Middle level
Section 2
Program Narrative (printable
version)
PROGRAM NAME: Master of Arts in Middle Level Education
DEPARTMENT: Teacher Education
HOW MANY STUDENTS AFFECTED: 21
NAME OF PERSON PREPARING REPORT: Pat Williams-Boyd
Overview and Scope
A. Philosophy, Rationale, Objectives
The mission themes for the College of Education state:
Eastern Michigan University’s advanced professional programs promote inquiry advocacy and leadership in education for a diverse and democratic society
Additionally, the advanced program in Middle level seeks to develop individuals who effectively enhance student learning and demonstrate knowledge, skills, abilities, dispositions, and commitments reflected in the following propositions:
•Teachers are committed to students and to their growth and learning
•Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students
•Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning
•Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience
•Teachers are members of learning communities
The theme for the Department of Teacher Education states:
Inquiry, advocacy and leadership in education for a diverse and democratic society.
Middle Level Masters Mission Statement:
To develop critical thinking, self-reflective professionals engaged in life-long growth, inquiry and advocacy. Such teachers serve as active change agents in their schools, as thoughtful advocates for students and their families, and as compassionate, caring, contributing collaborators with the community and with the profession. The Masters in Middle Level Education program’s emphasis is on the thorough understanding of the unique developmental needs and characteristics of young adolescents and the attendant implications for practice in addition to the practitioner’s thorough grounding in the broad field disciplines particular to middle grades education.
The key conceptual guideposts in the advanced Middle Level Masters program are:
A. Leadership
B. Reflective thought and scholarship
C. Teaching in a cultural context
D. Student Learning
E. Learning Communities
The ultimate goal of the advanced program in Middle Level Education is developing leadership for ongoing school reform in this new century. We expect students who exit this program to be prepared to exert that leadership. These leaders will have the knowledge of current educational issues, the capability to reflect upon them, and the necessary skills of scholarship to investigate issues in the future.
Reflective thought and scholarship entail knowledgeable, thoughtful, responsible decision-making in a variety of educational venues. This includes consideration of multiple factors including the developmental characteristics of young adolescent learners, the nature of the content to be taught, pedagogical knowledge appropriate both culturally and developmentally, and the attendance impact of and on school contexts. This entails rigorously and astutely analyzing current research in middle grades education, and when appropriate, determining how such research might most effectively be reflected in practice.
Teaching in a cultural context
requires that students both understand and adapt to the changing environments
in which they teach. Multiculturalism and alternative perspectives on education
connect pedagogy, content selection, knowledge construction and classroom
practice with issues of social class, race, ethnicity, gender, and disability.
Teaching within the cultural context of the
Because the Masters in Middle Level program is designed for teachers, an emphasis on student learning is critical. All the knowledge, skills, and dispositions acquired in this program have as the ultimate goal, the learning and growth of the students our graduates will teach.
Effective teachers work within a variety of learning communities. They establish classroom communities with learning at the center. They work effectively with the family, colleagues, and the community to facilitate and advocate for student learning.
The following general objectives address the overall knowledge base of the program while the subsequent specific program goals reflect the particular emphasis found in the Middle Level Masters program.
General Program Objectives
A. Students will demonstrate written and oral communication skills in the performance of analysis, synthesis and evaluation tasks at a level of proficiency expected of a school and curriculum leader.
B. Students will know, interpret and apply knowledge in the following domains of study necessary for success as a leader in curriculum and instruction: a) educational research, b.)young adolescent psychology c) the social, political, and historical foundations of middle grades education and of
multicultural education, d) social, political, philosophical and economic forces impacting the curriculum and major theories that form the foundation for curriculum development, e) contemporary issues, policies and practices of interest to curriculum workers, f. technology and instruction
C. Students will complete a culminating thesis/project that demonstrates their capability to create a research or curriculum project faithful to the content and processes of the program and centered in middle grades education
D. Depending on the broad area field concentration, students will interpret and apply the knowledge embedded within that content area as they complete course requirements and the required thesis or thesis project.
E. Students will demonstrate the capability to synthesize knowledge from a number of program courses in a manner that is relevant to a unique situation or problem embedded in the middle grades classroom
F. Students will participate as a member of a learning community—as a cohort in the middle level program and, in many cases, as a member of a community pursuing study in one of the broad-field content area concentrations
Middle Grades Specific Program Goals:
1. To assist graduate students in the pursuit of life-long learning through rigorous, coordinated and collaborative study with cohort middle grades colleagues
2. To present opportunities for graduate students to think, reflect, and integrate theory into their own middle grades classroom/practice
3. To offer challenging best-practice curricula which will provoke research, reflection and developmentally appropriate (research-based) practice
4. To offer the study of integrated, developmentally-based, culturally congruent curriculum which engenders and nurtures student-centered teaching
5. To situate all educational experiences around the principles of a love for learning, an abiding care and passion for young adolescents, an appreciation for community, and a sense of democratic advocacy and responsibility
6. To establish and nurture the cooperative and collaborative connections with middle grades colleagues, the family, and a variety of community stakeholders (regional, state, national)
To engage students and faculty in research and conversation that promotes active agency and advocacy for middle level students and schools
8. To assist graduate students in developing their own philosophical framework for understanding. And responding to middle level literature, knowledge, students and schools in a holistic fashion
9. To assist graduate students in cultivating their own cognitive and affective growth
10. To present opportunities for graduate students to examine and present their work in other arenas: publications, workshops, conference presentations, seminars
11. To offer curriculum that integrates the values of content area specialization and developmental-level specialization with a liberal arts education
12. To offer curricula that integrate the skills and knowledge of technology, subject area specialization, content integration, developmental learning, and schools in a multi-cultural society
Middle Level Program Objectives:
To provide opportunities for students to develop a rigorous, comprehensive, and practical understanding of:
1. The developmental characteristics of young adolescents and the subsequent implications for sound pedagogy and responsive practice (teaching, learning, school organization and curriculum)
2. Various instructional strategies and models that provide opportunities for students in a multi-cultural world to construct authentic understanding, to be actively engaged, to grow cognitively and affectively while being connected to peers and adults in safe, healthy, and small communities
3. The reciprocal infusion of theory and practice in the dynamic improvement of teaching and learning
4. Thoughts, concepts, principles, and understandings interpreted from seminal research and effective middle grades schools
5. Curriculum research and theories particular to middle grades education
6. The ongoing structure of middle schools: interdisciplinary teaming, advisor-advisee, teacher advocacy, community learning, shared leadership; student-based/research-based teaching, exploration, flexible scheduling, cooperation rather than compliance, flexible groupings, appropriate activities, teacher-based guidance, higher-order and critical thinking for all students, the importance of inquiry and communication in all interactions; problem-solving, interdependence as well as independence; and the role of the student in all aspects of his/her education
7. Comparative distinction between junior high and middle schools and relationships to elem. and h.s.
8. The historical development of the middle school movement
9. The theoretical foundations and practices which are the foundation of the middle school movement
10. Continued study in one or two broad content areas of expertise that reflect middle grades curriculum
11. Comparative bases for educational decisions and their respective implications (moral, ethical, sociological, philosophical)
12. Cultural and social characteristics of a diverse world, the changing context of the social milieu and of the constitution of family, the social morbidities which impinge on the healthy development of the preadolescents and the teacher’s responsive role and responsibilities, emphasizing equity
13. The integration of technology in teaching, learning and researching
14. Varied instructional and pedagogical strategies which provide modifications/differentiation for all students to be challenged, to succeed, and to learn in the heterogeneous classroom
15. Varied forms of assessment from which students, teachers, and the family continue to learn; and for evaluating the pedagogical and curricular decisions made in the facilitation of growth
16. Student’s social responsibilities and provide opportunities that connect the classroom and the community through service and active engagement
17. The broader social factors which influence school and the possibilities for engagement and influence (family, immediate and larger community, private and business sectors, the state, nation)
18. The development and respective value of cross-curricular, inter-curricular, interdisciplinary, and integrative curricula
19. The teacher’s role as a practitioner, collaborator, team member, advocate, colleague, researcher, contributor to the construction of appropriate school functions as well as to the general profession. The factors which impinge upon and influence teaching and learning
20. The intrinsic value of preadolescents, their power and testament of their knowledge, their interests, their world
These goals, both overall and specific program objectives, are assessed in a variety of ways in individual courses as well as through the observations made in the field experience (CURR 687) and through the capstone exhibitions (the Masters Portfolio and the Middle Level Thesis/Curriculum project). The Middle Level program will be assessed by the National Middle School Association, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education, and the Michigan Department of Education. Appropriate documentation follows.
The Master of Arts in Middle Level Education is housed in the Department of Teacher Education within the College of Education. It is frequent that doctoral students in Educational Leadership take one or all of our middle level cohort classes as their required cognate area. Because of the required broad field concentration, there is rich collaborative work done with colleagues in the College of Arts and Sciences to the extent that all masters thesis and thesis/projects will have one member in their subject area concentration on their culminating committee. These relationships have been nurtured during the past six years and are expanding as our Middle Level program grows.
B. Sequence of Course--Student Courses of Study/Program Structure:
The Masters in Middle Level Education program is designed to provide teachers with increased depth and breadth in the theoretical foundations of middle level education, of expanded knowledge of classroom practice that will allow them to interact thoughtfully and effectively in a variety of middle school settings, and in increased depth of broad content area particular to middle level. The program also provides students with skills in gathering and evaluating information that will enable them to make knowledgeable classroom decisions and continue in independent learning.
Foundations Courses-Master of Arts in Middle Level Ed.: Core Cohort Middle Level Masters:___________
EDPS 501—Psychology of Adolescence (2) CURR 618-Middle Level Theory & Practice (3)
CURR 654—Multicultural Teaching and Learning (3) CURR 620-Issues in Middle Level Curriculum (3)
EDPS 687—Qualitative/Interpretive Research (2) CURR 622-Effective Teaching in Middle Level (3)
Foundations courses provide the bases on which all •CURR 687-Internship in Middle level (2)
subsequent courses are built and must be taken within (*A 15-week, university-supervised formal field
the first 18 hours of course work experience that uses a standards-based protocol for each of 3 site visits; required for endorsement only)
Content Requirement for Masters degree:
The 9 hours of required content courses provide opportunities for in-depth study and a culminating project focusing on a particular area. Because both content and pedagogy are important elements in middle level education, students may select from a concentration in a broad-field subject area particular to middle grades education (science, math, social studies, and language arts). They may continue their undergraduate major or minor (given certification in two broad fields is mandatory for Middle Level Endorsement).
Electives (2 hours) are at the discretion of the student with the advisor’s assistance. The elective(s) are intended to supplement the student’s ongoing professional needs in the classroom.
Required Masters Degree Capstone Experience:
CURR 694—Seminar—Middle level (2)
CURR 691—Thesis/Curriculum Project in Middle Level (2)
Masters Thesis/Project
The culminating experience is a thesis or curriculum project. This is an opportunity for students to make the transition from a consumer to a producer of knowledge and innovation in the field of middle grades education. In a thesis, the writer investigates an area of educational theory or practice, gathers and analyzes information, and draws conclusions to add to the body of knowledge in the field of middle grades curriculum. Curriculum projects entail working toward the solution of an educational problem using some aspect of middle grades curriculum. Both the thesis and the project are new, original work, completed in consultation with a committee of faculty advisors, chaired by a professor of middle grades education. Detailed information on requirements for culminating experiences is available in Guidelines for Culminating Experiences in Middle Level Education (see Appendix A).
C. Analysis of the Preparation of Students to Use Instructional Strategies
Virtually every class in the Middle Level Masters program uses a variety of teaching strategies. Small group presentations are given in CURR 618 Middle level Theory and Practice, on a topic commonly identified within the middle grades classroom. In CURR 620 an interdisciplinary team constructs and interdisciplinary/integrative unit which is also shared with the full class. In CURR 618 and 620, students write position papers which require a defensible stand on issues ranging from the place of the student in the classroom, to their own development of beliefs and assumptions regarding equity, equality and their role as advocates for students and for families.
Each student engages in teaching the entire cohort using a variety of teaching strategies and receiving supportive critiques in CURR 622. In CURR 620 Issues in Middle Level Curriculum small interdisciplinary teams of students present their integrative units to the entire class.
The Middle Level Core classes use inquiry and concept-based instruction. In CURR 618 students solve problems in small groups; in their semester-long critical case studies, they select an individual student with whom they have had little success, interview, transcribe the tapes, draw some conclusions, defend those conclusions through research, and synthesize the findings in a formal critical case paper. In CURR 620 students are confronted with the problem of aligning the curriculum of their classroom/school with the state standards and benchmarks; therefore, students are required to map an entire semester’s curriculum, including varied forms of assessments, concepts, and standards. The multicultural unit required in CURR 654 is also concept-based as are the lessons taught and critiqued in CURR 622 Effective Teaching in Middle Level.
Observation and critique are used in CURR 654 Multicultural Teaching and Learning. The student is challenged to maintain a cultural log of their experiences, to create a cultural box, and to create a cultural clan. They write their autobiography here. In CURR 618 they examine their role as an advocate for students and for families, through the writing of a daily reflective journal. Case studies are used in the examination of best-practice middle schools in CURR 618, in examples given in preparation for the writing of a critical case study in CURR 618, in CURR 654 Multicultural Teaching and Learning, and in CURR 620.
While many of the over 100 forms of cooperative learning are modeled throughout the Middle Level Core courses, students are required to work cooperatively in the writing of the interdisciplinary/integrative unit for CURR 620, including the design of activities which use a variety of instructional strategies, particularly cooperative learning. Simulations are used in CURR 618 where small teams design Utopia School for Transescents and visually present their school, as they would advertise it to the real estate folks and potential parents. Students design games and simulations as they construct their interdisciplinary/integrative units for CURR 620, and are observed teaching a mini cooperative learning lesson in CURR 622 Effective Teaching in Middle Level.
Other instructional strategies such as learning centers, learning contracts, learning packs, and task cards are examined and required to be included in the students’ interdisciplinary unit in CURR 620. Active learning is a hallmark of the entire Middle Level Cohort sequence, as it appears both in modeling, in the students’ experience while in the cohort, and in their own construction of activities which translate theory into practice.
D. Differences in Elementary and Secondary N/A
E. Gender Equity, Multicultural and Global Perspectives
Gender equity, multicultural, multiperspectives, and global perspectives are addressed in CURR 654 Multicultural Teaching and Learning, EDPS 501 Adolescent Psychology, and in all of the Middle Level Cohort Core classes, CURR 618 Middle Level Theory and Practice, CURR 620 Issues in Middle Level Curriculum, CURR 622 Effective Teaching in Middle Level, CURR 687 Internship in Teacher Education: Middle Level, and in CURR 691 Middle Level Thesis/Curriculum project. In addition, many of the courses selected as concentration courses or as the elective address related topics.
F. Multiple Student Assessments
CURR 618 Middle Level Theory and Practice examines assessment that is developmentally appropriate, while CURR 620 Issues in Middle Level Curriculum analyzes more in-depth a variety of assessments including authentic assessment, outcomes-based assessment, portfolios, the use and writing of rubrics, and performance and product assessment. Within that discussion is the use of assessment for student growth and positive interest, assessment that informs practice, and the various methods and techniques used in assessment such as the attention to student learning styles, attitudes, interests, talents both individually and collaboratively; and individual, small group, teams, and company exhibitions; forms of product assessment, both cognitive and affective assessment for student growth, and self-assessment for life-long growth. In CURR 622 Effective Teaching in Middle Level Education students create the forms of assessments previously studied. This includes the writing of rubrics, portfolios, other creative ways to assess student progress, product and performance assessments and an assessment that furthers learning and growth.
In addition, in CURR 654 Multicultural Teaching and Learning students examine forms of assessment within the particular contexts of race, class and gender, with particular note to issues of equity and equality.
Criteria for Admittance to the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education—Forms of Assessment
Students must hold a valid teaching certificate in a content area, they must sit for the initial writing assessment, they must have two letters of professional recommendation, they must have at least a 2.75 grade point average in their undergraduate work (or they must take the GRE’s and demonstrate proficiency), and they must write a professional philosophy paper for admittance into the Master of Arts in Middle Level Education program.
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