Early Level Education (PK-4)
at Mount Aloysius College
Bachelor’s Degree
Your education at Mount Aloysius will include learning strategies on child development theory and best practices for PreK through 4th grade classrooms. You’ll receive a sturdy grounding in liberal arts balanced with the practical teaching skills and deep experience of excellent professors. Education studies at the Mount reflect the College’s core values of mercy, hospitality, service, and justice.
Learn the skills necessary to teach young minds, including classroom management, lesson plan design, and important technical skills.
The Mount supports our education students through one-on-one access, early exposure to the classroom, and a commitment to your professional development.
Program Highlights
See how the Mount’s education department helps its students succeed, including by fostering a tight-knit community and embracing technology-based teaching practices!
Courses Designed to Prepare You for Your Career
The Mount’s early level education program is designed to not only provide you with the knowledge and skills to help you be successful in future jobs, but to help you explore your passions and expand your horizons. Check out more information about the opportunities available to you.
Quick Facts About the Early Level Education Program at Mount Aloysius
- Bachelor’s degree program (4 years to complete)
- All students are PSEA members
- High-tech teaching environments
Teachers enjoy careers in the following areas:
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Teaching in public or private schools
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Educational administration
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Head Start or Pre-K Counts
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Support services
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Instructional coaching
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Instructional design
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Tutoring
Many graduates enroll in master’s programs after graduation and some pursue doctoral studies.
The bachelor’s degree has student teaching assignments. Junior students tutor students in math and reading as part of coursework. Student teaching and tutoring placements occur in local private and public schools.
The demand for Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers is expected to rise 4% from 2021 to 2031, an increase of 60,200 jobs.
The average median wage for a kindergarten teacher (excluding special education) is $60,900. The average median wage for an elementary school teacher (excluding special education) is $61,400.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Graduates from the program will:
- use their knowledge of the liberal arts to engage students in a curriculum that values life-long learning, and that engages the whole child in all facets of learning including creativity, inquiry, and reflection;
- use effective communication strategies when interacting with various audiences such as students, parents, and other professionals;
- base teaching and learning strategies on child development theories and best practices;
- possess a knowledge of technology as an educational resource, an instructional tool, and as a curriculum component;
- use effective methodology in developing instructional plans that include active engagement in learning, problem solving, critical thinking, and inquiry;
- use differentiated instruction to address the learning needs of a diverse student population including English Language Learners;
- demonstrate the use of informal and formal assessment strategies;
- engage in professional development including scholarly research and writing and innovative and reflective practice that leads to lifelong learning;
- demonstrate a passion for learning and teaching that includes advocacy for students and the profession, service to others, and professional collaboration; and
- be able to gain certification in her or his area of study and gain an entry level position in an educational setting and/or pursue graduate study.
Check out the links below to learn even more about the Mount’s Education Department.
Receive Dual Certification in PreK-12 Special Education
Roughly 26% of schools in Pennsylvania have at least one special education position unfilled. The Mount offers the ability for future early childhood education teachers to dual-certify in PreK-12 special education. In addition to your general education classes, you’ll study the use of assistive technologies and how to incorporate them into your own classroom, building your skills as a special education teacher.
Get Hands-On Experience at Our On-Campus Lab Schools
In addition to high-tech classroom spaces, future teachers in the Mount’s Education Department have the opportunity to work directly with children at two on-campus lab schools, the MAC Learning Center/Pre-K Counts operated by the Cambria County Child Development Corporation and the Early Head Start/Head Start Center operated by the Community Action Partnership of Cambria County. Both centers operate out of the Cosgrave Student Center on the MAC campus.
Check Out These Recent Education Alums!
Guided by Local Education Professionals
The Mount Aloysius College Education Department has an advisory board that consists of public and private school superintendents, executive directors of local intermediate units, and CEO’s and directors of early childhood education organizations. Each year our Advisory Board hosts a mock interview session for students to network with local education leaders and hone their interview skills.
Affordable Tuition
Make an investment in your future with a quality, career-focused education at an affordable rate. Plus, check out our scholarships and institutional aid opportunities–99% of Mountie students receive some form of financial aid!
Questions?
Our admissions counselors are here to answer any questions you may have!
Email: admissions@mtaloy.edu
Phone: 814-886-6383