Graduates of the teacher education program design, implement, and evaluate developmentally appropriate learning experiences for children in elementary education classrooms. They are prepared to work collaboratively with families and in the community. A dual major with early childhood education provides significant opportunities for professional positions in these programs: kindergarten through sixth grade, infant and toddler care and education, preschool programs, Head Start, and early childhood family education. The elementary education program has three academic core areas of required coursework--education core, family core, and elementary education core.  A new Web page includes more detailed information about the major at www.umcrookston.edu/elementaryed. 

"The action taken by the Board of Teaching to provide the U of M, Crookston the opportunity to offer a licensure program for elementary education sets the stage for growth and improves the academic choices for students at the university, noted Jack Geller, Ph.D., head of the Liberal Arts and Education Department."Preparing students to earn a teacher's license that enables graduates to teach in schools from kindergarten through sixth grade is a significant addition to the strong program in early childhood education we offer on this campus." 

The U of M, Crookston previously offered a licensure program in early childhood education only and the full-continuing institutional approval has a seven-year interval and is determined by the Board of Teaching. The UMC Teacher Education Unit was granted full-continuing approval from the Minnesota Board of Teaching to prepare individuals for Minnesota teacher licensure through June 30, 2019.

The approval followed a visit by an assessment team in October 2011, when the campus hosted a three-day visit to review data gathered since 2007 related to the 54 standards established by the Board. These standards are meant to ensure that teacher candidates have the opportunity to learn, develop, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for teacher licensure. The evaluation team, chaired by Teacher Education Specialist JoAnn Van Aernum, delivered a report to the campus in early December 2011, and a recommendation by the team was sent to the Board for consideration in their final decision. 

The Board of Teaching, created in 1973, provides leadership for improvements in teacher education programs in order to assure that the state has well-qualified, professional teachers. The Governor appoints eleven members to the Board of Teaching: six classroom teachers, one higher education faculty member, one school administrator, and three members of the public, two of whom must have spent some time on a local school board. The Board determines the standards and practices that will serve the state's teachers and teacher preparation institutions. For more information, visit http://education.state.mn.us/mde/index.html.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 27 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 39 concentrations on campus--as well as 10 degrees online--in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.

majoring in sport and recreation management, successfully passed the Microsoft® Office 2010 Master Certification. He is the first student to earn the certification at the master level from the Crookston campus. The U of M, Crookston is Microsoft Testing Site for such certification.

The Microsoft Office Master certification denotes fluency in several important Microsoft Office applications. To achieve this highest designation, a candidate must pass three required exams and one elective exam. The required exams are Word 2010 Expert, Excel® 2010 Expert and PowerPoint® 2010.

The benefits of the certification as a Microsoft Office Master are to build credibility through proof of skills, to set yourself apart as a desktop computing expert, to differentiate yourself from your peers, to possess a professional recognition accepted around the world, and to demonstrate computing efficiency in the workplace. 

The Microsoft Office certification program within the university helps provide graduates tangible proof they possess skills that make them ideal hires. This certification gives students a leg up in a difficult job market.

"When our students are competing against other students from other business schools, if all things are equal, this is a differentiator for our students," explains Twyla Treanor, assistant professor in the Math, Science, and Technology Department. "We know students need to look at every angle possible to stand out and get ahead."

Microsoft Certified Application Specialist certifications are primarily for those who use Microsoft Office programs as a vital part of their job functions. To learn more about the Microsoft Certification available at the U of M, Crookston, visit http://www3.crk.umn.edu/academics/mst/itm/certification.htm. 

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 26 bachelor's degree programs, 18 minors, and 39 concentrations on campus--as well as 10 degrees online--in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from 25 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.