Ten signs you're an elementary education major

1

“You become an expert on playing the recorder.”

— Bailey Bartczak, freshman

Look out music students, all the ElEd or elementary education students are in town to rock out on the recorder. A major requirement for all ElEd students is learning the recorder and it’s not uncommon for students in dorms to hear the sweet melodies of "Old McDonald Had A Farm" and "Mary Had A Little Lamb" being played into the wee hours of the night.


2

"You have more ‘teacher’ clothes than casual clothes.”

— Brooke Lentz, sophomore

Blazers, slacks and collared blouses, oh my! T-shirts and running shorts become a thing of the past for EIEd students. While most elementary schools have a casual Friday or a jeans day, it’s much easier to be over prepared and hit the Dress Barn sales for the work force.


3

“You never leave the house without crafting materials.”

— Tori Eadler, sophomore

Need a variety of markers? Ask an ElEd friend. Crazy scissors? Glitter glue? A humongous note pad the size of a small child? The ElEd major can whip out even the most unusual of crafting supplies at any moment.


4

“All of your ‘projects’ turn into lesson plans.”

— Delaney Hathaway, sophomore


5

"You get excited to buy school supplies.”

— Jennifer Tierney, senior

School supplies are just as fun to have around as crafting supplies. A fun perk of being a teacher-in-training is getting bulk pencils and fun posters for classrooms at huge discounts and sometimes even for free. Office Depot is the new Forever 21.


6

“Walking around with glitter all over you is pretty common.”

— Daniel Skora, sophomore

Crafting supplies are great, but sometimes they become part of the EIEd major’s wardrobe. It’s not surprising to see an ElEd major walking around sporting remnants of their latest project.


7

“You color code everything.”

— Emily Wallace, junior

Organizational skills are key for EIEd majors. Color-coding assignments helps make things easier for grading and for future students, but it might just become an obsession. Crack open the agenda book of any ElEd major and it’s likely everything will be written in its own color and neatly organized.


8

“You get excited when there are small children on campus.”

— Sarah Norris, sophomore

Being an EIEd major would be pretty miserable if it didn’t involve a love for kids. When the schools in the Muncie community come to Ball State on field trips, it’s a special treat for all the ElEd students.


9

“Memories from your childhood come flooding back to you.”

— Carly Leigeber, freshman

Memories of learning fractions, reading chapter books and music class pop into the heads of EIEd majors while they prepare lesson plans. It’s a never-ending trip down nostalgia lane.


10

“You’re tired and you don’t get paid much but those days when one kid says something to remind you why you love teaching, it makes all the headaches worth it.”

— Kaitlyn Hobbs, senior

While others may not completely grasp that Elementary Education students shape the future of America in a classroom, the children constantly remind these students why they do what they do and love what they love. Plus, kids can be hilarious and who wouldn’t want to spend a day listening to the stories of a sassy 8-year-old?