Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies - Education Program

Goals: Education Program goals are to:

• Prepare students to meet the Department of Education Subject Matter standards in elementary and early childhood education: reading, English/language arts, mathematics, history and social science, science and technology, and child development.
• Prepare students to meet the Department of Education Professional Standards for Teachers: plans curriculum and instruction, delivers effective instruction, manages classroom climate and operations, promotes equity, and meets professional responsibilities.
• Prepare students to pass all three components of the MTEL (Massachusetts Tests of Educator Licensure): Communication & Literacy, General Curriculum (Elementary Education) or Early Childhood Education, and Foundations of Reading.
• Build familiarity and usage of the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
• Prepare students to excel in the Pre-service Performance Assessment, developed by the Massachusetts Department of Education, and used to assess practicum (student teaching).
• Prepare students to become lifelong learners who reflect upon teaching and learning, and seek new content knowledge and skills to improve the teaching-learning process.

In order to accomplish the Education Program goals, a Bay Path student is provided with:

• A strong knowledge base in the liberal arts and sciences which provides the basis of subject matter in elementary and early childhood education.
• A sequential, well-designed grouping of education courses that address the pedagogical component of best practices in teaching.
• Courses that address human interactions and diversity (e.g., Child Development, Special Education), necessary for the development of non-discriminatory and caring teachers.
• Structured experiences in schools, ranging from observations, to assisting the classroom teacher, to full practicum (student teaching). These in-school experiences address the content, pedagogical and humanistic development of a teacher.
• Education courses that utilize the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks as a required text and embed school curriculum in coursework.
• Opportunities to engage in inquiry, research, and reflection in coursework and in the schools.