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Program Mission
The Elementary Education M.Ed. Program consists of a comprehensive and innovative series of experiences designed to develop the knowledge, skills and qualities essential for initial teaching effectiveness. The mission of the Elementary Education Model Program, grounded in the Graduate School of Education and Human Development’s Bridging Concepts—Research and Scholarship, Reflective Practice, Community Service, and Educational Leadership—is to prepare teachers who are knowledgeable in the research and scholarship of curriculum and methods of instruction; who are reflective practitioners in the integration of theory and practice; who are actively dedicated to teaching and learning in a pluralistic democracy; and who, as leaders, are eager to contribute to the national conversation about the reform of American schools and society. Conceptual Framework
The Elementary Education Model Program’s mission is further grounded in a conceptual framework that consists of an integrated set of three themes: knowledge, individuality, and social responsibility. These three themes provide a cohesive conceptual framework for the entire program and are reflected in all aspects of program coursework as well as in related clinical experiences.  The relationship of the conceptual framework's three themes is interactive.
Knowledge:
Good teachers know the subject matter they teach; they also understand the process of its construction and the impact of its use in real world settings. This extended view of knowledge establishes a comprehensive base for meaningful classroom instruction in content areas, as teachers help youngsters to understand their own thought processes and the significance of learning in their daily lives. Good teachers understand these active, underlying principles of knowledge in order to help students effectively think, communicate, and participate in the real world.
Individuality: Today’s youngsters come from a rich array of cultural and experiential backgrounds. They bring to schools a diverse set of personal, social, and academic expectations. Good teachers are attentive to students as individuals; they are also sensitive to the broader cultural context that gives shape to diversity. This awareness helps teachers design meaningful programs of study that maximize the development of each student’s potential.
Social Responsibility: Teaching is a socially significant profession that calls for a wider, moral vision extending beyond the narrowness of personal gain and private intellectual development. The education of today’s youth is connected to many crucial issues confronting the larger social order. Good teachers recognize and reflect, and actively explore these important connections that link school and society, classroom and community.
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