Courses

Provides students with an understanding of the social and psychological foundations of teaching and learning, focusing on child, early adolescent, and adolescent development, learning theories, and neuroscience. Students will examine the relationship between development, learning theory, and teaching strategies.

Introduces students to critical issues of teaching in urban schools, focusing on: the urban setting, children's lives in the inner city, urban schools, teachers' experiences in urban schools, the classroom, the curriculum, culturally responsive pedagogy, special education in the urban context, bilingual education, and immigrant children in American schools.

Introduces students to many of the critical issues that secondary school teachers must understand in order to teach effectively in high schools. Readings and discussions focus on the experiences of students in urban high schools. Covers three broad areas: the history and structure of high schools; adolescents in schools; and curriculum matters. Throughout, the course examines methods--matters of classroom environment, student learning, culturally aware pedagogies, and classroom communication strategies--that arise from the students' understandings of the issues they will confront in secondary schools.

Discusses the latest research from applied linguistics on second language learning and teaching, as well as strategies for effectively teaching foreign languages in the classroom. Also covers the standards for language learning described in the New Jersey World Languages Curriculum Framework. Students receive hands-on practice in developing lesson plans and in choosing appropriate teaching and assessment methods for your foreign language classroom. Conducted in English and is open to students of all foreign languages. Required for students seeking licensure in French, Spanish, or Portuguese.

Examines the most effective ways to teach literacy skills and social studies to elementary students. Creation of meaningful units, lessons, and experiences that integrate social studies content, literature, and language arts skills using the listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking skills are the focus.

Introduces students to inquiry methods of teaching and learning science. The topics addressed in the course include: the underlying principles of a sound science program, multimedia materials, equipment, methods for teaching hands-on science in elementary schools, development of children's scientific concepts, health science and physical education, teaching methods, cooperative learning, and classroom management. Fieldwork is required.

Introduces students to knowledge and skills necessary for effective teaching in secondary school classrooms. Students in this course study, observe, and practice: culturally aware pedagogy; instructional planning; organizing and managing the classroom environment; organizing and managing the conduct of students in the classroom; teachers; questioning skills; promoting and teaching from students' questions; diversity in approaches to teaching and learning; grouping students for quality learning; organizing and presenting information to a whole class; understanding and designing classroom-based assessment.

Includes 25 hours of field work and provides students with discipline-specific reading and practice. Subject-area specialists assign reading and research, as necessary, and supervise students in observation and practice situations in local schools.

This course has two foci: (1) to introduce students to varied methods of teaching reading and writing to elementary school children and (2) to provide students with a supervised junior field experience prior to student teaching.  Students will learn:  to assess students' literacy levels and prepare lessons to enhance reading and writing skills; theories of how children learn to read and how to apply this knowledge to specific reading lessons and to help develop vocabulary and comprehension in the content areas; to evaluate books for specific grade levels, interest, biases, points of view expressed or implied, as well as how to choose the best available books for your students. Students will spend 60 hours in a classroom setting to observe and to teach lessons. This course is taken after completing the methods sequence and before student teaching.

This course has two foci: (1) methods of enhancing reading and writing skills of adolescents and (2) supervised junior field experience prior to student teaching. Students will learn: assessment techniques to ascertain students' literacy levels; lesson preparation to enhance reading and writing skills; lessons to aid the development of vocabulary and comprehension in the content areas; the evaluation of books for specific grade levels, interest, biases, points of view expressed or implied, as well as how to choose the best available books for students. Students will spend 60 hours in a classroom setting to observe and to teach literacy lessons. This course is taken after completing the methods sequence and before student teaching.

Student teaching is the final course, the completion of the teacher preparation program, and it provides an opportunity for students to implement what they have learned. Student teachers at the K-5 level are placed in a classroom at the grade level they request. At the middle and high school levels, placements are in the subject area of the student teacher's teaching field. Each student is placed with a cooperating teacher who serves as his/her mentor.