Major in Math with a Secondary Education Concentration
For students interested in pursuing a Math Education major in Pennsylvania, there is no better choice than Elizabethtown College. We have a well-established, successful Mathematics Education program, which continues to take the lead in responding to the constantly changing demands placed on professional educators. Our program is structured as a Secondary Education concentration within the Math major, which means that students who complete the program earn a fully-fledged Mathematics degree, as well as certification to teach math in secondary schools (grades 7-12) in Pennsylvania and reciprocal states.
View Math Secondary Education Major Requirements
This is an extremely versatile concentration, which prepares our graduates for careers in teaching, but also keeps options open well beyond teaching. Our Mathematics Secondary Education program is rigorous and thorough with respect to both mathematical and educational preparation, yet designed so that students complete it within four years. Our program has a long history of success, and is well-regarded by local school districts, many of which seek out our students as student teachers and for permanent positions after graduation.
Students in this concentration are given a solid foundation in geometry, algebra and statistics essential for teaching and analyzing and implementing secondary school mathematics curriculum. The required math courses will satisfy the requirement of two math courses for Education certification. In addition to the math-based curriculum courses for the major, students will also take a selection of education courses including adolescent development, teaching methods, and complete a professional internship (also called student teaching). View the full curriculum for the major and concentration here.
Our Mathematics Secondary Education program is led by Dr. Steve Soltys, who taught math for 20 years at Manheim Central High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, before earning a doctorate in Mathematics Education and later joining the Elizabethtown College faculty. His long and successful career as a secondary school teacher is invaluable as a resource for our students: he knows firsthand the situations they are likely to face in the classroom, and is familiar with the workings of local school districts.
The field placement is what changed my life. To experience a classroom first-hand is so much different than reading about it. It was an eye-opener.”
One distinctive feature of our Mathematics Education program is first-year field experience. Students in the program visit classrooms at a variety of levels (elementary, middle, and high school) during their first year of study. This early exposure to how classrooms work from the teacher’s point of view is invaluable for honing students’ professional aspirations. Fieldwork continues throughout the four years of the program at increasing levels of professional involvement, culminating with the formal student teaching that is required for certification. Significantly, our students obtain roughly 186 hours in the field prior to student teaching. Many of our Mathematics Education students report that the early and ongoing fieldwork, together with expert supervision and feedback, positions them well for success in student teaching and later full-time employment.