Courses

An overview of current laws concerning special education in particular, and education in general. Professional ethics and advocacy will also be addressed as it relates to learning programs and working with children who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families.

Students will deconstruct their own biases and reflect on biases present in the communities of practice and the system in which our children live. Students will apply the principles of anti-bias education to their instruction, and receive peer and instructor coaching to improve their responsiveness to cultural, linguistic and ability diversity. Students will discuss how embedded bias can impact identity development. 

Select, administer, score, and interpret a variety of formal and informal assessment tools. Use assessment data to evaluate students for eligibility and placement into general and special education programs. Develop IEPs and IFSPs for children who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families.

Refine skills and strategies for observing, documenting, and monitoring children who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families. Identify and evaluate strategies for tracking student progress toward meeting IFSP outcomes, IEP goals, or 504 goals.

Use evidence-based strategies to adapt and modify curriculum and environments for individual children who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families. Integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles and practices to create lessons for children and their families based on IFSP outcomes, IEP goals, or 504 plans.

Develop skills needed to effectively collaborate with all stakeholders to support children who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse including teachers, paraeducators, assistants, other school personnel, community agency personnel, and families. Develop strategies for supervising other educators in your classroom including classroom volunteers, paraeducators, assistants, and peer tutors.

Refine teaching strategies for language acquisition and literacy skill development for culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse children at each developmental stage through the interrelated areas of speaking, listening, writing, and reading. Develop strategies for teaching reading, supporting literacy development, and engaging families in language and literacy learning.

Make fundamental connections among various Social Studies topics including civics, geography, economics, history, and global issues at the local, state, national, and global levels. Develop lessons using a wholistic approach to teaching Social Studies integrating the Since Time Immemorial curriculum, multicultural literature, and community resources.

Broaden scope of methods for teaching classroom and laboratory science in elementary educational settings in earth sciences, life sciences, physical science, and engineering. Develop scientific activities and thinking, including investigation, collection and analysis of evidence, logical reasoning, and use of academic language aligned with national and state standards.

Develop a deep understanding of the purpose of mathematical discourse, how students learn math, and the development of mathematical learning across all strands: number & operations, algebra, geometry, measurement, and data analysis & probability. Create and deliver mathematics lessons and assessments for diverse classrooms aligned with state and national standards.

Gain practical teaching experience by working in a general education and/or special education setting (including inclusive classrooms) with students who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families under the supervision of a certified teacher. Participate in seminars and professional learning communities designed to inform and enhance practice.

Gain practical teaching experience by working in a general education and/or special education setting (including inclusive classrooms) with students who are culturally, linguistically, and ability diverse and their families under the supervision of a certified teacher. Participate in seminars and professional learning communities designed to inform and enhance practice.