To fully assess the prospective teacher’s knowledge and skills, a comprehensive exam is administered at the conclusion of each group of courses. Candidates must score at least 80% correct on this assessment to reach a proficient level of knowledge.
Additionally, a series of skill-based projects are required to assess the candidate’s skills in applying the knowledge learned in the coursework. These projects encompass the learning objectives of the specific group of courses and are authentic assessments of the skills teachers must exhibit to be proficient in their field. A brief description of each project follows.
This is the culminating project in which the candidate demonstrates an understanding of the dispositions of professional educators, the responsibilities to developing strong school-family relationships, and the teacher as a role model.
The candidate will observe classrooms in the chosen subject area/grade level and apply theories of child development to the observation of teaching strategies, activities, and materials in a research paper.
Candidates create multiple lesson plans using a variety of standards from the chosen content area.
The Learning Environment project requires the teacher to create a professional development presentation analyzing issues and challenges facing students and teachers today.
