1. New State Licensure for Middle Grades 5-8: Master of Arts in Teaching in Middle Grades as Proposed by National Louis University AMLE Annual Meeting October 16, 2015 Presented by Virginia Jagla, Nancy Naughten & Cynthia Mee

2. In the creation of the MAT MGE Program, the following were consulted and added much to the mission and vision of the program: content specialists, technology specialist, CIL Faculty, SPE Faculty, Foundation Faculty, NCE Director of Research, Director and Assistant Director of Teacher Preparation, the MGE Advisory Board and members of the Association of Illinois Middle Schools.

4. We consulted with young adolescents as well…

5. The NLU MAT MGE Program is committed to the preparation of men and women who will influence and improve the education of young adolescents and offer leadership in the field of education.

6. Questions for you… What are the three most important skills for young adolescents to master by the time they graduate 8 th grade? Why? What is the most important quality a novice middle school teacher needs? Why?

7. At the heart of the program is a commitment to the personal and professional growth of middle grades pre-service teachers. A unique aspect of the program is the inclusion of four “Young Adolescents in Context” courses, which are interwoven throughout the program.

8. MGE 501 Introduction to Middle Grades Education: Young Adolescents in Context 1 …brings candidates into middle grades classrooms to shadow a young adolescent and experience a middle grades school day.

9. MGE 503 Advocacy Practicum: Young Adolescents in Context 2 …places candidates in middle grades classrooms to witness and enact the supportive nature of teaching young adolescents.

10. MGE 505 Teaching and Learning Practicum: Young Adolescents in Context 3 … is in a linked placement with MGE 590 Student Teaching: Young Adolescents in Context 4

11. This two term linked placement in the same classroom with the same cooperating teacher allows candidates to experience a rich internship as they develop deep relationships with their students.

12. Questions for you… What does thinking about young adolescents in context mean to you? What contextual information is important to impart to future middle school teachers?

13. Another unique aspect of the program is the inclusion of a Voices and Choices in Middle Grades Education course. The course is sequentially completed over three terms permitting all candidates to explore one or more middle grades topics(s) of interest and create their individual inquiries.

14. Each term all candidates present their projects at the Middle Grades Education Forum. Thus modeling the facilitation of young adolescent voices and choices in middle grades classrooms.

15. Question for you… In what ways do you allow for candidate voice and choice?

16. MGE 522 Engaging Young Adolescent Learners … delves deeply into a range of classroom management styles and strategies.

17. Question for you… What do you think is the most effective classroom management strategy to engage young adolescents?

18. MGE 509 Integrated Curriculum in the Middle Grades … encourages inquiry, creativity, and critical thinking through cross disciplinary real-world opportunities.

19. Question for you… How do you effectively promote interdisciplinary teaching and learning?

20. MGE 520 Methods of Teaching Content Area Literacy in the Middle Grades … focuses on the development of reading in the middle grades, particularly reading to learn from expository text materials, digital texts and other media, and on the development of study skills.

21. Content Methods Courses MGE 510 Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Science MGE 512 Methods of Teaching Middle Grades English/Language Arts MGE 514 Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Mathematics MGE 518 Methods of Teaching Middle Grades Social Studies

22. Courses addressing diversity include: CIL531 Cross Cultural Education CIL 500 Foundations of ESL and Bilingual Education CIL 505 Methods and Materials for Teaching English as a Second Language SPE 500 Introduction to and Methods of Teaching Students with Disabilities SPE 501 Educational and Diagnostic Assessment of Exceptional Children and Adolescents SPE 506 Frameworks, Perspectives, and Collaboration in Special Education

23. Technology Profile Individual assessment of technology skills by candidates. Initial survey of recommended and required skills needed in MGE coursework. Dispositional survey concerning use of technology for instruction as well as by students. Portfolio documentation of newly acquired proficiencies.

24. Question for you… What are the top three essential technology tools for beginning teachers?

25. Social Emotional Learning Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Standards are integrated throughout the MAT MGE Program course of study. It is essential that middle grades educators support young adolescents during this time of rapid social and emotional developmental changes.

26. Question for you… How do you address social emotional learning with teacher candidates?

27. Questions for us…

28. Our contact information Ginny Jagla vjagla@nl.eduvjagla@nl.edu Nancy Naughten nnaughten@nl.edunnaughten@nl.edu Cynthia Mee cmee@nl.educmee@nl.edu