Curriculum

This course examines children's language and literacy development from first to sixth grade. Candidates learn from an interdisciplinary body of scientifically-based research on literacy and issues related to reading and writing as well as sociocultural perspectives that shape literacy instruction. Evidence-based teaching approaches are introduced to support teacher candidates' foundational understanding of the development of word recognition, language comprehension, and writing. Candidates also learn about the role of language and culture on literacy learning with an emphasis on linguistic diversity and culturally and historically responsive instruction.

Candidates learn the basic concepts, scope, and sequence of instruction and current methodology in elementary science. Attention is given to lesson and unit planning/skill development utilizing application of current research in effective science instruction. Emphasis is on the student as a learner and the role of the teacher as facilitator of science investigation. This course addresses ACEI standards for science.

Introduces elementary teachers to the purposes of classroom and large-scale assessments and their design. The application of assessments and interpretation of their results are addressed with a focus on diverse classroom learners. The course emphasizes the alignment of curriculum standards, instruction, and assessments.

Examines social studies and health/physical education integration in elementary grades. Focuses on teaching social studies through an inquiry arc across social studies disciplines. Special attention is on lesson and unit planning and skill development in the subject areas. An emphasis will be placed on integrating literacy into rigorous and relevant content instruction that aligns to the Universal Design for Learning framework and state and national content standards.

Extends the pedagogic knowledge of elementary teachers in mathematics. Advanced exploration of the development and integration of teaching practices that improve the learning experiences and outcomes of both students and elementary teachers in mathematics.

Teacher candidates will reflect on their identities, inquire into the experience of others, and examine individual, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic barriers that limit educational opportunities and outcomes for many students. The course draws on history, policy, theory, and praxis to enable candidates to draw from students' cultural, religious, family, intellectual, and personal assets in strategies that effectively support all students' personal and academic success in a diverse society.

This course focuses on the study of literacy pedagogy for elementary education candidates. In this course reading comprehension and written composition is examined as a meaning-making process dependent on the reader/writer, the text/genre, the task, and the sociocultural context. Candidates learn evidence-based approaches to reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing instruction including strategies to support students in comprehending, interpreting, analyzing, evaluating, and composing text across genres including literary texts, informational texts, poetry, and persuasive texts. Candidates learn the role of knowledge building, cognitive strategies, vocabulary knowledge, text structure, and motivation in fostering deep comprehension and strategic and meaningful composition of texts. Candidates apply skills to authentic contexts as they acquire core understandings about literacy pedagogy.

This course is designed to encourage and support educators to engage in reflective practice and continuous professional growth. Participants will explore various aspects of teaching, evaluate their own instructional methods, and consider strategies for improving their teaching effectiveness. Through self-study, participants will bring curiosity to their own teacher identity and practice and insight to others in the class.

This course explores teaching strategies for managing an elementary classroom and the standards found in Connecticut's Common Core of Teaching that pertain to classroom management. Candidates learn practical approaches for the establishment of procedures and routines. This course is designed for teachers and candidates in training who are interested in effective classroom management and the promotion of a safe, orderly, and inviting place in which to teach and learn. The course will initially focus on creating a positive learning environment where negative, distracting behaviors are less likely to occur. Candidates will gain the insight, knowledge, and skills that will enable them to cope with classroom disruptions and will incorporate a variety of techniques that are appropriate for the elementary level. Candidates will explore methods and systems of management that will allow them to move beyond traditional rewards, punishments, bribes, and threats. This course is offered at the Griswold Campus as a hybrid course with a combination of face-to-face and online classes.

The student teaching clinical experience in elementary education, in conjunction with a weekly student teaching seminar, is the culminating experience of the certification program. The application for a clinical placement is submitted to the Director of Clinical Practice the semester prior to the semester in which the candidate is placed. Student teaching is conducted only in the fall and spring semesters. A student teaching fee is assessed.

This course considers the application of psychological principles to educational theory and practice. Candidates explore the many ways of thinking about knowledge, teaching, and learning. Major theories of learning and development are introduced, and consistent themes and concepts are identified.

Focuses on identification of students with exceptional needs as well as methods of meeting their educational needs in regular and special classroom settings. Exceptionalities studied include all areas identified by national and state mandates.

This course covers the lifespan from adolescence through late adulthood. It includes readings in psychological theory and literature, videos, discussions, projects, and other assignments, which provide the candidate with theoretical and cultural perspectives in major themes in human growth and development.

Explores National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12. Philosophical, psychological, and practical implementation of curriculum in the secondary classroom is emphasized. Candidates develop subject specific curricula appropriate to English. Students will also examine and discuss a number of current curriculum issues that impact the secondary school. The content of this course will focus primarily on putting theory into practice. To that end, this course will emphasize the practical aspects of how a school district writes curriculum with an emphasis on both process and product.

Explores National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12. Philosophical, psychological, and practical implementation general science curriculum in the secondary classroom is emphasized. Candidates develop subject-specific curricula appropriate to general science. The content of this course will focus primarily on putting theory into practice. To that end, this course will emphasize the practical aspects of how a school district writes curriculum with an emphasis on both process and product.

Philosophical, psychological, and practical implementation of the math curriculum in the secondary classroom is emphasized. Students develop subject-specific curricula appropriate to math. Students will also examine and discuss a number of current curriculum issues that impact the secondary school. The content of this course will focus primarily on putting theory into practice. To that end, this course will emphasize the practical aspects of how a school district writes curriculum with an emphasis on both process and product. This course aligns with the State of Connecticut Standards and InTASC Standards.

Explores National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12. Philosophical, psychological, and practical implementation of curriculum in the secondary classroom is emphasized. Candidates develop subject-specific curricula appropriate to social studies. Students will also examine and discuss a number of current curriculum issues that impact the secondary school. The content of this course will focus primarily on putting theory into practice. To that end, this course will emphasize the practical aspects of how a school district writes curriculum with an emphasis on both process and product.

Explores American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12. Philosophical, psychological, and practical implementation of curriculum in the secondary classroom is emphasized. Candidates develop subject-specific curricula appropriate to Spanish. Students will also examine and discuss a number of current curriculum issues that impact the secondary school. The content of this course will focus primarily on putting theory into practice. To that end, this course will emphasize the practical aspects of how a school district writes curriculum with an emphasis on both process and product.

Introduces secondary teachers to the purposes of classroom and large-scale assessments and their design. The application of assessments and interpretation of their results are addressed with a focus on diverse classroom learners. The course emphasizes the alignment of curriculum standards, instruction, and assessments.

This course explores the methodology of teaching English in secondary schools including the examination of the standards of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12, as well as current trends in teaching methods and techniques. Participants will prepare unit and lesson plans with related assessment procedures on a variety of topics and acquire teaching experience by presenting lessons and working collaboratively to explore English with peers. This course is intended to bridge the gap between theories of education, English content area knowledge, and the realities of working in the secondary school environment.

This course explores the methodology of teaching general science in secondary schools including the examination of the standards of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12, as well as current trends in teaching methods and techniques. Participants will prepare unit and lesson plans with related assessment procedures on a variety of topics and acquire teaching experience by presenting lessons and working collaboratively to explore general science with peers. This course is intended to bridge the gap between theories of education, general science content area knowledge, and the realities of working in the secondary school environment.

This course explores the methodology of teaching mathematics in secondary schools including the examination of the standards of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12, as well as current trends in teaching methods and techniques. Participants will prepare unit and lesson plans with related assessment procedures on a variety of topics and acquire teaching experience by presenting lessons and working collaboratively to explore mathematics with peers. This course is intended to bridge the gap between theories of education, math content area knowledge, and the realities of working in the secondary school environment.

This course explores the methodology of teaching social studies in secondary schools including the examination of the standards of the National Council of the Social Studies (NCSS) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12, as well as current trends in teaching methods and techniques. Participants will prepare unit and lesson plans with related assessment procedures on a variety of topics and acquire teaching experience by presenting lessons and working collaboratively to explore social studies with peers. This course is intended to bridge the gap between theories of education, social studies content area knowledge, and the realities of working in the secondary school environment.

This course explores the methodology of teaching Spanish in secondary schools including the examination of the standards of the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and state curriculum standards for grades 7-12, as well as current trends in teaching methods and techniques. Participants will prepare unit and lesson plans with related assessment procedures on a variety of topics and acquire teaching experience by presenting lessons and working collaboratively to explore Spanish with peers. This course is intended to bridge the gap between theories of education, Spanish content area knowledge, and the realities of working in the secondary school environment.

Assists K-12 teachers in recognizing and nurturing the ways in which their students learn. Teachers develop strategies to incorporate the recognition and application of differentiation into their classroom practice and how to collaborate with colleagues.

Teacher candidates will reflect on their identities, inquire into the experience of others, and examine individual, interpersonal, institutional, and systemic barriers that limit educational opportunities and outcomes for many students. The course draws on history, policy, theory, and praxis to enable candidates to draw from students' cultural, religious, family, intellectual, and personal assets in strategies that effectively support all students' personal and academic success in a diverse society.

This course explores the teaching pedagogies and standards targeted for the middle school learner. Candidates will prepare lesson plans with active learning techniques, appropriate assessment practices, and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) strategies to ensure the success of all students. Relevant technological tools will be included for the middle school learner. Interdisciplinary connections will also be explored to support the "team" model popular in many middle schools.

This course is designed to encourage and support educators to engage in reflective practice and continuous professional growth. Participants will explore various aspects of teaching, evaluate their own instructional methods, and consider strategies for improving their teaching effectiveness. Through self-study, participants will bring curiosity to their own teacher identity and practice and insight to others in the class.

This course focuses on a disciplinary approach to literacy instruction and the habits of mind through which experts in the discipline communicate in reading and writing. Incorporating evidence-based methods to differentiate instruction for today's diverse learners, course participants use multimodal and digital pedagogies to reflect on their practice as they develop standards-based lessons, into which academic and domain-specific language is embedded. Required for secondary education and literacy candidates.

Student teaching field experience in secondary education, in conjunction with a weekly student teaching seminar, is the culminating experience of the certification program. Field experience addresses Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) standards. The application for field placement is submitted to the Director of Clinical Experiences the semester prior to the semester in which the candidate is placed. Student teaching is conducted only in the fall and spring semesters. A student teaching fee is assessed.

This course explores teaching strategies for managing a secondary classroom and the standards found in Connecticut's Common Core of Teaching that pertain to classroom management. Candidates learn practical approaches for the establishment of procedures and routines. This course is designed for teachers and candidates in training who are interested in effective classroom management and the promotion of a safe, orderly, and inviting place in which to teach and learn. The course will initially focus on creating a positive learning environment where negative, distracting behaviors are less likely to occur. Candidates will gain the insight, knowledge, and skills that will enable them to cope with classroom disruptions and will incorporate a variety of techniques that are appropriate for the secondary level. Candidates will explore methods and systems of management that will allow them to move beyond traditional rewards, punishments, bribes, and threats.

This course considers the application of psychological principles to educational theory and practice. Candidates explore the many ways of thinking about knowledge, teaching, and learning. Major theories of learning and development are introduced, and consistent themes and concepts are identified.

Focuses on identification of students with exceptional needs as well as methods of meeting their educational needs in regular and special classroom settings. Exceptionalities studied include all areas identified by national and state mandates.