Program Goals

The goals of the M.A. in English with a concentration in English Education are to create excellent professionals who are knowledgeable, reflective, and effective teachers and who are leaders in their schools and communities. Before a teacher graduates from this program, he or she must demonstrate that the following five program goals are met:

  1. Master teachers are self-directed in their personal and professional growth as educators.
  2. Master teachers are responsive to how children’s differences are influenced by development, exceptionalities, and diversity.
  3. Master teachers are well-grounded in the content and pedagogy of the entire English curriculum
  4. Master teachers are self-reflective, self-evaluative, educational researchers.
  5. Master teachers are collaborative educational leaders.

Students who graduate from this program demonstrate these advanced competencies:

  1. Instructional Expertise: Applies the theoretical, philosophical, and research bases for educational practice in elementary, middle, and secondary school classrooms to improve student learning. Plans, implements, and evaluates instruction that is rigorous, coherent, and consistent with a well-developed theoretical and philosophical stance and with best practices emerging from educational research
    • Reads educational literature critically, including theoretical, philosophical, and research materials
    • Analyzes and articulates relationships between and among theory, philosophy, research findings, and current practice
    • Designs and modifies instruction based on well articulated theory, philosophy, educational research, and best practice
    • Incorporates findings from educational literature into school and classroom strategies to improve student learning
  2. Knowledge of Learners: Incorporates knowledge of the nature of the learner, learning processes, variations in learning abilities and learning styles, and strategies for evaluating learning. Plans, implements, and evaluates instruction that is responsive to wide variations in students’ learning needs and learning styles
    • Designs and modifies instruction that is responsive to differences among learners that are influenced by development, exceptionalities, and diversity
    • Seeks actively to increase understanding of and respect for differences in students’ development, exceptionalities, and diversity
    • Creates a classroom environment in which all learners feel welcome and can be successful
    • Reflects on, diagnoses, and prescribes instruction that fosters student learning
  3. Research Expertise: Understands and employs methods of research to examine and improve instructional effectiveness and student achievement
    • Investigates and solves educational problems through data-gathering, action research, and evaluation of student learning, classroom processes, and school practices
    • Modifies instruction and learning environments based on assessment of student learning problems and successes
    • Monitors the effects of instructional actions, selection of materials, and other instructional decisions on students’ learning and behavior.
  4. Connecting Subject Matter and Learners: Understands and links subject matter and students’ developmental and diverse needs in the context of school settings. Plans, implements, and evaluates instruction that reflects intellectual rigor and depth of knowledge in both subject matter disciplines and students’ diverse learning needs
    • Demonstrates appropriate depth and breadth of knowledge in subject matter defined in the North Carolina course of study
    • Uses technology to create learning environments that support students’ Learning
    • Seeks, implements, and evaluates the best pedagogical practices for the subjects taught within the context of a specific school setting
    • Understands and respects differences between the learning behaviors and outcomes expected in a school setting and the learning behaviors and outcomes expected in diverse communities.
  5. Professional Development and Leadership: Demonstrates self-directed, self-reflective professional behavior and provides leadership to colleagues and communities through collaboration
    • Initiates professional inquiry through reading, dialogue, professional development, and action research
    • seeks, evaluates, and applies well-grounded suggestions for improvement provided by educators, parents, students, and community leaders
    • Participates in collaborative leadership and mentorship activities to solve educational problems at the levels of classroom, school building, school system, and community.