Authors

Jeanine M. Huss

Comments

This document includes a detailed description of embedding critical thinking across the teacher education program at WKU and suggested resources.

If any part of this curriculum is duplicated, please cite.

Abstract

Using classes which are common to the Elementary Education program, assignments will be added in which students must be able to show evidence and be able to argue their ideas. To make sure that all elementary education students can participate in this project, the classes would include: ELED 345, ELED 355, ELED 405, ELED 406, and ELED 407. This would allow the IVS classes which take place in Owensboro, Elizabethtown and Glasgow to also participate. EDU 250 is a class which affects only some of the WKU students (because some students take the course in a local community college before enrolling at WKU) so It has been left out intentionally. This entails meeting with the professors who teach these classes. Often there are at least two different professors who teach each of these classes, and because I only teach one of these classes, it involves meeting with two others for each of the classes listed. I would also discuss the changes with all of the elementary faculty at the Elementary Education meetings held following every monthly School of Teacher Education meeting. ELED 345, ELED 355 and ELED 407 would be the first focus in the Spring 2016 semester. These are the earliest classes in the program. ELED 406 and ELED 405 would follow Fall 2016 since these classes happen in the students’ senior year right before student teaching. Because there is also now a joint program with Special Education in which students in the Special Ed/ELED program take ELED 405, ELED 406, and ELED 407, there would also be a need to visit with the Special Education faculty members for them to see how evidence and argument has been added to their students’ program.

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