Guiding Principles

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.