BS in Middle Grades Education

The Bachelor of Science program in Middle Grades Education prepares teachers for eligibility for a teaching license and two IL endorsements in grades 5-8 (ie., Math & Science; Language Arts and Social Science).The mission of the DePaul University College of Education’s Middle Grades Teacher Education Program is to prepare educators who have passion for, understanding of, and commitment to working with young adolescents. We prepare educators who foster equitable, intellectually rich, socially just, and compassionate learning environments for diverse middle level youth. To accomplish this goal, our program is designed to cultivate in teacher candidates the pedagogical skills, subject area understandings, and social conscience necessary to enact thoughtful teaching practice. We aim to prepare critical, creative educators who continually reflect on and inquire into their practices in order to further their own and their students’ learning. Our teacher candidates develop a broad understanding of the contextual factors that impact the teaching, learning and growth of middle grade learners, including the ways in which society shapes our views of middle grades learners and the social, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and physical dimensions of healthy adolescence. Through the integration of course work and field experiences, candidates learn about and apply interdisciplinary theories and practices that enable them to promote the intellectual curiosity, personal and academic excellence, and social and self awareness of diverse middle level youth. Learning Outcomes -Students will be able to: Justify and communicate instructional strategies based on the unique needs of middle level learners. Differentiate, critique, articulate, and communicate conceptual and practical understandings of the relationship amongst youth development, pedagogical approaches, curricular content, and the role of the educator across varied school contexts and communities. Articulate, analyze, interpret, theorize, and communicate adolescent development within historical scholarly traditions and in the context of school and society. Articulate, analyze, interpret, theorize, and communicate an informed philosophy of middle level education and its relevance to adolescence. Articulate and communicate an informed philosophy about the value and purpose of specialized middle level education. Identify and locate materials, resources and practices that resonate with diverse social, cultural, and economic lives of adolescents. Articulate, justify, and demonstrate the value of literacy as it relates to identity and positive social contribution. Question and critique the ways adolescence is socially viewed and constructed, and articulate the implications of this for middle level education. Develop and express the intent to pursue professional development opportunities surrounding issues and advances in middle level education. Demonstrate relevant content area expertise. Career Options: Teaching, Administration, Education policy.