EDUCATION
Department of Education
Marie P. Sheckels, Chair
Marie P. Sheckels, Career Advisor
Faculty
Professors
Venitta C. McCall
Marie P. Sheckels
Associate Professors
Wendy Atwell-Vasey
Jennifer J. Jakubecy
George R. Meadows
Dale L. Wright
Assistant Professors
Thomas D. Fallace
The Education Program
The Department of Education offers, as electives toward the degree, courses designed to prepare the liberal arts student to meet requirements for licensure as a teacher. The Teacher Education Program at the University is approved by the Virginia Department of Education, the State Council of Higher Education of Virginia, and the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification.
All students who gain admission to the program are eligible to join the Student Education Association. Students with high academic achievement are invited to become members of the Nu Xi Chapter of Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society in education. An Outstanding Education Student Award is given to students who excel in supervised teaching, academic achievement, and leadership. Students in the Teacher Education Program have the opportunity to apply for a variety of scholarships.
Those students who are pursuing licensure at the elementary (preK-6) level enter the Department of Education’s Master of Science in Elementary Education Program, which is a five-year undergraduate-graduate program. Students complete education coursework and field experiences at the undergraduate level; graduate with their class receiving their B.A., B.S. or B.L.S. degree with a liberal arts or sciences major; and return for one more year during which they complete graduate education coursework, an internship, and a research study (30 total graduate credits).
The department also offers an undergraduate program only for students pursuing licensure at the preK-12 levels in Art, Foreign Language (French, German, Latin, Spanish) and Music, and at the secondary levels (6-12) in each of the following areas: Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English, Earth Science, History and Social Science, Mathematics, and Physics. Add-on endorsements are offered in Journalism and Algebra I.
Students in the UMW Teacher Education Program must complete general education requirements, a liberal arts or sciences major, and professional studies (education coursework) requirements. The professional studies component provides students with background knowledge and experience in curriculum planning and implementation with a focus on teaching the national and state standards from a constructivist- developmental approach.
Throughout the program, students gain experiences and skill in monitoring their own professional growth through research, reflection, and problem solving. Most of the courses require students to complete field experiences in the public schools.
Admission and Requirements
Admission to the Teacher Education Program is by application directly to the Department of Education. Admission is competitive and is based on academic achievement in the liberal arts degree requirements and on other indications of potential in meeting the program goals. Students interested in seeking credentials to teach should contact the Department of Education and must attend an Education Department Group Information Session as early in their college career as possible. Group Information Sessions are offered throughout the academic year. At these Sessions, students are informed of the features and requirements of the program. Students are advised of the required Minimum Performance Standards and are asked to apprise the department of requests for accommodations. Prospective transfer students who are interested in the Teacher Education Program are also encouraged to attend one of these Group Information Sessions
Admission, continuation, and exit requirements are defined within a four-stage procedure: Provisional Admission, Formal Admission, Final Admission, and Successful Completion of the Program and Recommendation for Licensure. Detailed descriptions of the program requirements are explained on the Department of Education web page, www.umw.edu/cas/education/, and in the Teacher Education Handbook, which is distributed to students in Education 203 and 204 and can also be found on the web page.
For Provisional Admission and permission to take the first education course, Education 203 or 204, students must have attained a 2.5 G.P.A. or better on at least 12 UMW credits and have attended a Department of Education Group Information Session. Transfer students may be allowed to take Education 203 or 204 during their first semester at UMW. Applications are due the first Monday in October for admission to Education 203 or 204 during the subsequent spring semester, and the first Monday in February for admission to EDUC 203 or 204 during the subsequent fall semester. After the students pursuing elementary licensure successfully complete Education 203 and after the students pursuing secondary or preK- 12 licensure successfully complete Education 204, they are assigned to a professional studies cohort. Cohorts meet for advising each semester and students are required to attend.
To continue in the program, students are responsible for following the regulations and application deadlines. Applications for Formal Admission to the Teacher Education Program are due on the last day of classes during the first semester students are enrolled in any education class(es) beyond Education 203 or 204. Students who do not apply or who are not accepted into the program will not be permitted to enroll in any additional education courses. To be formally admitted students must: (a) maintain good academic standing with an overall G.P.A. of 2.5 or better; (b) achieve a G.P.A. of 3.0 or better on the required professional education courses, (c) demonstrate the potential to meet the program goals, (d) demonstrate the ability to meet the Minimum Performance Standards, as specified in the Teacher Education Program Handbook, (e) achieve satisfactory evaluations in all field experiences, (f) submit passing scores for Praxis I (or SAT waiver documentation), and (g) attend all mandatory cohort advising meetings. Students not accepted into the Program should note that there is a 12-credit limit on education coursework that may be applied toward the degree.
To remain in the Program, students must maintain satisfactory performance in both coursework and field experiences. Students who apply for the fifth or graduate year of the M.S. in Elementary Education should submit their application for Final Admission at the beginning of the spring semester of their final year of undergraduate study. Students in the Secondary or PreK-12 programs must apply for Final Admission the semester before they plan to student teach. To receive Final Admission to the Program students must do the following: (a) continue to meet the criteria listed for Formal Admission, and (b) successfully complete required coursework. In addition, students who apply for the M. S. in Elementary Education program must receive a bachelor’s degree from UMW and must achieve passing scores on Praxis II, the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment, and the Virginia Reading Assessment.
Successful completion of the program and recommendation for licensure to the Virginia Department of Education are contingent upon:(a) a 2.5 G.P.A. overall, and a 3.0 in the professional studies sequence (undergraduate and graduate); (b) completion of all degree requirements; (c) a grade of “B” or better in the Teaching Internship (elementary only) or a grade of “C” or better in Student Teaching (secondary and preK-12); (d) achieving passing scores on Praxis II, the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment, the Child Abuse Recognition and Intervention training, and the Virginia Reading Assessment (elementary only) as required and established by the Virginia State Board of Education.
Elementary (preK-6) Undergraduate Endorsement Requirements:
Education 203, Math 204, Education 303, 305, 311, 371, 373, 386, 387, 388, and 420.
Graduate Courses:
Education 510, 514, 521, 530, 539, 540 and one of the specialization areas 522, 523, 524, 525, 526, 527, 528, or 529.
Secondary (Grades 6-12) Endorsement Requirements:
Education 204, Appropriate discipline-specific course from Education 321, 322, 323, or 324, plus Education 351, 384, 385, 420, and 440.
Art (preK-12) Endorsement Requirements:
Education 204, 311, 320, 351, 384, 385, 420, and 440.
Foreign Language (preK-12) Endorsement Requirements:
Education 204, 319, 351, 384, 385, 420 and 440. In addition, select one of the following: Education 311 or 371.
Music (preK-12) Endorsement Requirements:
Education 204, 318, 384, 385, 420, 440, MUED 170, MUED 491A, and MUED 491B.
Education Course Offerings
203 – Introduction to Learning and Teaching: Elementary (3)
204 – Introduction to Learning and Teaching: Secondary and preK-12 (3)
Prerequisite: Admission is by application to the Department of Education. Students must have attained a 2.5 G.P.A. or better on at least 12 UMW credits and have attended a Department of Education Group Information Session. Transfer students may apply to enroll in this course during their first semester at UMW. Education 203/204 will provide beginning students with an introduction to learning and teaching in public schools. The primary goal for this course is “learning how to learn to teach” which will be accomplished through field experience, cooperative learning activities, class discussion, and lecture. Education 203/204 is a survey course - each of the major topics (classroom management, student motivation, curriculum, instruction, and professionalism) introduced in this course will be examined more thoroughly in both content and field experience in subsequent course work and practica. Field experience required.
303 – Scientific Inquiry (3)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Planning and instructional skills for teaching science in the elementary classroom. Provides students training and practice in using an assortment of developmentally appropriate teaching methods for elementary level science. Also provides students with an understanding of the current Virginia Standards of Learning for Elementary Science and how instruction may be designed to meet the requirements of those Standards. Field experience required.
305 – Mathematical Concepts and Methods II (2)
Prerequisites: Education 203 and Mathematics 204. Mathematical concepts and methods of teaching for the elementary school. Topics include geometry, measurement, probability and statistics. Field experience required.
311 – Literature and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom (3)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Educational approaches that encourage children’s expressive development through the integration of literature, the arts, and media throughout the elementary curriculum. Students will read a variety of genres of children’s literature and learn basic information about dance, drama, visual arts, and music, as well as strategies for teaching science, math, social studies, reading and language using children’s literature and these art forms. Field experience required.
318 – The Teaching of Music (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to the teaching of music and introduces developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience in grades preK-12 required.
319 – The Teaching of Foreign Language (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic- prescriptive approach to the teaching of foreign language and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience in grades preK-12 required.
320 – The Teaching of Art (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to the teaching of art and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience in grades preK-12 required.
321 – The Teaching of Mathematics and Computer Science (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to the teaching of mathematics and computer science and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience required.
322 – The Teaching of Social Sciences (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic- prescriptive approach to the teaching of social sciences and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience required.
323 – The Teaching of Sciences (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic- prescriptive approach to the teaching of sciences and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience required.
324 – The Teaching of English (including Drama, Speech and Journalism) (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the diagnostic- prescriptive approach to the teaching of English and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching. Field experience required.
351 – Constructivist Teaching in the Secondary School (4)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Relates the theories of development, constructivism and learning, and brain research to planning and instruction in the secondary classroom. Reading and writing in the content areas is stressed. Field experience required.
371 – Language Development and Literacy Instruction: Primary (3)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Study of language development and learner-sensitive approaches to early childhood literacy instruction for emerging readers. Focus is on teaching and assessment strategies for literacy instruction in the primary grades (K-3). Field experience required.
373 – Language Development and Literacy Instruction: Intermediate (3)
Prerequisites: Education 203 and Education 371. Study of learner-sensitive approaches to intermediate childhood literacy instruction with emphasis on reading in the content areas. Focus is on teaching and assessment strategies for literacy instruction in the intermediate (4- 6) grades. Field experience required.
381 - Student Academic and Behavioral Diversity in the Secondary Classroom (3)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Study of understanding and accommodating diverse student populations in secondary classrooms. Focus is on instructional differentiation, special education, classroom management, and discipline strategies. Field experience required.
383 - Classroom Management Strategies and Social Studies Methods (3)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Study of understanding and accommodating diverse student populations in elementary classrooms. Focus is on special education, classroom management, discipline strategies, and methods relating to the elementary classroom social studies curriculum. Field experience required.
384 – Introduction to Special Education: Secondary (3)
Prerequisite: Education 204. The characteristics of learners with disabilities in secondary classrooms and their educational implications are examined, as well as the cultural, familial, and ethical issues involved. The course also presents an overview of the regulatory and legal requirements related to special education, including the individual education program (IEP) as a legal document and the rights and responsibilities of parents, teachers, and schools.
385 – Managing the Secondary Classroom (2)
Prerequisite: Education 204. Teacher candidates will learn a variety of approaches to secondary classroom management. Emphasis is on establishing a classroom community, working with difficult adolescents, and communicating with parents.
386 – Elementary Social Studies Methods (3)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Teacher candidates will learn the major orientations to the social studies and their corresponding methods. Emphasis is on researching, writing, and implementing lessons that teach for understanding and inspire critical thinking.
387 – Introduction to Special Education: Elementary (2)
Prerequisite: Education 203. The characteristics of learners with disabilities in elementary classrooms and their educational implications are examined, as well as the cultural, familial, and ethical issues involved. The course also presents an overview of the regulatory and legal requirements related to special education.
388 – Managing the Elementary Classroom (2)
Prerequisite: Education 203. Teacher candidates will learn a variety of approaches to elementary classroom management. Emphasis is on establishing a classroom community, working with difficult children, and communicating with parents.
420 – The Professional Teacher and Critical Issues in Education (3)
Prerequisites: Education 203 or 204, and at least two additional education courses. Prospective teachers become independent, reflective decision makers by critically examining the philosophical, ethical, historical, legal, and social contexts of the American school.
439 – Classroom Teaching and Research (3)
Prerequisites: Education 420 and permission of department. Student teachers reflect on the lessons and programs they design by applying problem-solving and decision-making techniques to the task of elementary school teaching. Taken concurrently with Education 440.
440 – Supervised Teaching (9)
Prerequisites: Education 420 and permission of the Department. Orientation to teaching under the direction of cooperating teachers in the public schools.
441, 442, 443 – Supervision Seminar for Cooperating Teachers (2 each)
Prerequisite: Selection to serve as a cooperating teacher. A sequence of seminars in educational supervision available only to classroom teachers serving as cooperating teachers.
472 – Special Topics in Education (1-6)
Prerequisite: Permission of the Department. Specific subject content to be determined by interest of faculty and students. A maximum of six credits may count in a teacher licensure program.
499 – Internship (credits variable)
Supervised off-campus experience developed in consultation with the department. May not be used to satisfy required professional education coursework. A maximum of three credits may count in the teacher licensure program.
510 – The Inclusive Classroom (4)
Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. degree program. Study of instructional methods to differentiate the curriculum and academic environment for learners with and without special needs. Field experience required.
514 – Constructivist and Developmental Teaching in the Elementary School (4)
Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. degree program. Relates the theories of development and learning, brain research, and multiple intelligences to planning and instruction in the elementary classroom. Field experience required.
521 Educational Research Methods (2)
Prerequisite: Admission to the M.S. degree program. Study of research techniques, and methodology as preparation to conduct classroom- based teacher research. Field experience required.
522-29 – Teaching Specializations
Study of advanced content area teaching methods and current research in each specialization area. Taken concurrently with Education 521.
522 – Arts Specialization (4)
523 – Foreign Language Specialization (4)
524 – Instructional Technology Specialization (4)
525 – Literacy Specialization (4)
526 – Mathematics Specialization (4)
527 – Science Specialization (4)
528 – Social Studies Specialization (4)
529 – Special Education Specialization (4)
530 –Masters Research (3)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the first semester of coursework and practicum experience in the M.S. in Elementary Education program. Implementation of action research project in an elementary school classroom and final preparation of M.S. research project. Field experience required.
539 – Graduate Internship Seminar (1)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the first semester of coursework and practicum experience in the M.S. in Elementary Education program. Students meet to discuss internship work and experiences, hear from guest speakers including public school personnel and graduates from the M.S. in Elementary Education now working as teachers, review and update internship assignments and expectations, and develop portfolios based on the internship.
540 – Teaching Internship (12)
Prerequisite: Successful completion of the first semester of coursework and practicum experience in the M.S. in Elementary Education program. Orientation to teaching under the direction of cooperating teachers in the public schools.