This program is for students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree in a field other than education. The purpose of the Converse University Middle Level MAT is to prepare highly qualified teachers who embody the fourteen characteristics identified by the NMSA’s This We Believe In Action: Implementing Successful Middle Level Schools (2005) to work in successful middle schools. After completing certification requirements students will be certified to teach in Grades 5-8 in the subjects in which they qualify.
Students in the Middle Level Program must take the Praxis II Subject Assessment for their area, and the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching. Students applying to the program must have a 2.75 on a 4.0 scale and must have 21 hours in content area course work at the 200 level or above.
Our long-term goal is to develop cultural characteristics and school practices that reflect the needs of the middle school students and the middle school philosophy. These 14 characteristics and school practices that are reflected in our goals are:
- high expectations;
- courageous, collaborative leadership;
- active learning;
- adult advocates;
- shared vision;
- safe environment;
- knowledgeable educators; and
- school-initiated partnerships:
- relevant, challenging, integrative exploratory curriculum;
- assessment and evaluation;
- organizational structures;
- multiple learning and teaching approaches;
- health, wellness and safety; and
- guidance and support.
Preparing candidates in a thorough understanding of these characteristics and what they look like in a real school setting will make our candidates uniquely prepared to teach in a middle level school.
- Candidates will analyze adolescent development and learning
- Candidates will observe, document, assess, and support a struggling reader
- Candidates will employ developmentally appropriate approaches
- Candidates will use content knowledge to build meaningful curriculum.
Required courses: Teacher candidates may only take courses in Benchmark I before being admitted to the Teacher Education Program. See the departmental webpage at converse.edu for a list of Benchmark courses and other important information.
Program Areas
The MAT in Middle Level Education has a minimum of 45 graduate semester hours. The program will consist of 36 hours in Professional Education and 9 to 18 hours in content area courses. The number of content hours required may vary depending on student post-secondary academic background. Those coming from backgrounds other than these four content areas would naturally have to take more content area courses to develop expertise in that content area. Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0 in content area courses as well as a 3.0 GPA in overall program coursework.
- Middle Level Language Arts
- Middle Level Mathematics
- Middle Level Science
- Middle Level Social Studies
All of the courses in the MAT in Middle Level Education Program are designed to develop, improve, and continually upgrade the process in which our candidates seek to improve on ways they can develop knowledge of their students and their fields. Further, these courses are designed to keep their students engaged in learning, to provide a caring and challenging environment, to use a variety of texts to promote opportunities to learn acceptance and appreciation of others, to continue to develop instructional resources, to set attainable and worthwhile learning goals for students, and to develop meaningful learning opportunities for their students. A component for self- reflection and growth is included in each of the core courses as well as the content area courses.
Content Courses (9 hours minimum)
15 hours in the content area can come from undergraduate courses
Benchmark I
- EDU 560: Must be 1st course
- EDU 555, EDU 612: Must be taken in Benchmark II