Undergraduate Programs
The department offers two undergraduate programs on the Macomb campus: Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education. We also offer the elementary education program at the WIU-QC campus in Moline. Our programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and utilize state and national professional teaching standards as the foundation of the curriculum and field experiences.
Our Goals
We prepare teachers to meet the highest standards in teaching. Through coursework and real-world experiences in a variety of classrooms, future teachers acquire in-depth understanding of
* the subject area content they will teach (science, social studies, mathematics,
literacy)
* teaching and assessment techniques
* the integration of technology in instruction
* the needs and characteristics of children and adolescents
* professional skills and dispositions needed for effective teaching
Our graduates use their knowledge, skills, and dispositions to provide meaningful, content-rich experiences that promote learning among all groups of children, including students with exceptionalities and those from diverse backgrounds.
Honors Program
We encourage eligible prospective majors to participate in an honors program designed to provide the exceptional and motivated student with additional opportunities for individualized educational experiences. Experiences in the program include
* service learning opportunities
* research-oriented projects within required department courses
* seminar discussions on current issues with faculty and fellow honors students
To qualify for departmental honors, students must complete requirements for the Illinois Centennial Honors College at Western and requirements for a major in elementary or early childhood education. For more information about the Honors program, visit the University website at www.wiu.edu/Honors.
Advising
Students enrolled in our undergraduate programs are provided academic advising through the College of Education and Human Services Advising Center. The elementary and early childhood education advisors work closely with the department chair and faculty and assist individual students with registration, academic planning, and meeting graduation and certification requirements.