Most schools that offer elementary education programs require you to take classes outside your major that are the same as everyone else–those classes will be at a college level. BUT, you will also have to take classes like “teaching elementary level math” or “reading for primary grades,” which sound like less important classes, but are very very important to learn for elementary school teachers because the needs of young children are so different than at any other time in their lives. You will have a ton of early education psychology and training classes, and fewer of the advanced academic classes that other majors will have.

You will NOT have to know high school level subjects to pass most state’s teaching proficiency tests. This is because it’s ridiculous to expect you to know things like James Joyce, when you’re actually teaching Clifford the big Red Dog while simultaneously balancing the emotional and social needs of 30 5-year-olds.

Most states realize that the psych classes and elementary ed classes are the most useful things an elementary teacher can take, and their teaching exams reflect this.