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The Excellence in Teaching Program is designed to develop reflective, collaborative educators who are continually learning in an effort to help students learn. Introductory courses in the program address child growth and development, the qualities of effective educators, the latest research around student learning, student engagement, and meeting the needs of diverse learners. The courses that follow emphasize strategic assessment, high-impact instructional practices, and instructional planning. The program allows students to synthesize and apply their learning and emphasizes the role as a professional within the school and local community throughout the content methods courses, student teaching experience, and capstone course. Reflective and collaborative practices, as well as technology for learning, are infused throughout the program.
Courses are delivered through an online platform approximately once per month. We also require one face-to-face course content class every month. These are held on a Saturday either at the CESA 9 office in Tomahawk or virtually. Visit our timeline page for specific dates.
Course One: Foundations of Teaching
Linking teaching, learning, and subject matter, this course introduces and supports understanding of basic theories of learning and development as well as the role of psychological and educational theory in the design of curriculum, conduct of teaching, and assessment of learning.
Course Two: Designing Engaging Learning Environments
In this course, students will recognize the impact of dynamic learning environments through an exploration of research-based methodology in classroom management, community building, multiple learner pathways, and learning environments that reflect the diverse way in which students learn.
Course Three: Understanding and Meeting the Diverse Needs of Learners
This course focuses on developing an awareness and understanding of diversity in the classroom and explores the needs of learners as well as strategies to address those needs. This course will examine UDL principles as well as differentiation, accommodations, and modifications for special needs students.
Course Four: Assessing Learning and Using Data to Inform Instruction
This course focuses on the purposes and types of assessment used to understand and document student learning. The course will explore guiding principles for meaningful classroom assessment that engages students in the assessment process. Students will develop assessments using a variety of methods aligned with achievement targets and will design effective methods for communicating about students' learning.
Course Five: High-Impact Evidence-Based Instructional Practices
This course focuses on evidence-based instructional practices that have a high impact on learner behavior, cognitive development, and effective engagement. Participants will move from theory to practice by applying their previous learning to create and implement effective lesson plans.
Course Six: Methods of Teaching Social Studies
In this course, students will learn about WI Standards for Social Studies and instructional practices to effectively teach Social Studies. They will explore the overall structure and learn how the various strands are interrelated and how inquiry is the basis for learning about social studies topics.
Course Seven: Methods of Teaching Science
In this course, students will learn about WI Science Standards and instructional practices to effectively teach science. They will explore the overall structure and learn how the cross-cutting concepts and science and engineering practices are interwoven with the content areas of life science, earth & space science, and physical science.
Course Eight: Methods of Teaching ELA
In this course, students will learn about WI Standards for ELA and instructional practices to effectively teach ELA. They will explore the overall standards structure, learn how the various strands are interrelated, and develop strategies for creating learning experiences that foster the development of literate individuals.
Course Nine: Methods of Teaching Mathematics
In this 2-session course, students will examine the WI math standards, both content and practices, as well as the shifts in instructional practice required for students to become proficient. Students will also focus on the early elementary standards and strategies in order to understand the foundational learning around building number sense and developing computational skills, and will practice the CRA approach to learning math. They will also focus on late elementary, middle school, and high school standards and strategies pertaining to decimals, fractions, ratios & proportions, geometry, and algebra.
Course Ten: Methods of Teaching Reading
In this 2-session course, students will develop their understanding of the reading process starting with reading foundational skills which include phonemic awareness, phonics, comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency in context. Students will also develop their understanding of the reading process beyond foundational skills. This includes language skills such as background knowledge, vocabulary, and structure for language comprehension, and cognitive skills such as the general and specific purposes for reading, strategic reading behaviors, and comprehension strategies.
Course Eleven: Teacher as a Professional and Reflective Practitioner
This course focuses on the teacher as a professional and reflective practitioner. Participants will explore the qualities and actions that make teachers effective employees, clear communicators, strong leaders, and impactful community members.
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