400

This course integrates educational theory, practice based theory and understanding with field-based experience and methods courses. This course continues to expand the candidates’ professional expertise through the Adaptive Cycles of Teaching (ACT) experiential curriculum to help teacher candidates plan, implement, reflect and analyze core teaching practices.The candidates actively engage in two full days per week in a field-based practicum experience. Early childhood candidates are in a kindergarten field setting. Elementary education candidates are in elementary grades 1 through 6 field settings. Special education candidates practice in settings with both low and high incidence populations. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This advanced course continues to support teacher candidates field-based learning. Candidates continue to work with the Adaptive Cycles of Teaching (ACT) curriculum to deepen and expand their teaching expertise in classroom settings. Candidates actively engage in two full days per week in a field-based settings linked to their student teaching placement. Early childhood candidates are in field settings grades k-2. Elementary education candidates are in elementary grades 1 through 6 field settings. Special education candidates practice in settings with both low and high incidence populations. Pre-requisite(s): None. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

In this course, teacher candidates will learn the fundamentals of balanced literacy instruction. With a general focus on the development of literacy in the early grades, they will become and guided reading. In addition to spending class time reading about, viewing videos and discussing these three practices, they will also plan instruction, teach and videotape lessons in their placement classrooms, and have multiple opportunities to reflect on their teaching and its impact on their students. In addition, teacher candidates will learn about different literacy assessments and will practice administering, scoring, and analyzing assessments with their students. Teacher candidates will also participate in reading workshop activities to better understand their own literacy learning and development. Field work is required for this course: If taking this course alongside another methods course and practicum, plan to spend two full days in an appropriate classroom setting. If taking this course independent of another methods course and practicum, plan to spend about 30 hours in the field for this class. This is an advanced standing course that may count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300, EDU 350, and SPE 300. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

This course introduces key issues in the development of strategic reading and writing of both narrative and informational texts. Students will become familiar with theoretically sound, research-based instructional strategies for the teaching of advanced and content-area reading and writing. Students will learn literacy assessments appropriate for fluent readers and how to use assessment plus an understanding of intermediate grade learners to plan and implement appropriate literacy instruction. Field work is required for this course: If taking this course alongside another methods course and practicum, plan to spend two full days in an appropriate classroom setting. If taking this course independent of another methods course and practicum, plan to spend about 30 hours in the field for this class. It can be taken independent of or alongside EDU 400. Students taking this course online can expect at least two synchronous sessions. This is an advanced standing course that may count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300, EDU 350, SPE 300. Co-requisiste(s): None. 4 quarter hours

This course provides candidates an in-depth focus on the subject matter, content standards, mathematical pedagogy, and issues related to the learning and teaching of mathematics in early childhood primary (K-2) and elementary (1-6) grades. Candidates develop strategies and applications specific to the mathematical learning needs of students including real world connections. Through the Adaptive Cycles of Teaching (ACT), an experiential-based curriculum designed to help teachers learn a set of core teaching practices supported by intensive coaching, teacher candidates will complete a content learning analysis, diagnostic assessment as well as plan and implement teaching math with problem solving lessons. Field work is required for this course: If taking this course alongside another methods course and practicum, plan to spend two full days in an appropriate classroom setting. If taking this course independent of another methods course and practicum, plan to spend about 30 hours in the field for this class. It can be taken independent of or alongside EDU 400. Students taking this course online can expect at least two synchronous sessions. This is an advanced standing course that may count toward both undergraduate and graduate degrees. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300, EDU 350, SPE 300. Co-requisite(s): None. 5 quarter hours

Encourages the active exploration of the question, "What is good science teaching?". Activities provide an open forum in which students construct their own ideas about effective science instruction so those ideas inform their developing science teaching styles. Aims to increase student comfort, confidence, and competence in using effective science teaching methods by relating the nature of science to the way kids develop an understanding of the science of nature, introducing practical, applicable models of best practice techniques and providing opportunities to experiment with those techniques in risk-free setting. Field work is required for this course: If taking this course alongside another methods course and practicum, plan to spend two full days in an appropriate classroom setting. If taking this course independent of another methods course and practicum, plan to spend about 30 hours in the field for this class. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300, EDU 350, SPE 300. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 quarter hours

This pre-service early childhood and elementary education methods course for teaching social studies is part of the NLU undergraduate teacher education curriculum. Teacher candidates examine the role of social studies in the early childhood and elementary education curriculum and engage in planning differentiated social studies units and lessons for all learners. A special emphasis is placed on the use of primary source documents to teach critical thinking through an inquiry approach. This course includes the Adaptive Cycles of Teaching assignments through which teacher candidates plan, implement, and analyze student learning in social studies lessons and receive targeted feedback to learn through their teaching. Field work is required for this course: If taking this course alongside another methods course and practicum, plan to spend two full days in an appropriate classroom setting. If taking this course independent of another methods course and practicum, plan to spend about 30 hours in the field for this class. Pre-requisite(s): EDU 300, EDU 350, SPE 300. Co-requisite(s): None. 3 quarter hours