The Secondary Education Professional Core (Learning and the Learner) introduces candidates to the diversity of learners they will educate as teachers in today's society (EDUC 3200 and EDUC 3260).  EDUC 3900 will provide instruction in preparing, teaching, and assessing instruction, while EDUC 3930 provides instruction in pedagogical skills in the critical area of secondary literacy education. The courses in the Core supplement teaching methods and courses that candidates take in their particular content areas.  Principles of learning; skills in design, implementation, and assessment of instruction; and interpersonal skills acquired in other classes are applied in classroom settings in the broader and deeper Core field experience. 

Courses

EDUC 3200 Foundations of Diversity

EDUC 3260 The Exceptional Student

EDUC 3900 Preparing, Teaching, and Assessing Instruction

EDUC 3930 Reading and Writing Across the Secondary Curriculum

Conceptual Framework

"Student Achievement: Teachers, Students and Communities Working together: is the major theme of the Teacher Education Department.   Within the Secondary Education Core, our main goal is to have our candidates experience the demonstrated pedagogy of appropriate and validated practice.  Evaluating and reflecting about the students in the classroom and the school site prior to the planning stage is a major emphasis of the Core - "Learning and the Learner".  Candidates learn to prepare lessons to meet the needs of diverse students at their field experience site, candidates plan, using a variety of planning models, teach the lessons, and evaluate the student learning.  Finally, as they teach and assess, candidates modify lessons to meet the changing needs of a dynamic situation.  This constant reflection is part of an experienced teacher behavior in which candidates engage.