Resources and Policies
Handbook
Supervisors, mentor teachers and administrators handbook
Policy Manual
OSU LEADS: Core Values
Leadership
We prepare candidates who are committed to the belief that professional educators providing quality education are the foundation of a prosperous and democratic society. The candidates advance their professions as innovative leaders and advocates who support all learners and families, in the context of diverse systems and communities.
Ethics and Professionalism
We prepare candidates who demonstrate ethical and professional behavior in their interactions with students, families, colleagues and communities and practice social justice. The candidates demonstrate an understanding of legal aspects in their professional roles. As life-long learners, they engage in continuous professional development, collaborate with colleagues in the learning community and other professional arenas and reflect upon their practice.
Academics and Professional Roles
Through curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practice and the use of technology, we prepare knowledgeable candidates who reflect upon the connections between academics and their professional roles.
- Content Knowledge: We prepare candidates who value the importance of knowledge and learning by providing them with a rich learning environment, technology and supervised experiences in academic areas. The candidates possess subject matter competence and enthusiasm for the subject matter; they are life-long learners of the central concept and methods of inquiry in their subject matter areas.
- Integration: We prepare candidates who demonstrate integration of theory into practice incorporating appropriate pedagogy, methodology, content knowledge, curriculum, inquiry and research-based practices in diverse settings. The candidates understand the process of curriculum integration and use of a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students' development and learning. They assist students with career awareness and apply career concepts to the academic curriculum.
- Human Growth and Development (including special populations): We prepare candidates who understand how students/clients learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and physical development at all levels including early childhood, elementary, middle level, secondary and adult. The candidates understand that students vary in their approaches to learning and create opportunities that are adaptable to individual differences in learners.
- Learning Environment: We prepare candidates who understand the dynamics of individual and group behavior and use communication techniques to develop, facilitate and manage positive approaches to learning. Candidates select styles that work best for their learning environments and are able to adapt to different circumstances. They choose procedures that are appropriate for all students/clients including those with diverse backgrounds, with exceptionalities and English language learners.
- Technology: We prepare candidates who understand technology as a complex integrated process for analyzing problems and devising, implementing, evaluating and managing solutions to those problems in situations in which learning is purposive and controlled. The candidates are able to use technology to help all students/clients learn by providing a conceptual understanding of how knowledge, skills and dispositions related to education and information technology and instructional technology are integrated throughout the curriculum, instruction, field experiences, clinical practices, assessments and evaluations.
- Teaching/Professional Practice and Assessment: We prepare candidates who use best practices to create learning environments and instructional opportunities based upon Oklahoma and national standards that lead to student learning and development. Candidates understand and use a variety of assessment strategies to evaluate and modify the teaching/learning process to ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of learners. They demonstrate reflective practice.
Diversity
We prepare candidates who believe everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and can learn; they possess knowledge, skills and dispositions to serve as effective professionals who understand and meet the needs of a diverse society. Candidates provide evidence of understanding of differences including age, gender, ethnicity, culture, socio-economic status and intellectual, physical and language abilities.
Service Orientation/Community Outreach
We prepare candidates who value and engage in service and meaningful involvement of the learners/clients, their families and communities. Candidates engage in result oriented service to address economic, educational, public safety, environmental and other human needs.
Forms