Middle Childhood Education

• Agents and advocates of change who are committed to working for change, social justice and a better education for all students.
• Informed, responsible practitioners who are not only knowledgeable in their content areas but also generalists who understand the unique needs of young adolescents, promote their health, safety and wellness, design a curriculum that is challenging, integrative, exploratory and inquiry-focused, use varied individual as well as cooperative approaches to teaching and learning, and conduct research in their own classroom.
• Creators of a school environment that is appreciative and accepting of the many forms of diversity in a pluralistic society due to difference in ability, ethnic as well as national background, philosophical and intellectual orientations, sexual orientation, and economic inequality.
• Ethical, reflective decision-makers and problem-solvers who in their practice design appropriate school programs, initiate interdisciplinary cooperation, serve as team players, reach out to create partnerships with families, resource persons, as well as community groups, and model the importance of care and kindness.
• Principled, expert leaders who understand and assume the many leading roles of teachers, implement curriculum, pedagogy, evaluation that is developmentally appropriate for middle childhood, and, as adult advisors, offer comprehensive guidance to young adolescents.
• Committed to their profession identity and growth by becoming active members in their professional organizations, renewing themselves and sustaining their work over time, modeling that learning is a lifelong process, serving as mentors to novice teachers, and effectively communicating their ideas.
• Proficient and ethical users of technology who know and understand the role of technology in promoting student learning and professional growth and who demonstrate proficiency in the ethical use of current technologies.
• Competent and capable in research and assessment and who understand the importance of generating knowledge and testing hypotheses according to the methods of inquiry and standards of evidence; employ multiple methods for measuring student growth and understanding and can clearly explain student performance to parents; and understand the characteristics, uses, advantages, and limitations of different types of assessments.