The largest program in the School of Education, the Elementary Education Division of the Teacher Education Program offers courses and classroom experiences to prepare future K-6 teachers to successfully enter 21st century elementary classrooms.
The graduates leave the university equipped with the most current and appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to enable elementary school children to learn. The combined expectation of coursework and immediate application to the field provides our candidates with extensive knowledge about teaching literacy (which includes reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visually representing), mathematics, social studies, and science, and the opportunity to apply their knowledge by interning or through a field experience in local schools.
Advisors for the academic and field experiences guide the teacher candidates in selecting the appropriate courses and state-mandated assessments.
Program Goals:
- The passionate, professional educator is knowledgeable about subject matter.
- The passionate, professional educator is committed to inquiry.
- The passionate, professional educator is responsive to diversity.
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree with at least a B- cumulative GPA;
- Passage of Praxis I or a waiver based on a combined Math and Verbal SAT score of over 1100 (Prior to March 1995, combined SAT scores of 1000 and after April 1995, combined SAT scores of 1100), appropriate ACT and GRE scores may qualify;
- General education requirements: appropriate undergraduate major and one course in the following areas: English, Math course at the level of College Algebra or Pre-Calculus or higher , Science, Social Sciences, Fine Arts or Foreign Language, and Lifespan Development;
- U.S. History survey course covering at least 50 years;
- Two reference letters attesting to suitability for teaching, ability to do graduate work, and dispositions to be a lifelong learner;
- Personal essay of approximately 350 words addressing reasons for seeking a teaching career and personal attributes that support that aspiration.
Fieldwork and Student Teaching:
Each student must complete fieldwork and student teaching experiences. Fieldwork occurs concurrent with enrollment in coursework and may take one of two forms: either a district-paid internship or a self-paid field experience in local schools. Both experiences award six semester hours of credit. Interns work at a school in a district selected by the Director of the Intern Program. Interns spend an entire school year following the schedule of the selected school district. Tuition for University of Bridgeport course work is fully paid resulting in a tuition free degree/certification experience in academically related course work. Alternatively, each traditional student may choose to complete fieldwork in a school of the student's choice as an observer, assistant to a teacher, or assistant in other instructional related activity. As a culminating project, students (both intern and traditional) produce portfolios centering on the program objectives.
The student teaching experience is a full 60 days of teaching in a school under the direction of a trained Cooperating Teacher. The arrangement for the placements are made through the School of Education and are also supervised by University staff.
Course Requirements:
- Nine credit hours in foundations of education coursework (philosophy of education or differentiated instruction, educational psychology, and special education).
- Twenty-four hours of professional education requirements (curriculum and methods of teaching, statutory state requirements, and field experiences).
- Sixty-day (twelve-week) student teaching experience (six credit hours)