Education/Special Education

These courses can be used to satisfy the free electives of any degree structure. They may also be used to fulfill the specialization in Education as part of the Bachelor of Jewish Education.

NOTE: The Education and Special Education programs requires a number of courses offered by the Education and Psychology programs in addition to specific education and special education courses and a focused Practicum placement.

Behaviour Management

Explores the relationships between behaviour management, classroom instruction and student learning. This course covers foundational principles and strategies for preventing behaviour problems. Teachers learn to establish classroom rules and procedures and enlist parent support for their behaviour-management efforts. A framework for fostering cooperation, social skills and a sense of community in the classroom is presented. Guidelines for teaching conflict resolution and peer mediation are included.

Curriculum Development for Secular Studies

Addresses the analysis and appraisal of goals and procedures to create, evaluate and improve academic curricula. Emphasis on three key areas: Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. Critical consideration applied to the understanding of theories, practices and the products of curriculum development.

Curriculum in Education I

Introduces curriculum, instruction and assessment in the context of standards and accountability and their relationships to student learning. Students explore interrelationships among curriculum, instruction and assessment: the importance of alignment, the connection to learning theory and learner variables, and the need for differentiation to meet diverse student needs. Students examine and make sense of their academic standards. The course investigates history, role and types of curriculum and instruction. Students analyze, evaluate, modify, and/or design curriculum and instruction for specific content and purposes.

Curriculum in Education II

Examines history, purposes and methods of assessment and explores curriculum, instruction and assessment implementation issues. Students analyze, evaluate, modify and/or design assessments for specific content and purposes. They align assessments to curriculum and instruction as part of the design of instructional units and lessons. Presents methods of record keeping, grading, and reporting; use of assessment data; and test preparation. Addresses implementation issues related to accountability, planning and collaboration.

Educational Assessment

Examines assessment implementation issues related to classroom assessment. Assessment strategies will include; authentic assessment, a means of determining the current functioning of students and using this information to create lessons that fit the specific needs and goals of the students; rubrics; and the creation of formative and summative tests that reflect the learning that has taken place. Norm based testing will be discussed.

Foundations of Reading and Writing

This course is a foundation course for all students. Emphasis on linguistic and psychological bases of the reading process, stages in the development of reading ability, and sequences of skill acquisition. Students will study models of reading instruction, the role of the classroom teacher of reading and forces influencing that role. This required course for majors in both regular and special education establishes a number of key concepts and understandings, as well as reading methodologies and practices that serve as groundwork for teacher decision-making in literacy instruction. Course activities and assignments promote student collaboration and reflection upon readings, tutoring experiences, and other assignments.

Introduction to Early Childhood Education

An introduction to teaching at the preschool level including: history, philosophy, techniques of guidance, teaching techniques and skills, schedules and programming routines, provision of a safe environment, the function and stages of play, and an overview of important developmental processes.

Introduction to Methodology

An introduction for future teachers to the fundamentals of understanding classroom dynamics and the varied techniques of effective classroom management.

Lesson Planning for the Elementary School Professional

In this course students analyze, evaluate and modify and/or design curriculum and instruction for specific content and purposes. Students will learn strategies to meet the diverse student needs. This class will help the elementary school teacher to incorporate a variety of ideas into effective lesson planning.

Practicum I & II

This course consists of extensive student teacher placements within the classroom or remedial setting. There are significant observation log requirements as well as peer and supervisory assessments.

Prescriptive Teaching of Religious Subjects

This course focuses on providing the classroom and/or special education teacher with the skills to modify key components from the mainstream religious instruction areas for special educational students.

Prescriptive Teaching of Secular Subjects

This course focuses on providing the classroom and/or special education teacher with the skills to modify key components from the mainstream instruction areas for special educational students.

Principles of Methodology

Included in this course are concepts of general educational methodology, conveying theoretical and practical principles of pedagogy, pre-school through elementary level. This is a “hands-on” course, offering guided practice in theory – as well as research – based effective teaching, largely in the cognitive domain.

Scriptural Teaching Skills based on the Book of Deuteronomy

To teach the student how to develop their skills as instructors in scripture.

Teaching Religious Content Areas

This course focuses on providing a classroom teacher with the skills to construct an age/grade appropriate course of study for elementary students in the area of religious instruction.

Therapeutic Interventions

A wide range of key educational interventions is surveyed within this fast-paced course. Weekly focus sessions include, among others, coming to a greater understanding of such vital educational supports as those provided by physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, art therapy, music therapy, CARD therapeutic horseback riding for disabled children and Feldenkrais educational methodology. Field trips and hands-on experimentation are an intrinsic part of this course.