Department of Teaching & Learning

General Statement

The Department of Teaching and Learning is designed primarily for providing professional education for teachers. It offers undergraduate professional courses for prospective elementary and secondary school teachers and a major in special education. The program of teacher education includes three broad areas of study: general core, academic major, and professional education. The general education programs, required of all departments offering a teacher education program, is described in the general "Academic" information section of this catalog. The Professional Education core is presented below.

Career Options

The immediate career goal of those studying in the Department of Teaching and Learning is to become a K-12 school teacher. Eventually, however, many students pursue advanced degrees and become principals, counselors, supervisors, superintendents and university professors of education.

Professional Education

The basic pattern of professional education needed for teaching has certain common elements which apply to problems that all teachers face irrespective of the age level of the pupils who are under their supervision. In addition, preparation for teaching on the different educational levels and in various curriculum areas require specialized training appropriate to the different areas. The basic pattern of professional education, therefore, includes (1) core professional courses required of all persons in teacher education and (2) specialized professional courses appropriate to the different areas (see major for individual licensure requirements).

Core Professional Requirements

In planning the core professional program, attention was given to those areas of study which are considered essential to the development, understandings and competencies needed by all teachers.

These areas include:

1. Historical, philosophical, and sociological foundations of American education.

2. Human growth and development, and the psychology of learning, including an understanding of how children grow physically, emotionally, and mentally, as well as the nurture necessary for wholesome growth. The relationship between growth and learning and new behavior patterns is also included.

3. Understanding school organization, administration, and management, and the relationship of the school to the total community.

4. Techniques of measurement, evaluation, and classroom guidance.

5. Skill in curriculum development.  
 

The following courses are required of all persons, except those who major in special education, who are enrolled in the professional teacher education program.

  Specialized Professional Education Requirements

The specialized professional education requirements vary according to the area of licensure in which one seeks certification.  
 

The specialized requirements adapted to grades K-8, grades 7-12, grades K-12 include:

1. Materials and methods of teaching appropriate to the level of certification, including reading methodology.

2. Knowledge and understanding of learning and behavioral characteristics of disabled children

3. Supervised student teacher appropriate to an area of endorsement.

4. Specialized requirements as outlined under the area to which they apply.

5. Teacher education admission and retention requirements as specified in the introductory material included under the general heading "The College of Education."