Department of Teaching and Learning

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Faculty and Fields of Interest

Dr. Armand Desmarais, Professor Emeritus, teacher certification and licensure, foundations of education, mentoring, teacher induction

Dr. Maureen Hall English education, middle and secondary education, literacy, developmental teaching and language arts, K-12 curriculum design, professional development, community-making, innovation, and reform

Dr. Cynthia Kruger middle and secondary education, curriculum development, methodology, social studies, reading, inclusive education

Dr. Joao J. Rosa curricular theory, sociolinguistics, bilingual education and literacy

Michelle Hathaway Administrative Assistant

Dr. Sheila Macrine reading/special education, educational reform, critical-feminist pedagogy

Dr. Brenda Hawkins professional development, integrated curriculum, critical literacy

Mission

The Teaching and Learning Department is committed to providing teacher preparation, licensing and professional development opportunities for aspiring as well as already-licensed teachers. The department develops reflective practitioners who understand the complex social contexts of learning, education and schooling in both urban and suburban settings. In addition to providing a rigorous preparation in specific fields, the faculty encourage students and teachers to develop their ability to apply pedagogical theory to practice and to reflect on the complexities inherent in their craft. They are committed to the preparation of educators who are sensitive to multicultural issues, an awareness of the particular concerns of urban education, knowledge of the unique styles of individual learners, and the role of schools to promote social justice in the  21^st century.

UMass Dartmouth offers both Massachusetts Initial and Professional Teaching Licensure programs at the graduate level.  These lead to an Initial teaching license via either a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate or an Initial license MAT. The programs lead to licensure in the following areas:  Middle and Secondary Biology; Chemistry, English, Foreign Literature and Languages (French, Portuguese and Spanish), General Science, History, Political Science/Political Philosophy, Mathematics and Physics.

Goals for Student Learning

The goal of SEPPCE’s Department of Teaching and Learning is to prepare students as K-12 teachers, as well as provide ongoing education to practicing teachers.  To this end, we seek to develop students are knowledgable of:

• Content
• Pedagogical methods
• Equity
• Professional responsibilities

Middle and Secondary Initial Licensure Post-Baccalaureate Program

Teacher candidates who already hold an undergraduate degree from an accredited four-year institution may earn an initial license by following a sequence of courses at the post-baccalaureate level.  This sequence prepares students for initial licensure at the elementary, middle and high school levels. Post-Baccalaureate students must successfully pass state tests and complete the sequence of education courses. The Post-Baccalaureate program includes content courses that require pre-practicum assignments in local area schools and one full semester of student teaching. For those already teaching, a supervised equivalent to a practicum may be arranged.

Art Education and Music

See the sections elsewhere in this catalogue for information about admission to and progression in these programs.

BA/BS-MAT (fast-track) Introduction

This five-year program prepares students to teach specific disciplines and obtain initial teaching licensure from the state’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) before obtaining a master’s degree.  This program is also intended for students who are currently teaching on preliminary licenses who need to get their initial license to remain in teaching. Students acquire knowledge in their discipline while earning bachelor’s degrees, and then develop strong teaching skills while earning master’s degrees in secondary education.  They begin taking graduate level courses during their junior year. Five advanced courses in education, a content area, or special education apply to both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree (up to 15 credits). 

Licensure

Initial licensure involves passing several of the Massachusetts Tests for Educators Licensure (MTEL), which include: Communication and Literacy Skills (Reading and Writing), and Content/Subject tests.  In addition, students seeking initial licensure are required to complete an approved educator preparation program that includes both pre-practicum experiences and a full-semester practicum that addresses the state Subject Matter standards (SMK) and Professional Standards for Teachers (PST).

The Department of Teaching and Learning prepares students for initial licensure as.

• Teacher of Biology (8-12)
• Teacher of Chemistry (8-12)
• Teacher of English (5-8) (8-12)
• Teacher of Foreign Languages-French (5-12)
• Teacher of Foreign Languages-Portuguese (5-12)
• Teacher of Foreign Languages-Spanish (5-12)
• Teacher of General Science (5-8)
• Teacher of History (5-8) (8-12)
• Teacher of Mathematics (5-8) (8-12)
• Teacher of Music (K-12) through the Department of Music
• Teacher of Physics (8-12) through the Department of Physics
• Teacher of Visual Art (PreK-8) (5-12) through the Department of Art Education
  

Because future teachers’ undergraduate majors provide much of the content and specialization knowledge that they will use as teachers, the choice of a specific major can be important for the prospective teacher. This is another reason why current undergraduate students considering a teaching career should contact the Teaching and Learning Department for individual advisement.

Undergraduate students may take up to six EDU credits at the 500 level provided that they have fulfilled their general education and College distribution requirements, can demonstrate that they are on track to graduate in a timely manner and have undergraduate records showing that they are capable of doing graduate-level work.

MTEL Prep Assistance

Offered through Professional and Continuing Education regularly throughout the year is a short course to help one prepare for the MTEL test. For more information go to the PCE website: www.umassd.edu/pce or call 508-999-9129.

Admission Requirements

Requirements for admission to the teacher preparation program:

• All post-baccalaureate candidates must have an appropriate bachelor’s degree and apply through the Graduate Admissions Office.
• All candidates must submit a completed application, have a minimum 3.0 GPA and and have a personal interview with a member of the Teaching and Learning Department.
• Official transcripts showing the date of graduation must be sent to the Graduate Admissions Office.
• All candidates must pass the Communication and Literacy Skills Test (01) and the appropriate content MTEL.  Middle and high school candidates must pass the appropriate content area exam.
• At the conclusion of the program students completing the Initial Licensing Program will receive a university certificate; endorsed by the UMass Dartmouth Licensure Officer, and apply to the Massachusetts Department of Education for their Initial License.

Teacher Education Program Facts

Massachusetts and Federal law require us to post the success rates of our teaching certification candidates on the Massachusetts Teacher Test. These statistics reflect policies in place previously that allowed students to enter and complete the program before passing the Teacher Test. 

Note: When fewer than 10 persons took the test, scores are not shown.

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