Master in the Art of Teaching Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment K-12

The Master in the Art of Teaching with a focus on K-12 Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment is a program that provides classroom teachers access to research-based strategies that will empower them to become leaders in K-12 curriculum. By the end of this program, participants will embody commitment to their students, their colleagues and their school communities.

Students in this K-12 curriculum program complete six core courses, three capstone projects and the specialized courses below.

CIA 601 Instructional Strategies For Successful Learning
Instructional Strategies for Successful Student Learning supports development of skillful teacher leaders by focusing on research-based K-12 curriculum, instruction and assessment strategies that result in improved student achievement. Participants explore the results and classroom implications of brain-based learning, cooperative learning structures, and nine research-based instructional strategies by analyzing the curriculum, instruction and assessment practices in real classrooms and customize the use of the strategies to their own teaching situations.

CIA 605 Student-Directed Learning to Foster Motivation and Engagement
Student-Directed Learning to Foster Motivation and Engagementdigs deeper into the curriculum, instruction and assessment concepts and theories introduced in prior courses. Now that the participants have common understanding of backward design (Wiggins & McTighe, 2006), effective assessment and how to meet the needs of all students, they are ready to hone in on ways to motivate their students to be more self-directed in their learning.

This course focuses on helping students develop the skills necessary to thrive in and out of the classroom. Participants learn K-12 curriculum, instruction and assessment strategies for helping their students develop flexible knowledge, as well as problem-solving, cooperative learning and self-motivation skills. Special attention is given to ways to engage all students in opportunities to examine and evaluate their own work and learn from the work of their peers.

CIA 610 Classroom Assessment for Today's Teacher
Classroom Assessment for Today's Teacher focuses on ways teachers can efficiently and judiciously assess student's learning so that a positive and supportive curriculum, instruction and assessment learning environment is created and maintained. With a focus on key areas of assessment including grading practices and authentic assessment techniques, this course introduces strategies that enable teachers to fine-tune their assessment practices while maintaining high expectations for all students.

CIA 615 Teacher as Everyday Hero
The final course of the program, Teacher as Everyday Hero, is a culmination of many strands covered throughout the K-12 curriculum, instruction and assessment program. This course strikes a balance between the macro-and micro-concepts of teaching. Participants will have the opportunity to demonstrate how they are no longer just surviving as teachers but thriving as teacher leaders. Throughout Teacher as Everyday Hero, participants examine case studies of truly inspirational teachers who have transformed the lives of their students. Through the use of biographies, narratives, profiles and interviews with top educators and scholars, participants explore and reflect on the problems and satisfactions of teaching, which culminates in the writing of their personal teacher story.