Program Philosophy

Antioch University New England Elementary Teacher Certification Students Like a tapestry, our program is made up of many strands. An inspiring teacher weaves many great ideas into a successful integrated classroom. Developmentally appropriate teaching, thematically focused pedagogy, integrated curricula, and placed-based learning are the heart of our program. We develop teachers who can:

design, plan, evaluate, and manage time and space structures in the classroom
develop criteria for evaluating a child's level of personal development, considering factors of emotional expression, manipulation of materials, language and physical development
clarify the behavior expected of children in a variety of settings, be able to elicit the expected behavior, and demonstrate ability to manage a group of children
explore the child's view of the world by considering personal memories and practicing observation
analyze the appropriateness of classroom materials for children of different developmental levels
demonstrate a familiarity with the variety of approaches to the teaching of reading and writing language in the primary school and plan activities appropriate to specific age levels
design activities that elicit quantitative involvement from children, plan a mathematics component appropriate to a specific age group, and demonstrate general understanding of mathematical concepts taught in the elementary school
survey children's literature and develop criteria for evaluating stories for individuals and groups at various stages of development
implement science and social studies curricula that are consistent with children's interests and curriculum guidelines
design thematic curriculum that is aligned with state curriculum frameworks and assessment programs
seek an appropriate balance between child-centered and curriculum-centered approaches to teaching

Last Updated: 3/4/10