Master of Arts [M.A] [Special Education] From The College of New Jersey

Mission Statement

Consistent with The College of New Jersey?s clear public service mandate, The School of Education is committed to preparing exceptional teachers and clinicians. The basic tenet underlying our practice is our accepted truth that all individuals can learn and grow, and deserve schools/clinics and teachers/clinicians that respect their individual needs and circumstances while striving to give them the knowledge and skills to be successful in the larger society. Furthermore, we accept as truth the ideal that education is key to addressing the inequalities that exist in society, and that teachers and other school professionals can and should be agents for positive social change. Therefore, through ongoing partnerships with our colleagues in K?12 education and state government, faculty of the School of Education remain dedicated to the core mission of producing high-quality professionals who possess solid content knowledge, demonstrated clinical competence, and a clearly articulated belief that all individuals deserve the highest quality practices in their schools and clinics.

Guiding Principles The following five principles form a statement of beliefs that provides a framework that guides our day-to-day practice.

• Principle One: Demonstrating Subject Matter Expertise. We believe that teaching is a profession. As such, professional teachers should develop a solid base of knowledge in such areas as literacy, numeracy, child development, learning theory, exceptionality, and pedagogical techniques. All teaching candidates will complete their programs at The College of New Jersey eligible to be considered ?highly qualified.?
• Principle Two: Demonstrating Excellence in Planning and Practice. We believe that our professional candidates must develop sophisticated pedagogical knowledge to design and implement effective instruction or interventions. They should possess an in-depth understanding of human growth and development to enable them to make developmentally appropriate decisions. They should be fully immersed, in both the college classroom and in the field, in a social-constructivist perspective of learning and its implications for student-centered planning, scaffolded learning experiences, and the use of a wide repertoire of instructional strategies, including appropriate use of current technology. We believe that our professional candidates should appreciate the importance of a productive learning environment in which teachers and children communicate effectively and respectfully.
• Principle Three: Demonstrating a Commitment to ALL Learners. We believe that our professional candidates should have the skill and the will to help all learners reach their full potential. Our candidates must believe in the ability of all students to learn and grow, must be able to implement the principles of culturally responsive teaching and differentiated instruction, and must understand the importance of partnerships with families, community members, and other professionals to address children?s diverse needs. We believe our candidates need to experience diverse teaching/clinical settings in their programs at TCNJ and that students should be encouraged and supported to take advantage of opportunities to develop global perspectives through study abroad and international student teaching.
• Principle Four: Demonstrating a Strong, Positive Effect on Student Growth. We believe that our professional candidates must see their success in terms of the progress made by their students. We are supportive of the underlying principle that all children should make progress in school. Our candidates must understand how to accurately assess their learners? strengths and needs through a variety of assessment tools, and how to use assessment information to provide effective data-driven instruction or interventions. Our candidates must also demonstrate an ability to effectively communicate information to a variety of audiences, including parents and guardians.
• Principle Five: Demonstrating Professionalism, Advocacy, and Leadership. We believe that our professional candidates need to continue to develop their theoretical knowledge and practical skills well after they complete their program and enter their chosen career. As we strive to admit highly capable, high-achieving candidates into our program, we believe that our candidates are in a unique position to become future leaders, advocating not only for the needs of children and youth in New Jersey, but also for the educational professions at large. Our programs focus on developing reflective thinking skills, as well as providing opportunities for our candidates to participate in various field experiences that require them to see themselves as professionals and to take on leadership roles.