This program prepares students for a career as a paraprofessional educator (teacher’s aide) in regular and special education classes in elementary and secondary schools and in social service agencies. Moraine Valley’s program provides students with a strong foundation for a career in education through classroom work and observation in the field. Employment of paraprofessionals is expected to grow.
Required General Education Courses
19 credit hours as follows:
Select 3 credit hours from Social/Behavioral Sciences:
ANT, ECO, GEO, HIS, PSC, PSY, SOC, SSC
Select 3 credit hours from Humanities/Fine Arts:
ARB, ART, FRE, HUM, LIT, MUS, PHI, SPA, THE
Recommended that students choose a Non-Western or Third World Culture course
Select 4 credit hours from Physical and Life Sciences with Lab
BIO, CHM, EAS, GEL, NAT, PHS, PHY
Required Career Courses
30 credit hours as follows:
| EDU-100 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU-102 | Intro for Paraprofessional Educator | 3 |
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| EDU-104 | Intro. to the Foundations of Reading | 3 |
| EDU-110 | Technology for Educators | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| - | | |
| EDU-205 | Literature for Children/Young Adults | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| LIT-205 | Literature for Children/Young Adults | 3 |
| - | | |
| MTH-102 | Mathematics for Paraprofessionals | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| MTH-121 | Math for Teachers I | 3 |
| - | | |
| PSY-104 | Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY-215 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
A minimum level of competency in mathematics is required for graduation for all A.A.S. degrees. This minimum competency may be demonstrated in one of three ways:
- Placement into MTH-120 or higher; or
- Successful completion with a minimum grade of “C” in BUS-120, MTH-102, MTH-109, MTH-121, or MTH-133 or higher-level mathematics course for designated career programs; or
- An equivalent transfer course from another college with a minimum grade of “C”.
Electives
Select 13 credit hours from the following:
| ART-110 | Art Appreciation | 3 |
| ECE-101 | Introduction to Early Childhood | 3 |
| - | | |
| ECE-105 | Health, Safety and Nutrition | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| PEH-171 | A Healthy Lifestyle and You | 3 |
| - | | |
| COM-102 | Composition II | 3 |
| CRJ-107 | Juvenile Delinquency & Procedures | 3 |
| EDU-105 | Classroom Management | 3 |
| EDU-233 | Paraprofessional Educator Internship | 3 |
| EDU-237 | Paraprofessional Educator Seminar | 1 |
| CIS-100 | Personal Computer Basics | 1 |
| MTH-122 | Math for Teachers II | 3 |
| MUS-107 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| PEH-181 | Fundamentals of Rhythmical Movement | 2 |
| PSY-205 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| SOC-102 | Marriage & Family | 3 |
| ___-___ | Foreign Language Sequence | 4-8 |
| ___-___ | Lab Science Elective | 4 |
(Can use Science Elective to complete sequence)
(Note: EDU-105 is recommended)
Suggested Schedule
Semester 1 (15 credit hours)
| COM-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| EDU-102 | Intro for Paraprofessional Educator | 3 |
| EDU-104 | Intro. to the Foundations of Reading | 3 |
| PSY-104 | Life-Span Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective | 3 |
(Note: Elective recommended is EDU-105 Classroom Management)
Semester 2 (16 credit hours)
| COM-103 | Speech Fundamentals | 3 |
| EDU-100 | Introduction to Education | 3 |
| EDU-103 | Observation/Clinical Experience | 3 |
| EDU-110 | Technology for Educators | 3 |
| EDU-111 | Intro to the Exceptional Child | 3 |
| - | | |
| MTH-102 | Mathematics for Paraprofessionals | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| MTH-121 | Math for Teachers I | 3 |
Semester 3 (16 credit hours)
| EDU-205 | Literature for Children/Young Adults | 3 |
| OR- | | |
| LIT-205 | Literature for Children/Young Adults | 3 |
| - | | |
| PSY-101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Humanities and Fine Arts Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Lab Science Elective | 4 |
(Note: Recommended students choose a Non-Western or Third World Culture course)
Semester 4 (15 credit hours)
| PSY-215 | Educational Psychology | 3 |
| ___-___ | Social and Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Elective | 3 |