the basic skills assessment for teacher licensure as established by the State Superintendent of Schools and as approved by the State Board of Education; and 45 hours of supervised field experience are required. Students may be required to take additional courses including special educations courses as part of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree and teacher certification at four-year institutions.

Students must earn a grade of C or higher in all courses in this program.

Program Outcomes

Graduates of the Elementary Education/Generic Special Education A.A.T. will be able to:

• Apply child development and learning theories when choosing developmentally appropriate practices and curriculum for specific and groups of children
• Differentiate instruction for a variety of purposes and groups of children
• Discuss the skills needed to be an effective part of an educational team
• Discuss the skills necessary to communicate effectively with families and the community
• Plan, implement, assess, and evaluate student learning outcomes for a variety of purposes
• Apply multicultural principles and strategies to the planning, instruction, pedagogical, and assessment processes in a classroom

General Education Courses

The list of general education courses appears in the General Education List . Some programs recommend or require specific courses to fulfill general education requirements. Please check your program’s sequence of study for this information.

Sequence of Study - Elementary Education/Generic Special Education A.A.T.

Below are the required courses for your program arranged in a suggested sequence. Please note that the sequence does not include developmental coursework. See Academic Preparation  for the developmental course sequence if applicable to you.

Required Courses (in expected order)

• EGL-1010 Composition I: Expository Writing Credits: 3 (English General Education Requirement)
• TED-1200 Child Growth and Development Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• MAT-1050 Elements of Numbers and Operations Credits: 4 (Mathematics General Education Requirement)
• TED-2000 Foundations of Education Credits: 3 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• TED-2001 Field Experience for Foundations of Education Credits: 1 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• BIO-1010 General Biology Credits: 4 (Science w/ Lab General Education Requirement)
• PSY-1010 General Psychology Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement)
• MAT-1060 Elements of Geometry and Measurement Credits: 4 (Mathematics General Education Requirement)
• TED-1400 Introduction to Multicultural Education Credits: 3 Program Requirement
• TED-2300 Introduction to Special Education Credits: 3 (Program Requirement; Critical Course)
• TED-2301 Field Experience for Introduction to Special Education Credits: 1 (Program Requirement)
• COM-1090 Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Requirement)
• PSY-2060 Educational Psychology Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement; Critical Course)
• TED-2061 Field Experience for Educational Psychology Credits: 1 (Program Requirement)
• MAT-1160 Elements of Probability and Statistics Credits: 4 (Mathematics General Education Requirement)
• PSC-1200 Exploring Chemistry and Physics Concepts Credits: 4 (Science w/ Lab General Education Requirement)
• ART-2730 Integrated Arts Credits: 3 (Arts/Humanities General Education Requirement)
• PSC-1210 Exploring Earth and Space Science Concepts Credits: 4 (Science w/ Lab General Education Requirement)
• TED-2100 Processes and Acquisition of Reading Credits: 3 (Program Requirement)
• HST-1410 History of the United States to 1877 Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement)
• GEO-1010 Physical Geography Credits: 3 (Social Science General Education Requirement)

Program Total: 63 Credits

Need Help?

For help selecting an academic program or courses, consider using Career Coach, available at www.pgcc.edu/go/careercoach.