|
Conceptual Framework
The complete Conceptual Framework can be found by downloading the pdf version of the Blue Book: Conceptual Framework for Initial Certification of Teachers. The following is a summary of the Drury University School of Education & Child Development Conceptual Framework: Mission Statement & Philosophy
Teacher Education
Curriculum Framework
Education Framework
Mission Statement and Philosophy
The mission of the Drury University teacher education program is to develop liberally educated professionals who are prepared to make informed, reflective decisions, help others learn, and add value to the lives of children in a rapidly changing world.
At Drury University we seek to prepare teachers who go beyond technical competence of "what works." We strive to instill a level of dedication and personal commitment which calls for teachers to be reflective, thinking practitioners who have a vision of schools as places of energy, creativity, commitment, and decency for all children. We seek to develop in our graduates a sense of purpose about their role as stewards of the schools. While dedicated teachers cannot by themselves create schools which exert a strong constructive influence on society, teachers are the critical factor. The enterprise of preparing teachers who are capable of leading a renaissance for each new generation of children is viewed as a major responsibility of Drury University to our society.
Teacher education at Drury University must be fundamentally linked to the world of practice and deeply involved in the reforming and restructuring of the public schools. It serves everyone's interests for the teacher education program to prepare professionals who can work within the system to bring about renewal of the school. At the same time, we must ensure that the teacher education program of Drury University is dynamic and receptive to change.
The moral and ethical insights of teaching are "caught" as well as "taught," and these understanding are enculturated throughout the experiences related to the teacher education program. The opportunity to associate with other students and faculty through such activities as the Drury Student Teachers' Association, Kappa Delta Pi, field experiences, and college courses creates a texture of moral and ethical insights and values which foster and renew a high sense of purpose and vision for the teaching profession. The Education Department at Drury University strives to create an environment in which persons identify with the teacher education program and work cooperatively to revitalize the profession and our schools.
The teacher education program must ensure that undergraduates and practicing teachers in the Masters in Education degree program make connections between what they learn at Drury University and what is practiced in the public schools. Opportunities for critical, independent thinking and experiences which link the theoretical and the applied are essential. For these reasons field experiences and observations are integrated with course work to bridge the world of practice with research and theory.
Teacher Education
A model is a description or analogy used to help visualize something that cannot be directly observed. The model adopted for the Drury University teacher education program is based upon The Aims of Education.
A model is a description or analogy used to help visualize something that cannot be directly observed. The model adopted for the Drury University teacher education program is based upon The Aims of Education by Alfred North Whitehead and Teachers for Our Nation's Schools by John Goodlad.
This model is expressed in the analogy of a bridge. The bridge analogy is powerful because it helps to communicate the systematic design of the Drury University teacher education program and the interrelationship between purposes, process, and outcomes.
The analogy of the bridge helps to express the connection between the world of practice and the body of knowledge, theory, and research which exist for professional education. The bridge is built by the student and used as a life-long resource.
Bridges share three common principles for the integral strength of their construction: the pier, the arch, and the truss .
Relating the analogy of the bridge to the model for teacher education, the pier is symbolic of the liberal arts general education, the security and stability of the individual teacher, and the life experiences which each person brings to the profession. The pier must be deep and anchored to provide a secure base for the construction which is to occur above it. Mastery of the liberal arts and development of the whole person intellectually, socially, morally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually provides the pier for the teacher education program.
The arch represents the academic major or subject area of specialization for the teacher. The arch relies upon the transmission of compression forces to the piers for its strength and stability. An arch, more than any other structure, must have reliable foundations. The academic major or subject area of teacher certification is anchored to the liberal arts. Careful academic advising, personal attention, flexibility and a supportive atmosphere allow students to develop programs of major study which have depth and breadth. The senior seminar course which is required in each academic major represents the capstone in the arch.
The truss helps to interlock and uniformly transmit the load over the entire structure of the bridge to the pier. The professional education component is represented by the truss system. The professional education courses are anchored to the liberal arts and enable the teacher to be a planner and facilitator of instruction through interlocking ties with the academic major or area of teaching specialization.
Curriculum Framework for the Teacher Certification Program
The curriculum framework for the Drury University teacher certification program emerged from discussions of current research, guidelines of teacher competencies identified by learned societies and teacher certification agencies; the experience, philosophy, and professional insight of the faculty and the Teacher Education Advisory Council, and the changing needs of the public schools. The curriculum framework is organized around eleven domains and thirty-seven key performance outcomes, which, in concert, enable a teacher to practice active wisdom. Teachers with active wisdom demonstrate the ability to: 1.2.1 – The preservice teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) within the context of a global society and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the subject matter meaningful for students. 1.2.2 – The preservice teacher understands how students learn and develop, and provides learning opportunities that support the intellectual, social, and personal development of all students. 1.2.3 – The preservice teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. 1.2.4 – The preservice teacher recognizes the importance of long range planning and curriculum development and develops, implements, and evaluates curriculum based upon student, district, and state performance standards. 1.2.5 – The preservice teacher uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. 1.2.6 – The preservice teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. 1.2.7 – The preservice teacher modesl effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. 1.2.8 – The preservice teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner. 1.2.9 – The preservice teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually assesses the effects of choices and actions on others. This reflective practitioner actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally and utilizes the assessment and professional growth to generate more learning for more students. 1.2.10 – The preservice teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and educational partners in the larger community to support student learning and well-being. 1.2.11 – The preservice teacher understands theories and applications of technology in educational settings and has adequate technological skills to create meaningful learning opportunities for all students. When considered together, these eleven domains constitute the truss system of a bridge because they connect the knowledge and skills associated with the academic major (symbolized by the arch) with the values and dispositions associated with the liberal arts (symbolized by the pier). Within each of the eleven domains, the pre-service teacher moves from the stage of "introduction to the profession" characterized by idealism but lack of knowledge, to "precision" characterized by mastery of content, to "generalization" characterized by integrating all of the components, to "development of style" characterized by reflection, analysis, vision and purpose, to "active wisdom" characterized by making decisions which help others learn and add value to the lives of children in a rapidly changing global society. The curriculum design is developmental in character and combines perspectives from the several views of the professional education knowledge base. The knowledge base leads the student through a series of course work, clinical, and cocurricular experiences from the status of a beginning student focused on survival in a new educational environment to that of a master teacher with a strong professional identity prepared to function effectively in a complex and changing educational world. Objectives for both the professional education and specialization components are primarily derived from the guidelines provided by learned societies. Separate folios, listing both the objectives and courses related to the objectives, have been prepared. The information in the folios provide a source of ideas for the formulation of objectives to be included in syllabi as well as a basis for the design of evaluation procedures.
Education Framework
The Teacher with Active Wisdom
Teachers with active wisdom demonstrate the ability to distinguish relevant from non-relevant issues and employ the knowledge base for teaching to add value to the lives of children.
Each curricular area for teacher certification (e.g. art, English, social studies, mathematics, elementary education, speech/theatre, music, journalism, foreign language, physical education, or science) has a separate set of curricular objectives which are specific to the individual subject area. The objectives for each curricular certification area are located in individual program folios kept in the Education Department office.
Related Links:
Conceptual Framework
|
