Master of Arts in Teaching

This course presents reading as a language process; also presents models, materials, and skill development used in reading instruction; explores reading instruction in terms of historical perspective, trends, innovation, and technology.

This course is designed to integrate the research on effective teaching and learning with theory and practice for diverse learners. Students will engage in micro-teaching and will be expected to demonstrate classroom management techniques for behavior modification and other psychological theories to help understand the learner and learning environment.

This course is designed to examine the racial, socioeconomic, cultural, historical, structural and systemic contexts and conditions of urban education. An asset orientation towards urban learners, families, schools, and communities is emphasized. Research on promising efforts to close gaps and create equitable learning opportunities and achievement for school-age students is analyzed.

This course addresses the use of reading assessments to determine classroom intervention and instructional strategies. It provides foundational information about stages of reading acquisition, factors that impact reading success or failure, and the nature of reading difficulties.

The Internship experiences provide for the integration and practical application of theory and methods gained through the formal program of study and allow for development of professional competencies that enhance personal and professional growth. Participants gain experience planning, instructing and assessing learners in an educational setting with diverse learners and document evidence of their impact on learners. This course includes observation and collaboration with colleagues, mentor teachers and/or university supervisor.

This course emphasizes content and process standards and pedagogical instruction that enhance learning in grades 1-5 mathematics and science. Participants will explore teaching mathematics and science through research-based practices, problem-solving, and developmentally effective instructional strategies. Participants also examine assessment techniques, technology tools, instructional leadership, diverse learning needs, and materials management.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the education of linguistically and culturally diverse learners. Content knowledge covers the fields of ESL, bilingual, and multicultural education and provides examples of effective practices and their underlying research knowledge base. Students are encouraged to engage in critical reflection on classroom practices related to linguistic and cultural diversity, and to apply what they have learned to their own teaching contexts.

Theoretical foundations and methods of teaching literacy to diverse learners in multiple settings. Participants learn the processes and effective strategies for teaching reading and writing to bilingual and English language learners.

Participants gain advanced experience in planning, instructing and assessing learners in an educational setting with diverse learners and document evidence of their impact on learners. This course includes observation and collaboration with colleagues, mentor teachers and/or university supervisor.

This course provides practicing and potential urban educational leaders with knowledge of contemporary conditions and positive models for effective educational administrative designs, including alternative educational delivery systems. The course also leads toward the Mentor Teacher Ancillary Certificate. The Louisiana mentor teacher assessment series will be administered through this course. Candidates must pass all components of the teacher assessment series in order to receive the mentor teacher ancillary certificate.

Introduction to identification, analysis, and design formulation of applied research problems in elementary education. The course provides practice in conducting searches, elementary analysis, and deriving appropriate conclusions from applied studies. Students are required to complete and articulate an approved applied research design in prescribed form.

This course helps students learn how to implement effective social studies instruction in the elementary classroom. Topics include social studies themes, promoting cultural diversity, integrated social studies across the curriculum, social studies learning environments, assessing social studies understanding, differentiated instruction for social studies, technology for social studies instruction, and standards-based social studies instruction.