Program Standard 3:  Relationships Between Theory and Practice

By design, the professional teacher preparation program provides extensive opportunities for candidates to analyze, implement and reflect on the relationships between theory and practice related to teaching and learning.  In coursework, classroom observations and supervised fieldwork, candidates examine educational theories and research and their relationships to (a) pedagogical strategies and options, and (b) student accomplishments, attitudes and conduct.  Working collaboratively, course instructors and field supervisors encourage and enable candidates to use and reflect on their understanding of relevant theory and research in making instructional decisions and improving pedagogical practices.

Program Elements for Standard 3

3(a)      In the program, the structured design of coursework and fieldwork includes coherent recurring examination of a broad range of foundational issues and theories and of their relationships to professional practices in schools and classrooms.

Specific knowledge of a broad range of foundational issues, theories and professional practices is acquired in Child and Adolescent Studies (CAS) 325, EDEL 315, EDEL 430 and reinforced in EDEL 438 and 439.  Candidates both learn and observe classroom management and discipline strategies, lesson planning formats, and models of teaching.  They examine and apply learning theories (motivation, reinforcement, retention, etc.,) learning styles, and assessment/evaluation tools.  While discussion of relevant texts (e.g., Classroom Teaching:  A Primer for New Professionals by Guillaume; Building Classroom Discipline by Charles) is used to establish foundational knowledge, these essential components also are addressed through extensive field experiences.  Intern candidates enrolled in the MSCP take the same course of study as other candidates and are held to the same standards and expectations in course work and fieldwork.

The following Table lists the course number and sample activities where this element is addressed.

3(b)      Each candidate becomes acquainted with research-based theories and principles of human learning and development.  Each candidate reflects on how these theories and practices inform school policies and practices, and affect student conduct, attitudes, and achievements.

Specific knowledge about research-based theories and principles of human learning and development is acquired in the child growth and development prerequisite courses (listed in 3a), EDEL 315 and are reinforced through their work in EDEL 430, EDEL 438 and 439.  Candidates receive instruction in the principles of human learning and development of the school-age child, look for examples in their field assignment, and make connections between these theories and common school practices.  The effect of teachers on school policy management is directly addressed in EDEL 315, 430, 438, and 439.

In EDEL 315 and 430, candidates broaden their knowledge base through readings and required texts (Teaching Today: An Introduction to Education (7^th ed.) by Armstrong, Henson and Savage; Classroom Teaching:  A Primer for New Professionals by Guillaume).  In EDEL 438 they actively observe and engage with students in elementary classrooms and systematically record their experiences in fieldwork journals or notebooks.

During student teaching (EDEL 439), candidates apply acquired knowledge about human learning and development through lesson plans and reflections, supervisor classroom observations, case study assessments, and classroom management practices.  With guidance from their master teachers, candidates also expand their knowledge about and experience with required school policies and practices including student conduct, attitudes, and achievements.

The following Table lists the course number and sample activities where this element is addressed.

3(c)      Coursework and fieldwork that address curriculum, instruction, and assessment explicitly articulate and consistently draw on basic educational principles that underlie effective professional practice.

Curriculum, instruction and assessment principles are acquired in EDEL 315, 429, 435, 436, 437, 434 and 433 and reinforced in EDEL 438 and 439.  Candidates broaden their knowledge base through readings and required texts (Teaching Today: An Introduction to Education (7^th ed.) by Armstrong, Henson and Savage; Classroom Teaching:  A Primer for New Professionals by Guillaume; Literature-Based Reading Activities by Yopp and Yopp; California State Content Standards and State Frameworks).  Effective professional practices are discussed within EDEL 429, 435, 436, 437, and 433.   Candidates learn how to align State Content Standards, curriculum outcomes, behavioral objectives, assessment methods, instructional strategies, and lesson plans.  In EDEL 438 and 439, candidates are asked to gather preliminary student data, design appropriate lessons, and assess actual student achievement to explicitly articulate and consistently draw on basic educational principles that underlie effective professional practice.

The following Table lists the course number and sample activities where this element is addressed.

3(d)      Throughout the program, each candidate learns to make and reflect on instructional decisions that represent informed applications of relevant educational theories and practices. 

Candidates’ ability to reflect upon research-based teaching and learning strategies is acquired through fieldwork and student teaching experiences in EDEL 438 and EDEL 439.  Discussion takes place between candidates and supervisors during field visits and is documented on visitation forms. 

Within EDEL 433, candidates demonstrate reflection and instructional decision-making as they gather student literacy data and determine prescriptive grouping for literacy instruction.

Candidates learn to reflect upon their own instructional decisions during EDEL 439, as they plan and implement lessons.  In weekly post-conferences, following their supervisors’ observations of lessons, candidates are asked to reflect carefully upon how their planning, teaching and management helped to facilitate student learning.

Throughout coursework and student teaching, candidates organize a portfolio containing evidence of their teaching philosophy, lesson planning, and instructional/classroom management strategies, etc.  In each section of this portfolio, candidates are required to reflect upon their roles as decision-makers in the classroom.

3(e)      Program faculty and field supervisors explain and illustrate a variety of models of teaching.  They guide and coach candidates to select and apply these models contextually (i.e., in pedagogical circumstances in which the models are most effective).

Specific knowledge about models of teaching is acquired in EDEL 430 and reinforced in EDEL 438 and EDEL 439.  All methods course instructors model a variety of effective teaching strategies within coursework experiences.  Candidates also broaden their knowledge base through readings and required texts.

Within EDEL 438 and EDEL 439, candidates reflect and receive specific feedback from their field supervisors in order to refine and extend their teaching practices.  Reflections regarding the effectiveness of instructional models used to meet the needs of all learners are recorded on observation forms.

Within EDEL 429, EDEL 435, EDEL 436, EDEL 437, EDEL 434 and EDEL 433 methods courses instructors consistently model instructional strategies that are appropriate for specific content areas.  Class discussions focus candidates on the critical attributes of each model, and of practical applications in the classroom.

During their individual meetings with their student teachers, field supervisors hold highly-individualized discussions focused on how candidates can extend and refine their instructional skills to maximize student learning in their specific classroom contexts.  Supervisors also introduce candidates to additional texts.

Supporting Documentation (found in the Appendix)

Section 2:  Fieldwork evaluation and visitation form

Section 3:  Student teaching evaluations and observation form

Section 7:  EDEL Syllabi

Section 8:  CAS/Psych Syllabi

Section 9:  Sample Texts (summary and/or table of contents) for:

EDEL 315; Teaching Today: An Introduction to Education (7^th ed.) by Armstrong, Henson and Savage

EDEL 430; Classroom Teaching:  A Primer for New Professionals by Guillaume; Building Classroom Discipline by Charles

EDEL 433; Literacy for the 21^st Century  by Tompkins; Literature-Based Reading Activities by Yopp and Yopp

CAS 101; Child Development: A Topical Approach by Papalia, Gross, and Feldman.

CAS 312; The Developing Person through the Life Span by Berger

CAS 315; Child Development: Educating and Working with Children and Adolescents by McDevitt and Ormrod

CAS 325A; Child Development by Feldman

CAS 325B; Adolescence Psych 361; Child Development by Berk

Section 10:  Lesson Plan Format