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The School of Education is committed to preparing candidates who understand that their own self-worth comes from knowing that God created them in His image and that He provided them with gifts and abilities to use in service to others.  As Christian educators they also understand that they have been extended grace through Christ and that their interactions with others must reflect that grace and redemption.  Closely connected to this theme is recognizing that teaching is an inspired calling that brings the teacher’s gifts and abilities into focused service for others who are also of worth because they are created by God. The result is professional practice that seeks to treat and educate all learners with dignity.

These goals require that candidates have the opportunity to explore teaching as a profession and to critically examine the match of their gifts and abilities with the demands of the profession. Their appreciation for the diverse populations they will serve and an understanding of the breadth of human growth and development enable candidates to value and respectfully respond to a wide range of learners and communities.

Supporting Coursework

In the UNW Teacher Education Program an understanding of character is a continual process but it is grounded in the work completed in the foundational courses of the Core Curriculum and the Teacher Education Program.  In BIB1005 Progress of Redemption candidates explore the theme of redemption throughout Scripture and its direct impact on their personal lives.  The course BIA1005 Spiritual Formation provides a foundation for growth in personal discipleship through intellectual engagement and practical application.  EDU2215 and EDU2215L engage candidates in examining their personal gifts and abilities and how they fit with the teaching profession and includes experience in a public school classroom in order to understand the role of the teacher. PSY2108 Lifespan Psychology and EDU3215 Educational Psychology both contribute to a deeper understanding individual development and learning needs.  These themes are further developed in EDU3218/3248 Educating Diverse Learners which provides a deeper understanding of how to address the specific needs of special populations.

University of Northwestern is committed to providing students the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of biblical perspectives through its Worldview Core Curriculum. These perspectives and skills include truth, identity, communication, community and global perspectives and the pursuit of knowledge.  Studying these areas in-depth enables candidates to understand themselves and their professional calling within the context of biblical principles and the broader human experience.

The understanding of justice from a biblical perspective is also central to the preparation of compassionate educators who are able to engage in transformative service.  Justice for the Christian educator is a reflection of the work of Christ who not only dealt with others fairly but also engaged the poor and those from differing cultures and religious beliefs while objecting to practices that were unjust. His ministry demonstrates the importance of reconciliation and the worth of all individuals.  The purpose of education for Christians has been described as human flourishing (Spears & Loomis, 2009). Christians contribute to the flourishing of individuals and society as they apply an understanding of biblical justice through ethical actions.  Acting justly results in the improved conditions for the individual and society.  This type of transformation is dependent on understanding concepts such as equity and ethics.

Supporting Coursework

The University’s Core Curriculum provides foundational work in written and oral communication through the courses ENG1105, ENG2205 and SPE1075.  Historical and literary understanding of Scripture is provided through foundational courses such as BIB1005, BIB1002, BIB1006, BIB1007 and BIA1005 and extended through required exposition courses.  Biblical truth is further developed through upper level courses in philosophy and theological philosophical selectives.  Breadth of study in understanding the liberal arts is provided through courses that examine the human condition (History, Social Science, Psychology, Physical Education & Health), courses that reflect God’s image through the fine arts and literature, courses that engage candidates in understanding communities and cultures (BIAI2026 Community & Cultures, modern language, cross-cultural experiences) and courses that develop an understanding of the natural world through Science and Mathematics.

An understanding of biblical justice is developed through the Core Curriculum and its theological and philosophical courses that assist candidates in understanding the themes of redemption, reconciliation, ethics and cultural engagement. The course EDU3209 Human Relations in a Cross-culturally Diverse World and its required field experience (EDU3209L) supports the process of advancing the personal, professional, cultural, historical, spiritual and experiential journey of pre-service teachers as they move from cultural awareness to cultural competence.  Candidates gain an understanding of how faith applies to embracing cultural diversity and building an inclusive learning environment for all students. The course EDU3218/3248 Educating Diverse Learners assists candidates in understanding how to support the learning of all students.  EDU4415 Education Ethics is an upper level course required of all education majors which engages them in exploring a variety of ethical perspectives. The development of decision-making skills which are biblically–based and consistent with ethical codes recognized within the profession is emphasized.

Effective professional practice is dependent upon the ability of teachers to make well-informed decisions within the changing context of the classroom.  The knowledge, skills and dispositions that they bring with them into the decision-making process affect the decisions they make and how they influence the students, schools and wider communities they serve. Effective teachers know the subject matter of their discipline well and are able to integrate this knowledge with an understanding of learners and the process of learning.  They understand the changing contexts in which they serve and are able to bring moral and ethical principles to bear on their decisions.  This is a demanding challenge that the teacher education programs at Northwestern seek to meet through the learning experiences they provide.

Subject matter knowledge and pedagogical knowledge are essential components in the preparation process.  Candidates move from early awareness of these areas to a more integrated approach to pedagogical content knowledge as they advance through the preparation program. The goal is for candidates to be able to make well-informed pedagogical decisions that enable them to support the subject matter learning of their students.  Therefore, candidates must also develop a repertoire of instructional skills that they may draw upon when faced with decisions in their classrooms.  This requires that candidates have opportunities to apply skills in authentic settings and receive appropriate feedback on the effectiveness of their instruction.  To this end, teacher education programs at Northwestern consistently foster the development of effective instructional strategies through theoretical preparation and clinical experience.

Clinical experience at Northwestern is divided into four levels. The first involves foundational experiences designed to help candidates determine their personal “fit” with the teaching profession. The second level focuses on developing theory and skills related to diversity.  The third level engages candidates in applying methodologies within their chosen field by creating, teaching and evaluating lessons within a cooperating school classroom.  The final level is full-time student teaching in the chosen licensure field.  Visual 3 illustrates the model.

Visual 3:  Progression of Clinical Experience

Effective professional practice demands that teachers be able to assess their own effectiveness and the needs of their students.  Candidates need skills in assessment and reflective analysis.  Therefore, all teacher education programs at Northwestern engage candidates in thinking and writing in a reflective manner about their personal growth and development as teachers and the effectiveness of their instruction related to student learning

Supporting Coursework

Subject matter knowledge is developed in each of the teacher licensure programs through the required courses and assessments that are defined by the School of Education in its program approval with the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB).  Candidates are held accountable for subject matter expertise through course grades, key assessments and ongoing evaluations from clinical experiences that document subject matter knowledge. Pedagogical knowledge is developed through courses such as EDU3216/3246 Instructional Foundations, EDU3255 Content Area Reading, EEL4346 Reading Methods and Strategies, EDU3215 Educational Psychology, EDU3301 Instructional Technology I and EDU3302 Instructional Technology II as well as through the specialized methods courses and the student teaching.  Clinical practice is developed across four levels in the program which includes EDU2215L, EDU3218L, EDU3209L, specialized methods courses and student teaching for all candidates.

Christians are called to extend Christ’s compassion to others. The understanding of God’s personal grace toward the individual allows that person to strive for excellence while recognizing limitations. Similarly, Christian teachers are able to extend that grace-filled perspective to their students. Candidates must understand that humans are imperfect and fail but that grace can be extended to them within the context of professional practice.  This applies to the teacher as well as the student.  Growing out of this perspective are caring and respectful relationships that are also learner-centered. The candidate is able to interact effectively with parents, colleagues and the wider professional community on behalf of the individual student.

For the Christian educator, leadership is characterized by an understanding of grace that allows the individual to provide leadership while also serving.  The model again is Christ who humbled himself and became obedient even to the point of death in order to serve. (Philippians: 2, NIV).

Teachers must be prepared to carry out their professional practice within a variety of community contexts. They are engaged in their classroom community and must be prepared to establish a learning environment that supports learning and is respectful of all learners. They also must participate in the broader professional community. Teachers must be continually learning about their field and their learners.  Northwestern seeks to instill in its graduates a desire for advanced study and ongoing involvement with the profession.  Finally, teachers must be informed and willing to engage with the profession globally.  The teacher preparation programs at Northwestern seek to develop skills for local, national and global teaching and learning.

Supporting Coursework

Learner-centered methodologies are emphasized throughout UNW’s program.  Courses such as EDU3215 Educational Psychology, EDU3216/3246 Instructional Foundations as well as specialized methods courses emphasize this type of approach.  Field experience evaluations from EDU2215L EDU3209L, specialized methods and student teaching all require cooperating teachers to provide feedback on how well candidates respond to individual learners.  Leadership skills that are marked by the distinctive components described in this model are developed across programs through methods courses and within the student teaching program as candidates engage with learners and communities within schools.  Similarly, the types of relationships are closely tied to the application of appropriate dispositions as assessed through the field experience courses. Community engagement occurs in each of the four levels of clinical practice (EDU2215L, EDU3209L, EDU3218L, specialized methods and student teaching).  The course EDU3217 School Health and Drug Issues provides a specific focus on supporting learners within communities. Community focus is further emphasized through the involvement of candidates in professional organizations and in global and cross-cultural experiences supported by the School of Education.