Primary Education

Curriculum

As an primary education major, you will study the foundations and management of the early childhood classroom, gain a general understanding of teaching professions, and learn about the role of intervention specialists. As part of our CAEP accredited program you will take in-depth courses on practices and curriculum for a variety of subjects, including mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. You will also be exposed to language structures, assessment, and literacy practices. Each primary education major is required to participate in a preclinical practice, where you will gain hands-on, valuable experience in the field as a student teacher. The primary education degree, with additional coursework, will lead to a license to teach prekindergarten through grade three.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At Mount Union, primary education majors demonstrate core values such as:

• Appreciating childhood as a unique and valuable state of the human life cycle and valuing the quality of children's lives in the present, not just as preparation for the future;
• Basing our work with children on knowledge of child development and learning;
• Appreciating and supporting the close ties between the child and family;
• Recognizing that children are best understood in the context of family, culture, and society;
• Respecting the dignity, worth, and uniqueness of each individual (child, family member, and colleague); and
• Helping children and adults achieve their full potential in the context of relationships based on trust, respect, and positive regard.

Experiential Learning

Students who choose to major in primary education at the University of Mount Union have ample opportunities to observe and teach in the classroom within a variety of educational settings. Getting involved in extracurricular opportunities and student organizations will better prepare you for a long range of plans in the field of education. Whether you want to be a teacher, guidance counselor, administrator, or professor, Mount Union will provide you with the opportunity to set an example and inspire the next generation to become life-long learners.

Field experiences provide you with the opportunity to go out into classrooms and gain practical experience, which is critical to a successful career in early childhood education after graduation. The University of Mount Union’s CAEP accredited Teacher Education Program candidates gain more than 600 hours of experience in real classroom settings observing, assisting, and teaching by the time they graduate. Because of these field experiences, you will have the opportunity to discover what does and does not work in a classroom setting as well as apply strategies learned in your courses and find out what will be your best practices.

Mount Union students can also take advantage of our clinical exchange programs. Students can broaden their horizons by choosing a placement through the Chicago Semester Program or at a Native American reservation school. 

Student National Education Association (SNEA) is open specifically for education majors. 

Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) is an international honorary for education majors. KDP was founded in 1911 and promotes excellence in and recognizes outstanding contributions to education. Members of KDP exemplify worthy education ideals, express an intention of continuing in the field of education, and show evidence of leadership abilities.

Teaching abroad is also possible at Mount Union. Education students have taught abroad in Ireland, Australia, Spain, and Costa Rica. Students can also broaden their horizons by choosing a placement through the Chicago Semester Program or at a Native American reservation school as well as in other locations in the U.S. including their own hometown.

Careers 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that job opportunities in the education field will grow in the years to come due to a larger number of children and adults seeking education opportunities and increased retirements. This growth is expected to be larger at the elementary (grades 1-5) and middle school (grades 6-8) levels. In addition, reforms, such as universal preschool and all-day kindergarten, will require more preschool and kindergarten teachers as well.

As a primary education major at Mount Union, you will be able fulfill this growing need with preparation for teaching at the prekindergarten through grade three level. You will be primed to specialize in early child growth and development and to secure the reading endorsement.