Pathway to Teaching - Courses

This course advances skills in reading, writing, and conducting research and is designed to help students become successful writers and teachers of writing in K-12 classrooms. Specifically, this course focuses on developing critical thinking and analytical writing skills through the study of persuasion and appropriate use of academic language and sources. In addition, students will study writing assessment strategies (e.g., the “six traits”—ideas, organization, sentence fluency, voice, word choice, and convention).

This course serves to prepare future educators for the challenges and opportunities facing teachers in today’s diverse classrooms. This course provides an introduction to special education and exceptionalities as defined in federal and state laws and regulations. Students will not only develop an understanding of the needs of students with disabilities, but will also determine how diverse groups of students (including English Language Learners) all influence the dynamic of the classroom environment. Students will examine the characteristics of specific disabilities along with the history of disability in America. Students will learn about the different models (medical and social) that special education is viewed through and then relate this information to the roles and responsibilities of educators teaching in diverse classrooms. Students will examine what it means to incorporate the ideas of multiculturalism, social justice, and culturally responsive teaching into the classroom. The focus will be on developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required for teaching all learners and how we as teachers can promote student differences while also meeting the needs of all students.

This course introduces students to the relationship between society and education in various contexts. Through readings and course discussion, students will explore the historical, philosophical, and socio/cultural events and ideas that help shape the ways in which we understand the purpose of education and the role of educators in diverse settings. Specific attention will be given not only to changes over time, but current challenges in education, including closing the achievement gap and meeting the needs of all learners, and what it means to enter the teaching profession today as well. Students will revisit the philosophy of education written at the start of the program and will revise to include learning from CMP 104PT and EDU 190PT.

EDU 333PT:

This course provides an introduction to the process by which teachers plan and deliver instruction in inclusive elementary classroom settings. Students will examine the critical elements of effective instructional planning, apply those elements as they design lesson plans and unit plans, deliver the lessons, and reflect on the effectiveness of the lessons.

Students will learn how to create lessons and units that are aligned with NYS Common Core Learning Standards, as well as allow for adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs in an inclusive classroom.

EDU 302PT:

This course provides an introduction to the process by which teachers plan and deliver instruction in inclusive secondary classroom settings. Students will examine the critical elements of effective instructional planning, apply those elements as they design lesson plans and unit plans, deliver the lessons, and reflect on the effectiveness of the lessons.

Students will learn how to create lessons and units that are aligned with NYS Common Core Learning Standards, as well as allow for adapting instruction to meet the diverse needs in an inclusive classroom.

This course is designed to engage students in a meaningful exploration of human development from prenatal experience through adolescence. Attention will be given to the nature of development across major domains (physical, cognitive, social-emotional, and moral), the impact of context (familial, school, community, and culture) on development, the construction of identity, and the concept of developmentally appropriate teaching practice. Special attention will also be given to contemporary issues and the urban context, such as parent-school-community partnerships; the development of gender, racial, and ethnic identity within increasingly diverse communities; and teaching the whole child/adolescent.

This course explores current and relevant trends in education that impact classroom instruction. As issues change due to changing student populations, research emerges, and specific needs are found across school districts, students will explore them in depth. Not only will students research how the trends emerged, but they will also thoroughly explore how they impact their teaching and students’ learning. The topics explored in this course will vary based on what local school districts are currently addressing in their ongoing professional development with teachers.

As a liberal arts mathematics course, the content is intended to convey a sense of the nature, development, and application of mathematics. Topics covered include probability, statistics, and mathematics of personal finance.

This course is designed to increase students' understanding of the multidimensional nature of literacy.  Ideas and concepts about teaching reading from a multi-modal perspective and integrating writing and reading will be the main focus of the course. Topics will include the definition of literacy, the different modes of language use, the developmental stages of learning to read and write, instructional strategies which support students’ literacy development, literacy assessment tools, and evaluating reading materials.  Students will be asked to analyze what they already know about teaching literacy skills and then explore alternatives which are grounded in the best practices in literacy instruction research. By the end of the course, students will be able to determine students’ needs and develop appropriate literacy lessons using a range of materials and technology.

This course is designed to teach students the importance of strategic teaching and learning.  Students gain an understanding of the historical and current concerns about literacy as a basis to knowing the importance of their roles as teachers of literacy.  Students demonstrate an understanding of best practices in education by designing lessons that incorporate modern teaching/learning theories into strategic teaching. The course is designed to meet the needs of elementary and secondary teachers.  Students will design projects that focus on individual content areas, learning needs and interests. This course is a continuation of the first literacy course, Foundations of Multiple Literacies. Topics will include a historical prospective of literacy, an in-depth study of current teaching and learning theories as they relate to teaching literacy skills, informal literacy assessment, data driven instruction, individualizing instruction, strategic learning, strategic teaching, classroom management and lesson design/ implementation. Students will be asked to analyze what they already know about teaching literacy skills and then explore grounded alternatives from best practices of instructional literacy research. (Prerequisite: Successful completion of EDU 303PT)

This course provides foundational knowledge of principles and best practices associated with assessing and instructing students with and without disabilities in the general education classroom. The course is designed to examine the various facets of assessment and provides ongoing opportunities for participants to examine, create, critique and revise current assessments used in their own classrooms. Participants will explore various models of effective assessment practices that promote meaningful participation in heterogeneous groups. Participants will examine the role of assessment in developing curriculum and implementing best practices for promoting challenging standards-based education for all students in the general classroom.

This course provides foundational knowledge of principles and best practices associated with assessing and instructing students with special education needs in the least restrictive environment as determined by individual student needs and abilities. The course has two primary components: diagnostic practices and effective prescriptive teaching methods. Assessment procedures include an overview of measurement principles, diagnostic assessment tools, and the practical application of a range of assessment practices for classroom teachers. Specific formal and informal assessment procedures and their use for instructional evaluation and planning are reviewed. Prescriptive teaching instruction seeks to enable teachers to identify the academic and skill area strengths and weaknesses of a range of student learners, including students with disabilities, and develop and implement appropriate and effective instructional interventions to meet their individualized needs.

This is the second of two courses designed to help students develop and apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to plan and deliver instruction in inclusive classroom settings. Students will revisit the critical elements of effective instructional planning, with more attention to how to differentiate instruction and use assessments to drive instructional planning. Students will further hone their lesson planning and unit planning skills by creating lessons and units that are aligned with NYS Common Core Learning Standards.

ELEMENTARY:

This course includes instruction in the NYS Standards, goals and content of the elementary school curriculum in Language Arts, Science, Math, and Social Studies.  This course also addresses various aspects of the teaching – learning process and the preparation and the use of instructional materials.

SECONDARY:

The secondary methods courses include instruction in the goals and content of the secondary school curriculum, various aspects of the teaching-learning process, and the preparation and use of instructional materials. Classes will meet 4 hours one night per week for 5 weeks. Additional work will be required outside of class to meet the requirements of a 3 hour course. The course is divided into 3 parts. The first part prepares the students to do very well on the secondary ATS-W (assessment of teaching skills-written) which is required for the NYS certification. Students will prepare lesson plans and unit plans in their content area. The lessons are viewed by the students (taped on a DVD). Students also create instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. The students will learn to implement an IEP. The second part is for the students to work with a content specialist to learn specific issues and strategies in their content area. The third part of the course is an observation/participation experience in a classroom room in their content area.

This course will introduce teacher candidates to the knowledge and teaching strategies necessary in order to create safe and nurturing learning environments in urban classrooms. Teacher candidates will be exposed to both theoretical and practical information, and provided with a variety of opportunities to apply their understanding with groups of students, including those with special needs, in order to learn how to sustain student interest, cooperation, and engagement in learning activities.

This course will provide teacher candidates with the background knowledge required to develop the skills and dispositions necessary to meet the educational, social and emotional needs of diverse students. This course will explore the influence and impact of five aspects of human diversity on teaching and learning in the urban setting, including: race and ethnicity, social class, gender and sexual orientation, language, and religion. Teacher candidates will be introduced to the history, theory and practice that informs effective teaching with students in a pluralistic society. The goal of this course is to help candidates understand various aspects of human diversity as interrelated and interactive - not as isolated variables - and to better understand the ways in which their identities affect their practice as teachers. This course serves as the required seminar to student teaching. Students will meet and connect to the class community through their student teaching experiences. Student will utilize reflective practice as a means to express their teaching narratives. The course content will bridge the essential components found in teaching in the diverse urban classroom. Students will be expected to respond to course work from the lens of the student teacher.

CHILDHOOD: 

The final term of the program is devoted to the actual teaching process. The student spends 10 weeks in schools observing, participating, and teaching under the direction of a master teacher. The student teacher is required to engage in self-appraisal while receiving frequent and regular appraisals from the master teacher and the College supervisor. Students spend 10 weeks in one placement. Prerequisites: successful completion of all EDU courses with minimum 2.70 GPA, and all required OPE hours. Application deadlines for student teaching: January 15 (for fall semester) and September 1 (for spring semester).

ADOLESCENCE:

The final term of the program is devoted to the actual teaching process. The student spends 10 weeks in schools observing, participating, and teaching under the direction of a master teacher. The student teacher is required to engage in self-appraisal while receiving frequent and regular appraisals from the master teacher and the College supervisor. Students spend 10 weeks in one placement. Prerequisites: successful completion of all EDU courses with minimum 2.70 GPA, and all required OPE hours. Application deadlines for student teaching: January 15 (for fall semester) and September 1 (for spring semester).

This seminar is taken concurrently with student teaching. Students will increase their understanding of teaching and learning and enhance their skills through shared reflection on their classroom experiences. Attention will be given to specific topics, such as classroom management, learning standards and assessments, school organizations, and hiring and interviewing processes, in response to students’ experiences and needs. Students will also complete professional portfolios suitable for presentation to potential employers. EDU 441PT taken by EED majors concurrently with EDU 401PT (Elementary Student Teaching). EDU 442PT taken by AED majors concurrently with EDU 402PT (Adolescence Education Student Teaching).

Adolescent Literature (or Young Adult Literature) refers to books written specifically for and about youth ages 12-18. The primary purpose of such books is “to give strategies for living” (Walter Dean Myers). In this course, we will read, study, and write about books that represent a variety of genres and focus on diverse cultures. Students will share responsibility for facilitating discussion of selected texts as well as scholarly articles. The course will also emphasize exposure to and understanding of a variety of critical/theoretical approaches to reading appropriate for secondary ELA classrooms.

To ensure each student seeking certification in Students with Disabilities 7-12 has 6 hours of Social Studies content and linked pedagogical skills, this course will address instructional strategies for teaching to the State Learning Standards for New York State Adolescent Social Studies and will assist the student in gaining an understanding of the History of America as taught to Adolescent students.  Topics to be covered will include: the economics, geography, government, major ideas, eras, themes, developments and turning points in the history of the United States from various perspectives.

To ensure each student seeking certification in Students with Disabilities 7-12 has 6 hours of English Language Arts content and linked pedagogical skills, this course will introduce students to the various kinds of writings that adolescents read on their own and in the classroom.  It includes instructional strategies for teaching to the goals and content of the New York State learning standards for English Language arts, including preparation and use of materials used to teach adolescents to read and listen to oral, written and electronic texts, how to relate these texts to their own lives and to develop an understanding of the social, historical and cultural dimensions the texts represent.

To ensure each student seeking certification in Students with Disabilities 7-12 has 6 hours of Mathematics content and linked pedagogical skills, this course will explores the process strands and content strands from the New York State Math Core Curriculum. Students will investigate number sense and operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and statistics and probability, mathematics skills, problem solving and use of appropriate tools and strategies. An inductive approach which includes hands on exploration and discovery will give teachers a fundamental understanding of the mathematics taught in grades 7-12. This course focuses on mathematics content while also addressing instructional strategies.

To ensure each student seeking certification in Students with Disabilities 7-12 has 6 hours of science content and linked pedagogical skills, this course will use an inquiry approach to investigate the methods and materials used in scientific research and experimentation.  Topics will be drawn from the New York State Science Core Curriculum.  Students will investigate scientific concepts, principles and theories in both life and physical science, including the historical development of ideas in science.