Elementary Education Handbook (PDF)

The mission of the education program at Thomas College is to prepare students to become compassionate and excellent teachers committed to reflective practice and dedicated to working collaboratively with children, families, and communities.

The Thomas College elementary education program is certified by the State of Maine and designed to fulfill the State of Maine endorsement in elementary education. Upon completion of the endorsement requirements, and the passing the State of Maine Department of Teacher Certification assessment, students are eligible to apply for initial student certification.

Thomas’ Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education focuses on a combination of two types of classes — arts and sciences classes and education classes. Arts and sciences courses in areas such as English, humanities, math, and science provide a solid foundation of knowledge, which will help the student complete a bachelor’s degree. Education classes provide professional knowledge in methods of instruction, theories of learning and assessing, and state and federal policies. This program is designed to provide experiences in area schools for students to apply theory to practice, network with teachers and administrators, and to discover which level of education they would like to teach. For additional program requirements, please contact your faculty adviser.