Specialization in Best Practices
Dr. Linda Ventriglia-Nava
The Best Practices specialization instructs students in research-based Best Practices that accelerate student achievement. The program is based on 11 years of school-based research that turned around low achieving schools and accelerated achievement at all schools where the Best Practices were used. Students will learn how to implement effective teaching strategies that accelerate student achievement and engage students in 21 st century learning. An interdisciplinary approach to learning will enable teacher s to develop a systematic approach for teaching interdisciplinary vocabulary across the curriculum. Teachers will learn how to use both textual and digital comprehension strategies, critical/creative 21 st century questioning and 21 st century problem solving. An emphasis will be placed on differentiated and targeted instruction, student engagement/motivation strategies, cooperative and other effective grouping patterns, and technological multimedia applications. All the Best Practice strategies will be tied to standards-based direct and indirect instruction. Effective strategies for English language learners and other diverse learners are integrated throughout the four courses in Best Practices in Teaching. Along with learning the strategies listed above, candidates will be taught how to create multidisciplinary standards-based lesson plans using the structure of Teach, Practice and Apply.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Integrate Best Practices for standards-based instruction across content areas.
- Use Best Practices teaching strategies across the curriculum.
- 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.
- Apply student engagement/motivational strategies.
- Integrate Best Practices in multimedia-interactive classroom instruction.
- Demonstrate a repertoire of differentiated instructional strategies.
(4 courses; 18 quarter units)