Course Descriptions: Master of Arts Paraprofessional(MATPP) in Early Childhood Education

 

EDU 510 Transformative Change and Responsive Teaching  -  3 credits

The course will provide MAT candidates with a basic knowledge and understanding of the three basic tenets of differentiated instruction and the DATA Model that describes differentiated approaches for teaching and assessment. Candidates will explore each facet of the DATA model, and through creative projects and field experience, they will work to make substantive connections between the theory of Differentiated Instruction and real classroom practices and strategies. Course topics include educational philosophy, the history of education, Multiple Intelligences, Learning Styles, assessment, and reflective practice. Prerequisite: Full Admission to the MAT Program

 

EDU 515 The Culturally Responsive Classroom: Theory and Practice  -  3 credits

 

EDU 520 Responsive Teaching in an Inclusion Classroom  - 3 credits

This is an introductory course in exceptional student education with an emphasis on responsive teaching of diverse students in the inclusion classroom. Components of this course include a review of both high incidence and low incidence special needs populations including possible impact, causes, and characteristics of special needs across different cultures and the life span. Topics include the legal requirements, ethical issues, collaborative teaching, techniques and strategies for accommodations and modifications, and equal experience for all in the inclusion classroom. Prerequisite: Stage I Admission (Candidacy)
 
EDU 525 Technology Strategies to Enhance Responsive Teaching -  3 credits

This course provides the tools to create a responsive classroom through technology, providing a multitude of examples that can be used in the PK-12 classroom to differentiate essential content, instructional practices, and student products. MAT candidates learn to address student differences through technology-rich, inquiry-based learning experiences. They also develop effective, efficient, and appealing technology- rich learning environments that meet individual differences. Laboratory sessions will be devoted to equipment operation, software production for multimedia presentations, creation of a personal website and an electronic portfolio. Prerequisite: Stage I Admission (Candidacy)

EDU 530 Strategy Instruction within a Balanced Literacy Curriculum I  - 3 credits

The goal of this course is to help MAT candidates become familiar with the developmental stages through which all children progress as they learn to read and write, to learn to implement flexible and responsive strategies for helping all students make progress in literacy, and to learn how to effectively evaluate existing reading programs and recognize reading programs that are research-based, balanced (comprehensive) and based on best practice. The course activities focus especially on those students who are reading below grade level. MAT candidates will be introduced to powerful reading strategies that can be used with a large group, with a small group, or with individual students. Course topics include comprehension, word identification, and response to literature, grammar, and vocabulary. Additionally, candidates will be introduced to formal and informal assessment options. Prerequisite: Full Admission to the MAT Program

EDU 535 Strategy Instruction within a Balanced Literacy Curriculum II - 3 credits

The goal of this course is to help MAT candidates learn to match assessment to instruction and to use assessment data to organize flexible reading groups for PK-8 students. Candidates will develop a deeper understanding of how to use formal and informal assessments that measure a variety of literacy skills from emerging concepts of print and alphabet knowledge to word recognition, decoding, oral reading fluency, and comprehension. become familiar with the developmental stages through which all children progress as they learn to read and write, to learn to implement flexible and responsive strategies for helping all students make progress in literacy, and to learn how to effectively evaluate existing reading programs and recognize reading programs that are research-based, balanced (comprehensive) and based on best practice. The course activities focus especially on those students who are reading below grade level. MAT candidates will be introduced to powerful reading strategies that can be used with a large group, with a small group, or with individual students. Course topics include concepts of print, phonological & phonemic awareness, word identification, and response to literature, comprehension and vocabulary. Additionally, candidates will be introduced to formal and informal assessment options. Prerequisite: Full Admission to the MAT Program

EDU 540 Managing a Responsive Classroom  -  3 credits

This course will provide MAT candidates with the key principles that highlight effective management of a responsive early childhood classroom. Candidates will investigate how to combine differentiated instruction and meaningful, challenging academic tasks with a caring environment where the spirit of each learner is nurtured, where a sense of community is promoted, and where students accept the challenge of academic rigor, work together, take responsibility for their learning, and feel comfortable in taking the risks that allow them to learn. Prerequisite: Stage I Admission (Candidacy)

EDU 550 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Responsive Teaching  - 3 credits

This course will examine differentiated curriculum, instructional strategies and the planning of instruction to support the diverse learning needs of students and to maximize learning. Emphasis will be on the development of a nurturing environment of care and challenge that supports differentiated instruction. The course will also examine the use of systematic formal and informal assessment as an ongoing diagnostic activity to guide, differentiate, and adjust instruction in the early childhood classroom. Emphasis will be placed on adapting essential content, teaching practices, and student products based on assessment data to support students’ diverse learning needs and to maximize learning. Prerequisite: Stage I Admission (Candidacy)

 

EDU 560 Language Arts Integration in the Culturally Responsive Classroom  -  3 credits

 

EDU 565  Science and Inquiry-Based Learning  - 3 credits

This course presents MAT candidates with methods, materials, and organizational techniques for providing inquiry-based science in the responsive early childhood classroom. Throughout the course, MAT candidates will discuss current curriculum issues in science education and develop an understanding of science as aligned to the national (NSTA) and state curriculum standards for science instruction. This course will focus heavily on teacher candidate proficiency development and should be taken during the semester before the Clinical Residency experience. Prerequisite: Stage II Admission (Clinical Practice)

 

EDU 570 Social Studies and the Arts  -  3 credits

This course presents MAT candidates with curriculum content, materials, instructional strategies, and organizational techniques for integrating social studies and fine   arts content in the differentiated early childhood classroom. Candidates will investigate how to incorporate movement, music, drama, and the visual arts with the essential content, processes, and attitudes of social studies. In addressing the needs of a diverse student population through differentiated instruction, candidates will learn how to target the multiple intelligences through social studies and fine arts integration. A major emphasis will be on the incorporation of differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design in the creation of an integrated Social Studies and Fine Arts unit. During Clinical Practice, MAT candidates will have opportunities to plan, implement, and evaluate an integrated social studies and fine  arts  lesson  plan  that  addresses differentiation of essential social studies content, instructional practices, and student products. This course will focus heavily on teacher candidate proficiency development and should be taken during the semester before the Clinical Residency experience. Prerequisite: Stage II Admission (Clinical Practice)

EDU 575  Problem-Based Mathematics  -  3 credits

This course presents MAT candidates with methods, materials, and organizational techniques for providing problem-based mathematics in responsive, early childhood classrooms. MAT candidates will explore ways to best provide the essential content, processes, and attitudes of mathematics; specifically, how problem-based mathematics instruction is foundational to mathematics learning. Throughout the course, MAT candidates will discuss current curriculum issues in mathematics education and develop an understanding of mathematics as aligned to the present national (NCTM) and state curriculum standards and guidelines for mathematics instruction.  This course will focus heavily on teacher candidate proficiency development and should be taken during the semester before the Clinical Residency experience. Prerequisite: Stage II Admission (Clinical Practice)

EDU 595 MAT Clinical Residency with Seminars -  12 credits

Clinical Residency is an intensive, full-semester teaching experience in an assigned classroom under the direct supervision of a certified teacher and a University supervisor. The candidate is expected to demonstrate the proficiencies of the PSOE conceptual framework with increasing expertise throughout the experience. The candidate teacher is also expected to attend and actively participate in on-campus seminars as scheduled. Prerequisite: Stage III Admission (Clinical Residency)