Twelve Principles for Secondary Teacher Education

Teaching is a complex interaction among instructors and students that is influenced by the unique requirements of the subject being taught and the characteristics of the community in which the school is located. Although each classroom is different and each student/teacher interaction is unique, there are well established principles that guide instruction. The Secondary Teacher Education Program is structured around twelve principles that guide the selection of content for its courses and the assessment procedures of the program. The twelve principles are described below. These principles will be used to organize the professional portfolio which is prepared during level I and level II course work in the Secondary Teacher Education Program

Knowledge Construction:The teacher understands the concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines(s) he/she teaches and can create meaningful learning experiences for the students.

Learner Development: The teacher understands how students' develop and learn and can develop learning activities that support students' intellectual, emotional, and social development.

Multiculturalism: The teacher understands how to engage all students in learning activities by providing for differences in gender, socioeconomic status, culture, and English language proficiency.

Exceptionality:The teacher understands that students differ in their learning approaches and can create and adapt learning activities to meet students’ needs.

Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to enhance student learning and to encourage the development of students' abilities to use critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills.

Management/Motivation: The teacher understands individual and group motivation techniques, on- and off- task student behaviors, and can create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction and active engagement in learning and self-motivation.

Effective Communication: The teacher understands effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster meaningful learning experiences in the classroom

Technology: The teacher uses a variety of media to supplement instruction.

Instructional Planning: The teacher plans well-organized instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, student development level, and curriculum goals and standards. The teacher uses a variety of appropriate strategies that promote both conceptual development and higher-level thinking.

Assessment: Teacher uses informal and formal measurements to make formative and summative evaluations which accurately assess meaningful learning.

Cooperation/Collaboration: The teacher understands how to develop formal and informal assessment tools that measure appropriate cognitive, psychomotor, and social learning behaviors.

Professionalism: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who can evaluate the effects of his/her teaching on students, parents, and colleagues and who actively seeks opportunities to grow