Education+Block

· Diversity - More specifically, diversity needs to be addressed in methods for instructing culturally and linguistically diverse students, inclusion in the classroom content and activities; this may need to be addressed in a specific course where students address some of their own biases and issues in order to facilitate understanding the importance of instructing ALL students. · Effective technology integration in math/science/STEM areas · Assessment – and lots of hands-on practice to go along with it! And, there is a need to address alternative methods of assessment so that the achievement of all students is identified. · Literacy across the content areas · Special Education, especially specific strategies useful at the secondary level in STEM - This should be a semester course to address strategies for teaching students with disabilities and other diverse learners. · Content methods course (development of PCK, etc.) – more than regular 3 hour course · Classroom Management – perhaps this is not necessary because effective instruction leads to effective classroom management? Specific classroom management strategies should absolutely be addressed AS PART OF effective instruction. · Differentiated Instruction - This could be part of a specific strategies course as well as infused in a content methods course. The need to differentiate, regardless of the presence of students with disabilities in a general education class, needs to be addressed. · Human Development and Learning – include motivational strategies for students · Lots of hands-on experiences in the classroom, especially prior to student teaching – not just a methods course
 * Major topics identified that are important to developing successful and effective teachers**


 * //Recommended streamlined education block (let’s get courses down and topics and we’ll work on the hours later)//**

1. **Content Methods (6 hours)** – over 2 semesters with real-life experiences in the classroom (more than just an “observation” experience) a. Topics include: content specific assessment, differentiated instruction, diversity, Pedagogical Content Knowledge, Curriculum Knowledge (KY-POS, CCA, NCTM/NSTA, 21st century skills, etc.), Unit and Lesson Planning, developing Philosophy of (Math/Science) Education, development of teacher portfolio

a. Topics include: Use of TI-Navigator/TI-84 Calculator, TI-Nspire/Nspire Navigator, CBL/CBR/etc., differentiated instruction through use of technology, diversity, creating basic web pages and web sites using software and/or freeware, SMARTBoard/Interactive Boards/Airliners, internet, online manipulatives, Geometer’s Sketchpad and Fathom (math), Wikis, Blogs, Science software, advanced Microsoft Office (especially Excel ), CPS clickers and other formative assessment technology tools used in the schools
 * 2. ****Technology in math/science/STEM**

a. Topics include: Differentiated Instruction, Diversity, teaching in the secondary inclusive classroom, 504s, IEPS, IDEA, TIP, ARC, specific strategies to use in STEM classrooms. The importance of being a part of the multidisciplinary team that develops an IEP needs to be stressed.
 * 3. ****Special Education**

a.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Topics include; Differentiated instruction, diversity, Frayer model, vocabulary strategies, reading content strategies (especially math and science), concept mapping, creating writing prompts for lesson plans, word walls
 * 4.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> ****Literacy Across the Content Areas**

a.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Topics include: Differentiated Instruction, diversity, classroom management models and theories, creating own discipline model. It is important to stress the importance of classroom management and fitting it into a school-wide system for all students.
 * 5.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> ****Classroom Management**

6.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> **Assessment** – General ; not content specific a.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Topics include: Differentiated instruction, diversity, introduction to assessment and types (informal/formal, summative/formative, etc.), KERA, CATS, developing effective tests, analyzing assessments and applying results to classroom and teaching, reading and interpreting standardized assessment data properly. How this ties to IEPs and the importance of providing alternative methods for assessing achievement of students.

7.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> **Human Development and Learning** (specific to secondary education) a.<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal"> Topics Include: Differentiated instruction, diversity, learning theories, specific strategies for motivating secondary students (especially STEM)

8. **Educational Foundations** (To be taken in Freshmen year or first semester of Sophomore year) a. Topics Include: General education background, Dewey, basic learning theories, 15 hours of field observation.