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Overview
The Teacher Education Program at College of Western Idaho is excited to help future elementary teachers prepare for teacher certification in the state of Idaho by providing the first two years of a Bachelor’s degree. We work closely with our local four-year partners and offer an Associate degree that can be customized to match the requirements of the Teacher Education Program that best meets your educational needs. Course work in the Teacher Education Program includes foundations in education, social systems and diversity, exceptionality in the schools, and educational technology. Throughout the program, students have the opportunity to observe teachers in local K-8 schools to see firsthand the skills, knowledge, and attitudes taught in the coursework. The program concludes with a capstone class that aids students in building an evidence-based e-portfolio that highlights their work and helps prepare them for admission into a four-year college or university.
Mission
The Teacher Education Program provides students foundational skills, knowledge, and dispositional development to prepare them for entry into a Teacher Education Program at a four-year college or university. This is accomplished through active learning in the classroom and online as well as through observations and teaching opportunities in the local k-12 schools.
Why This Program
People interested in becoming teachers in grades K through 8 would want to consider an Elementary Education degree. Designed to provide the first two years of a four year degree, CWI’s Elementary Education program partners with local four year colleges and universities to promote ease of transfer and continual degree progression.
What You Will Learn to Do
- Uncover your true motivation for becoming a teacher and assess whether or not to become an educator
- Learn teacher language and concepts
- Identify the major roles of a teacher (i.e. leader, mentor, manager, planner, and motivator)
- Discuss the importance of peer groups, mass media, community services, ecology of families, parenting, schooling, teaching, and socialization methods and outcomes
- Understand the difference between normal development and abnormal development
- Identify characteristics, prevalence, origination, and contributing factors related to 13 disabilities and Gifted and Talented students
- Plan and design effective learning environments, experiences, curriculum plans and understand methods and strategies for applying technology to maximize student learning
- Demonstrate a proficient Teacher Education e-Portfolio
Additional Opportunities
- Complete a minimum of 55 hours of observation/participation with a certified teacher.
- Partner with Micron Technology to get real classroom experience.
- Get involved with the school and larger educational community with guest speakers and additional opportunities with the Future Educators Club.
- Complete volunteer opportunities to build professional connections.
Requirements and Costs
Degrees and Certificates
Elementary Education - Associate of Arts Degree
2
YEARSAA
Important Dates for Credit Programs
Summer 2023 | Fall 2023 | Spring 2024 | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Priority Registration Begins1 | N/A | April 10 | Nov. 13, 2023 | |
Open Registration Begins | Feb. 27 | April 17 | Nov. 20, 2023 | |
Financial Aid Priority Deadline | May 13 | July 29 | Dec. 16, 2023 | |
Admission Deadline2 | May 27 | Aug. 12 | Jan. 6 | |
Last Day to Register for Classes | June 2 | Aug. 18 | Jan. 12 | |
Tuition and Fees Due | June 2 | Aug. 18 | Jan. 12 | |
Classes Begin3 | June 5 | Aug. 21 | Jan. 16 | |
1 Priority registration is limited to continuing students. Students are assigned a registration time based on their cumulative credits earned. Students should check myCWI and their CWI email to learn their assigned registration time. Students may register online anytime on or after their assigned registration time. | ||||
2 The admission deadline for international students is earlier than the deadline for non-international students and is only available during the fall and spring semesters. Please consult the Academic Calendar for the international student admission deadlines for the fall and spring semesters. | ||||
3 Classes in shorter sessions (including 4-, 5-, and 8-week sessions) may begin before or after this date. Please refer to the Registration and Refund Deadlines by Class Section Dates (located beneath each semester) of the Academic Calendar for more information. |
Skills, Traits, and Prep Classes
- Many of the Education courses require ENGL 101
- Students with minimal computer skills should take ITAM 101 before taking EDUC 150 or 250
- Certain dispositions are more likely to be successful in teaching fields. Five effective dispositions include: Empathy, Positive View of Others, Positive View of Self, Authenticity, Meaningful Purpose and Vision
- Submit and pass a background check prior to working with or observing children
- Prepare for and take the PRAXIS I exam 6 weeks prior to applying to transfer education programs
Advising
Navigating your way through college can be confusing, especially if you try to go it alone. CWI offers advising assistance to help in deciding which courses you need to take to reach your education and career goals. Visit Advising or contact One Stop Student Services for more information.
- Students pursuing the Elementary Education degree are strongly encouraged to meet with an Education faculty member for advising. Students do not need to be specifically assigned to a faculty member to seek advising support directly from the Education Department.
- Students who do not have basic computer application skills are encouraged to take ITAM 101 before taking EDUC 150 or EDUC 250.
- Most of the courses in the Elementary Education program can be moved around to meet scheduling needs as long as students honor prerequisite requirements.
- Be aware of the observation hour requirements when planning a semester schedule.
- EDUC 220 requires 10 hours of observation
- EDUC 230 requires 15 hours of observation
- EDUC 280 requires 30 hours of observation
- EDUC 290 requires permission of the instructor in order to register.
- Many of our four-year partners require specific prerequisite courses before application to their Teacher Education Program. Most of those prerequisite courses can be built into the Elementary Education degree at CWI without adding more overall credits. However, students need to know to which school they intend to transfer in order to plan accordingly. If there are options, always select the more stringent school upon which to the base the schedule.
Connecting With Ideas
Connecting With Ideas (CWI 101) is the first semester student success course designed to help CWI students become engaged members of the academic community and cultivate habits for lifelong achievement and success. Each semester, students can select from a variety of themes. More information about next semesters CWI 101 themes
Transfer
Look beyond your degree at CWI and plan for continuing your education by working closely with CWI advising and representatives of your intended transfer school. Planning before you transfer can save you time and money. Visit Transfer Information for more information or contact One Stop Student Services.
Faculty in the Teacher Education Program work closely with the following four-year schools to assist students with transfer:
- Boise State University
- Lewis and Clark State College
- University of Idaho - Idaho State University
- Northwest Nazarene University
- College of Idaho
- BYU – Idaho
- Western Governors University
- University of Phoenix
- College of Southern Idaho
Financial Aid Available
Did you know that as a student in this program you may be eligible for financial aid? Through grants, scholarships, and loans, more than 60 percent of first-time, full-time CWI students receive some form of financial assistance. To learn more about financial aid options and whether you may be eligible, visit Financial Aid.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition for a full-time CWI student averages half the cost of a state university and a third of the cost of a private college. Tuition and fees vary based on program and residence. Visit Tuition and Fees for more information.
Career Info
Professions
- K-8 Elementary Teacher
- K-8 Special Education Teacher
- K-8 Teacher Assistants
- K-8 Health Specialty Teachers
- K-8 Music Specialty Teachers
- K-8 Computer Science Specialty Teachers
- K-8 Bilingual and Multilingual Education
- K-8 English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL) Instructor
- K-8 Literacy Specialist
- Instructional Coordinators
- Educational, Guidance, School and Vocational Counselors
- Parent Teachers
- Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
Employment Outlook
Most of the openings in education will result from workers and educators retiring. In the future there may not be enough teachers graduating from college to fill the job openings. Positions in math, science, bilingual, and special education will continue to be difficult to fill. However, many state governments and local school districts are facing budget problems. As a result, schools are cutting support services and some educational programs. If these financial problems continue, more schools will combine and more programs will be cut. As a result employment may grow more slowly.
Taken from Idaho Career Information System https://idcis.intocareers.org/info2.aspx?FileID=Occ&FileNum=110500&TopicNum=6
Locations
Instructors
Program Department Chair
Instructor(s)
Respectful Community
The College of Western Idaho is committed to maintaining a Respectful Community by providing equal opportunity for all individuals and does not discriminate in services, benefits, or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, veteran status, age, or any other legally protected status. More on Title IX
News and Blogs

Congratulations to Hailie Martell, College of Western Idaho’s Staff of the Month for February 2021.

Congratulations to Jennifer Hernandez Gutierrez, CWI's Student Achievement Award recipient for February 2021.

Help families in need by donating unused school supplies for the City Light Home for Women and Children in Boise.

Scott Straub has been named College of Western Idaho’s Faculty of Distinction for September 2018.

School supply drive benefits families in the Treasure Valley, donating nearly 300 items.
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