This course examines specific methods for identifying learning styles and how to design activities and instructional approaches to accommodate each style. Designed for all grade level teachers.
This course provides a foundation for educational partnerships between regular and special educators. It offers new and innovative ways to jointly meet the needs of special students.
Students will intern in a field experience at birth through 36 months integrating prior early childhood coursework through the preparation of interdisciplinary units designed and delivered in a birth through 36 months environment. Restricted to students admitted to the early childhood endorsement/licensure program.
Students will intern in a field experience with kindergarten children integrating prior early childhood coursework through the preparation of interdisciplinary units designed and delivered in a kindergarten environment. Field experience reflections addressing the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) standards will be compiled into a field experience portfolio. Restricted to students admitted to the early childhood endorsement/licensure program. May be repeated for credit.
Educational Strategies for the Gifted will provide the opportunity to examine current trends in educational programming for the gifted and talented. Participants will examine curriculum design and development and compare effectiveness of various programming options: gifted and general education school improvement models, differentiation, collaboration, inclusion, cluster grouping, pullout and pull-in models. Classroom strategies to support qualitatively differentiated instruction will be examined, developed, and applied to current practices.
Psychology of the Gifted will provide an opportunity to examine the issues that educators need to know about the social and emotional development and needs of gifted children. Giftedness is much more than the ability to excel with grades and tests. Participants will examine varying definitions of giftedness and personal beliefs that support and advocate for gifted children or become barriers to them. This class will examine how gifted students perceive themselves, and how pressures, anxiety or outside influences impact the fulfillment of their potential.
The course is designed to provide teachers the opportunity to gain deeper understanding of the art of teaching writing. Current research and theory will provide a foundation of knowledge to effictively teach writing as a communication tool. Content will include the following: reading-writing-speaking connections; the stages of spelling development; the writing process; qualities of effective writing; writing conferences; and an exploration of different types of writing.
Identification and Programming for the Gifted will provide opportunities to examine the complex issues around identification of gifted students, including twice-exceptionality and English language learners. Participants will study the areas of giftedness as identified in Iowa code: general intellectual ability, creative thinking, leadership ability, visual and performing arts ability and specific ability aptitude. Participants will examine, discuss, determine, and evaluate programming models and options that best meet the needs of each of these populations of students.
Administration and supervision of gifted programs will provide opportunities for students to audit, examine, develop, and/or improve their written comprehensive gifted and talented program plan and programming. Participants will study their current plans, consider best practices in gifted education, analyze data, and more.
Gifted Education Internship is the culmination of course work to qualify for the TAG endorsement. This internship focuses on application of best practices related to the field of gifted education. Participants will take part in 20 hours of learning and leadership experiences in multiple educational settings, supervised cooperatively by the university internship supervisor and/or an approved mentor in the field of gifted education. A minimum of 10 of the required 20 hours must be outside of participants current grade level endorsement area.