Associate Professor Kaka, Assistant Professors Nobel, Kang, and Deitz

Instructor Hall

The dual licensure program in Inclusive Elementary Education is committed to helping prospective teachers become knowledgeable, caring, competent professionals who are dedicated to nurturing the intellectual, social, and aesthetic growth of children in both traditional and inclusive PK-5 classroom settings. Students in our program are introduced to a core of knowledge that includes an understanding of child development from ages 3-10, a philosophy of teaching and learning which they can successfully put into practice, skill in nurturing family and community relationships, awareness of appropriate assessment and evaluation strategies, and special competence in working with children who have learning or physical challenges. The development of these understandings is a continuous, integrated process. Students are introduced to core concepts that are encountered repeatedly in subsequent courses. Knowledge is deepened by many opportunities to work directly with children in a wide variety of planned field and student teaching experiences. In this way, students can clearly see how sound research and theory guide practice. 

Preservice inclusive elementary education teachers pursue their general liberal arts education requirements while taking foundational education courses. Once accepted into the education program, preservice teachers will take a carefully sequenced set of discipline-specific courses and accompanying field experiences to prepare them for the role and responsibilities of working in 9 elementary schools, specifically with general and special educator teams. Preservice teachers will pursue in-depth study of educational theory, evidence-based instructional strategies, assessment of student learning, and differentiated support for academic and behavioral goals. Coursework includes an emphasis on strong reading and literacy instruction, subject specific instruction, classroom and behavior intervention, collaboration, and assessment. Pedagogy is made relevant by application in planned field experiences in inclusive elementary classrooms. The culminating experience for the Inclusive Elementary Education licensure program is the 15-week student teaching experience that provides experience in both a traditional elementary setting as well as a special education setting, supervised by both university faculty and experienced educators.

Ohio Wesleyan offers programs preparing students for teacher licensure at the elementary school, middle school, and high school levels. Candidates working toward the Elementary Education, Inclusive Elementary Education, Middle Childhood Education, Special Education, or Integrated Science license pursue an OWU major in Education. Candidates pursuing either Multi-age (except for Special Education) or Adolescent to Young Adult (except for Integrated science) licenses will major in another department at Ohio Wesleyan and minor in Education.