2017-2018 Course Catalog

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MAT

Master Of Arts In Teaching

The Masterful Teacher: A Reflective Practitioner-Facilitating Achievement in Communities of Diverse Learners

The faculty of St. Mary’s College believes that offering a certification program through an state-accredited Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree will allow its students to take full advantage of the rich undergraduate curriculum available at our college – to spend a semester abroad, to complete a double major, to take elective courses in many diverse areas, to try interdisciplinary courses – and then to be able to synthesize that richly textured content background with graduate courses in education so they can better serve their future students.

The MAT option builds on students’ solid grounding in a vigorously defined major and in the breadth of their Core Curriculum requirements while allowing them a seamless transition into the professional coursework. The MAT provides basic instruction in pedagogical strategies, assessment, curriculum development, discipline and management, and other specific elements of the professional educator’s knowledge base.

Certification programs exist for grades 1 through 6, with an option to add a credential in early childhood education, and secondary English, math, history/social studies, social studies, biology, chemistry, and physics, for grades 7 through 12. There are also certification options for K-12 disciplines: art, music, theater, and world languages (Chinese, French, Spanish).

All of the teacher certification programs available through this MAT degree have full program approval from the Maryland State Department of Education and lead to reciprocity for certification in all other states. Our program completers have a 100% pass rate on the PRAXIS exams, and our hiring rate for those who choose to teach is also near 100%.

The MAT is a full-time, year-long program requiring participants to be in county public schools from the beginning of the program. The mentor/cooperating teachers at the school sites provide support and expertise that will prepare the student to meet the challenge of the beginning teacher, translating theory into practice.

Admissions Process

  • Complete the MAT application online. Details about the deadline, prompt for the application essay, and links to the application can be found at https://www.smcm.edu/mat how-to-apply/application-process/. Please note that applicants to the program are not required to have met all requirements for the program at the time of application; applicants will be asked to indicate any requirements that are in progress.
  • Arrange with all institutions of higher education to have official transcripts sent to the Director of Teacher Education (Goodpaster Hall 236 47645 College Drive St. Mary’s City, MD. Current St. Mary’s students completing an undergraduate degree will submit a transcript that includes the course work in progress for the fall term.
  • For current St. Mary’s students, submit existing SAT, ACT or GRE scores or scores for the PRAXIS CORE pre-professional skills tests in reading, writing, and math to the Office of Admissions. Required scores are as follows: SAT composite score of 1100; ACT composite score of 24; GRE composite score of 1000 for tests prior to September 2011 or 297 for tests after September 2011. Current SMCM students who cannot be waived from the PRAXIS Core requirement on the basis of ACT, SAT, or GRE scores must submit passing scores for all three tests: Reading (156), Writing (162) and Math (150). For students who did not complete their undergraduate education at St. Mary’s and are applying as new students to the College for the MAT, only GRE scores will be accepted for this requirement.
  • Arrange to have two faculty members who have taught you in upper-level courses in your major field to complete the faculty reference form, either on paper or online (found at https://www.smcm.edu/mat/how-to-apply/application-process/) and send them to the Director of Teacher Education. Arrange for someone who has supervised you in interactions with children or young adults submit a general letter of recommendation to the Director of Teacher Education, in addition to the other recommendations.
  • The application and all support documentation are due by mid-November; the precise deadline for each year will be posted online at https://www.smcm.edu/mat. Admissions decision letters will be mailed in February. Final admission approval will depend on the satisfactory completion of the undergraduate degree and fulfillment of any outstanding requirements from the application period.

Program Prerequisites

In addition to the documentation listed above, MAT program participants must successfully complete a minor in educational studies at St. Mary’s or comparable coursework. There are some differences in the coursework depending on applicants’ intended area of certification. For a complete listing of these courses, please refer to the information about the minor in educational studies.

All applicants must have a 3.0 minimum GPA.

Each certification area has specific prerequisites. These can be found at https://www.smcm.edu/mat/courses-placements/area-of-study-requirements/.  Where possible, some examples of St. Mary’s College of Maryland courses that meet this requirement have been provided. Please consult with the department chair of Educational Studies with more questions.

Elementary Candidates (Grades 1-6, EDEL)

  • Major in any area of study
  • Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in infant and child development or lifespan development and EDUC 296
    OR
    Coursework that is equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above
  • 12 credits of math (e.g., MATH 131, MATH 161, MATH 162, COSC 120; PSYC 203; up to four credits may be from non-MATH coded courses)
  • 12 credits of science (e.g., ASTR 154, BIOL 101, CHEM 101, PHYS 103)(students must take at least one physical science and one biological science.)
  • American history or government (e.g., HIST 200, HIST 219; POSC 100 does not meet this requirement)
  • English literature (e.g., ENGL 106, EDUC 366)
  • 2 credits in physical education or documented involvement in varsity sports)

Elementary with Early Childhood Candidates (EDEL and EDEC)

All of the elementary prerequisites, in addition to EDEC 770 (Issues, Methods and Materials in Early Childhood Education), which will be offered either before or during the MAT program. Early childhood candidates must take a course in infant and child development; a lifespan development course is not accepted. Please consult the department chair for information about the timing of the course.

Secondary Candidates (Grades 7-12, EDSC)

  • Major in the appropriate content field with appropriate breadth and depth; more information can be found at https://www.smcm.edu/mat/courses-placements/area-of-study-requirements/. Check with an Educational Studies adviser regarding specific questions.
  • Individuals who have a native proficiency in one of the languages for which we offer certification but do not have a degree in that language can pursue certification for teaching that language by demonstrating proficiency through testing. Please consult the Department Chair for additional information.
  • Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in adolescence or lifespan development and EDUC 286 OR Coursework equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above

K-12 Candidates (Grades PreK-12 in Art, Music, Theater, World Languages)

  • Major in the appropriate content field with appropriate breadth and depth; more information can be found at https://www.smcm.edu/mat/courses-placements/area-of-study-requirements/. Check with an Educational Studies adviser regarding specific questions.
  • Minor in educational studies that includes coursework in lifespan development and EDUC 286
    OR
    Coursework equivalent to that specified in minor, as described above
  • Music majors are advised to speak to the Department Chair in Music once you have decided to pursue the MAT for Music to ensure availability of methods courses.

Program Completion

MAT participants who successfully complete the program coursework with a 3.0 average GPA or better, successfully complete all aspects of the internship, submit an acceptable electronic portfolio, present their research projects, and achieve passing scores on the appropriate PRAXIS II tests will be eligible for “approved program” certification in Maryland. Names of program completers will be sent to the Maryland State Department of Education, after which individuals may apply for their teaching certificate. Approved program certification allows for reciprocity with minimal additional requirements in virtually all states.

Other Important Information

  • Students who apply to the MAT program by the priority deadline listed on the website are given first consideration for scholarship awards and placement opportunities, particularly for content areas where there may be limited internship opportunities in the local school system (e.g., Chinese, Physics)
  • The MAT program offers various scholarships to students for the MAT year; students will be invited to apply for scholarship consideration at the time of application. The various scholarships have different eligibility criteria; most scholarships that are awarded are applied toward the first session in the program.
  • The MAT program begins in early July and is completed in June the following year. There are 4 sessions within the graduate program, and students are billed in four equal installments prior to the start of each session.
  • There may be residential on-campus living options for MAT students during the regular academic year; if available, accepted students will be notified the spring prior to the start of the MAT program.
  • All internship experiences will be fulfilled in St. Mary’s County public schools. Enrichment placement opportunities (abroad, and in other school districts) are available under certain conditions.
  • All admitted students will be required to bring a personal laptop computer with them into the program.
  • Current program capacity is approximately 35 students.
  • The program is a full-time cohort program; there are no electives and no options for part-time enrollment.

Faculty

Katy Arnett, Teresa Filbert, Angela Johnson (chair and director of teacher education), SooBin Jang, Kathy Koch, David Morris, Janna Thompson

Outcomes Of The Mat Program

“The Masterful Teacher: A Reflective Practitioner Facilitating Communities of Diverse Learners”

As an accredited program, the MAT program at St. Mary’s College of Maryland is aligned to meet numerous state- and nationally-defined standards for initial teacher education. These include:

  • The 10 Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Standards
  • The 7 Maryland Teacher Technology Standards (MTTS)
  • The standards for the Special Program Areas that govern the national accrediting agency’s guidelines for the preparation of teachers in art, music, English, social studies, math, science, foreign language, theater and elementary education.
  • The 5 standards for Professional Development Schools in Maryland

Additionally, candidates meet outcomes based on our conceptual framework in the area of relationships, reflection, and research. For a complete listing of the above-mentioned program outcomes, see the department website (www.smcm.edu/mat); the conceptual framework which underpins the entire program and provides us with specific program goals is also available there.

Faculty

Katy Arnett (Director of Teacher Education), Teresa Filbert, Angela Johnson (Chair& Director of Teacher Education), Kathy Koch, David Morris, Lin Muilenburg