Department of Elementary Education
The Department of Elementary Education is one of the largest of its kind in Canada and takes pride in its distinguished graduates. Our continuing and sessional faculty offer expertise in subject areas such as Mathematics, Language and Literacy, Science, Music, Physical Education, Art, and Social Studies, as well as Curriculum and Instructional Studies, Second Language and ESL, Teacher-Librarianship, Teacher Education, and Early Childhood Education.
The Department is committed to excellence in teaching and research; it encourages collegial and collaborative relationships within and beyond the Faculty; and it recognizes the importance of nurturing a sense of community among its staff and students, and professionals in the field.
There are approximately 1700 students enrolled in the undergraduate program and approximately 200 full-time and part-time graduate students enrolled in the Master's and doctoral programs.
The Department of Elementary Education has administrative responsibility for four centres: Child Study Centre (CSC), Reading Centre, Centre for Research for Teacher Education and Development (CRTED), Centre for Research on Literacy(CRL).
Missions
The mandates of the Department of Elementary Education are to prepare outstanding classroom teachers and to prepare educational leaders in faculties of education, in school systems, and in other educational institutions.
Undergraduate Mission Statement
The undergraduate programs of the Department of Elementary Education prepare teachers to facilitate the learning of all children at the elementary and middle school level. The Department is committed to helping beginning teachers develop subject matter knowledge, pedagogical understanding, skills in critical thinking, professional ethics, sensitivity to and respect for the safety and well-being of children, and an understanding of schooling in a dynamic environment. The Department encourages beginning teachers to develop professional responsibility and commitment to life-long learning.
Graduate Mission Statement
The graduate programs of the Department of Elementary Education promote and demonstrate scholarly inquiry central to teaching and learning. These programs help graduate students to develop the conceptual understanding and research skills needed to focus on research involving students and teachers at the elementary and middle school level.