Overview
You have a heart for children. You enjoy seeing a child's eyes light up with understanding when you explain a new concept. You have a passion for teaching! You love it when children in summer camp or vacation Bible school hug you and show excitement to see you. You long to make a difference in the lives of children.
If this describes you, then the elementary education degree at North Greenville University may be the best option for you. Here, NGU's Elementary Education Department faculty members are prepared and willing to help you begin a successful career as a teacher.
Major Description
As an elementary education major at NGU, you will spend much of your time writing lesson plans, teaching lessons in real classroom settings, bonding with fellow elementary education students, writing more lesson plans, and teaching in public schools in the Greenville area.
You will learn about South Carolina's Read to Succeed competencies, child development, classroom management, research-based teaching methods for individual subjects, arts and literature integration into the content areas, and children's literature, as well as how to apply this knowledge in your own teaching.
At the end of your senior year, you will have completed numerous field experiences and a full semester of student teaching, all in area public elementary schools. During the final semester, you will create an ADEPT notebook and a Teacher Work Samples notebook, which will both showcase your learning of the South Carolina Department of Education Teaching Standards and also highlight your unique student teaching experiences.
Ultimately, the bachelor of elementary education degree will provide a strong education based on a biblical worldview that will prepare you for a variety of teaching pursuits.
Curriculum
The Elementary Education Department purposes to enable teacher candidates to integrate academic disciplines, Christian lifestyle, and enriched cultural experiences through coursework that helps to develop teachers who possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that foster learning for students. As you continue through the program, you will learn research-based and hands-on methods of teaching language arts, including children’s literature, as well as mathematics, social studies, and science in an integrated approach. Additionally, you will learn to integrate the arts into the content areas and to differentiate curriculum for exceptional learners.
Faculty Strengths
Each Elementary Education Department faculty member holds at least a master's degree in education. These faculty members also have many years of public school teaching experience. Each faculty member desires to help students draw closer to Christ, and every class begins with a devotion. Faculty members often pray with students and form caring relationships with them, as well.
Tracks / Concentrations
There are no tracks or concentration for this major available at this time.
Minors
At NGU, we offer minors to complement your major. Each minor requires a minimum of 18 semester hours, which in some cases may even be used to meet the elective requirements for your major. View the full list of minors.
Electives
There are no electives for this major available at this time.
Success
Courtney Mills '17 - Elementary Education "I learned so much, and my professors really equipped me to do what I am doing today, which is teaching.”
Cyndel Norris '18 - Elementary Education "Having teachers that truly care for your spiritual health, as well as your academics, is truly a game changer! I'm so happy I got the chance to study at a place where Christ makes the difference. I feel more than prepared to start my job.”
Emily (Gillespie) Vanderlip '11 "I had more experience in the classroom because of how the Elementary Education Department set up the [program curriculum]."
Click here to tell us why you love NGU!
Jennifer (Hatchell) Stom '12 “I definitely would recommend anyone in the educational field to attend NGU. I was able to get a lot of experience in the schools, which made my resume look great.”
Miles Dame '14 - Elementary Education "The [Elementary] Education Department has a solid program that prepares graduates for their careers as teachers."
Olivia Owens '17 - Elementary Education "The education professors at NGU are so adamant about preparing us for the future. It's so huge that we can say we have a 100% hiring rate!"
Tara Hawkins '20 - Elementary Education "Whenever I toured here, it was like no other place I'd been before. It was so genuine. The professors care about you not just as a student, but as a person outside the classroom."
Future
Career Opportunities
- Children's Ministry Work
- Elementary School Teacher
- Missionary
- Private School Teacher
- Public School Teacher
Postgraduate Studies
- North Greenville University
- Anderson University
- Clemson University
- Furman University
- Lesley University
- Liberty University
- Nova Southeastern University
- Southern Utah University
- Southern Wesleyan University
- University South Carolina, Aiken
- Walden University
- Winthrop University
Potential Employers
- Area Private Christian Schools
- Chester County Schools
- Good Shepherd Academy, Honduras
- Greenville County Schools
- Pickens County Schools
- Sojourn Academy, Costa Rica
- Spartanburg School Districts
- Wake County Public School System
Learning Experience
Starting with the freshman course Introduction to Education, you will be placed in an actual elementary classroom for observation and hands-on experience with elementary students. Then in your junior year, after being admitted to the teacher education program, you will write lesson plans and teach elementary students in the field placement in all subject areas.
Student Teaching
The culminating experience in your elementary education major is one full semester of student teaching in a local elementary school. You will work with a supervising teacher to have lots of hands-on practice to prepare you for your own classroom when you graduate!
Post-Student Teaching Exhibits
All of the student teachers for elementary, early childhood, and secondary education create informative displays about their student teaching experiences. All other education majors and faculty are invited to this exciting group exhibition to see and converse with you about your student teaching experience.
Faculty
Dr. Michele Miller 
Ellen Cashion 
Dr. Melissa Cruver Courses & Resources
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
First SemesterCHST 1310 Old or New Test. (1320) (3 hours)
EDUC 1210 Intro to Education (2 hours)
ENGL 1310 Comp & Rhetoric (3 hours)
MTH 1310 College Algebra (3 hours)
Foreign Language I (3 hours)
Second Semester
BIOL 1440 Integrated Biological Science (4 hours)
EDUC 2230 Foundations of Education (2 hours)
ENGL 1320 Comp. & Literature (3 hours)
MATH 1315 Contemporary Math (3 hours)
Foreign Language II (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
First Semester
CHST 2335 World Religions (3 hours)
COMM 2300 Oral Communications (3 hours)
EDUC 1215 Integration Technology (2 hours)
HIST 2310 US History to 1865 (3 hours)
MUSC 1150 Intro to History of Music (1.5 hours)
ARTS 1150 Intro to History of Art (1.5 hours)
ELECTIVE (3 hours)
Second Semester
EDUC 2120 P.E. & Health Methods (1 hour)
EDUC 2220 P.E. for the Teacher (2 hours)
EDUC 2300 Foundations of Reading (3 hours)
HIST 2320 US History after 1865 (3 hours)
PHSC 1440 Integrated Physical Science (4 hours)
PSYC 2310 General Psychology (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
First Semester
EDUC 3302 Reading & Writing in the Content Area thru Lit. (3 hours)
ELED 4311 Classroom Management & Assessment (3 hours)
EDUC 3350 The Exceptional Learner (3 hours)
EDUC 3410 Education Psychology (4 hours)
ELED 3420 Instructional Practices in Reading (4 hours)
Second Semester
ELED 3310 Math Methods I* (3 hours)
ELED 3430 Content through Literature/Arts (4 hours)
ELED 3440 Methods & Materials in Social Studies (4 hours)
ELED 4330 Teaching of Science (3 hours)
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
EXAMPLE COURSE SEQUENCE
First Semester
ELED 4300 Assessment in Reading (3 hours)
ELED 4310 Planning Apprentice (3 hours)
ELED 3315 Math Methods II (3 hours)
ELED 4312 Prof. Dev.(service learning & parent involvement) (3 hours)
ELED 4313 Curriculum Dev. Utilizing Technology (3 hours)
ELED 4100 Sem.w/Coop.Teach Faculty (1 hour)
Second Semester
ELED 4600 Directed Student Teaching (12 hours)
*Requires admittance to teacher education program
(Note: In addition to the courses for their major, every student at NGU is required to register and earn credit for Chapel, for each semester of full-time enrollment, and Cultural Events, for only the first four semesters of full-time enrollment. Each of these courses counts as one-half credit hour per semester. These special offerings support NGU’s mission of educating the whole person — both intellectually, emotionally, and spiritually.)
Program Objective
- Facilitate student learning as an effective practitioner.
- Demonstrate the capacity to be a caring leader.
- Develop personal knowledge, skills, and dispositions as a lifelong learner.
- Display a deep understanding of subjects, methods of teaching, and elementary students.
Resources