Facilities
Modified 7/12/2000 aileen

Education

 

Professor:  James; Assistant Professors:  Roberts, Wright; Certification Officer and Visiting Instructor:  Cocores; Associate Professor Grande, chair

 

The Education Department views American education as a reflection of a set of political, economic and cultural relationships that reflect the dominant social arrangements of U.S. society.  Teaching is therefore viewed as a political act.  The goal of the Teacher Education Program is to produce critical educators who understand that one of the consequences of living in a pluralistic society is the existence of a variety of conflicting views of what it means to be educated.  As such, it works to instill in students a sense of responsibility to participate in the political process by which educational policies are initiated, employed and resisted.

                The Department employs a social justice curriculum where students are expected to:  (1) achieve excellence in their field, (2) understand classrooms as a reflection of larger social-political and economic forces, (3) develop critical and anti-bias pedagogies and, (4) to view the classroom as a dynamic and dialectical space.

                There will be changes in the certification regulations for students who plan to apply for certification after July 1st 2014.  (These changes will not affect the students who graduate in June of 2014 as long as they complete all of their requirements and apply for certification before July 1st 2014).  Students should check with the Education Department Certification Officer for details.

 

Elementary Program

 

State Certificate

 

Connecticut College is accredited to prepare elementary school teachers, grades K-6.  Candidates for an elementary certificate may major in any of the academic departments of the College.  Connecticut College is also accredited to prepare music teachers, K-12; for the requirements for the major in music with a concentration in Music Education see page 229.

                The prospective elementary teacher must have a minimum of 39 semester hours in general education, including a survey course in U.S. History and study in the following areas:  natural sciences*; social studies; English; mathematics**; and foreign language or fine arts.  The education department may specify areas of general study depending on a candidate's background.

                All students must also meet the following professional requirements:  Education 103, 223, 304, 313, 341, 445 and 450; Human Development 111, 225.  It is advisable to take Education 223 and Human Development 111 in the freshman year, Human Development 225 and Education 341 in the sophomore year, and Education 304 and 313 in the junior year.

                During either the first or second semester of the senior year, the student will devote the full semester to teacher preparation, taking Education 445 concurrently with Education 450.

 

*Requires course in science department.

**Requires course in mathematics department.

 

Secondary Programs

 

State Certificate

 

Connecticut College is accredited to prepare secondary school teachers in the following fields:  English, history-social studies, Spanish, mathematics, biology, chemistry, general science, earth science and physics.  Connecticut College is also accredited to prepare music teachers, K-12; for the requirements for the major in music with a concentration in Music Education see page 229.

                The prospective secondary teacher must have a minimum of 39 semester hours in general education including a survey course in U.S. history and study in five of the following areas:  natural sciences*; social studies; fine arts; English; mathematics**; and foreign language.  The education department may specify areas of general study depending on a candidate's background.  In addition, candidates for secondary certification generally must major in the area in which they seek certification.

                The student must also meet the following professional requirements:  Education 103, 223, 225, 305, 450, and 457; Human Development 225 and 307.  It is advisable to take Education 223 in the freshman year.  In the senior year the student will devote one semester primarily to teacher preparation, taking Education 450 concurrently with Education 457.

 

*Requires course in science department.

**Requires course in mathematics department.

 

Courses

 

While the Education Department is committed to working with all area schools in our coursework, we continue to develop special partnerships with New London and Groton schools.

 

EDUCATION  103  DRUG AND AIDS EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS  This course prepares elementary, middle school and secondary educators to teach drug and AIDS education.  Students will engage in a critical examination of the methods and materials with an emphasis on:  risk factors, approaches to drug and AIDS prevention, teaching strategies, and the evaluation of educational materials.  One hour credit, marked as pass/not passed.  For restrictions on the number of one-credit courses that can be applied toward the minimum degree requirements, see page 332 of the undergraduate catalog.  C. Cocores

 

EDUCATION  202  SCHOOL AND SOCIETY  A study of American public education and of the political, economic and social relations of the school to contemporary America.  Emphasis on the effects of race, class and gender in the historical development of schooling.  Not part of teacher certification program.

                Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  Enrollment limited to 20 students.  This course satisfies General Education Area 3.  M. James, S. Grande

 

EDUCATION  223  FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION  This course introduces students to the notion of schools as sites of political struggle.  Students examine this problematic through the historical, sociological, political, and economic lenses as well as contemporary theories of education:  liberal/progressive, traditional/conservative, and revolutionary/critical theories.  Students apply these theories to their examinations of contemporary public schools and classrooms.  Students are required to complete a minimum 20-hour in-school practicum as part of this course.

                Open to second semester freshmen and sophomores.  Class is also open to juniors and first semester seniors enrolled in a certificate program.  Enrollment limited to 25 students per section.  Offered both semesters.  This course satisfies General Education Area 3.  M. James, S. Grande

 

Education  225  Curriculum and Classroom Assessment  This course connects learning and teaching with methods of K-12 classroom assessment.  Students will learn how to plan and develop assessment tools that support their pedagogical decisions.  Through the lens of critical pedagogy, students will evaluate and interpret data produced by different forms of assessment.

Prerequisite:  Course 223.  Enrollment limited to 40 students.  Staff

 

Education  228  Embodying principles and pedagogies of social justice  The course maps and interrogates educational and pedagogical theory through movement workshops of African-derived black dance, readings in multidisciplinary texts, and analyses of performance and film.  The course studies ways in which dance embodies principles of social justice, enacts social protest, and serves as a critical juncture for action.  This is the same course as Comparative Race and Ethnicity/Dance 228.

                Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors; and to freshmen with permission of the instructor.  Enrollment limited to 30 students.  R. Roberts

 

EDUCATION  274  MUSEUM EDUCATION  This is the same course as Art History 274.  Refer to the Art History listing for a course description.

 

EDUCATION  304  MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL  This course uses critical and constructivist/inquiry based approaches to understanding concepts in science and integration of mathematics and science in the elementary classrooms.  It includes observation and teaching in elementary schools.  Connections will be developed between the Education Department’s social justice curriculum and the art of teaching mathematics and science in elementary schools.

                Prerequisite:  Course 223 and Human Development 111.  Offered first semester.  Staff

 

EDUCATION  305  CURRICULAR THEORIES AND DESIGN IN THE CONTENT AREA  Students will engage the major strands of contemporary curricular theories and design.  The course includes field placements in local public schools, where students will observe the application of curricular theory, design, and instructional strategies in their content areas.  Emphasis on the connections between curricular theory and pedagogy, which together constitute praxis.

                Prerequisite:  Course 223.  Enrollment limited to 25 students.  S. Grande

 

EDUCATION  313  CHILDREN, Books, and Culture  An examination of the theoretical and practical aspects of the study of stories for children, coming both from oral and written traditions.  Special attention to issues of multiculturalism, censorship, and social justice.  Students will develop both knowledge of stories and books, and an understanding of how they fit into elementary school classrooms.

                Prerequisite:  Course 341, and either Human Development 111 or 307.  Preference to students in the elementary school teacher certification program; others with permission of the instructor.  Enrollment limited to 30 students.  Offered second semester.  R. Roberts

 

EDUCATION  316  QUEER PEDAGOGY  An examination of the intersection between education, culture, and sexuality.  The course employs queer theory/queer pedagogy to analyze classrooms and curricula as racialized, genderized, and sexualized spaces where multiple voices are silenced.  The course is not a blueprint for “best practices”; rather it is designed to contribute to the larger debate about the benefit of integrating the relevant theory and pedagogy into the academic curriculum.  This is the same course as Gender and Women's Studies 316.

                Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors; and to freshmen with permission of the instructor.  Enrollment limited to 30 students.  This course is not required for the teacher certification program.  Staff

 

EDUCATION  341 Literacy in the Elementary Schools  An exploration of the theoretical and practical approaches to teaching reading and writing within a comprehensive elementary literacy program.  Students will examine ways to build social justice classroom communities, which engage children as active readers and writers, and are congruent with national and state guidelines and standards.  A three-hour a week field experience in an elementary school is required.  Six hours credit.

                Prerequisite:  Course 223.  Offered second semester.  R. Roberts

 

EDUCATION  350  EDUCATION AND THE REVOLUTIONARY PROJECT IN LATIN AMERICA  Four case studies consider the formal and informal role of education in twentieth-century revolutionary ideology in Mexico, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.  Through text, film, and interviews, students will compare the four national revolutionary ideologies to U.S. education.  This course is taught in the SATA Oaxaca program only.

                Enrollment limited to 30 students.  This is a designated Writing course.  M. James

 

EDUCATION  353  MEXICAN HISTORY  This is the same course as History 353.  Refer to the History listing for a course description.

 

EDUCATION  353f  MEXICAN HISTORY  This is the same as course as History 353f.  Refer to the History listing for a course description.

 

EDUCATION  445  STUDENT TEACHING IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL  The department will arrange teaching in an area school.  Whenever possible, there will be two placements, one urban and the other, suburban.  This course allows students to put into practice the department's conceptual framework of social justice.  Students will observe and student-teach in the classroom for eleven weeks and take part in a biweekly seminar class.  This course is designed to be taken in conjunction with Education 449.

                Prerequisite:  Courses 225, 304, and 313; and Human Development 111 and 225; and permission of the department.  Offered both semesters.  Eight hours credit.  M. James, R. Roberts

 

EDUCATION  450  STUDENT TEACHING SEMINAR IN CRITICAL PEDAGOGY:  ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL  Students will observe in a public school classroom before and after the student teaching experience, taking part in intensive and rigorous class work designed to prepare participants for the student teaching experience.  They will learn to incorporate social justice themes and pedagogies into classroom management, unit design, lesson planning, and student assessment.  This course is designed to be taken in conjunction with either Education 445 or 457.

Prerequisite for elementary certification:  Courses 304, 313, and 341; and Human Development 111 and 225; and permission of the department.  Prerequisite for secondary certification:  Courses 225 and 305; and Human Development 225 and 307; and permission of the department.  Offered both semesters.  Enrollment limited to 16 students.  S. Grande, M. James, R. Roberts, D. Wright

 

EDUCATION  457  STUDENT TEACHING IN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL  The department will arrange teaching in an area school.  This course allows students to put into practice the department's conceptual framework of teaching for social justice.  Students will observe and student-teach in the classroom for eleven weeks and take part in a biweekly seminar class.

                Prerequisite:  Course 300B; and Human Development 225 and 307; and permission of the department.  Offered both semesters.  Eight hours credit.  S. Grande, C. Cocores

 

EDUCATION  460  GENDER, POWER AND LEADERSHIP  An examination of classic and contemporary conceptualizations of gender, power, and leadership, the interactions among them and the implications of these interactions for the practice of leadership in education, and other fields of student interest.

                Prerequisite:  Course 223 or a course in Gender and Women’s Studies or sociology.  Enrollment limited to 15 students.  Staff

 

EDUCATION  291, 292  INDIVIDUAL STUDY  Independent research work with a selected faculty member.  Course may be taken for either two or four credits.  The two-credit option requires the student to commit to four to five hours of independent research and/or field work per week.  The four-credit option requires the student to commit to eight to ten hours of independent research and/or field work per week.

 

EDUCATION  391, 392  INDIVIDUAL STUDY  Independent research work with a selected faculty member.  Course may be taken for either two or four credits.  The two-credit option requires the student to commit to four to five hours of independent research and/or field work per week.  The four-credit option requires the student to commit to eight to ten hours of independent research and/or field work per week.

 

EDUCATION  491, 492  INDIVIDUAL STUDY  Independent research work with a selected faculty member.  Course may be taken for either two or four credits.  The two-credit option requires the student to commit to four to five hours of independent research and/or field work per week.  The four-credit option requires the student to commit to eight to ten hours of independent research and/or field work per week.

 

CHILD PSYCHOLOGY  See Human Development 111.

 

EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENTS  See Psychology 303.

 

SOCIOLOGY  223,  ETHNIC AND RACE RELATIONS  is recommended for future teachers.

 

 

Last Modified: Monday, November 16, 2009 9:39 AM