Office: Beatty Hall, Room 104
Telephone: 410‑617‑5310
Website: www.loyola.edu/soe
Dean: Joshua S. Smith, Associate Professor
Associate Dean: Robert J. Helfenbein, Jr., Associate Professor
Interim Chair, Teacher Education: Robert J. Helfenbein, Jr., Associate Professor
Internship Coordinators, Professional Development Schools: Laura L. Alpaugh; Deborah Anthony; Susan Felts; Kathleen Nawrocki; Allan J. Olchowski; Stacy A. Williams; James Wolgamott
Secondary Minors Advisor: Stacy A. Williams
Special Education Minors Advisor: Elana E. Rock
Professors: Victor R. Delclos; Peter C. Murrell, Jr.; Beatrice E. Sarlos (emerita)
Associate Professors: Marie Celeste; Stephanie A. Flores-Koulish; Robert J. Helfenbein, Jr.; Afra A. Hersi; David Marcovitz; Elana E. Rock; Robert W. Simmons III; Joshua S. Smith; Wendy M. Smith
Assistant Professors: Vanessa Dodo Seriki; Mark A. Lewis; Oren L. McClain; Allan J. Olchowski; Camika Royal; Leah K. Saal; Margarita Zisselsberger
Instructors: Laura L. Alpaugh; Deborah Anthony; Kathleen Nawrocki; Maryanne Ralls; Stacy A. Williams; James R. Wolgamott
Clinical Faculty: Dana M. Reinhardt; Cathy A. Rosensteel
Affiliate Faculty: Tara Boucher; Ashley Davis; Susan H. Felts; Kathleen A. Sears; Ashley Wensien
The Reverend Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J., former Superior General of the Society of Jesus, has described the goal of Jesuit education with the following words: "We aim to form...men and women of competence, conscience, and compassionate commitment." In recognition of its connection to the Jesuit mission of the Loyola community, the School of Education has adopted the three words, Competence, Conscience, Compassion as the foundation for its conceptual framework.
Mission
Within the Jesuit traditions of intellectual excellence, social justice, ethical responsibility, and cura personalis, the School of Education promotes leadership and scholarship in the development of teachers, counselors, administrators, and other educators.
Elementary education majors are prepared for teaching through a program which blends theory with practice. Through field experiences and service-learning courses, education majors obtain experience working with diverse children in urban and suburban school settings. Majors are placed in a school setting every semester throughout the program of study. The program has been nationally recognized by the Association for Childhood Education International and approved by the Maryland State Department of Education (Elementary Education, Grades 1-6) in partnership with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and includes the Maryland approved reading courses. Students completing the program satisfy course requirements for certification in the state of Maryland and are eligible for certification in all 50 states and in all U.S. territories through the interstate reciprocity agreement.
To enable education majors to respond to the needs of exceptional children within a school environment, courses in special education are required for all majors. Education majors seeking additional study in this area may choose to minor in special education; however, Maryland certification requirements for special education are not completely met by this minor. A fifth-year program is available for individuals who wish to earn certification in special education along with a master's degree. Loyola's special education master's degree programs have been approved by the Council for Exceptional Children, the Maryland State Department of Education, and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
A Minor in Secondary Education allows students from other disciplines to complete degree requirements for their major while taking the education courses required for certification. Secondary education certification programs focusing on grades 7-12 are offered in biology, chemistry, earth/space science, English, mathematics, physics, and social studies. Secondary education certification programs focusing on grades PK-12 are offered in art, French, music (both instrumental and vocal), and Spanish. A fifth-year program exists for students who wish to be certified in secondary education through the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.). Students submit the application by February 1 of their junior year and take three graduate-level courses in their senior year. These programs have been approved by nationally recognized specialty organizations and the Maryland State Department of Education in partnership with the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and they include the Maryland approved reading courses.
Consistent with Loyola's emphasis on high quality teacher preparation, elementary education majors and students who choose to complete a secondary education minor are required to: maintain a 2.500 overall average in order to remain in good standing and be eligible for Internship I; complete all required education coursework, including field experience; and achieve a score that meets or exceeds the Maryland composite cutoff on the reading, writing, and mathematics portions of the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators prior to beginning the internship. (Students who intend to teach in Maryland may substitute qualifying scores on the SAT or ACT for Praxis Core scores; contact the department for more information.) In order to complete the requirements for graduation, elementary education majors are required to provide proof of taking the following Praxis II content and pedagogy tests:
Elementary Education: Instructional Practice and Applications
Principles of Learning and Teaching: Grades K-6
Similarly, secondary education minors are required to provide proof of taking the Praxis II content and pedagogy tests related to the certification area. In place of Praxis II tests, candidates for certification in French or Spanish are required to provide proof of taking the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview and the Writing Proficiency Test. Students are responsible for taking these tests prior to April of the last semester. Testing requirements above are as listed on the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) website, www.msde.maryland.gov.
Beginning Fall 2012, all new students are required to purchase and use LiveText. LiveText is a web-based software application used by the School of Education for key assignment submission, artifact collection, accreditation standard integration, and student assessment in initial licensure and advanced programs. All students in an initial licensure or advanced program are required to purchase the Standard Live-Text Student Membership; LiveText accounts can be purchased at the Loyola bookstore or online (www.livetext.com). In addition, all current students taking a course that requires a LiveText assignment must purchase a membership. Using LiveText software in conjunction with Loyola's NCATE-approved, standard-based program allows students to easily align all work with the latest state and federal standards for teacher education programs. They can also easily show proof that they have completed requirements for certification. LiveText allows students to showcase their work (worksheets, lesson plans, and other artifacts) at their own discretion to future employers and others. In addition, this software provides powerful tools for creating lesson and unit plans, including built-in standards, resources, and templates.
Many of the department's field, service-learning, practicum, and internship sites now require students placed in their facilities to undergo fingerprinting, drug testing, and a criminal background check before they are allowed to begin their fieldwork. The department will assist students in meeting these requirements before they begin their field placements. Any student not cleared by this process will not be eligible to complete a certification program.
Education students must meet the knowledge, skills, and disposition standards as set forth by the School of Education's national accrediting body. Students who fail to meet these standards in the area of dispositions will have a Professional Assessment Form filed with the department chair by a Loyola faculty member. The resulting Professional Assessment Review may result in removal from the program and/or internship for the protection of both the Loyola student and the K-12 students. Complete details of this procedure are available in the student handbook.
During the spring of the senior year, elementary education majors who are not eligible for Internship II register for the 12-credit, Non-certification Option, consisting of one departmental elective and three free electives (chosen in conjunction with the advisor). The requirement to take ED 446 is waived for these students; this requirement is replaced with one additional free elective. All other requirements for the major must also be met. Students who complete this option do not complete the Maryland-approved program and cannot be recommended for certification.
Students completing either a Major in Elementary Education or a Minor in Secondary Education complete an internship in a professional development school (PDS). The PDS is a collaborative effort between the local schools and Loyola's School of Education.
Accreditation
The School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), www.ncate.org. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced educator preparation programs. However, the accreditation does not include individual education courses that the institution offers to P-12 educators for professional development, relicensure, or other purposes.
Learning Aims
- The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
- The teacher understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development.
- The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
- The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and performance skills.
- The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
- The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
- The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
- The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual and social development of the learner.
- The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
- The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.