Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education, Master of Education (certification, M.Ed.)
The Creative Initiatives in Teacher Education (CITE) is an Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) approved graduate-level teacher preparation program in the Teaching and Learning, Policy, and Leadership Department with the College of Education at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). Supporting service employees and conditionally hired teachers of local districts may attain a Master of Education (M.Ed.) upon successful program completion with eligibility for Maryland certification in teaching grades 1 through 6.
The 2-year CITE program begins each Spring and consists of coursework provided over 6 semesters through a blended learning model of in-person and online instruction in the evenings. Candidates participate in an ongoing 2-hour-a-day classroom-based internship in a district elementary school, usually that of their current employment as district personnel. Each semester includes a gradual intensive internship opportunity with a final semester practicum.
CITE is designed as a cohort program that allows members to be part of a diverse collaborative professional learning community who relies on one another for support and professional development, like that of a highly functioning team in an elementary school.
Program Structure
As with all teacher preparation programs at UMCP, CITE prepares reflective practitioners for a pluralistic society through research-based inquiry. Interns preparing to be teachers in the CITE program learn to be reflective, develop a broad repertoire of teaching skills, establish cultural proficiency applications to the classroom, and base their teaching practice on sound theory and research. The structure of the program is built upon six knowledge areas: curriculum, learners, subject matter, pedagogy, social context, and educational goals and assessment. Within these areas, CITE incorporates the following principles:
- Multicultural Philosophy and Education
- Higher Level Thinking Skills
- Research: Knowledge, Inquiry and Interpretation
- Reflection
- High Leverage Teaching Practices
- Team Building and Rapport with Others
Key Program Components
- Inclusion of paraeducators, support staff, and conditionally hired teachers with undergraduate degrees who are interested in elementary-level teaching.
- Opportunities for professional growth in a multicultural community
- Instruction provided by faculty from UMCP and district partners.
- Collaborative support from a district level master teacher, school-based administration, and UMCP faculty
- Participation in a cohort experience with other CITE participant
Students entering Spring 2020 or later:
Non-thesis only: 34 credits required
In addition to the course requirements, students must complete the following non-course requirements:
- Pass the Praxis II Examination
- Complete the ISTE Portfolio
- Submit the edTPA Portfolio
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| TLPL406 | Teaching and Learning Mathematics in the Elementary School, Part 1 | 3 |
| TLPL407 | Teaching and Learning Mathematics in the Elementary School, Part 2 | 3 |
| TLPL678 | Professional Seminar in Education | 1 |
| EDSP611 | Teaching Students with Disabilities in Elementary Classrooms | 2 |
| TLPL685 | Teaching Social Studies in Elementary Schools | 3 |
| TLPL689 | Internship in Education | 1 |
| TLPL698 | Conducting Research on Teaching | 2 |
| TLPL618 | Digital Learning Tools and Communities | 1 |
| TLPL460 | Materials and Instruction for Creating Skilled and Motivated Readers, Part I | 3 |
| TLPL461 | Materials and Instruction for Creating Skilled and Motivated Readers, Part II | 3 |
| TLPL647 | Diagnostic Reading Assessment and Instruction | 3 |
| TLPL665 | Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners | 3 |
| TLPL642 | Processes and Acquisition of Reading | 3 |
| TLPL625 | Teaching Science in Elementary Schools | 3 |
| Total Credits | 34 | |