| The Elementary Education faculty agrees that good teaching requires… |
Therefore, in our teacher education program we intend to… |
| Continuous reflective practice. |
Provide ongoing opportunities for and feedback on students’ critical reflection about their learning experiences and implications for future teaching. |
| Principled notions of teaching (informed by research and theory) rather than a set of activities or strategies. |
Incorporate research and theoretical principles into our teacher education program and make those foundations explicit to students. |
| Robust subject matter knowledge. |
Support ongoing development of subject matter knowledge and highlight connections across subjects in the elementary school curriculum. |
| A commitment to the potential of all learners. |
Be explicit about our efforts to accommodate differences among our students and provide opportunities for them to engage with a range of learners and consider wide differentiation of instruction and curriculum. |
| Students’ active engagement in building their own understandings individually and in collaboration with peers, teachers and others. |
Enact and promote teaching approaches that value reflection, cooperation, and conversation. |
| A commitment to the values and aims of a democratic society, particularly to community, diversity, and social justice concerns. |
Encourage a perspective of teaching that honors key democratic values with a view towards developing open mindedness, critical thinking, and social engagement. |
