Our Courses

Course Description: Scholars learn four (4) classroom strategies for instructing children. These are “toolbox” strategies that all teachers use given the curriculum, developmental learning goals and outcomes, the goals of the unit/lesson, and the instructional setting. Scholars learn to use 

• direct instruction, 

• inquiry-based instruction,

• problem/project-based instruction and 

• outcome-based instruction.

This course is essential for all teaching licenses.

Required Text(s)/Materials: None

Course Description: Scholars learn philosophic bases for classroom management strategies and how to use differing strategies given stages of child development and diverse student behavioral and classroom management issues. These are “toolbox” strategies for all teacher licenses. 

Scholars learn and understand the uses of - 

• logical consequences, 

• assertive discipline, 

• restorative justice, discipline with dignity,

• choice theory and 

• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports.

This course is essential for all teaching licenses.

Required Text(s)/Materials: None

Course Description: Scholars develop competencies in the nine (9) pillars of science-based early literacy instruction required by WI Act 20.  The pillars are– 

• Phonological awareness

• Phonemic awareness

• Phonics

• Building background knowledge

• Oral language development

• Vocabulary development

• Instruction in writing

• Instruction in comprehension

• Reading fluency.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirement of PI 34.022(6) Reading and Language Arts.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars learn theories, concepts, and best practices for modifying and/or intervening with initial instruction to ensure student learning. Instruction includes 

• Universal Design for Learning to understand and remove systemic barriers to teaching and learning, 

• Response to Intervention (RtI) for remediating initial learning errors, 

• Individual Education Plans for planning and guiding teaching and learning for students with exceptionalities, 

• 504 Plans for addressing the teaching and learning needs of students with disabilities, 

• Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports to consider and support how students interact with the learning environment to increase successful learning. 

Scholars understand and develop strategies for differentiating instruction based upon student needs.

This course is essential for all teaching licenses.

Required Text(s)/Materials: None

Course Description: Scholars know and support the educational value and curricular objectives of art, music, and physical education and in the EC - grade 9 regular education curriculum.  

This course bridges the Wisconsin and National teaching standards in art, music, and physical education to provide a comprehensive foundation for nurturing young learners' creative expression and well-being.

• Art: Master strategies to cultivate visual literacy, explore diverse media and techniques, and guide students in crafting meaningful artistic responses.

• Music: Develop understanding of aural development, unlock the joy of music creation and appreciation, and learn to design engaging musical experiences for all learners.

• Physical Education: Use  movement science, effective methods for promoting physical literacy and healthy habits, and create inclusive activities that foster kinesthetic intelligence and teamwork.

This course is essential for 4K-9 teachers and partially fulfills the requirements of PI 34.021(1)(c) - Content knowledge for subject area programs.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars know and use the five standards for the preparation of teachers of mathematics, including Eight Mathematics Teaching Practices set forth by the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics. These include - 

• establishing mathematics goals to focus learning, 

• implementing tasks that promote reasoning and problem solving, 

• using and connecting mathematical representations, 

• facilitating meaningful mathematical discourse, 

• posing purposeful questions, 

• building procedural fluency from conceptual understanding, 

• supporting productive struggle in learning mathematics, and 

• eliciting and using evidence of student thinking.

This course is designed for 4K-9 teachers as well as secondary mathematics teachers.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars know and use the six NSTA/ASTE Standards for Science Teacher Preparation for students in grades 1-6. 

Scholars use

• content knowledge,

• content pedagogy,

• learning environments,

• safety,

• impact on student learning, and

• professional knowledge and skills

to cause developmentally-appropriate student learning in the earth/space, life science, and physical science disciplines.

This course is designed for 4K-9 teachers as well as secondary science teachers.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: 

Scholars know and understand the social studies disciplines including disciplinary concepts, facts, and tools; structures of inquiry; and forms of representation related to economics, geography, government, history, and the social sciences (NCSS).  Scholars learn how to - 

• plan learning sequences that leverage social studies knowledge and literacies, technology, and theory and research to support the civic competence of learners. 

• design and implement instruction and authentic assessments, informed by data literacy and learner self-assessment, that promote civic competence. 

• plan and implement relevant and responsive pedagogy, create collaborative and interdisciplinary learning environments, and prepare learners to be informed advocates for an inclusive and equitable society.  

• reflect and expand upon their social studies knowledge, inquiry skills, and civic dispositions to advance social justice and promote human rights through informed action in schools and/or communities.

This course is designed for 4K-9 teachers as well as secondary social studies teachers.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars know and understand theories and principles of human growth and development from conception through adolescence with a focus on the interrelatedness of physical, cognitive, and social-emotional aspects of child development. 

• Special emphasis is placed on the theories of Piaget, Vygotsky, Erickson, Gardner, Dweck, and Chapman.  

• Development is studied in the context of family, gender, culture, language, ability, socio-economics, diversity, and society, as these factors influence a child’s development. 

Scholars acquire the knowledge and skills essential to the care and guidance of children. 

This course is essential for all teacher licenses.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars learn strategies classroom teachers use to help ease conflict and build healthy relationships between students and staff. Three skill sets are developed -

• Resolving conflicts between pupils and pupils, and pupils and staff,

• Teaching pupils methods to resolve conflicts between pupils, including peer mediation,

• Addressing crises, including violent, disruptive, potentially violent or potentially disruptive that may arise in a school or during school activities.. 

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.15(4). Conflict Resolution.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars understand and integrate knowledge of environmental education, including the conservation of natural resources into the regular curriculum.

This course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(3)(c) for Scholars seeking any of the following licenses - early childhood regular education, elementary and middle school regular education, science, or social studies.

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars understand and integrate knowledge of the history , culture, and tribal sovereignty of American Indian tribes and bands located in Wisconsin into the regular curriculum.

This course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(3)(a).

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars understand and integrate knowledge of the history, culture, and contributions of women and various racial, cultural, language, and economic groups in the United States in the regular curriculum.

The course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready. 

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(3)(b) - Equity

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars understand and integrate knowledge of the philosophical and psychological bases for attitude development and change into the regular curriculum.

This course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(3)(c).

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars understand and integrate knowledge of the psychological and social implications of discrimination, including racism and sexism in the United States into the regular curriculum, and understand equity issues in the evaluation and assessment of the forces of discrimination, especially racism and sexism on administrators, teachers, pupils, assessment, curriculum, and instruction in schools.

This course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(3)(d) and (e).

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars understand and apply  knowledge of the role and responsibilities of a teacher through a student teaching experience that meets all the requirements under PI 34.023, and a teacher’s professional ethics and responsibilities, including mandatory reporting requirements under WI Stat. 48.981..

This course is presented as a self-paced, asynchronous online module.  Scholars self-register, are provided study materials, and take a required assessment when ready.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(5) and (8).

Required Text(s)/Materials: Provided

Course Description: Scholars learn procedures used for 

• identifying, 

• assessing, and 

• providing education for children with disabilities.  

Instruction includes -

• the roles and responsibilities of regular and special education providers and 

• curriculum modifications.

This course meets the statutory stipulation requirements of PI 34.022(7) Children With Disabilities.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking an Early Childhood Regular Education license understand and apply the professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators and use developmentally appropriate practices (NAEYC).  This standards-based course prepares Scholars for effective instruction of children in the birth to grade 3 age group both in school and childcare settings.

In this course Scholars 

• build strong family partnerships,

• hone observation and assessment skills,

• master developmentally appropriate teaching methods,

• integrate academic content seamlessly, and

• embrace cultural and linguistic diversity.

These courses are required for a birth to grade 3 regular education license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking an Early Childhood Regular Education license understand and apply the professional standards and competencies for early childhood educators and use developmentally appropriate practices (NAEYC).  This standards-based course prepares Scholars for effective instruction of children in the birth to grade 3 age group both in school and childcare settings.

In this course Scholars 

• build strong family partnerships,

• hone observation and assessment skills,

• master developmentally appropriate teaching methods,

• integrate academic content seamlessly, and

• embrace cultural and linguistic diversity.

These courses are required for a birth to grade 3 regular education license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking an Early Childhood Special Education license understand and apply the initial practice-based standards for early interventionists/early childhood special education (CEC).  These standards-based courses prepare Scholars for effective instruction of children with special needs in the birth to grade 3 age group both in school and childcare settings.

Scholars

• learn theories and philosophies of early learning and development

• understand the characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences across various abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities,

• develop family-centered practices,

• apply teaming and collaborative skills and processes in working with colleagues, families, and community partners,

• use processes of formal and informal assessment to guide instructional designs and practices, and

• collaboratively use interactions and interventions to ensure child access to and developmentally appropriate success in the early childhood curriculum.

These courses are required for an EC Special Education license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking an Early Childhood Special Education license understand and apply the initial practice-based standards for early interventionists/early childhood special education (CEC).  These standards-based courses prepare Scholars for effective instruction of children with special needs in the birth to grade 3 age group both in school and childcare settings.

Scholars

• learn theories and philosophies of early learning and development

• understand the characteristics, etiologies, and individual differences across various abilities, including developmental delays and disabilities,

• develop family-centered practices,

• apply teaming and collaborative skills and processes in working with colleagues, families, and community partners,

• use processes of formal and informal assessment to guide instructional designs and practices, and

• collaboratively use interactions and interventions to ensure child access to and developmentally appropriate success in the early childhood curriculum.

These courses are required for an EC Special Education license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking a license as an English as Second Language teacher understand and apply the Standards for Initial TESOL Pre-K-12 Teacher Preparation and the WIDA English Language Standards Framework to instruct students using a variety of LIEP models.  

Scholars

• understand and use the socio cultural and linguistic characteristics and goals of EL families and the school to establish goals for each EL,

• assess ELs to establish annual goals for language and content acquisition,

• collaborate with grade level/content teachers to instruct ELs using standards-based, EL-centered, and developmentally-appropriate instructional strategies

• use classroom-based and language proficiency assessments to make instructional decisions and report annual language proficiency growth,

• use evidence-based strategies (CALLA, SIOP) to design personalized EL instruction,

• understand and federal, state, and local policies and regulation regarding EL programs, and

• collaborate with EL families to promote literacy education and assure compliance with family cultural/linguistic goals.

These courses are required for an ESL license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking a license as an English as Second Language teacher understand and apply the Standards for Initial TESOL Pre-K-12 Teacher Preparation and the WIDA English Language Standards Framework to instruct students using a variety of LIEP models.  

Scholars

• understand and use the socio cultural and linguistic characteristics and goals of EL families and the school to establish goals for each EL,

• assess ELs to establish annual goals for language and content acquisition,

• collaborate with grade level/content teachers to instruct ELs using standards-based, EL-centered, and developmentally-appropriate instructional strategies

• use classroom-based and language proficiency assessments to make instructional decisions and report annual language proficiency growth,

• use evidence-based strategies (CALLA, SIOP) to design personalized EL instruction,

• understand and federal, state, and local policies and regulation regarding EL programs, and

• collaborate with EL families to promote literacy education and assure compliance with family cultural/linguistic goals.

These courses are required for an ESL license.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking a supplemental license as a Bilingual/Bicultural teacher understand and apply the National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards.  The holder of a Bilingual/Bicultural license must hold an initial teaching license in regular education or content subjects.

Scholars learn to

• assess the strengths and weaknesses of bilingualism and biliteracy in the educational setting and the equity status of the bilingual pupil,

• evaluate the cultural content of the regular curriculum and deliver student-centered, standards-based lessons that bridge language and linguistic barriers,

• understand the sociocultural construction of curriculum related to language and literacy assist bilingual pupils to achieve sociocultural equity and competence in the school,

• create and deliver dual language lessons that ensure all pupils have access to and achieve competence in the regular curriculum,

• assess bilingual pupils and accurately monitor and report pupil progress on a variety of measures,

• advocate for bilingual pupils and bilingualism/biliteracy in the educational setting, especially in conflicts of culture and power, and

• collaborate with colleagues, families, and school leaders to establish the most beneficial dual language program for the pupils and school. 

These courses are required for Scholars seeking a supplemental license as a Bilingual/Bicultural teacher.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD

Course Description: Scholars seeking a supplemental license as a Bilingual/Bicultural teacher understand and apply the National Dual Language Education Teacher Preparation Standards.  The holder of a Bilingual/Bicultural license must hold an initial teaching license in regular education or content subjects.

Scholars learn to

• assess the strengths and weaknesses of bilingualism and biliteracy in the educational setting and the equity status of the bilingual pupil,

• evaluate the cultural content of the regular curriculum and deliver student-centered, standards-based lessons that bridge language and linguistic barriers,

• understand the sociocultural construction of curriculum related to language and literacy assist bilingual pupils to achieve sociocultural equity and competence in the school,

• create and deliver dual language lessons that ensure all pupils have access to and achieve competence in the regular curriculum,

• assess bilingual pupils and accurately monitor and report pupil progress on a variety of measures,

• advocate for bilingual pupils and bilingualism/biliteracy in the educational setting, especially in conflicts of culture and power, and

• collaborate with colleagues, families, and school leaders to establish the most beneficial dual language program for the pupils and school. 

These courses are required for Scholars seeking a supplemental license as a Bilingual/Bicultural teacher.

Required Text(s)/Materials: TBD