Elementary Education
Have you ever wanted to make a difference in the life of a child or teenager? Central’s superior Education Department offers a major in elementary education with courses designed to enable you to become an effective teacher in grades k-8. All education students participate in field experiences with area k-8 teachers and students in realistic settings. In addition, Central’s unique “Central Teacher Academy” provides a distinctive preparatory experience. Our in-demand graduates have gone on to become elementary and middle school teachers, special education teachers, and coaches.
Faculty
- Alida Droppert, Ph.D., assistant professor of education
dropperta@central.edu
- Phillip George, Ph.D., professor of education
georgep@central.edu
- Joy Prothero, Ed.D., associate professor of education
protheroj@central.edu
- K. Rex Shahriari, Ed.D., professor of education
shahriarir@central.edu
- Esther Streed, Ed.D., associate professor of education
streede@central.edu
- Kris Kilibarda, Ed.D. assistant professor of education
kilibardak@central.edu
- Paula Lee, instructor of education
leep@central.edu
Successful Careers
- Krystle Bosch, K-4 special education teacher, Lone Tree School District, Lone Tree, Iowa
- Amber Brummel, kindergarten tacher, Dallas Center-Grimes School District, Dallas Center, Iowa
- Rebecca Cotton, special education teacher, West Central Valley School District, Dexter, Iowa
- Holly Goemaat, early education teacher, St. Louis School District, St. Louis, Missouri
- Nicole Gretillat, behavior disorder teacher, Fair Oaks Middle School, Fort Dodge, Iowa
- Rebecca Helland, multi-age classroom teacher, Grinnell Christian, Grinnell, Iowa
- Aaron Knight, special ed teacher, Saydel School District, Des Moines, Iowa
- Michelle Krusey, special ed teacher, Hampton-Dumont school district, Hampton, Iowa
- Jason Lihs, junior high behavior disorders teacher, Marshalltown, Iowa
- Jill Parsons, 5th grade science teacher, Pella, Iowa
- Scott Schumaker, 5th grade teacher, Waukee Elementary School, Waukee, Iowa
- Betsy Shepherd, 2nd grade teacher, Grimes, Iowa
- Rebecca Sutter, grades 3-5 ESL teacher, Johnstown, Colorado
- Tiffany Vasquez, elementary special ed teacher, Des Moines Public Schools, Des Moines, Iowa
- Sarah Wilson, elementary teacher Carlisle Public School, Carlisle, Iowa
- Sarah White, elementary special education teacher, Pella Public Schools, Pella, Iowa
- Laura Nanninga, middle school math teacher, Southeast Polk Community Schools, Altoona, Iowa
- Jenna Kenkel, elementary teacher, Creston Public Schools, Creston, Iowa
Internships
Field experiences are very important at Central. Continuous contact with teachers and students in realistic settings enables prospective teachers to successfully transfer educational theory into effective practice. Students also are encouraged to consider the numerous off-campus internship opportunities available at urban and overseas sites.
Learn more about internships at Central.
Courses
- Foundations of education
- Classroom and behavioral management
- Human relations
- Language development and learning
- Exceptional children
- Psychology in elementary education
- Family, school and community relationships
- Introduction to multicategorical resource/mild
- Introduction to instructional technology
- Child development
- Health, safety and nutrition
- Developmental psychology
- Early childhood literacy
- Middle school methods and curriculum
- Early adolescent development
- Diagnosis and assessment of exceptional learners
- Science & technology curriculum and methods
- Teaching children with learning disabilities and behavior disorders
- Teaching language arts and reading
- Teaching of reading
- Teaching of mathematics
- K-6 instructional methods for multicategorical resource
- Consultation strategies
- Social studies curriculum and methods
- Advanced integration of technology in education - elementary
- Behavior management
- Field experience in special education
- Early childhood education I
- Early childhood education II
- Transitional/vocational collaboration for the student with special education needs
- Educational services for multicategorical resource/mild
- Reading disabilities and field experience
- Psychology in secondary education
- Reading in the content area–secondary
- Elementary general methods
- Secondary general methods
- Secondary special methods
- Special methods: teaching foreign language in the elementary school
- Elementary student teaching
- Elementary intern teaching
- Elementary student teaching
- Elementary student teaching in subject area
- Elementary student teaching in subject area
- K-6 multicategorical resource student teaching
- 7-12 multicategorical resource student teaching
- Secondary student teaching
- Secondary intern teaching
- Secondary student teaching in subject area
Get more details from the course catalog! (Note: this is a PDF file)
Sample Schedule
Freshman year
- Foundations of education
- Endorsement program courses
- Core courses and/or electives
Sophomore year
- Human relations
- Exceptional children
- Psychology in elementary education
- Introduction to instructional technology
- Child development or developmental psychology or child/adolescent development
- Endorsement program courses
- Core courses and/or electives
- Social studies curriculum and methods
Junior year
- Literature for children
- Science & technology curriculum and methods
- Teaching language arts and reading
- Teaching of reading
- Teaching of math
- Endorsement program courses
- Core courses and/or electives
- Advanced integration of technology in education - elementary
Senior year
- Elementary student teaching
- Senior seminar
- Endorsement program courses
- Core courses and/or electives
Facilities
The education department is housed within the second floor of the Geisler Library, which was first dedicated in 1974. Since then, the building has received numerous architectural prizes and awards. Today, the library holds over 220,000 books and journals plus access to a vast array of electronic information. In fall 2002, the Café@Geisler, a coffee shop and student hangout, opened on the ground level of the building.
Departmental Web site
Central’s education department maintains its own Web site with even more information about majoring in education.
Organizations
No matter what your interests are, Central has a student group or organization that you’ll want to join! Education majors might be interested in joining Central's Education Club, Council for Exceptional Children and Central Teacher's Academy (CTA).
Study Abroad
Students are encouraged to study abroad with one of Central’s 10 international programs to enhance their development as global citizens, or with Central’s Chicago program and the Washington, D.C., program. Learn more about about Central’s study abroad programs.
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