NCEP: Gail, Irish and other teachers...

[JLN]

I'm starting school soon (I can register as soon as I get my letter) and at PSU Elementary Education is a minor, not a major. So I'll have to pick a major. So here's my question for anyone teaching or with a teaching degree:

What would be my best option as a major? I have background in sociology as that's what I've studied previously (my original career goal was to work with the homeless and obtain my MSW, but having a baby changed that), but I know that won't be entirely helpful for elem ed. It would keep my option open to teach CC which is something else I'd like to be able to do. But, I've read that science and math are ideal, and while I don't mind either subject I don't feel comfortable majoring in them.

I don't want to waste money taking unnecessary classes so I would like to pin a major down, but I have no clue. I will be meeting with the Elem Ed advisers in a couple weeks, but this is weighing heavy on me now.

[Deleted]

I have no clue for elem ed

I will say I always wish I had taken more child psych classes. I think that really helps in education. Maybe you could major in that? And it would compliment sociology well.

[JLN]

Aug 29, 2012 4:44:08 GMT -5 @irishbride said:

I have no clue for elem ed

I will say I always wish I had taken more child psych classes. I think that really helps in education. Maybe you could major in that? And it would compliment sociology well.

Ah. For some reason I had it in my head that you did Elem Ed.

[GailGoldie]

sorry- just saw this.

I was early childhood ed- which was a "new" thing at the time (yikes.. about 17 yrs ago... i'm old!).

When i was teaching in FL and LA, it was fine... but when i moved back to NJ- if you didn't have special ed added on to whatever other cert you had- you were at a severe disadvantage.... since inclusion is so big here- they want all teachers to have a special ed cert around here.

[UMaineTeach]

English will likely get you a job teaching Elem English (to older kids, like 5th-8th grade where they tend to switch teachers), same with Math/Science.

Child Psy/Child Dev/Mental Health and Social Services are all majors that I have seen people get teaching jobs with in Childcare/Preschool, but not Elem.

Maybe continue with social work plan with the elem. ed minor to be an elementary school guidance councilor - I don't know if you can do that with a BS in social work or if you need the MSW.

Read over your state certification regs. There are usually several paragraphs devoted to alternate routes to certification. And sometimes you don't need a certification to teach at private school.

[basilosaurus]

My early ed friends when I was in college (where it was a major, but all ed students were required to double major) tended toward something like spanish or math if they didn't do a 2nd ed type major. I don't remember any of them doing science or psych. Admittedly, science would have been nearly impossible due to lab requirements not working with student teaching.

Oh, and I'll ask H when he gets home. He can probably rattle off the OR requirements since he's often thought about going back to teach, and a few of his cousins teach in Portland. Oh, so does his high school gf. I think all of them work with elementary.

[dev22]

I know that my friends that are now teachers majored in things like American Studies or Child Psych, but I know that most schools have a set of requirements to get into the credential program, which include a set of core classes. I would probably want to pick a major where those classes were used as part of the degree.

For example, at Cal State Fullerton, these are the requirements:
Course Requirements:

Human Development: CAS 101, 312, CAS 315, or 325A & B, or PSYC 361
or community college equivalent.

EDEL 315 ("B-" or better required)
EDEL 325 ("B-" or better required)
Other Requirements:

Completion of General Education and no more than 6 units remaining in the major. (Notice: One does not need to have graduated to enter the credential program. We recommend the student complete the entire major prior to entering the program.)


Sorry if you already knew this

[Deleted]

I'm certified 6th-12th. I've taught math from 7th - 12th.