Master of Education Program and Graduate Coursework

The graduate level courses offered by the Curriculum and Instruction Department prepare candidates to grow professionally as service-oriented educators. Choose any of the following options: an ESOL licensure, SPED licensure only or combine those programs with the core graduate courses in education to earn the M.Ed.

These three programs (ESOL licensure, SPED licensure, and the core) are provided by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction and, like the undergraduate Teacher Education Program, are governed by the Teacher Education Board.

Teacher Education Program

The Teacher Education Program at McPherson College is accredited by the Kansas State Department of Education (900 SW Jackson Street, Topeka, Kansas 66612); and by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org (now known as Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP), www.caepnet.org). This accreditation covers the Teacher Education Program at McPherson College; however, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, relicensure, or other purposes.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Teacher Education Program of McPherson College is to develop service-oriented educators who effectively blend the art and science of teaching.

Goals, Objectives, and Dispositions

Goal I: The candidate has the knowledge bases necessary to be an effective teacher in her/his field.

To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:

Objectives:

  1. Acquire a broad liberal arts knowledge base.
  2. Demonstrate proficiency in his/her major area of licensure.
  3. Acquire effective strategies of teaching in all appropriate content areas and for all learners.
  4. Recognize how students learn and develop.

Disposition: Appreciate the connections between various areas of knowledge and commit to continuous learning.

Goal II: The candidate can apply effective teaching strategies to meet the needs of all learners.

To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:

Objectives:

  1. Use appropriate best practices for specific content areas and for diverse learners.
  2. Reflect upon his/her teaching and analyze the practices.
  3. Demonstrate understanding and use of formative and summative assessments and make modifications based on them.
  4. Provide motivational techniques based on students’ developmental and environmental needs.

Disposition: Value and respect students’ varied talents and abilities and project enthusiasm for teaching all learners.

Goal III: The candidate fosters relationships and collaborates with school constituencies. To accomplish this goal, the service-oriented educator will:

Objectives:

  1. Communicate effectively in both written and oral formats and through the use of technology
  2. Solicit input from students, parents, colleagues, and the greater community.
  3. Act on information received from stakeholders.

Disposition: Value the many ways in which people seek to communicate and encourage various modes of communication.

In addition to meeting the Goals, Objectives, and Dispositions of The Teacher Education Program, the graduate-level program must also meet the additional graduate-level Student Learning Outcomes:

  1. Demonstrate graduate-level problems solving and analytical skills.
  2. (Re)Establish a personal philosophy of education.
  3. Develop graduate-level action research and writing skills.
  4. Develop an understanding of current research, best practices, and new approaches to teaching and/or learning.