The Middle Grades Program at Winston-Salem State University is located in and coordinated by the Department of Education. This program is offered in collaboration with the following departments: English & Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Middle Grades Program at Winston Salem State University is the preparation of knowledgeable, ethical, and effective middle school teachers. The Middle Grades Program provides prospective teachers with the necessary knowledge, skills and dispositions to work effectively with young adolescents. Pre-service teachers in the Middle Grades Program address the challenges of the teaching profession with creativity, self-reliance, critical thinking, responsibility, and respect for human differences. The Middle Grades Program places special emphasis on the knowledge of human growth and development and the implication that such knowledge has on curriculum, teaching and learning, and school organizational patterns in grades 6 through 9.
The Middle Grades curriculum includes (1) a core of liberal arts education; (2) two academic concentrations to be selected from the following: communication skills, mathematics, science or social studies; (3) a core of professional studies; and (4) specialty courses in middle-level education.
Learning Outcomes
Successful graduates of this program will:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the physical, intellectual, emotional and socio-cultural development of early adolescents and the implications that personal growth and culture have upon scholastic achievement.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills, exemplary middle school teaching practices, creativity, self-reliance, responsibility, and respect for human differences.
- Apply a variety of teaching methodologies, techniques, strategies, and new technologies in order to maintain a high level of interest and involvement of students in grades 6 through 9.
- Demonstrate the ability to organize a well-balanced instructional program around the special needs and interests of diverse groups of students in grades 6 through 9.
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