Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me.” When you decide to become an elementary teacher, you have the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus, helping to shape students’ minds and character. Children spend so much time with their teachers—nearly as much with their family—which gives graduates of AU’s Elementary Education bachelor’s program the opportunity to shape future generations.
With this in mind, our professors prepare AU students not only to teach academic areas of mathematics, science, social studies, language arts and reading, fine arts, physical education, and literature, they’ll also be equipped to nurture their pupils’ intellectual, social, emotional, and cultural development. Our faculty also will show you how to use the latest educational technology for teaching children, such as iPad integration and interactive whiteboards.
The opportunity and ability to influence elementary-age children carries with it a great responsibility. Christian educators recognize that every single child is created with immense value and therefore deserves the best education possible. As a Christ-centered university, AU infuses all its classes with a biblical worldview to prepare students for taking on such an instrumental role in a child’s life. For example, teaching literacy takes on an eternal dimension when you consider that God chose to speak to us through His written word. What some view as a reading lesson, our graduates recognize as an opportunity to teach children the skills needed to decode and comprehend text, which can ultimately lead them to discover the truth in God’s word.
In addition to the spiritual element, our Elementary Education program is nationally recognized by the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI) and follows the teaching guidelines of the South Carolina State Department of Education.
Getting Classroom Experience
You’ll get to apply what you’re learning in real-world elementary classrooms through our student-teaching components. Anderson faculty have partnered with local public schools to keep our student’s university experience grounded in authentic elementary learning situations. AU students will spend 40 hours in elementary classrooms teaching a variety of lessons. During senior year, you’ll complete a 12-credit-hour course term in clinical practice—65 days in a public school classroom planning and teaching lessons to elementary schoolchildren.
Your Future
Along with your degree, you’ll be equipped to earn your teaching certification for the state of South Carolina for 2nd through 6th grade. Many other states will also recognize this teaching certification, so if you plan to teach elsewhere, check with that state’s department of education to verify acceptance.
Besides teaching elementary school, you’ll also have other career options. Some of our grads have gone on to work in agencies regarding child development and education advocacy or ministry.
Our professors receive calls every semester from school administrators who want to hire our students because Anderson graduates have become known for their professionalism, competence and desire to shape South Carolina’s elementary schoolchildren.