<p>I was wondering what schools you think are best for elementary education in the east. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Frankly…</p>
<p>nearly all good schools with El-ed depts will be good enough. Your own state schools will have the best advantages for you for jobs, etc.</p>
<p>There is NO reason to pay lots of money or go into debt for an El-ed degree. It won’t help you get jobs, you won’t make more money, etc.</p>
<p>If you can get HUGE aid (merit or need-based) then that’s different. But there’s no reason to spend huge amounts of money (or borrow) for an El Ed degree. none.</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>What are your stats? (test scores and GPA)?</p>
<p>What is your budget (how much will your family pay).</p>
<p>So mom2, are you saying that education programs are so generic that there’s no point in bothering to be selective about where you go? That teachers are no better or worse based on what school they attended-the degree itself is the job ticket? </p>
<p>It sounds like kind of a slam against elementary education majors, frankly. To the OP, I’m not sure how much you’ve looked into it yet, but my niece just got an $8,000 grant towards her masters that she will not have to pay back as long as she continues teaching for 5 more years. There are also some programs that offer scholarships if you agree to teach in low-income or underserved areas. </p>
<p>I think you’ll want to look at what rate graduates pass your state’s licensing exam, what the school’s student teacher program is like and how the practical experience is arranged. While my niece got an excellent education at her school, the student teaching program left something to be desired as it was a small town and there were slim pickings for assignments. She ended up with a supervising teacher who resented her and who deliberately gave her assignments she couldn’t complete in time because material wasn’t available or the place she was sent was closed, etc. I have a friend in school now that puts students into the classroom as soon as sophomore year. She’s already got months of practical experience and hasn’t even started student teaching yet. </p>
<p>There ARE differences in the programs so you should look at what YOU want and find a program that works for you.</p>
<p>Regardless of the differences in programs, the first decision is what state you want to teach in. The education programs in colleges in that state will provide you with the credentials necessary to teach at public schools there. If you attend school in a different state than where you plan to teach, you’ll face satisfying the certification requirements in that state, which could entail taking additional courses, etc. And your degree from a theoretically better institution isn’t likely to bowl over anyone doing the hiring.</p>
<p>The websites for the public schools in our area list the educational backgrounds of the teachers. I’d say 90%+ received their training at either the state flagship or one of the state directionals. And those who have masters have acquired them attending one or two local colleges after work. The people doing the hiring have the same backgrounds, and feel comfortable with those graduates. Teaching is a very local affair. The degree is indeed the job ticket. This isn’t a slam on elementary ed majors, just the facts.</p>
<p>Assuming that your question is about where to get a degree in elementary education (and not asking for a ranking of actual elementary schools), your best place to begin looking is at your in-state public universities. I’m betting that one or a handful of them are stronger in el-ed than some of the others, and these often are a “feeder” for in-state jobs once you graduate.</p>
<p>*So mom2, are you saying that education programs are so generic that there’s no point in bothering to be selective about where you go? That teachers are no better or worse based on what school they attended-the degree itself is the job ticket? *</p>
<p>I’m not saying that all El Ed programs are equal, but I bet most are good enough to be the “job ticket.”</p>
<p>When considering good schools (your good state schools or other good privates), there probably isn’t enough difference to justify spending a bunch of money or borrowing a bunch of money. </p>
<p>It’s not a “slam” against El Ed majors. There just isn’t enough difference to justify skipping over a good state flagship or good local state school to attend a pricey private or OOS public if you’re having to pay/borrow for it. </p>
<p>Frankly, when I think of the best el-ed teachers my kids had, their “quality” had NOTHING to do with where they went to college (most went to CSUs), but to their own personallities, intelligence, and natural teaching abiities. </p>
<p>Besides, I don’t think El-Ed undergrad even has a ranking system. </p>
<p>To become credentialed, and to do student teaching, it can be an advantage to go to school in the state where you’ll want to work.</p>
<p>your best place to begin looking is at your in-state public universities. I’m betting that one or a handful of them are stronger in el-ed than some of the others, and these often are a “feeder” for in-state jobs once you graduate.</p>
<p>Exactly. If you can determine that your state flagship and/or a directional public univ in your state has a good-sized and quality El Ed program, apply to those.</p>
<p>Thanks,
A lot of my in-state schools don’t have my majors or my parents won’t let me apply to it because they think I’m better than that.</p>
<p>If they are willing and able to back that up with $$$ then fine. But overall mom is right.</p>
<p>Thanks,
A lot of my in-state schools don’t have my majors or my parents won’t let me apply to it because they think I’m better than that.</p>
<p>???</p>
<p>What do you mean “not have your majors”? I thought your major was going to be Elementary Education. That is a major.</p>
<p>What state are you in?</p>
<p>What are your parents saying about how much they’ll pay each year for college?</p>
<p>What are your test scores and GPA?</p>
<p>I attended Mt. Holyoke, majored in Psychology and Education, and became certified to teach in Mass and CT immediately after graduation. I was recruited to teach in one of the wealthiest districts in CT the summer after I graduated…I hadn’t even applied…the Assistant superintendent called me! My education was definitely very different from friends attending one of the state schools. While they spent a lot of time in methods courses (How to teach Math 101, How to teach Social Studies 101, etc.) I was taking a lot of classes on developmental psychology, research in education, curriculum development and modification, teaching diverse populations, etc. Sure, within those classes I learned some math techniques that were research-based, etc. When I started my work on my Master’s degree in Curriculum, I quickly realized how wonderful my undergrad preparation had been compared to teachers in my grad courses who hadn’t heard the theories, researchers, etc I already knew much about.
My recommendation is this; if you know that you want to just teach in a classroom for 40 years, then sure, your local state school will absolutely prepare you and it doesn’t make sense to get into heavy debt, etc just for the “prestige” of a school. However, if you think you might want to progress into leadership, or research, or curriculum development working for publishers, or do anything outside the classroom, go to the most demanding school you can reasonably afford. For me, Mt. Holyoke was less expensive with aid than UMass Amherst, so, I was lucky. Look for a program that puts you in classrooms for pre-practicum (time before student teaching) expecting you to actually help instead of just observe. Too many students get to student teaching without much time spent actually working with kids before hand, and then learn they don’t like actual teaching, or have too soft of a voice, etc, and that is too late to learn what needs to be improved. By the student teaching semester you should be confident and ready, not just getting your feet wet. I think that was a major difference between my preparation and friend’s prep at other schools too. Good luck to you. My career in education has been very rewarding, and I can’t imagine working in any other field, but I have done other work besides teaching, and I know my undergrad prep helped me be hired and successful in those other positions.</p>
<p>Mom2collegekids, some states don’t allow people to major in “education” anymore - part of trying to have better prepared teachers. You major in a field like math, bio, psych, etc, and then choose to pursue teaching credentials.</p>
<p>Majors was a typo. My parents aren’t concerned with money. I live in MA. My GPA is a unique situation that has to be elaborated on to the schools I will be applying to. My ACT score is a 26. My CR for the SAT was 590 Math 550 and Writing was 600. I plan on retaking the ACT And SAT.</p>
<p>Umass for example only allows certain types of education degrees for undergraduates.</p>
<p>drysharpie, Westfield State University is a very good school for teacher preparation here in MA. I currently teach with many Westfield State Grads. It is smaller than UMass, which can be a benefit in trying to establish strong connections with professors. In MA, the Elms college in Chicopee/Springfield is a smaller school that prepares a lot of teachers and also offers Master’s degrees in many education fields. Your SAT scores would be well suited to Westfield and Elms. There are lots of great private schools in MA that can prepare you well and may also be able to offer you Merit money beyond the “John and Abigail Adams Scholarship” for public schools.</p>
<p>I have no experience in MA but have family relations in TX who are teachers. Certain schools are known for producing better teachers and the principals know it. At one point, a Southwest Texas grad (Texas State now) was hired over a UT grad. Sometimes the “directional” schools are better for teaching because they started off as teacher colleges. Also teachandmom’s experience is something that some LACs are doing in Texas, combining a regular major undergraduate with a Masters in Teaching for a five year program. Sort of a traditional LAC with intense one year training program.</p>