In
order to qualify for this endorsement, the candidate shall demonstrate that
he/she meets the knowledge and performance standards for professional knowledge
of middle grades education as well as the knowledge and performance standards
for one or more of the core content areas of the middle grades curriculum as
follows:
Strand One:
Developmental Nature and Learning Needs of Early Adolescent Students in Grades
5 – 9
Knowledge Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Demonstrates a
thorough understanding of the developmental nature and needs of early
adolescents which include:
·
The intellectual, physical, social, emotional and psychological
changes that occur during early adolescents
·
The developmental needs of early adolescents in the areas of
identity, intimacy, autonomy, and affiliation
·
The wide variation in how students learn and develop cognitively
·
The variety of economic, social and cultural influences that
have an affect on each student’s life
·
How to work cooperatively and respectfully with all families to support
student’s learning and development
·
The need for community connections through service learning
Performance Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Draws upon
understanding of early adolescent development and learning theory
·
Uses proactive, collaborative strategies to promote
parent-teacher and parent-student’s communication about student learning and
parent-students relationships
·
Incorporates embedded literacy in all areas of instruction
·
Uses technology to enhance professional knowledge in this area
Strand Two:
Organizing for Learning in Grades 5 – 9
Knowledge Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Demonstrates a
thorough understanding of ways to structure the learning environment and to
organize instruction to maximize students’ learning and development which
includes:
·
How to work cooperatively and respectfully with all families to
support student’s learning and development
·
Organizational techniques that support early adolescents’
developmental needs for close, trusting relationships between adults and
students, and among students such as advisory programs
·
Knowledge of middle grade concepts such as interdisciplinary
team planning and organization, grouping strategies, scheduling options
·
A connection to the community through service learning
·
The effects that a variety of economic, social and cultural
influences have on each student’s life
Performance Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Draws upon their
understanding of the interests and needs of their students…to design and
implement learning experiences that…
·
Uses proactive, collaborative
strategies to promote parent-teacher and parent-student communication about
student learning and to enhance parent-student’s relationships
·
Provides an appropriate learning environments that meets the
developmental needs of early adolescents in the areas of identity, intimacy,
autonomy, and affiliation
·
Uses a variety of instructional techniques that will ensure that
all students, including those of special needs, are engaged in active
learning
·
Promotes individual development and social cooperation
·
Incorporates embedded literacy in all areas of instruction
·
Uses technology to enhance professional knowledge in this area
Strand Three:
Curriculum and Embedded Literacy in Grades 5 – 9
Knowledge Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Implements and
assesses curriculum and instruction to maximize early adolescent students’
learning and development. The educators understand...
·
How to work cooperatively and respectfully with all families to
support student’s learning and development
·
Curricular design and instructional techniques that engage the
unique intellectual and psychosocial nature and needs of early adolescent
students
·
Embedded literacy strategies that promote the reading and
writing skill development of all students across the content area
·
The variety of economic, social and cultural influences that
have an affect on each student’s life
·
The need for community connections through service learning
Performance Standards –
Professional Knowledge
Middle grades
educators draw upon their understanding of early adolescent development and
learning theory; the interests and needs of their students; and their knowledge
of subject matter, integrative curriculum, and assessment to design and
implement learning experiences that enable students to confront, explore, and
understand challenging concepts and issues and improve skills in purposeful and
engaging ways, Specifically, the educator:
·
Uses proactive, collaborative strategies to promote
parent-teacher and parent-student communication about student learning and to
enhance parent-student’s relationships
·
Provides an appropriate learning environments that meets the
developmental needs of early adolescents in the areas of identity, intimacy,
autonomy, and affiliation
·
Designs and implements curricula that are personally and
socially relevant, that incorporate real world topics, and that are based on
integrative themes that bring to bear the habits of mind and dispositions of
various disciplines
·
Collaborates with other teachers to integrate themes skills, and
content from multiple disciplinary area within the classroom curriculum
·
Implements curriculum using a variety of instructional
strategies to ensure that all students, including those of special needs, learn
central concepts within the disciplines, are engaged in active learning, and to
promote individual and social cooperation.
·
Incorporates embedded literacy in all areas of instruction
·
Uses assessment strategies and methodologies that require
students to take the increasing responsibility for understanding themselves as
learners, evaluating their own work, and setting their own learning goals
·
Uses technology to enhance professional knowledge in this area