Educators are in a unique position to help a new generation of young people become compassionate, locally active, and globally conscious citizens. They have the opportunity to develop environments where children and youth experience joy and self-efficacy in learning; and where confusion and mistakes stimulate curiosity and persistence rather than discouragement. Tomorrow’s teachers are in a position to nurture imaginative problem solvers and assist students to become culturally competent collaborators in their future. This opportunity is as true for the teacher of kindergarten students as it is for the teacher of high school students, as true for the teacher of mathematics as it is for the teacher of social studies.

This rigorous program will prepare you to engage the pedagogies and practices to support a democratic, socially just classroom in which children and youth move beyond dualistic perspectives into complex and critical thinking. We expect MiT teachers to meet state and national expectations for education while supporting student self-efficacy, identity, and creativity. Keeping these broad goals and aspirations in mind, we will examine the following questions together:

• What is involved in supporting the development of students’ knowledge and skills in the specific area(s) you plan to teach?

• What insights on learning informed by (a) cognitive, social, and emotional development, (b) cultural context, (c) motivation, (d) research on educating students in diverse, urban schools and (e) recent brain research can we use to inform our teaching practices?

• What is involved in adapting, creating, and implementing interdisciplinary curriculum that (a) connects to the assets and interests of local communities, (b) emphasizes citizenship that is responsive to human needs in a pluralistic society, (c) reflects a world shared with diverse populations with diverse needs and aspirations, (d) emphasizes the need for sustainable approaches to local, regional and global environments, and (e) provides all students an equitable opportunity to gain access to the tools they need for empowerment in the world in which they live?

We have high expectations for people to engage the significant work, persistence and humility it takes to be an excellent teacher. We invite people into this program who are eager to accept the challenge of discovering what it means to be a critically reflective practitioner. We desire prospective teachers who are willing to question, challenge and transform the existing structures of schooling in order to create learning environments that will support the needs of all students in the twenty-first century. We seek candidates who are: (i) skilled in critical thinking as evidenced by reflective reading and writing, (ii) passionately interested in multidisciplinary connections; (iii) open to giving and receiving critical, constructive feedback; (iv) committed to their own intellectual, political, and emotional growth; and (v) invested in serving the broader community.

Program location: The Evergreen State College Tacoma Campus