CURR 700 Educational Foundations for Inclusive Practices 3 Credits

This course provides psychological and interdisciplinary perspectives on teaching and learning. Within the theme of optimal development of creative intelligence, and in concordance with important NJ and national professional standards, candidates will use these perspectives to begin their career-long processes of reflective professional development. More specifically, the course develops knowledge, skills, and dispositions pertinent to (a) child and adolescent development, (b) learning theories, (c) learner diversity, (d) classroom management, (e) career readiness skills, (f) philosophical and historical perspectives on education, (g) sociocontextual and interdisciplinary influences on education, and (h) higher-order, creative and critical thinking. The emphases on student development and learner diversity entail in-depth investigation of the following subtopics: the philosophical, legal, and historical foundations of special education; the characteristics of students with disabilities and learning strengths; inclusive practices; professional partnerships for support of diverse learners; and strategies for modification of curriculum content and materials aligned to NJ Student Learning Standards, learning environments and processes.

CURR 703 Inclusive Literacy Practices Across Content Areas 3 Credits

This course addresses varied literacy strategies for teaching diverse adolescents across content areas in secondary schools. Professional educators use a variety of instructional methods, curriculum unit/lesson planning, and assessment strategies to help diverse students actively construct their own learning as well as critically access and assess new information. Through in-class workshops and discussions, reading, group and individual work, the course uses various methods, models, and strategies for integrating literacy for diverse adolescent learners across settings and subject matters aligned with NJ Student Learning Standards. The course also provides candidates with the pedagogical literacy proficiency necessary for the development of their students’ career readiness skills (employability skills, employment readiness through enhanced literacy capacities). Field experiences include observation and interaction in classes focusing on various literacy strategies in inclusive classrooms.

Prerequisite: CURR 700.

CURR 704 Inclusive Methods for Teaching English Language and Theater Arts 3 Credits

This course provides experience with various methods of teaching and learning integrated English language and theater arts and with diverse adolescent students. Teacher candidates explore methods, classroom management, and strategies for teaching and learning through reading/literature, language development, writing/composing processes, representing and performing, speaking, listening, and viewing/creating media. Candidates design curriculum and assessments using NJ Student Learning Standards for Language Arts Literacy and Theatre and Visual Arts curriculum standards. Aligned with NCTE’s Guidelines for the Preparation of Teachers of English Language Arts, the course uses collegial collaboration during the review of student work, co-planning curriculum and assessment in the development of employability skills such as collaborative planning, teaching, and assessment review. A field-based middle school partnership embedded in the course allows candidates to work with a range of diverse students and explore implications for teaching, learning, and providing access to the general curriculum for all students.

Prerequisite(s): CURR 720 with a minimum grade of D.

CURR 720 Inclusive Curriculum Design & Instruction 3 Credits

This course offers an overview of curriculum designs and their relation to teaching, learning, assessment, and providing curriculum access for all students. The course assumes that professional educators use a variety of instructional methods, curriculum unit/lesson planning and assessment strategies to help a variety of diverse students, especially adolescents, actively construct their own learning and enjoy access to the general curriculum. Using NJ Student Learning Standards, candidates acquire skills in instructional planning, classroom management, and the development of career readiness skills along with required field-based observations and experiences.

Prerequisite(s): CURR 700 with a minimum grade of D and CURR 703 with a minimum grade of D.

CURR 770 Clinical Experience and Seminar in Teaching 9 Credits

This course, designed for those seeking teacher initial certification, requires full-time supervised daily participation in a school setting with diverse students including students with disabilities. These experiences test and strengthen the translation of educational theory and research into meaningful teaching practice. On-campus or site-based seminar accompany the clinical experience and emphasize the reflective development toward professionalism through sharing and analyses of how to support the learning needs of diverse students and connecting clinical experiences with content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge from prior course work. The clinical experience is augmented with a series of additional seminars that include the following: introductory/orientation seminars prior to the beginning of the semester; strategies for designing inclusive education practices and positive behavioral supports, assistive technology for diverse learners, transition planning; classroom management strategies; awareness of methods for strengthening student achievement and career readiness.

CURR 771 Supervised Clinical Experience in Teaching 9 Credits

The Supervised Clinical Experience in Teaching is available only to candidates seeking initial teacher certification and who currently work full-time teaching. Candidates may apply to the program for Supervised Clinical Experience in Teaching by providing evidence of successful, full-time teaching experience, planning, and evaluation. Once approved, candidates continue teaching within the appropriate certification area and under university supervision for a semester. On-campus or site-based seminar accompany the clinical experience and emphasize the reflective development toward professionalism through sharing and analyses of how to support the learning needs of diverse students and connecting clinical experiences with content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge from prior course work. The clinical experience is augmented with a series of additional seminars that include the following: introductory/orientation seminars prior to the beginning of the semester; strategies for designing inclusive education practices and positive behavioral supports, assistive technology for diverse learners, transition planning; classroom management strategies; awareness of methods for strengthening student achievement and career readiness.