Preparing the next generation to take on responsibilities in all areas of life is highly important. The way children learn and grow socially at the elementary level will determine how well they handle academic pressures and societal norms throughout their education and life. Online training in elementary education is available from many colleges and universities that properly prepare future teachers.
Teachers and education professionals need to have a strong desire to help children learn and want to see them become successful inside the classroom and out. Online schooling prepares students in a variety of ways. Students will learn how to approach children, learning habits, and teaching methods through a wide range of online courses. Prospective students can obtain an associate’s degree to a PhD in elementary or early childhood education. Each level of degree prepares students specifically for career positions in the field. These can include working in a daycare or becoming a teacher or an administrator.
Let’s look at specific courses in order to gain a better understanding of what it would be like to become a student in an elementary education degree program. Courses include a wide range of topics like teaching methods, literacy, childhood development, and more. Many colleges present general education courses like math, science, and English under method courses. Students will also take seminar courses that will emphasize practical application of knowledge gained.
Method courses involving general education are important because that knowledge will directly translate into knowledge learned by students in the classroom. A reading and language arts course will center on theory, methods, and state standards in regards to reading. Students will learn how to prepare standard-based instruction and classroom work. In a social studies course students will learn how to apply state standards to the five areas of social studies. The use of critical thinking, study skills, and how to teach an integrated system will be examined. Another core class that is highly important to the progression of children is child development. Study will encompass development in children from birth to eighth grade. The areas of study will include physical, intellectual, social, emotional, and moral development. Students will learn how to apply this knowledge as it pertains to teaching methods in an elementary environment.
Classroom management is a course that will not only directly relate to working in the classroom but it will also be evaluated when a student becomes a teacher. This type of course will explore strategies in how to manage a classroom. Topics will include procedures, motivation, disruptive students, communication, and more. The course will help students choose their personal classroom management strategy. Another classroom managing course is an assessment course. Topics in this type of course would cover formative and summative assessments. The class would examine and explore all the areas of classroom assessment like performance, standardization, and more.
