An overview of the teaching profession and an examination of the role schools play in the fabric of American society. Coursework will include orientation to the Sterling College Teacher Education Program concept of the teacher as Servant Leader, portfolio design and expectations, education reform at the state and national level, and standards-based education. Emphasis will be placed on contemporary professional, ethical, and legal issues and problems facing American schools and the effect changes in American society have upon the purpose and areas of emphasis in American schools.

This class will provide teacher candidates with the knowledge and skills necessary to accomplish appropriate classroom management. Areas addressed will include: student motivation, behavior interventions, homework,grading, and parent/guardian communication.

This course provides an overview of categorical exceptionalities delineated in the law, service delivery systems,advocacy groups, the concept of least restrictive alternatives, and the purpose and function of the IEP. The course is designed to introduce pre-service teachers to handicapping conditions of children enrolled in regular education and give them alternatives for instruction and assessment of these students. It also serves as a foundation for teachers wishing to focus on the area of special education. 20 hours field experience is required.

This course focuses on the impacting factors of cultural diversity within an educational setting. Experiences are designed to examine critical elements of the educational process that are influenced by culture and to increase awareness, knowledge and skill in providing culturally responsive curriculum and instruction within a classroom setting. Off campus experiences are required.

In this course teacher candidates will develop and extend knowledge and skills in classroom instruction and assessment. Candidates will develop teacher-centered and student-centered lesson plans, and identify and design appropriate assessment tools. Unit planning and micro-teaching are integral components of the course.

This course assists teacher candidates in applying theories and philosophies of child and adolescent development to the education process. Case studies will be discussed and assessed with Praxis scoring rubric. 10 hours of field experience required.

This course will explore the wide range of instructional applications of computer technology in K-12classrooms. Students will learn to integrate and model good and innovative uses of current educational technology, facilitated by using the computer as an administrative tool, by using technology as an information delivery medium to enhance communication as a source of information, and as a student productivity tool.Current technology issues and ISTE standards for teachers and students will also be addressed. Prerequisite: A basic understanding of computer operations and software applications.

This class will allow teacher candidates an opportunity to plan a variety of strategies for teaching reading, vocabulary, and writing appropriate to content in grades 4-12; assess writing using the 6-trait Writing Assessment; integrate reading and writing within content areas and across the curriculum. 30-hour field experience required. Prerequisite: ED219.

This lab is required for all majors receiving an education endorsement through the Sterling Teacher Education Program. All K-12 and 6-12 teacher candidates will complete at least 15 hours of field experience (or the hours designated by their major, whichever is greater) in their chosen endorsement area or major. Elementary Education majors will complete their lab during their Methods Block. Teacher candidates will design a minimum of two lessons which will be taught in their placement setting with evaluations from their host teacher. Using the demographics of the district/classroom students will complete Tasks 1 and 2 of the KPTP on a timeline scheduled by the college instructor as well as review and discuss Tasks 3 and 4 as they relate to the candidates’ Clinical Teaching Experience. A grade of C or higher in both the Methods and ED400 Lab is required to participate in Clinical Teaching Experience. Prerequisites: ED219 and acceptance to STEP. (Writing Intensive)

This course is required for all K-6, 6-12, and PreK-12 students. Students individually and collaboratively research and discuss major topics in education. Open to juniors and seniors, this course prepares teacher candidates for clinical teaching experience and subsequent employment. It is recommended this course betaken the semester prior to Clinical Teaching Experience. Prerequisite: Completion of all Level I professional education courses.

This course is required for all majors receiving an education endorsement through the STEP. Candidates will design and teach a Kansas Performance Teaching Portfolio (KPTP) using district, school, and classroom contextual data. The final KPTP will be submitted according to the timeline designated by STEP and scored by trained KSDE scorers. Candidates not meeting the submission timeline will be delayed in their program completion by one semester or until a future, official state KPTP scoring session is available. Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 20 to be considered a STEP completer and eligible for licensure through KSDE.Concurrent with ED498. Prerequisites: Acceptance to STEP, completion of all professional education courses and major (2.75 GPA) content hours, passing the CTE interview, and placement for ED498 Clinical Teaching Experience. (Fee)

Course includes observing, assisting and teaching for 12 to 16 weeks in an accredited school under the guidance of cooperating teachers and college supervisors. A Clinical Teaching seminar is incorporated into this course to cover and reinforce topics that are timely and relevant to this study. It allows for discussion and reflection on classroom practices. (Required weeks may vary according to field of study.)  A student teaching fee is assessed. (Fall/Spring)