What Do I Need to Study to Be a First Grade Teacher?
First grade teachers work with six- and seven-year-old students. They teach early literacy, mathematics, science and social studies, and they help students develop the social and classroom skills they need to be successful in their academic careers. Teachers develop and deliver lesson plans, grade assignments, supervise and monitor children both inside and outside the classroom, and meet with parents and administrators to discuss student performance. To be a first grade teacher, you need a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate.
Earning a Bachelor's Degree
Future teachers begin their academic journey by graduating from high school and enrolling in an accredited college or university. Candidates who want to teach first grade usually enroll in either an early childhood or an elementary teaching program after completing the required core curriculum classes. Early childhood teachers work with children from infancy to third grade, while elementary teachers teach first through sixth or eighth grade, depending on their state. Early childhood majors take coursework in play activities and materials, methods for teaching math and language arts in early childhood, educational psychology, the history of early childhood education and child nutrition, among many other classes. Elementary teachers study subjects such as the foundations of reading, curriculum and instruction, methodologies for teaching math and science and integrating the arts into an elementary curriculum.
Master's Degree in Elementary or Early Childhood Education
Some teachers choose to obtain a master's degree after completing their undergraduate-level studies or work toward an integrated bachelor's/master's degree. The University of Connecticut, for example, offers students a five-year option for elementary education. After completing the undergraduate requirements, future teachers study for one year at the graduate level. Successful students earn a master's degree and are eligible for certification after meeting the state assessment requirements.
Elementary education majors take classes such as mathematics in the elementary classroom, curriculum and instruction, literacy instruction, special education methods and classroom assessment. Graduate students who major in early childhood education complete coursework in developmental and learning theories, cultural issues, technology in the classroom, reading education and working with families.
All teaching candidates are required to spend at least one full academic semester in the classroom, teaching under the supervision of a college supervisor and a cooperating classroom teacher. Most students complete their student teaching at the undergraduate level, but some students who choose to earn a master's degree before entering the classroom complete their student teaching at the graduate level instead. Novice teachers spend the first few weeks observing, but their responsibilities in the classroom slowly increase over the course of the semester until they are completely in charge of the class.
State Assessments and Licensure
All states require students to take and pass one or more assessments before they grant a license to a teaching candidate. These tests evaluate the future instructor's knowledge of her subject area and her understanding of pedagogical methods and techniques. The tests vary depending on the state. In Arizona, for example, a first grade teacher with an elementary education certification is required to take a two-part elementary-level test that evaluates her understanding of how to teach math, science, social studies and reading. Elementary education majors in Connecticut, however, are expected to complete a foundations of reading test, a pedagogical test and a multiple-subject elementary education assessment.
- Education Portal: First Grade Teacher Education Requirements and Job Description
- Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook: Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers
- University of the District of Columbia College of Arts and Sciences: BA in Early Childhood Education
- University of North Carolina Wilmington: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education
- University of Connecticut Office of Teacher Education: Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s (IB/M) Teacher Education Program
- National Evaluation Series: NES Subject Knowledge Tests for Arizona
- Connecticut State Department of Education: New Praxis Tests - Elementary Education
- Cabrini College: Student Teaching