Growing Forward

Abstract

This chapter describes the efforts of an elementary education faculty to revamp the undergraduate elementary education program at their university to better align with state requirements for certification. The purpose of the chapter is to provide insight to other teacher educators who may feel a need to revise their programs. The authors begin by sharing the background of their institution and its role in preparing teachers for the region of the state in which it is located. They then identify the rationale for making the changes, describe the old program, and explain the procedures followed in planning and implementing the changes. They next share expected and unexpected problems they encountered in the implementation of the program and discuss some solutions found and some still being considered. They close with a discussion of actions to take to maintain the relevance of the program.