The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT): Elementary Education Program is designed for students with a Bachelor’s degree in a field other than education who want to become elementary school teachers. Upon successful completion of our MAT program and passing scores on all required state proficiency tests, students will obtain a graduate degree and State of Illinois 1-6 teaching license. All MAT courses meet in the late afternoon and evening with a pre-set class schedule and sequence to allow students to complete the program in six semesters.
Each semester has students focusing on a specific educational theme: Teacher as Learner; Literacy Across the Curriculum; Teaching for Human Diversity; Curriculum & Schooling Past, Present, and Future; and Inquiry Through the Content Areas. For two semesters, students are connecting those themes to their clinical teaching experiences in 1-6 classrooms. In total, the MAT program includes 200 hours of clinical teaching prior to a semester of full-time student teaching within a 1-6 grade level range.
The MAT program is designed to prepare teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to create dynamic, student-centered classrooms for the 21st century. As designers of creative and critical curriculum, students will learn to truly engage their students in an exploration and understanding of our fascinating, complex, and diverse world. The MAT program has an emphasis on teaching for cultural diversity, teaching diverse students, project- and inquiry-based teaching, authentic literacy across the curriculum, technology integration, and 21st century skills.
Bilingual Education Endorsement
Candidates in the MAT in Elementary Education program who want to add Bilingual Education and ESL endorsements need to pass a Language Proficiency Test (TLP), complete one of the clinical experiences (ELED 428 or 428C) in a bilingual setting, and the following 12 credit hours:
- Foundations of Bilingual Education
- BLBC 438 Foundations of Bilingual Education (3 hours)
- Assessment of Bilingual Students
- BLBC 442 Assessment in Multilingual Classrooms (3 hours)
- Methods and Materials for Teaching Limited English Proficient Students in Bilingual Programs
- BLBC 441 Methods of Teaching Content in Bilingual Classrooms (3 hours)
- Linguistics
- TESL 402 Principles of Linguistics for Teachers (suggested to be able to add the ESL endorsement) (3 hours)
(*) Course is part of the MAT in Elementary Education program
NOTE:
The MAT ELED Program is a Fall admit program that can be completed in seven consecutive semesters.
NOTE:
Per ISBE requirements, all students admitted into the program before September 1, 2015 must complete their ELED or ELED/BLBC program by September 1, 2018 or be subjected to the requirements of the new program. Students must also apply for licensure and be entitled by September 1, 2019.
Students who are unable to complete the program by September 1, 2018, will have to be re-admitted to the new program, have transcripts evaluated, and may have to take additional coursework.
Admission Requirements
Applicants must meet the general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies and Research. Students entering the graduate program are not expected to have any prior preparation or knowledge the field. In addition, applicants must provide:
- 2 letters of professional recommendation
- a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0
- MAT program application and writing sample
State Teacher Tests and Endorsements
According to Illinois state law, MAT students are required to pass: the Content-Area Test (#197-200) through 3/13/2022 or #305 after 3/16/2020 and the Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA). See your MAT Elementary Education program advisor for more information regarding edTPA. More information is available at: Licensure Testing System .
Requirements for the MAT in Elementary Education (ELED)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BLBC-439 | Cultural Diversity In Our Schools | 3 |
| ELED-501 | Curriculum And Instruction | 1 |
| EDFN-443 | Integrating Media Technology Into Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| LTCY-501 | Literacy Instruction In Primary And Elementary Grades | 3 |
| or LTCY-402 | Literacy Instruction Across Grades | |
| SPED-404 | Survey Of The Field Of Special Education | 3 |
| EDFN-406 | Human Development And Learning | 3 |
| ELED-525 | New Literacies For The 21st Century | 3 |
| EDFN-405 | Development Of Educational Thought | 3 |
| ELED-504 | Teaching Writing: Purpose, Voice, Craft | 3 |
| ELED-435 | Children's And Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| BLBC-440 | Methods For Teaching English Learners In Diverse Classrooms | 3 |
| ELED-428 | Clinical Teaching | 1 |
| ELED-403 | Teaching Mathematics In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-415 | Teaching Science As Inquiry In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-416 | Teaching Social Studies As Inquiry In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-428C | Clinical Teaching: Content Areas | 1 |
| ELED-429 | Internship In Elementary Education | 6 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR BILINGUAL AND ESL ENDORSEMENTS
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BLBC-438 | Foundations Of Bilingual Education | 3 |
| BLBC-441 | Methods For Teaching Content In Bilingual Classrooms | 3 |
| BLBC-442 | Assessment In Multilingual Classrooms | 3 |
| TESL-402 | Principles Of Linguistics For Teachers | 3 |
Clinical Experience
The MAT-ELED program has two clinical experiences prior to student teaching, ELED-428, and ELED-428C. Both clinicals are a combination of classroom observation and teaching. Each clinical experience is connected to the courses taken during the term. Discussion and assignments for the clinical experiences are integrated into the courses. The ELED-428 clinical experience takes place in grades 1-4; students will be observed teaching by their university supervisor a minimum of three times. For the 428C clinical, the student is placed in a 3-6 classroom, and is observed teaching by their university supervisor a minimum of three times.
STUDENT TEACHING
Student teaching is full day for 16 weeks. Students will be observed teaching by their university supervisor a minimum of five times. Passing scores on the Content-Area Test are required for admission into student teaching.
EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE COMPLETION
Successful completion of all program coursework, clinical experiences and student teaching. Successful completion of Professional Education sequence courses and requirements. Successful completion of an Exit Project: Teacher as a Learner Project (TLP).
EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM COMPLETION/ENTITLEMENT
Successful completion of all exit requirements for degree completion.
This sample curricular map is provided to guide you in the planning of your progression for this major. This guide should not replace regular consultations with your program advisor. For specific recommendations of courses not identified, please consult your program advisor.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Hours | |
| BLBC-439 | Cultural Diversity In Our Schools | 3 |
| EDFN-443 | Integrating Media Technology Into Elementary Classroom | 3 |
| ELED-501 | Curriculum And Instruction | 1 |
| For Bilingual Endorsement only: | ||
| BLBC 438 Foundations of Bilingual Education(*) | ||
| Term Hours | 7 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| LTCY-501 | Literacy Instruction In Primary And Elementary Grades | 3 |
| Or LTCY 402--Issues in Literacy Instruction | ||
| SPED-404 | Survey Of The Field Of Special Education | 3 |
| EDFN-406 | Human Development And Learning | 3 |
| Term Hours | 9 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| ELED-525 | New Literacies For The 21st Century | 3 |
| EDFN-405 | Development Of Educational Thought | 3 |
| For Bilingual Education Endorsement only: | ||
| TESL 402 Principles of Linguistics for Teachers(*) | ||
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| ELED-435 | Children's And Young Adult Literature | 3 |
| ELED-504 | Teaching Writing: Purpose, Voice, Craft | 3 |
| BLBC-440 | Methods For Teaching English Learners In Diverse Classrooms | 3 |
| ELED-428 | Clinical Teaching | 1 |
| Term Hours | 10 | |
| Term 2 | ||
| ELED-403 | Teaching Mathematics In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-415 | Teaching Science As Inquiry In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-416 | Teaching Social Studies As Inquiry In Elementary Grades | 3 |
| ELED-428C | Clinical Teaching: Content Areas | 1 |
| Term Hours | 10 | |
| Term 3 | ||
| For Bilingual Endorsement only: | ||
| BLBC 441 Methods for Teaching in Bilingual Classrooms(*) | ||
| BLBC 442 Assessment in Multilingual Classrooms(*) | ||
| Term Hours | 0 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Term 1 | ||
| ELED-429 | Internship In Elementary Education | 6 |
| Term Hours | 6 | |
| Total Hours: | 48 | |
(*) Students enrolled in the MAT in Elementary Education with Bilingual Endorsement must complete 4 additional courses in order to obtain Bilingual and ESL endorsements.