Program Provides Alternate Pathway for Education Majors

The Elementary Education Studies major provides a valuable alternative to the Elementary Education major for those seeking a career in education but not necessarily as a licensed teacher.

Both traditional and Adult Studies students at Trinity take advantage of this program and have experienced incredible benefits from the service-learning aspect of the curriculum. Although students do not receive state licensure, they do acquire abundant teaching experience through the coursework, which requires 80 hours of service-learning in educational environments.

The service-learning experience that students gain can help them recognize their calling to teach or may lead them in another direction within the field of education. In a recent course evaluation, students shared overwhelmingly positive feelings about the program and a new perspective on service by the end of the service-learning course.

Some of the students have been able to engage educational work in unique and personal ways. Jacqueline Isom-Walk partnered with her church in Ford Heights, Illinois to begin an after-school program that grew to serve 12 students. Inspired to grow the services she established, Walk applied for and was awarded a grant to continue the work even beyond the course requirement.

Others Trinity students have worked in Kindergarten classrooms, after school programs, and with organizations such as the Head Start Program.

“This class was one of the most beneficial courses I took at Trinity,” said Elena Rodriguez. “Taking the service learning course allowed me to not only collaborate with a teacher, but to actually impact the children and to overcome obstacles that occur in the classroom.”

For the fifth semester in a row, students enrolled in the spring service learning course will be challenged, will experience growth, and will recognize the multitude of opportunities available in the field of education outside a traditional classroom setting.