The Esteves School of Education is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (http://www.ncate.org).
National Accreditation Advantage
The Esteves School of Education has held continuous accreditation from the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE/CAEP) since October 2001. NCATE/CAEP accreditation means that graduates are recognized as having completed an Education program that meets the highest standards in the field. Sage graduates should note the NCATE/CAEP accreditation on their resumes and be prepared to talk about its significance.
Conceptual Framework
The mission of the Esteves School of Education is to prepare highly effective educators, school counselors, and school leaders who believe in full inclusion, who value diversity, who are reflective, and who are knowledgeable about best practices. Therefore, we ask Sage educators, counselors, and leaders to consider two essential questions throughout their studies and field experiences: Who am I in the lives of those with whom I work? Who am I in the life of my educational community? We expect all Sage candidates to demonstrate leadership and create optimal educational outcomes for all learners.
The motto of Russell Sage College, “To Be, To Know, To Do,” informs the educational purpose where the common effort is to translate learning into action and application, within a framework that recognizes the obligation of educated persons to lead and serve their communities. In the Esteves School of Education, this motto is extended to form the basis for our programs.
Conceptual Framework: the underlying structure in a professional education unit that gives conceptual meanings through an articulated rationale to the unit’s operation, and provides direction for programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, faculty scholarship and service, and unit accountability.
T-BIRDS - the key concepts of the conceptual framework:
- Technology: a vehicle for learners to acquire information, practice skills, use higher order thinking skills, and participate in collaborative projects.
- Best Practices: the pedagogical knowledge, skills, and practices that have been shown through research and evaluation to be effective and/or efficient and that candidates use to teach all learners.
- Inclusion and Diversity: the ability to collaborate and team with other professionals in developing and implementing strategies to accommodate diverse learners; the ability to develop solutions that will enhance the learning experiences of all children; and, the ability of candidates to be aware of and sensitive to diversity issues and to use culturally and socially responsible pedagogy.
- Reflection: the ability to reflect and assess one’s own effectiveness, and to systematically make adjustments to improve and strengthen areas needing attention.
- Dispositions: the demonstration of respect for learner differences, commitment to own personal growth, and engagement in short and long-term planning.
- Service Learning: the strategies that integrate meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich children’s learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.
These elements are interrelated and integrated to prepare teacher candidates to assume roles as reflective facilitators of learning, combining knowledge and skills to exemplify those qualities and dispositions that characterize effective teachers.
