The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) is designed to prepare individuals who are seeking initial certification to be a classroom teacher. There are two MAT pathways; the traditional and accelerated pathways. Certification available in the traditional pathway includes secondary certification in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, or social studies; K-12 art, French, music, physical education, Spanish, or special education; and early childhood (PK-3), elementary (2-6), or middle level (5-8). Certification available in the accelerated pathway includes secondary certification in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, or social studies; K-12 certification in art, dance, French, physical education, Spanish, special education, or theatre; and early childhood (PK-3), elementary (2-6), or middle level (5-8).
To ensure knowledge of content, MAT teacher candidates are required to achieve the
South Carolina passing score on the Praxis Subject Assessment prior to the internship
semester. Candidates for the MAT in Spanish and French must achieve a passing score
on the Praxis Subject Assessment prior to admission to the program. In addition, successful
graduates must obtain a satisfactory score on the edTPA before earning teacher certification.
MAT teacher candidates must demonstrate dispositions that reflect the highest standards
of the profession as they relate to students, their families, and their communities.
The Richard W. Riley College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences has established
appropriate criteria for professional dispositions in the following areas: commitment,
integrity, communication, and fairness.
The MAT curriculum covers a variety of subjects from professional core courses to
courses specific to the graduate candidate's content area. Acquired competencies emphasized
in this program will enable graduates to assume leadership roles in their classrooms,
departments and schools. Through a dual advisement system that includes content and
education faculty, transcripts will be evaluated and a program of study will be developed
for each student. Additional course work may be required to address deficiencies in
the content area. Education coursework is designed around the Initial Teacher Preparation
Unit Standards Framework outlined below.
Initial Teacher Preparation Unit Standards Framework
Preamble
Initial teacher preparation at Winthrop University is built around the central belief
that teachers must be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions that
produce learners prepared for 21st century challenges within the context of a free
and democratic society. Through field-focused learning in school partnership settings,
candidates demonstrate evolving skills in the domains of diverse needs of learners,
learning environment, technology, assessment, instruction and learner engagement,
literacy, and professional learning and ethical practice. These domains are embedded
throughout an integrated series of classroom and field experiences involving core
and discipline-specific curricula, grounded in evidence-based practice and professional
standards, and designed to support teacher candidates as they learn about themselves,
individual learners, classrooms, and the American school system.
Expectations for Candidate Professional Dispositions
I. Fairness
The teacher candidate assumes responsibility for the learning of all students in the
classroom in a caring, nondiscriminatory, and equitable manner and persists in effective
learning for all students.
II. Integrity
The teacher candidate demonstrates a recognition of and adherence to the moral, legal,
and ethical principles of the University and the profession.
III. Communication
The teacher candidate interacts in ways that convey respect and sensitivity.
IV. Commitment
The teacher candidate embraces the complexity of work through reflective practice
and professional growth.
Unit Standards and Elements
US1. Diverse Needs of Learners
The teacher candidate plans and implements differentiated instructional strategies
for diverse learners (including, but not limited to, English language learners, learners
who are living in poverty, learners with disabilities, gifted and talented learners,
and other exceptional needs in general education settings) to achieve learning outcomes.
US2. Learning Environment
The teacher candidate creates a positive, safe, and caring environment that promotes
learning through active engagement and respect for individual differences.
US3. Technology
The teacher candidate plans and implements meaningful learning opportunities that
engage learners in the ethical and appropriate use of technology to meet learning
outcomes.
US4. Assessment
The teacher candidate designs, selects, and implements multiple assessments and systematically
uses data to make instructional decisions that support, monitor, and promote learning.
US5. Instruction and Learner Engagement
The teacher candidate uses developmental and pedagogical content knowledge to independently
and collaboratively plan and implement learning experiences that are relevant, appropriately
challenging, and aligned with curriculum goals and standards.
US6. Literacy
The teach candidate implements essential components of literacy instruction (reading,
writing, listening, speaking, viewing, and visual representation) within the discipline(s)
to enhance opportunities for learning.
US7. Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
The teacher candidate participates in ongoing professional learning and critical reflection,
upholds ethical and legal standards, and articulates the impact of social, legal,
and political contexts on American schooling.
