Overview

(750-722-362/363)
(753-722-362/363)-Internship
(20 courses; 88.5 quarter units TED)
(21 courses; 93 quarter units BCLAD)

The Master of Education Specializing in Best Practices is designed for students who are committed to completing the requirements for a credential in Multiple Subject or Single Subject in the state of California and specialize in Best Practices. Courses for this degree meet the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requirements for a preliminary credential and meet requirements for a master's degree. This program interrelate theory and practice to drive assessment and reflection as bases for sound instructional decision making. The program, which has an internship option, is intended for students who want to obtain a preliminary credential and master's degree at the same time. Students seeking to complete only a master's degree should enroll in the Master of Arts in Teaching. Students who are pursuing a credential and who want to make a program change to the Master of Education specializing in Best Practices may do so under these conditions:

The student must make the program change before beginning student teaching.

The student must pass the subject matter competency exam before enrolling in student teaching.

Requirements

To receive a Master of Education Specializing in Best Practices, students must complete at least 57 quarter units of graduate work, 48 of which must be taken in residence at National University. Students enrolled in the joint degree-credential program will not be awarded the master's degree until they complete all graduate and credential coursework, including student teaching.

Core Requirements
(4 courses; 18 quarter units TED)
(5 courses; 22.5 quarter units BCLAD)

Recommended Sequence

TED 615 Foundations of Education
TED 605 The Diverse Classroom
TED 611 Educational Psychology
BTE 612 History and Culture of Latinos (taught in language of emphasis) (BCLAD students only)
MAT 640 Applications of Research for the Art of Teaching
 (must be taken as the last course in the program)

Methods Courses
(4 courses; 18 quarter units)
(Prerequisites: HED 602, EXC 625, EDT 608, TED 615, TED 605, TED 611, and BTE 612 for BCLAD students)

Multiple Subject
(363/365)

TED 621A Language Development Methods for the Elementary School
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 or BTE 612 for BCLAD students only)
TED/BTE 621B
 Reading and Language Arts Methods for the Elementary School
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 621A)
TED/BTE 622A
 Curriculum and Instruction I: History, Social Studies, Physical Education and Visual and Performing Arts
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 621A)
TED/BTE 622B
 Curriculum and Instruction II: Mathematics and Science
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 621A)

or

Single Subject
(362/364)

TED 623 Language Development Methods for Secondary and Middle Schools
 (Prerequisite: TED 615)
TED/BTE 625A Curriculum Development for Secondary and Middle Schools
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 623)
TED/BTE 625B Instruction and Classroom Management for Secondary and Middle Schools
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 625A or BTE 625A and TED 623)
TED/BTE 624 Content Area Literacy for the Secondary and Middle Schools
 (Prerequisites: TED 615 and TED 623)

Note: Courses TED 615, TED 605, TED 611, BTE 612, TED 621A, BTE 621B, TED 621B, TED 622A, BTE 622A, TED 622B, BTE 622B, TED 623, TED 624, BTE 624, TED 625A, BTE 625A, TED 625B, BTE 625B all require four hours of fieldwork in K-12 schools.

Note: Candidates must obtain a Certificate of Clearance from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing prior to beginning fieldwork in K-12 schools.

Co-requisites
(3 courses; 13.5 quarter units)

These courses can be taken at any time in the program but are recommended prior to student teaching. These courses are required prior to applying for the credential.

HED 602 Introductory Health Education: K-12
EXC 625 Exceptional Children in the Classroom
EDT 608 Computer-Based Technology in the Classroom

Student Teaching and Internship Course Requirements
(5 courses; 21 quarter units for regular student teaching)
(3 courses; 12 quarter units for the internship program)

The student teaching and intern courses are required for the preliminary credential, but do not grant graduate credit (except for TED 610, TED 629 or TED 629I).

Student Teaching Requirements
(5 courses; 21 quarter units)

(Prerequisites: TED 615, TED 605, TED 611 and BTE/TED 621A, BTE/TED 621B, BTE/TED 622A, BTE/TED 622B; or BTE/TED 623, BTE/TED 624, BTE/TED 625A,BTE/ TED 625B)

TED 629 Student Teaching Seminar (3.0 quarter units)
 (must be taken concurrently with TED 630A-D or BTE 630A-D)
BTE/TED 630A Beginning Student Teaching
BTE/TED 630B Student Teaching
 (Prerequisite: BTE/TED 630A)
BTE/TED 630C Student Teaching
 (Prerequisite: BTE/TED 630A)
BTE/TED 630D Student Teaching
 (Prerequisite: BTE/TED 630A)

or

Internship Requirements
(3 courses; 12 quarter units)
(Prerequisite: Student must be admitted to the internship program.)

TED 610 Best Internship Practices
TED 629I Intern Student Teaching Seminar (3.0 quarter units)
TED 628I Internship Clinical Practice

An electronic portfolio is required for the assessment of all teacher credential candidates. The purpose of the e-portfolio is for candidates to show how their work in teacher education is linked to their own competency in the TPE Domains. A fee of $35.00 will be charged to students for the e-portfolio with a renewal cost of $35 per year.

The portfolio must be reviewed and approved by a National University faculty member prior to exiting the credential program.

Candidates must meet all state of California requirements for the multiple and single subject credential to be recommended to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing. (See Credential Program Requirements)

Accelerated Credential Program

Students may be eligible to apply to accelerate their credential program by taking designated courses during student teaching. Eligible candidates must meet minimum qualifications for accelerated studies and will be restricted to the provisions outlined in the Policies and Procedures section. Students approved to accelerate their studies will be limited to register for two courses concurrently while student teaching.

Specialization in Best Practices

The Best Practices program implements research-based practices that accelerate student achievement. The Best Practices program involves the following effective teaching practices: vocabulary development, comprehensive strategies, accelerated English language learning, higher level questioning, differentiated and targeted instruction, student engagement strategies, cooperative grouping patterns, standard-based instruction. Along with learning the strategies listed above, candidates will be taught how to create multidisciplinary standards-based lesson plans.

Outcomes for the Specialization

By the end of the Best Practices specialization, candidates are expected to be able to:

  • Use Best Practice teaching strategies across the curriculum.
  • Integrate Best Practices for standards-based instruction across content areas.
  • Apply to their teaching the framework of Teach, Practice and Apply using Best Practice teaching strategies.
  • Implement Best Practice teaching strategies for the development of vocabulary, math, reading comprehension, and interdisciplinary learning.
  • Integrate Best Practices in multimedia-interactive classroom instruction.
  • Demonstrate a repertoire of differentiated instructional strategies.

Required Courses
(4 courses; 18 quarter units)

MAT 670  The Theory of Research-Based Best Practice Instruction
MAT 671  Applied Best Practice Strategies in Classroom Instruction
MAT 672 Integrating Multimedia-Interactive Technology in Best Practice Instruction
MAT 673  Differentiated Instruction and Target Teaching.