Course Descriptions

This course is designed to provide the Principal/Teacher candidate with knowledge about policies, laws, and regulations enacted by the state, local and federal authorities that impact schools. The candidate will use skills to influence lawmakers and advocate for equitable learning opportunities and success for all students. The candidate will understand that educators, business people, politicians, media, parents, and the public at large attempt to influence educational policy to degrees. The candidate will explore varying perspectives on educational improvements and use statute, policies, research, data, and ethical standards in the decision-making process.

The Principal/Teacher candidate will understand human rights and implement guidelines that establish a school where all students, staff, and community, regardless of background, are afforded equal access and opportunity to quality education. The candidate will understand the complexities of poverty and its influence on learning, promote every student’s success, and act with integrity, fairness, and an ethical manner.

This course is designed to provide Principal/Teacher candidates with knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will enhance staff and students’ motivation, morale, and performance. candidates will know how to create a culture for learning, serve as a role model, inspire, develop leadership in others, and help build and support an inviting school culture that meets students’ needs, the community being served, and the staff.

This course is designed to help Principal/Teacher Candidates with the knowledge and skills to lead in developing, implementing, evaluating, and revising short and long-term goals that promote continuous and sustainable school improvement. Candidates will know how to collect and analyze data pertinent to the educational environment that promotes learning and leads to continuous quality improvement. There will be a focus on a systematic, ongoing improvement process (e.g., Nebraska Department of Education, Advanced Ed.).

This course is designed to introduce action research in support of the school improvement process and high-quality teaching/learning environment. Emphasis will be placed on three primary areas: 1) helping candidates become critical consumers of educational research, 2) providing foundational instruction and guidance in planning, conducting, and reporting action research, and 3) applying professional writing skills. This course will provide candidates with the knowledge and skills that help them identify and explore research issues related to leading, teaching, and learning, particularly related to school improvement. The candidate will learn the requirements/framework for the Action Research Project (ARP) and begin collaborating with a School Administrator Mentor or National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) Mentor to identify the school, or classroom needs that support school improvement.

This course is designed to provide Principal/Teacher candidates with an understanding that curriculum, instruction, assessment, and programming represent a set of desired goals that are activated through a developmental process and culminate in successful learning experiences for students. The candidate will understand a comprehensive, rigorous, and coherent curriculum; instruction, assessment, and program development are essential responsibilities of a school leader. The candidate will know how to implement district, state, and federal initiatives and assure legal compliance. The candidate will understand emerging trends in education, use best practices research, establish curriculum and instructional expectations and accountability measures, know how to lead curriculum reviews, use data to monitor student achievement, and support and develop staff.