Mission Statement of the
Teacher Education Program
The mission of the EMU teacher education program is to prepare competent, caring, reflective practitioners who advocate for children and youth, develop caring learning environments, initiate and respond creatively to change, and value service to others.
The teacher education program envisions preparing informed life-long leaders and learners who value the dignity of all persons and are ready and willing to share a pilgrimage of openness and continuous growth as they invite others to join them. These reflective practitioners will offer healing and hope in a diverse world.
The mission and vision are based on the following beliefs:
- We believe that teachers are best prepared through a rigorous liberal arts program that seeks integration across disciplines and cultures.
- We believe in a reflective teaching model that develops excellence in teaching, an ethic of caring, and creative problem solving.
- We believe in the integration of theory and reflective practice through purposeful and systematic experiences in college classrooms and field placements within P-12 classrooms.
- We believe that candidates have the power to serve as collaborative change agents with sensitivity to an interdependent world.
- We believe in the integration of Anabaptist principles with the profession of teaching based on a Christian world view valuing community, caring relationships, service to others, peacebuilding and conflict transformation, and stewardship of resources.
- We believe that it is important for all candidates to respect and value cultural diversity, and to relate to students and communities in culturally appropriate ways.
- We believe that faculty who mentor candidates should nurture and model desirable personal and professional qualities.
Approved by COTE September 16, 2003
Teacher Candidate Performance Outcomes
The following Teacher Candidate Performance Outcomes are designed to support the Teacher Education Conceptual Framework. The successful teacher candidate is able:Scholarship:
to acquire knowledge through the liberal arts, Global Village General Education Curriculum and specialty area studies and to organize and integrate that knowledge across disciplines and cultures.
- demonstrate competency in general education knowledge and liberal arts.
- articulate major concepts, assumptions, debates, and methodologies of inquiry that are central to the discipline(s)/he teaches
- demonstrate awareness and apply meaningful connections across disciplines and cultures.
Inquiry:
to generate questions and to use critical thinking to self-assess, to view problems collaboratively and from multiple perspectives, and to make informed, research-based decisions to enhance student learning.
- evaluate philosophies of education from multiple perspectives to articulate a personal philosophy that enhances student learning
- use inquiry-based strategies to enable students to construct knowledge
- analyze social contexts for reflection, problem-solving, and learning through dialogue
- draw upon personal and collegial reflections to evaluate and revise practice
Professional Knowledge:
to demonstrate pedagogical and professional knowledge in order to create, manage, and assess diverse environments conducive to learning setting high expectations.
- plan appropriate instruction and assessment based on the knowledge of constructivist learning theory, subject matter, student development, instructional strategies, the learning context, and curriculum
- integrate informal and formal assessments into instruction, maintain records, and analyze data to inform teaching decisions and to monitor student progress
- adapt and/or create a variety of instruction to provide equitable opportunities for all learners including those from diverse cultural backgrounds and with exceptionalities
- understand how educational legal and policy issues affect students’, guardians’, and teachers’ roles and responsibilities
- develop and design technologically mediated learning environments that are developmentally and task appropriate
- identify, locate, evaluate, and use appropriate instructional hardware and software to support Virginia’s Standards of Learning and specialty professional associations standards
Communication:
to acquire and use knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and technological communication strategies to support student learning, to solve problems, and to create peaceable climates.
- demonstrate effective reading, writing, speaking, listening, and observation skills to enhance student learning
- communicates appropriately with parents or guardians of students and school personnel
- use electronic technologies to access, manage and exchange information for sound problem solving and decision making
Caring:
to develop a nurturing spirit that honors diversity, advocates for students, integrates Christian faith and ethics, and promotes peacebuilding in diverse settings.
- plan and advocate for safe and just learning experiences for all students
- evaluate the effects of his or her actions on students, colleagues, and supervisors
- promote social harmony and peace building in learning communities
- model caring by treating students fairly and respectfully, promoting student feelings of self-worth, and creating a climate that allows access to appropriate learning opportunities for all students
- value stewardship of self, community, ideas, and environmental resources by integrating Christian faith and ethics with professional responsibility
Leadership:
demonstrate high aspirations for themselves and their profession and to influence positive change in educational settings.
- view teaching as a vocation (conceptual framework)
- demonstrate resourcefulness and responsibility in educational settings influencing positive change
- build professional relationships with colleagues
- participate in opportunities for professional growth
