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of Education > About
About
the School of Education
124 Furcolo Hall
Contact: Michael G. Schwartz, Undergraduate Adviser and
Certification Officer
Office: 125 Furcolo Hall
Phone: 545-2701
E-mail: mgs@oitunix.oit.umass.edu
Web site: www.umass.edu/education/
Dean: Bailey W. Jackson. Associate Dean for Academic Affairs:
John C. Carey. Director of Teacher Education: Irving Seidman.
The School of Education
has a diverse and multifaceted mission, with many programs in undergraduate,
postbaccalaureate, and graduate education. It offers one undergraduate
major, the B.A. in Education, administered by programs in the Department
of Educational Policy, Research and Administration and the Department
of Teacher Education and Curriculum
Studies. The Department of Student Development and Pupil Personnel Services
does not offer an undergraduate major. All three departments
offer undergraduate courses which are of general interest, and
all participate in programs coordinated by the Teacher Education and Certification
Office.
The Field
Knowledge is the key to
success and to full participation in our democratic society. Educators
help people acquire and use knowledge. To that end, educators develop
curricula, plan instructional programs, deliver instruction, and evaluate
learning. Educators work in public and private schools; they also work
in social service agencies and business settings.
The School of Education contributes to the reform and
improvement of public education by offering teacher preparation programs
which produce exemplary teachers for the public schools and other educational
institutions. These programs are based on research findings and the best
current thinking about professional preparation, and strive for high quality
and innovation. They prepare educators who will become leaders in their
schools and their fields, both in the Commonwealth and in the nation.
The School is committed to social justice and diversity and to the development
of educational approaches which maximize access to education and promote
diversity in education.
The School of Education coordinates teacher education
programs across the campus. The School is accredited by the National Council
for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Undergraduate teacher
preparation programs are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Education
for teacher certification in Massachusetts.
Teacher Certification Programs
Individuals
seeking to teach in the public schools
must have teacher certification grant-ed
by the state in which that individual is employed. The Teacher Education
programs in the School are approved by the Board of Education of Massachusetts,
and also come under the Interstate Certification Compact.
State regulations for the Certification of Educational
Personnel require that all candidates for teacher certification complete
an academic major in the liberal arts and sciences or an approved interdisciplinary
major, as well as a professional course sequence in Education that will
lead to Advanced Provisional certification. Candidates must also pass
a two-part examination in Communication Skills and Literacy and in the
Subject Matter Content of the certificate sought. To earn Standard Teacher
Certification, graduates with Advanced Provisional certification must
also complete the equivalent of a master's degree program.
The School offers the following certification programs: Early Childhood Education, Elementary
Education, and Secondary Teacher Education.
Note to Prospective
Early Childhood and Elementary Education Students
The information below describes
the School of Education's current undergraduate programs in Early Childhood
and Elementary Education. The Massachusetts Board of Education is revising
the regulations and requirements governing teacher certification in Massachusetts.
It is therefore possible that changes at the state
level beyond the control of the University may supersede the information
contained in this catalog. Interested students should contact the School
of Education for the most current information.
Admission to Certification
Programs
All three certification
programs require a formal application for admission. Each program requires
a written personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of having
passed the Communication Skills and Literacy portion of the Massachusetts
Teacher Tests, and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75.
There are additional specific requirements for each program. Candidates
for admission to Early Childhood Education usually apply in the
second semester of the sophomore year; Elementary Education candidates
may also apply at that time if all prerequisites will be completed during
that semester. The Secondary Education program accepts applications only
in the spring semester, for admission for the following fall semester.
Teacher Education and
Certification Office
The central office for
information and advising for students interested in being certified to
teach in public schools is the Teacher Education and Certification Office,
located in Room 125 Furcolo Hall, tel. 545-2701. All students considering
certification should consult this office as early as possible in their
undergraduate careers, preferably as freshman or sophomores. The office
assists students in designing programs of study in Early Childhood and
Elementary Education, and refers these and other teacher education students
to appropriate faculty advisers.
Early Childhood Educator
Certification
Students preparing for
careers in Early Childhood Education complete an academic major in the
liberal arts and sciences and a second major in Education.
The Early Childhood Education and Development program
is a two-year upper-division course of study which prepares candidates
to be teachers in preschools, day care centers, and the primary grades
(through third grade). The certification program provides undergraduates
with an integration of a theoretical base in child development,
and a practical base of experience in education settings, both pre-school
and Pre-K-3. Pre-practica, practica, and methods courses are open only
to those who have been officially admitted to the program. Completion
of either HUMDEV 270 Child Behavior or PSYCH 350 Child Behavior and Development
is prerequisite to admission.
The Field of Knowledge requirements in the program
include a minimum of one course in each of the following areas: children's
literature, mathematics for elementary teachers, physical science, performing
or fine arts, sociology (focusing on the study of the family or racial
or ethnic groups) or cultural anthropology, and health issues. A list
of recommended courses is available from the Teacher Education and Certification
Office.
Elementary Teacher Certification
Students preparing for
careers in Elementary Education complete an academic major in the liberal
arts and sciences and a second major in Education.
The Elementary Education program is an intensive two-semester
upper-division program which prepares candidates to teach grades 1-6.
Before applying to the program, students must complete the following courses,
usually in the second semester of the sophomore year and/or the first
semester of the junior year: EDUC 351 Foundations of Education (with a
grade of B or better); PSYCH 350 Child Development and Behavior
or HUMDEV 270 Child Development (either course with a grade of
B or better); and EDUC 325, Introduction to Special Education. Application
periods are October and March, for admission in the following semester.
The program builds on candidates' strong backgrounds
in the liberal arts and sciences, and provides integration of educational
theory and practice by assisting students to develop both a broad perspective
on education and specific skills for
their professional roles. These objectives are met through a sequence
of courses which contain increasing amounts of field work in elementary
school settings. Each course within the sequence is intended to develop
specific professional competencies in preparation for the next level.
Students seeking Elementary Certification must complete
recommended courses covering the subject area content of Elementary Education.
This includes at least one course in each of the following areas, with
the focus required in each area noted: the arts (in relation to
human experience in historical perspective, and not a hands-on emphasis);
communication (methods and approaches); health (personal
hygiene, drugs, diseases, community health, abuse, personal safety); mathematics
(set theory, graphs, metrics, simultaneous equations, basic algebra);
physical education (physical health and well-being); reading
(literature and language development); science (scientific modes
of inquiry, the language of scientific discourse, and scientific problem
solving); and social studies (history, geography, government, politics,
and society, with courses reflecting the acquisition of a global, multicultural
perspective). A list of courses which meet these requirements is available
from the Teacher Education and Certification Office.
Secondary Teacher Certification
Students preparing for
careers as secondary school teachers of English, mathematics, science,
or social studies complete an academic major in the liberal arts and sciences,
and an organized program of study in Education. The Secondary Teacher
Education Program (STEP) offers certification for students who major in
their subject areas and wish to prepare for careers as middle school (5-9)
and high school (9-12) teachers in the following teaching fields: biology
(9-12 only), chemistry (9-12 only), earth science, English, general science
(5-9 only), history, mathematics, physics (9-12 only), social studies,
and modern foreign languages. Satisfactory completion of the program qualifies
students for Massachusetts Advanced Provisional certification in their
teaching field.
Completion of EDUC 524 The Work of Middle and High
School Teachers is prerequisite to applying to the program. Criteria for
admission includes the strength of the applicant's personal statement,
recommendations, relevant experience, and grade point average. Completion
of certification courses, the program, and the academic major usually
requires a minimum of nine semesters of academic work. Those who wish
to be candidates for either middle school or high school certification
should contact the STEP Office, 121 Furcolo Hall, tel. 545-4397, e-mail:
stepadv@ educ.umass.edu.
The program is
geared to prospective teachers who combine a strong academic background
in their field with a commitment to working with young people. STEP is
guided by the belief that teaching is a creative, intellectual and moral
endeavor. STEP emphasizes the importance for
prospective teachers of examining their own educational and life experiences
and developing the insight and skills necessary to teach all young people
effectively, creatively and equitably, regardless of their race, gender
or social class. The program focuses on teaching approaches that engage
students in active learning, critical thinking, and the construction of
their own meaning.
Students who complete the requirements for their academic
degree before completing the STEP certification requirements may receive
their baccalaureate, and continue in the STEP program.
Post-baccalaureate Teacher
Certification
Individuals who already
hold a bachelor's degree may apply for admission to one of the School's
teacher certification programs. Applications are reviewed by the faculty
in the certification area to which the candidate applies. This route for
certification is specifically designed for those students who do not wish
to undertake a graduate degree or second bachelor's degree program while
obtaining teacher certification. Information about postbaccalaureate certification
and application materials may be obtained by contacting the School, tel.
545-2701.
Vocational Teacher Approval
An individual who wishes
to teach vocational subjects in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts must
fulfill the Vocational Teacher Approval requirements established by the
Division of Occupational Education of the State Department of Education.
Preparation in Agricultural Education is offered to students in the College
of Food and Natural Resources who wish to teach agriculture in comprehensive
and vocational secondary schools, through the Secondary Teacher Education
Program.
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