Middle Grades Education

Program Description

The PSOE Middle Grades Education (MGE) program leads to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and prepares teachers for certification in grades four through eight. Graduates of the Middle Grades degree program will complete a broad range of courses in the liberal arts through the general education curriculum, develop depth of knowledge in two subject concentration areas, acquire an understanding of the growth and development of young adolescents and their diverse academic needs and develop expertise in the craft of differentiated instruction and assessment through extensive study and over 800 hours of field experience in professional education courses.

In order to deepen candidate understanding and application of developmentally responsive practices to foster adolescent development and learning, the MGE preparation program will begin early to provide focused and well-structured field experience activities. Stage I courses will provide opportunities for candidates to observe, assist and interview middle grades classroom teachers who are planning and implementing differentiated instruction and assessment. During the Stage II DATA Block semester, each MGE candidate will be assigned to a middle level team of teachers while participating in an 8-week practicum. For Stage III Candidate Teaching, candidates will spend 16 weeks in a local middle grades classroom. These experiences will foster the development of candidates who can work effectively over time with young adolescents of diverse ages, students with diverse abilities and with students reflecting culturally and linguistically diverse family systems.