Elementary Education K-5 (A.S.T.)

The Tennessee Board of Regents community colleges and the state’s locally governed institutions have joined together to develop a common core of courses for prospective K-5 elementary school teachers consisting of an introduction to teaching course and standards-based mathematics and science courses. The common core for the Associate of Science in Teaching (A.S.T.) degree allows prospective teachers to transfer from Pellissippi State to any state university, excluding the University of Tennessee, as juniors and without loss of credit. In addition to the curriculum requirements listed below, students must attain a cumulative grade point average of 2.75, successfully complete the Praxis Core exam or achieve an ACT superscore composite of 21 or higher, and achieve satisfactory disposition evaluation ratings. For the disposition evaluation ratings, students must have three positive dispositions completed by the following: 1) one’s EDU 2010 instructor, 2) an Instructor or Professor of one of the required AST courses, and 3) an Instructor or Professor of any other college-level course. For those students who have not completed two units of a single modern language, either at high school, at another college or through an approved examination, the deficiency(ies) must be removed before the student may transfer to a university.

Upon completion of the Associate of Science in Teaching transfer program, the graduate will have developed the skills, knowledge and abilities to accomplish the following:

• Demonstrate knowledge and/or skills acquired within the general education core.
• Locate and evaluate information from a range of credible sources using proper attribution and citation.
• Solve problems using skills developed across the curriculum.
• Explain educational topics and strategies as they relate to the teacher, the student, and the school.
• Identify the key components of an effective lesson plan.
• Demonstrate professional behaviors expected of highly qualified educators.

Contact(s): Teacher Education Advising Center, (865) 539-7287