Guiding Principles for Education Curriculum Development

The scope and sequence of the teacher education program at Roger Williams University were designed to match current theories and practice in Elementary and Secondary Education. Our curriculum development is guided by both core beliefs and current state standards established for the preparation of beginning teachers.

Every year our faculty evaluates and revises the curriculum based on student and faculty feedback, current trends in education and national and state educational standards. Consequently, the professional teacher education students receive at RWU is on the cutting edge of current educational research and practice.

Three core beliefs guide the curriculum development in the Education Programs at RWU:

  • A commitment to a developmental approach to the education of both students and prospective teachers
  • A belief that teacher preparation programs should place emphasis on reflective thinking with regard to the performance of real teaching tasks rather than on acquiring fragments of knowledge
  • A belief that pre-service teachers learn about teaching both from discussions of theory or pedagogy and from the experience of teaching

These core beliefs support a well-planned teacher education curriculum that (1) helps students gain the pedagogical knowledge (knowledge of instruction) and content knowledge (knowledge of the subject) needed to provide a complete educational experience for children/adolescents, (2) allows students to design instructional materials such as lesson plans and units to demonstrate teaching knowledge and (3) gives students school-based experiences throughout their teacher education program.