Elementary Education Degrees in Michigan
There are many industries that are key to the growth of a society, but few are as vital as education. The future of any community is its children, and investing in their education can pay off for decades to come. One of the most important fields in education is elementary education. Children at this age have an enormous potential for learning, and it’s up to dedicated teachers to draw out that potential. With a Michigan teaching license, you may teach children as young as five in public and private schools.
Becoming an Elementary Teacher in Michigan
If you’ve ever considered a career in teaching, it all begins with your own education. Get more information on earning a degree in elementary education now by contacting Michigan programs near you.
Navigating the world of Michigan education may seem challenging, but it’s very straightforward. In fact, there’s quite a bit of grassroots and legislative support for teachers in this state. The most recent legislative budget led to significant boosts in budgets for over 100 state schools (WZZM, 2017). These increases amounted to between $60 and $120 more per student in each school. These types of efforts have a huge impact on how teachers work, providing them with the money they need to get school supplies and teaching materials each year.
Ready to start your journey to an elementary education teaching career? Check out our list of top elementary education programs and reach out to those in your area for more information.
Getting Your Elementary Education Degree in Michigan
No matter what you want to accomplish with your teaching career, you have to begin with a Bachelor’s degree. This is the minimum required degree for teacher licensure. Once you meet this requirement, there’s some flexibility in how you can advance your career and your knowledge.
As a new student, attending an undergraduate elementary education program can help you develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to make a difference in Michigan classrooms. Every school requires at least 120 credits, although there are several programs that require close to 130 credits. It’s important to consult graduation requirements of each school on your list to figure out exactly what is expected of undergraduate students. In your training, you may begin with general education courses in mathematics, science, and English. Generally, you earn about half of your credits in these topics. You have to earn a specific amount of credits before you can move on to teaching courses.
After you get accepted to the teaching program, you may progress with a cohort of students. These peers may be the beginning of your teaching network, so take the time to connect with them and learn from them. A growing number of Michigan schools now require that elementary education teaching students begin with a semester of classroom experience. Getting into a local classroom right away ensures that all students in the teaching program are truly passionate about this field.
Those in secondary education focus on their subject, such as history, mathematics, or science. At the elementary school level, however, you have to teach all of these topics. For this reason, your education should focus on teaching pedagogy and research. This allows you to adapt your skills to every subject you teach, rather than making you a master of one specific subject.
As you build your body of knowledge in education, you should get multiple chances to test out new theories and teaching techniques. Your classroom rotations help you get familiar with multiple elementary schools in your area while allowing you to slowly take on more and more responsibility in your teaching role. This all builds up to your final semester, which is dedicated to student teaching. Student teachers keep the same hours as their supervising teacher, which often adds up to 40 or more hours per week. While you may begin this semester by observing your supervising teacher, you should quickly take on more teaching duties. The references you get from your student teaching experience can be very influential in the early days of your career, so try hard to make a good impression.
Elementary Education Course Options in Michigan
- Number Concepts for Elementary/Middle School Teachers
- Teaching Elementary School Science
- Creativity in Elementary Classrooms
- Writing in the Elementary School
- Literature for the Young Child
- Language in the Elementary School
- Educational Psychology of Childhood
- Technology for Elementary Education
- Elementary Classroom Organization and Management
It’s clear that classroom experience is a significant part of your training at the undergraduate level. Because of this, there are no elementary education online degree programs that let you do 100% of your training online. If you need more flexibility in your degree, you may be able to attend a blended program that makes it easy to do some of your coursework online.
Furthermore, many Master’s in elementary education programs have online study options. To enroll in a Master’s-level program, you should already have a teaching degree, a teaching license, and some experience in this industry. This is how graduate programs sidestep classroom teaching requirements and provide students with the freedom of online coursework.
After you’ve gone through the tough work of earning a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in elementary education, you have to earn your teaching license before you can work independently in a classroom. The Michigan Department of Education oversees this process. You can get your teaching license after passing the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification.
If you’re excited about the opportunity to get involved in local classrooms and work with students of varying learning needs, this is the perfect time to learn more and take the first step. Browse our list of Michigan teaching programs and contact local schools to get the ball rolling.
Working as an Elementary Educator in Michigan
Although you learn a lot as a teaching student, there’s still quite a bit to take in when you start working as a teacher. Time management is a major priority for new teachers, who have to learn how to juggle paperwork, classroom plans, and teacher meetings. This is where a strong teaching network comes into play. Rather than having to learn everything on your own, you can get advice from expert teachers and apply it to your career. In addition to connecting with other teachers at your school, join groups like the Michigan Education Association to broaden your professional network and get the opportunity to attend continuing education events.
Many factors may influence your income potential and your job outlook. Many school districts have set pay rates for teachers with differing levels of education and seniority. Sticking with the same district for multiple years may boost your earning ability and allow you to take on more responsibilities in your school. Statewide, the average salary for an elementary school teacher is $61,260 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). The teaching field is expected to stay fairly stable in Michigan. O*Net anticipates an average of 840 new job openings per year between 2014 and 2024 (2017).
The sooner you begin your teacher training, the sooner you can start your teaching career and positively influence your community. Start the path to a teaching career now by contacting Michigan teacher education programs.
