Preservice Course Descriptors for Multiple Subject Candidates
MS 101: Overview and Culmination of Preservice Program
This course is designed to introduce candidates to the Multiple Subject Intern Program. Candidates will learn the structure, expectations, and logistics of the Preservice and Intern Program. Candidates will be introduced to the online and field experience requirements of the Preservice program and learn how completion of requirements is logged and monitored. Candidates will learn about California’s Learning to Teach System, and explore the Teaching Preparation Expectations (TPEs) and their alignment to the California Standards for the Teaching Profession.
MS 102: Foundations for Teaching and Learning in California
This course is designed to introduce candidates to the complex profession of teaching, including the historical, philosophical, cultural, social, and political history of the educational system in the United States and California, including state and federal policies. Candidates will be introduced to the alignment of standards, frameworks, instructional materials, and assessments for planning instruction to meet the needs of all students. Candidates will examine the background characteristics of California’s diverse student population in order to promote the achievement of all learners, including English learners. Issues related to student academic and social development will be explored. Through this course, candidates will learn research-based lesson design using the High-Quality First Instruction (HQFI) Model and observe the application of this model through field experience. Candidates will understand the professional, legal, and ethical obligations of being the teacher-of-record in a diverse, California classroom. Through reading, reflection, writing, discussion, observation, collaboration, and experience in planning and presenting, they will be better prepared to begin a professional career as a teacher in California.
MS 103: Introduction to Classroom Management
This course is designed to introduce candidates to creating and maintaining well-managed classrooms that foster students’ physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well being. Candidates will learn the importance of setting the tone through teacher actions and expectations and relationships with students and families. Candidates will develop a preliminary plan for the collaborative development of classroom rules. In addition, the role of procedures and routines in a well-managed classroom will be examined. The impact of lesson design on classroom management will be explored.
MS 104: Preparation to Teach Special Populations
This course is designed to develop candidates’ knowledge and skills in identifying and providing appropriate interventions for students who experience learning difficulty and/or students who are gifted. Candidates will be exposed to the instructional, social, and emotional implications of students with disabilities and students who are gifted. The class will discuss the importance of the core curriculum and the right of all students to be exposed to a rich and challenging curriculum. Candidates will learn about the IEP process including student referral, assessment, eligibility, and special education services. Candidates will learn and discuss instructional interventions that may be appropriate to help students with varying learning abilities and disabilities. Candidates will discuss the practical meaning of terms such as “Least Restrictive Environment” and “Free and Appropriate Education.” The class will discuss the demographics of special education and the implications stemming from disproportionate numbers of poor and minority students. The online component will require students to look up special education legal requirements and provide an opportunity for students to hear from respected authors on curriculum content and instruction.
MS 105: Preparation to Teach English Learners
This course is designed to introduce candidates to key theoretical issues in first and second language acquisition, linguistic development, sheltered instruction (Specially Designed Academic Instruction in English, SDAIE), current research-based pedagogical practices, instructional models, assessment, state and federal legislation, and other related areas such as how individual, social, cultural, psychological, and political dimensions can impact English learners’ (ELs) achievement in acquiring linguistic and academic proficiency. Candidates will be introduced to the alignment of standards, frameworks, locally-adopted instructional materials, and assessments for planning instruction to meet the needs of ELs. Candidates will be prepared for the challenges and rigors of delivering meaningful and appropriate instruction to ELs through reading, reflection, writing, discussion, and field observation.
MS 110: Preparation to Teach Reading, Writing, and Related Language Instruction
This course is designed to introduce candidates to the essential components of teaching reading, and the fundamentals of teaching writing and language in K-8 classrooms. Candidates will be introduced to the what, why, when, and how of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Candidates will examine seminal research on pedagogical principles and practices that have demonstrated efficacy across a broad spectrum of learner populations, including English learners. Candidates will practice direct teaching of these components with instructor feedback. Field experience will allow candidates to observe K-2 teachers of beginning reading whose instructional approaches and methods are consistent with the 2014 English Language Arts/English Language Development Framework as well as 3-5 and 6-8 classrooms, where texts of appropriate complexity are taught and read (CCSS 2010). Online study will provide candidates further opportunity to extend their knowledge, both theoretical and practice of teaching reading comprehension and to explore online assessment systems.
MS 111: Preparation to Teach Mathematics and Subject-Specific Content
This course is designed to introduce candidates to the essential components of teaching and engaging learning in Mathematics and the fundamental components of lesson planning for high- quality, subject-specific content instruction in K-8 classrooms. Candidates will be introduced to the what, why, when, and how of planning for rigorous learning in all content areas. Candidates will be introduced to teaching and learning through the assessment cycle with instructor feedback. Candidates will examine seminal research on pedagogical principles and practices that have demonstrated efficacy across a broad spectrum of learner populations, including English learners. Participants will learn, compare, analyze, and evaluate instructional practices and impact of classroom culture on student engagement for alignment with the California Common Core State Standards. Field experience will allow candidates to interact with multiple K-8 teachers through interviews and observations to gain insight of various instructional approaches, classroom cultures, and student engagement methods. Online study will provide candidates further opportunity to extend their theoretical knowledge and teaching practice, and to research, identify, and explore credible online resources.