Relay course descriptions contain the course code, course title, credit hours, grading scale, and the terms the course is offered. Please note that at times, Relay may need to close or change course sections due to enrollment numbers. In these cases, students will be notified of schedule changes.

 

CERT-500: Prepare for the NY Multi-Subject 1-6 (221/222) Exams 

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will receive instruction and support from a Relay licensure exam preparation instructor while preparing for the NYSTCE (New York) licensure exams. With an instructor and peers, students will review the exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. Students will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, test-wise practices for standardized exams, and strategies for overcoming test anxiety. Students will also get an opportunity to learn from and build community with fellow teacher candidates preparing for the same exam(s).

 

CERT-502: Prepare for EC/Elementary Literacy Cert Exams (All States)

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take early childhood and elementary grade  literacy exams. Students will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, as well as engagement with critical concepts to build content and pedagogical knowledge. Students will also learn to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, students will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze a myriad of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. Students will engage in class discussion around self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. By participating in exam preparation, students will invigorate their early childhood and elementary literacy practices and set themselves up for success on this exam. Success on this exam correlates with and supports instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-503: Prepare for the Praxis Elementary Mathematics (5003/5903) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Elementary Mathematics Praxis Exam. They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. They will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. They will prepare to teach Elementary Mathematics by setting themselves up for success on this exam, as success on this exam correlates with instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-504: Prepare for the Praxis Elementary Social Studies (5004/5904) Exam
Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Elementary Social Studies Praxis Exam. They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. They will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. They will prepare to teach Elementary Social Studies by setting themselves up for success on this exam, as success on this exam correlates with instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-505: Prepare for the Praxis Elementary Science (5005/5905) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Elementary Science Praxis Exam. They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. They will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. They will prepare to teach Elementary Science by setting themselves up for success on this exam, as success on this exam correlates with instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-506: Prepare for the NY Multi-Subject 1-6 Lit & ELA (221) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Literacy and English/Language Arts section of the New York Multi-Subject Childhood Exam. They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. They will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. They will prepare to teach Elementary Literacy & ELA by setting themselves up for success on this exam, as success on this exam correlates with instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-507: Prepare for the NY Multi-Subject 1-6 Mathematics (222) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Mathematics section of the New York Multi-Subject Childhood Exam. They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. They will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams. They will prepare to teach Elementary Mathematics by setting themselves up for success on this exam, as success on this exam correlates with instructional effectiveness.

 

CERT-510: Licensure Exam Support 

Credit Hours: 0.5

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will receive individualized support as they work toward passing their required licensure exams. They will work one-on-one with a Relay instructor to craft a study plan, attend recurring check-ins with their instructor to discuss progress, and will reference test-aligned study resources in their preparation.

 

CERT-511: Prepare for the NY Multi-Subject 5-9/7-12 Lit & ELA (231/241) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the NYSTCE New York Multi-Subject Teachers of Middle Childhood (5-9)/Secondary Teachers (7-12) Part One: Literacy & ELA (231/241) Exam(s). They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build content and pedagogical knowledge and the ability to implement high-impact test-taking strategies. With an instructor and peers, students will review the exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. Students will also discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, and test-wise practices for standardized exams to prepare to pass this exam.

 

CERT-512: Prepare for the NY Multi-Subject 5-9/7-12 Math (232/244) Exam

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will receive instruction and support from a Relay licensure exam preparation instructor while preparing for the New York Mathematics licensure exam. Each instructor is a content knowledge expert and certified PK–12 teacher or school leader who is intimately familiar with the licensure exam(s) that Relay students must take. With an instructor and peers, students will review the exam framework(s), discuss resources, and analyze dozens of practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam. Students will discuss self-directed learning habits, research-based learning or study strategies, test-wise practices for standardized exams, and strategies for overcoming test anxiety. They will also get an opportunity to learn from and build community with fellow teacher candidates preparing for the same exam(s).

 

CERT-540: Preparing for the edTPA Resources

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

The edTPA, a performance assessment for beginning teachers, is a requirement for teacher certification in a number of states. Unlike past pencil-and-paper assessments, the edTPA is designed to be an authentic assessment of teaching skills and mindsets in the areas of planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection. This course will guide Relay students through the process of understanding the components, requirements, and skills embedded in the edTPA assessment to support their ability to curate a strong edTPA submission. The course will offer the opportunity to norm around rubric expectations, give and receive portfolio feedback, and reflect on their own practice to drive professional development. It is intentionally designed to support students in accessing and reviewing all of the supplementary resources in addition to their handbook, task-by-task, so that they can be more purposeful and strategic in their planning. By the end of this course, students should be ready to work on their own edTPA portfolio and feel confident in their ability to submit successfully.

 

CERT-550: Preparing for the edTPA 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Spring

The edTPA, a performance assessment for beginning teachers, is a requirement for teacher certification in a number of states. Unlike past pencil-and-paper assessments, the edTPA is designed to be an authentic assessment of teaching skills and mindsets in the areas of planning, instruction, assessment, and reflection. This course will guide Relay students through the process of understanding the components, requirements, and skills embedded in the edTPA assessment to support their ability to curate a strong edTPA submission. The course will offer the opportunity to norm around rubric expectations, give and receive portfolio feedback, and reflect on their own practice to drive professional development. It is intentionally designed to support students in accessing and reviewing all of the supplementary resources in addition to their handbook, task-by-task, so that they can be more purposeful and strategic in their planning. By the end of this course, students should be ready to work on their own edTPA portfolio and feel confident in their ability to submit successfully.

 

CERT-551: Licensure Exam Support 

Credit Hours: 0.5

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

The edTPA, a performance assessment for novice teachers, is a requirement for teacher certification in several states. This independent study course will further support students in their successful completion of the edTPA. Students will attend recurring check-ins with Relay’s edTPA coordinator to ask questions and discuss their progress on edTPA. By the end of this course, students will have submitted all required artifacts for their edTPA to Pearson through Anthology Portfolio’s integrated ePortfolio system.

 

CERT-552: Preparing for New York State Certification Exams 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will prepare to take the Educating All Students Exam (201) and multi-subject exams for their licensure area (Multi-Subject: Teachers of Early Childhood, Birth-Grade 2; Multi-Subject: Teachers of Childhood, Grade 1-Grade 6; and Multi-Subject: Teachers of Middle Childhood, Grade 5-Grade 9). They will use self-reflection, intentional goal-setting and planning, and engagement with central concepts in order to build their content and pedagogical knowledge and their ability to implement test-wise practices. With their instructor and peers, they will review exam framework(s), explore resources, and analyze practice test items aligned to the content categories or competencies assessed on the exam(s). They will prepare in their area of licensure by setting themselves up for success on certification exams. 

 

CERT-560: Field Experience 

Credit Hours: 0

Co-requisite: CLIN-501, CLIN-502, CLIN-522, CLIN-523, or CLIN-524 only if enrolled in the Illinois Educator Program

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will document their work in classrooms, in accordance with state requirements for certification/licensure. Students will submit videos of their teaching that demonstrate their skill development. Feedback  that is aligned with student learning in the Clinical Practice course will be provided by a Field Supervisor.

 

CLD-501: Teaching Multilingual Learners in Inclusive Settings 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will develop the basic mindsets, knowledge, and methods required to drive meaningful outcomes for multilingual learners. Relay students will articulate their mindsets about language in schools and create an action plan for a culturally and linguistically inclusive classroom. Relay students will then examine the world of second language acquisition theory; equipped with the knowledge of the stages of second language acquisition, Relay students will apply this knowledge to lesson-plan design and implementation, utilizing the Universal Design for Learning framework. 

 

CLD-502: Theory of Second Language Acquisition 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will break apart language with the belief that by understanding linguistics, they will more precisely know how to support their PK–12 multilingual learners. Relay students deeply examine second language acquisition theories, specifically how to leverage native language in the acquisition of the second language. Relay students will examine formal and informal assessments to analyze the strengths and areas of growth for their multilingual learners. At the end of this course, Relay students will combine their understanding of linguistics and second language acquisition theory to craft intentional and targeted “language objectives.” 

 

CLD-503: Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners I 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will focus on the methods for creating inclusive learning environments for multilingual learners. Relay students will examine the sheltered instruction model, explore the importance of comprehensible input, and practice various instructional strategies, including intentional vocabulary instruction and Total Physical Response. Throughout this course, Relay students will build their toolkit of strategies and have multiple opportunities to plan and practice effective strategies for multilingual learners across reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Finally, Relay students will explore how to extend their impact beyond their own classroom walls and will plan to collaborate across teams to support multilingual learners. 

CLD-504: Linguistics and Language Acquisition

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will build on their knowledge from previous coursework in applied linguistics and language acquisition. The course begins with an overview of sociolinguistics and examines language as part of an individual’s identity. From here, Relay students will gain a deep understanding of language as a system comprising the integrative components of phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and discourse. Applying this knowledge of linguistics, Relay students will support the receptive and expressive language development of multilingual learners by engaging in interactive instructional practice and reflection. They will use their knowledge of linguistics to analyze and assess a sample student’s writing. From this analysis, Relay students will make instructional decisions that are responsive to the student’s linguistic strengths and areas of growth.

 

CLD-505: Literacy and Assessment for Multilingual Learners

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

This course delves into the distinctive aspects of assessments for multilingual learners, recognizing the divergences from assessments designed for native speakers. Relay students will gain insight into the nuanced purposes of assessment, encompassing identification, placement, and reclassification for multilingual learners. Exploring the critical elements of validity, reliability, and equity, Relay students will analyze both formative and summative language assessments. Applying this knowledge to their teaching contexts, participants will strategically plan or revise formative assessments, ensuring effectiveness and equity. Furthermore, the course empowers Relay students to respond adeptly to classroom data, utilizing various sources to inform instructional decisions. 

 

CLD-506: Methods for Teaching Multilingual Learners II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will plan and implement methods to support multilingual learners. Relay students will identify and analyze best practices in multilingual-learner instruction. Relay students will practice planning and implementing strategies to support reading, writing, listening, and speaking across content areas. Upon reflecting on their students’ interests, motivations, strengths, funds of knowledge, and areas of growth, Relay students will create a class profile and select strategies to implement in their classroom. After implementing these strategies, Relay students will practice self-assessment and reflection; they will receive feedback from colleagues and make adjustments as necessary for improvement. 

 

CLIN-501: Supervised Clinical Practice I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall (all locations) & Spring (select locations)

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their own self-efficacy, and able to drive their own growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this course, students will explore who they are becoming as a teacher and member of the school community through the question—How do I become a culturally responsive practitioner who fosters a sense of belonging among learners through a strong culture for learning? 

 

CLIN-502: Supervised Clinical Practice II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring (all locations) & Fall (select locations)

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students’ continuous improvement as culturally responsive and inclusive educators who lead all students to succeed through ongoing and intentional practice and self-reflection. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will continue to explore who they are becoming as a culturally responsive and inclusive educator, building on the reflection and practice from their first clinical practice course.  

 

CLIN-521: Mentored Clinical Practice I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their own self-efficacy, and able to drive their own growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, students will explore who they are becoming as a teacher and member of the school community through the question—How do I become a culturally responsive practitioner who fosters a sense of belonging among learners through a strong culture for learning? 

Possible substitution for this course: CLIN-501: Supervised Clinical Practice I

 

CLIN-522: Mentored Clinical Practice II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students’ continuous improvement as culturally responsive and inclusive educators who lead all students to succeed through ongoing and intentional practice and self-reflection. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will continue to explore who they are becoming as a teacher and member of the school community through the question—How do I become a culturally responsive practitioner who fosters a sense of belonging among learners through a strong culture for learning? 

Possible substitution for this course: CLIN-502: Supervised Clinical Practice II

 

CLIN-523: Mentored Clinical Practice III

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In the course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their own self-efficacy, and able to drive their own growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will continue to explore and reflect on who they are becoming as a culturally responsive and inclusive teacher and member of the school community.

 

CLIN-524: Mentored Clinical Practice IV

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In the course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming a reflective practitioner, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will bring together the knowledge, skills, and reflections they have gained in previous terms to engage in ongoing clinical experiences and reflections. 

 

CLIN-531: Special Education Clinical Practice I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving.  In this clinical practice course, Relay students will continue to explore and reflect on who they are becoming as a culturally responsive and inclusive teacher and member of the school community.

 

CLIN-532: Special Education Clinical Practice II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, students will bring together the knowledge, skills, and reflections they have gained in previous terms to engage in ongoing clinical experiences and reflections in a special education context. 

 

CLIN-533: Early Childhood Special Education Clinical Practice I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will continue to explore and reflect on who they are becoming as a culturally responsive and inclusive teacher and member of the school community.

 

CLIN-534: Early Childhood Special Education Clinical Practice II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this clinical practice course, Relay students will bring together the knowledge, skills, and reflections they have gained in previous terms to engage in ongoing clinical experiences and reflections in an early childhood special education context. 

 

CLIN-560: Mentored Clinical Practice Extension

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In Relay students’ clinical practice coursework, they will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this extended clinical practice course, Relay students will bring together the knowledge, skills, and reflections they have gained in previous terms to engage in ongoing clinical experiences and reflections.

 

CLIN-562: Supervised Clinical Practice Extension

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In Relay students’ clinical practice coursework, they will contextualize and deepen prioritized competencies from Major and Foundations coursework by expanding their toolbox, applying new strategies, and reflecting on the impact. Our goal is to support Relay students in becoming reflective practitioners, confident in their self-efficacy, and able to drive their growth through increasingly independent problem-solving. In this extended clinical practice course, Relay students will bring together the knowledge, skills, and reflections they have gained in previous terms to engage in ongoing clinical experiences and reflections.

 

ECE-501: Foundations of Child Development & Literacy in Early Childhood

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn about the fundamental concepts of early childhood education and begin to explore and understand their own identities as early childhood educators. Relay students will learn to apply research and theory about child development as the foundation for developmentally appropriate practices and lesson plans related to emergent language and literacy. In particular, Relay students will analyze, evaluate, and implement evidence-based literacy approaches to support students’ development of word recognition and language comprehension. Relay students will also incorporate social studies instruction and plan ways to collaborate with caregivers and their communities. Finally, they will analyze and practice implementing literacy assessments to inform their instructional planning.

 

ECE-502: Development of a Responsive Early Childhood Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

This course builds upon Relay students’ foundational understanding of backward planning and instructional methods in early childhood by more deeply exploring content using developmentally appropriate and equitable lenses. Specifically they will learn how to support inquiry and discussion through play-based learning experiences in science, mathematics, physical development, technology, and arts-based instruction. This course will make Relay students more strategic and intentional early childhood leaders, more engaging and purposeful teachers, and more responsive practitioners. 

 

ECE-503: Unit Planning & Interdisciplinary Learning in the Early Childhood Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

 

ECE-504: Language, Writing, and Equity in the Early Childhood Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will apply knowledge of literacy and oral language development to cultivate the knowledge and skills to support oral language acquisition and writing development for all students, whether they are native English speakers or multilingual learners. Using a culturally responsive and inclusive lens, Relay students will use developmentally appropriate and research-based approaches to understand and develop students’ oral language. They will then apply research-based strategies to support students in emergent writing skills. Lastly, Relay students will apply their knowledge of different types of writing, instructional strategies, and the writing process to plan grade-level appropriate instruction for a range of learners. 

 

ECE-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching and Learning in Early Childhood Classrooms

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

This course provides Relay students an opportunity to apply the experiences and content knowledge from their previous early childhood coursework to create a culturally responsive, multi-day learning plan in support of problem-based learning. They will learn what problem-based learning is and why it is prioritized as a key approach for equitable instruction in the early childhood classroom. They will use the tenets of backward design to identify key knowledge and skills that will guide the planning and vision for the problem-solving experience. After creating a clear vision of mastery, Relay students will design learning experiences that support language, student reflection, and partnership with families.

 

EDU-500: Your Rights & Responsibilities as a Teacher

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will build an understanding of their rights and responsibilities as educators and as enrolled students at the Relay Graduate School of Education. Through their work, Relay students will learn about Relay’s policies, the supports and resources that are available during their time at Relay, and the foundations of being an effective online learner at Relay. Relay students will also understand the process for becoming a certified or licensed teacher in their state. Relay students will leave the course with a number of tools they can use to successfully navigate their experience at Relay.

 

EDU-501: Building a Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Classroom for Diverse Learners

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will develop essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets for building a positive classroom community while creating equitable and culturally relevant learning experiences for all learners, with intentional planning for students with disabilities. This course will introduce the basic tenets of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL). Through the course, Relay students will be prepared to (1) use the principles of CRT, UDL, and SEL in their practice, and (2) engage in interactions that foster students’ engagement and sense of belonging in the classroom. 

 

EDU-502: Introduction to Instructional Planning

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will apply their critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze instructional plans to ensure alignment between all of their components. They will be able to identify the structures that are part of an effective instructional plan and make intentional planning choices based on their knowledge of the content and their students. Ultimately, students will be prepared to approach the instructional planning process in a strategic manner that is transferable to their teaching context, including the curriculum resources used at their schools.

 

EDU-503: Partnering with Communities

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn more about their school community with the goal of creating partnerships with community assets that will support students as learners within the context of their community. First, Relay students will engage in a deep study of community history, strengths, and assets. Using participant action research methods, they will identify a community asset to partner with on a project relevant to their classroom teaching, learn more about the organization through observation and/or interview, and create a plan for collaboration. 

 

EDU-505: Your Rights and Responsibilities as a Resident and Educator

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Summer 

In this course, Relay students will build an understanding of their rights and responsibilities as residents and educators in their state and as an enrolled student at Relay. Through their work, Relay students will learn about Relay’s policies, the supports and resources that are available to them during their time at Relay, and the foundations of being an effective online learner at Relay. Relay students will also understand the process for becoming a certified or licensed teacher in their state. Relay students will leave the course with a number of tools they can use to successfully navigate their experience at Relay.

 

EDU-510: Graduate Capstone

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

Prerequisites: CLIN-523; For the MAT in Special Education: CLIN-531; For the MAT in Early Childhood Special Education: CLIN-533; For the Advanced Certificate in Special Education: CLIN-531

In this culminating seminar, Relay students will leverage the knowledge, skills, and mindsets of a highly effective teacher to reflect on their Birth–Grade 12 student support and impact by engaging in an action research project. The seminar will support Relay students’ preparation of a capstone portfolio that captures: (1) findings from an action research project that explores a problem of practice in their classroom, and (2) a presentation in which students advocate for a practice that has a positive impact on Birth–Grade 12 student academic growth, social-emotional development, or experience. Students must teach at least one group/class/grade/subject of at least 3-8 students in order to successfully complete the Capstone. Students should also teach the same group of Birth–Grade 12 students during their prerequisite class (CLIN-523, CLIN-531, or CLIN-533) and in EDU-510 whenever possible. Exceptions to this should only be made when a job change or leave from Relay prevents the Relay student from working with the same group of students.

 

EDU-511: Principles of Teacher Inquiry I

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: Fall 

In this course, Relay students will develop key data collection and analysis knowledge and skills and build connections between data and the impact of classroom educators such as themselves and their school-based mentor teachers. Relay students will explore systems for monitoring academic and social-emotional growth and development as well as student experience. In addition, students will identify a system for monitoring student experience and execute that system in their classroom setting.  

 

EDU-512: Principles of Teacher Inquiry II

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring 

Prerequisites: EDU-511

In this course, Relay students will build on their learning in Principles of Teacher Inquiry I.  Students will execute a system for monitoring student academic progress, social-emotional development, and/or student experience. They will analyze student data from an asset-based approach and identify patterns in student academic progress, social-emotional development, and/or student experience. Students will formulate questions to examine effective teaching practices based on classroom data, and will describe a plan that can be used to investigate their question.

 

EDU-513: Residency Capstone

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this culminating seminar, students will reflect on their growth and readiness to lead a classroom. They will draw on the knowledge, skills, and mindsets of highly effective teachers, while also considering their impact on student support and development in their classrooms. Students will also focus on identifying, understanding, and partnering with community assets as they prepare for their first year as lead teachers with the goal of creating partnerships with community assets that will support students as learners within the context of their community. 

 

This seminar will support students in curating a capstone portfolio that includes: (1) a collection of classroom video(s) and plan(s) that demonstrate evidence of the knowledge, skills, and mindsets required to be an effective culturally responsive and inclusive teacher of record, and (2) a community asset presentation that includes a profile of one community asset, a description of learnings about that asset, and an initial plan for engaging with the community asset in service of your classroom goals. 

 

EDU-540: Relay Orientation

Credit Hours: 0

Grading Scale: Pass/Fail

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will be welcomed to the institution and will learn about Relay’s policies, the support and resources that are available during their time at Relay, and the foundations of being an effective online learner at Relay. Students will learn about pathways to certification and will engage in community building and exploration of resources so they can continue to leverage what they learn during this orientation throughout their time at Relay.

 

EDU-550: Integrating Computational Thinking: A Practical Course for Educators

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students learn about computational thinking as an approach to problem-solving. They learn about several computational thinking skills—decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm development—and consider the impact on Birth–Grade 12 students of developing these skills. Relay students begin with developing their own content knowledge, then apply that knowledge as they adapt their own curriculum to integrate computational thinking. They plan and implement lessons and consider strategies for integrating computational thinking in a way that complements their daily lessons. By the end of the course, Relay students will have the knowledge, skill, and confidence to integrate computational thinking into any lesson for all students.

 

ELA-501: Foundations of Teaching and Learning in the ELA Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this introductory course, Relay students will learn about the fundamental concepts of secondary ELA and begin to explore and understand their own identity as secondary ELA teachers to reflect on and make equitable choices in their classroom. They will plan for and practice establishing a classroom that is equitable and inclusive of students and families. They will engage in standards-aligned planning that highlights the selection of rigorous, complex texts as the center of their classrooms, and will examine how to leverage a close reading approach when reading a complex text. Finally, they will plan for and practice teaching new material and collecting formative assessment evidence of student learning.

 

ELA-502: Fostering Student Understanding in the ELA Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will build upon their understanding of backward planning and English language arts instructional methods. They will explore the nuances of these strategies, intentionality, and on-your-feet instructional adjustments that result in a truly rigorous, effective ELA classroom for all learners. Relay students will learn how to strategically plan and execute high-leverage ELA instructional strategies of discourse and writing and understand how to analyze data to inform instructional decisions. Relay students will learn how to evaluate resources, incorporate checks for understanding to collect in-the-moment data, and plan from formative assessment data.

 

ELA-503: Unit Planning for Culturally Responsive & Inclusive ELA Classrooms

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn how to internalize a unit through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within a unit. Relay students will consider big ideas/essential concepts within the discipline and how the content and lessons of a selected unit meet the demands of grade-level standards. They will also enhance their chosen unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating technology to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit.

 

ELA-504: Language, Diversity, and Equity in the ELA Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn to leverage the science of reading and foundational reading skills to more fully and equitably support students’ reading comprehension. Relay students will focus on the reading comprehension strand of Scarborough’s Rope to plan ways of building students’ background knowledge, increase vocabulary acquisition, and support their continued development of literacy skills. Leveraging their long-term instructional planning skills, Relay students will design culturally responsive and inclusive instructional plans that support the reading comprehension of the range of readers in their class.
 

ELA-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching and Learning in the ELA Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will leverage their strengths in data analysis and knowing their students to create, implement, and assess deeper learning experiences for students, specifically homing in on project-based learning, inquiry, and research writing. Relay students will learn how inquiry and research building reinforce skills in the four domains of the content (reading, writing, speaking, and listening), as well as promote equity and social justice.

 

ELA-550: Science of Teaching Reading 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will identify what research says about how reading skills develop and what effective evidence-based reading instruction looks like. They will learn about the components of word recognition and language comprehension, as represented by the strands of Scarborough’s reading rope. Relay students will learn strategies for assessing student development within each strand, as well as evidence-based strategies for teaching Birth–Grade 12 students to support their growth as readers. (This course is cross-listed with ELEM-550: Science of Teaching Reading. Per Relay’s Cross-Listed Courses Academic Policy, students should enroll in either ELA-550 or ELEM-550 as a student will receive credit for only one instance of the cross-listed course.)

 

ELA-551: Literature and Writing Concepts in Secondary ELA

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will learn about the characteristics of literary types and examine literature across genres that are appropriate for adolescents and young adults. They will study various types or modes of writing and consider how they will develop their students’ writing skills through one of these forms. In the process, Relay students will build their understanding of the writing process and identify how these processes and skills can be applied to other types of writing. Relay students will evaluate the quality of student writing along dimensions such as focus, content, organization, and mechanics and determine steps they can take to improve students’ writing skills.

 

ELEM-501: Literacy and Equity in the Elementary Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will develop essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets for leading meaningful instruction. This course will have a focus on literacy development—the first half will focus on the teaching of foundational skills (e.g., phonological awareness, phonics, sight recognition, fluent reading) and the second half will focus on teaching students to comprehend text using before, during, and after reading strategies that are aligned to the language comprehension strands of Scarborough’s Rope. Through this content focus, Relay students will additionally learn strategies and methods in relationship building and supporting student access through UDL, as well as pedagogical methods such as explicit instruction, facilitating student practice with feedback, planning and asking meaningful text-dependent questions, and instructional practices aligned with student developmental stages.

 

ELEM-502: Social Studies, Science, and Math in the Elementary Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will build an understanding of how to teach social studies, science, technology, and mathematics in the elementary classroom. Relay students will explore science and social studies standards and instructional methods through the lens of inquiry instruction. They will also consider how to incorporate technology, digital literacy, and computational thinking to enhance instruction across multiple content areas. Then, Relay students will turn their attention to pedagogical methods in mathematics. They will learn the foundations of math instruction, including how to utilize task-based and inquiry-based learning, the importance of providing multiple representations, and incorporating the math practice standards to support their elementary students’ conceptual understanding. Relay students will also expand their lesson planning and instructional strategy toolkits to monitor their elementary students’ learning in mathematics by checking for understanding, adjusting instruction, giving content-based feedback, and analyzing and responding to data gathered in mathematics lessons.

 

ELEM-503: Interdisciplinary Unit Planning in the Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students learn how to internalize units across content areas through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within units. Relay students begin by analyzing a math unit, making connections between the math-specific knowledge and skills from the unit, the math practice standards, and the summative assessment. Relay students then analyze a science unit, identifying the key skills that students will develop across the unit and the unit assessment’s criteria for success. Finally, Relay students analyze a social studies unit, identifying connections between the learning experiences and the social studies practice standards. In each content-specific module, Relay students analyze the unit’s big ideas within the discipline and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level standards. Relay students also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating the arts, physical education, and health to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit. They also learn how to look at a unit to ensure their classrooms are set up with the routines needed to support students throughout. Finally, students analyze literacy data to plan and practice instruction aligned to an individual student’s needs.

 

ELEM-504: Language, Writing, and Equity in the Elementary Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will cultivate the knowledge and skills to support the oral language and writing development of all students—whether they are native English speakers or multilingual learners. At the beginning of the course, Relay students will learn developmentally appropriate practices to support students’ speaking, listening, and vocabulary development. They will then identify the components of skilled writing, including critical thinking, sentence structure, text structure, writing craft, and transcription, and use these to analyze a writing task. Then, they will dive into four evidence-based writing recommendations and apply them to writing instruction. Lastly, Relay students will study writing lessons and student work samples to plan for instructional techniques such as using the writing process and providing mentor texts to support students as writers. 

 

ELEM-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching and Learning in the Elementary Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will expand on their earlier coursework to focus on advanced methods in each subject area. This course explores advanced instructional strategies for integrating English Language Arts (ELA) with mathematics, science, and social studies, while incorporating computational thinking and technology to enhance student learning.

 

ELEM-550: Science of Teaching Reading 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will identify what research says about how reading skills develop and what effective evidence-based reading instruction looks like. They will learn about the components of word recognition and language comprehension, as represented by the strands of Scarborough’s reading rope. Relay students will learn strategies for assessing student development within each strand, as well as evidence-based strategies for teaching Birth–Grade 12 students to support their growth as readers. (This course is cross-listed with ELA-550: Science of Teaching Reading. Per Relay’s Cross-Listed Courses Academic Policy, students should enroll in either ELA-550 or ELEM-550 as a student will receive credit for only one instance of the cross-listed course.)

 

GEN-501: Foundations of Teaching and Learning in the Middle Grades
Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring
In this introductory course, Relay students will learn to employ the foundational elements of culturally responsive teaching to develop a positive classroom culture in service of building their middle grades students’ content understanding in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The course will prepare Relay students to practice culturally responsive instruction by attending to teacher and student identities, developing positive relationships, and employing instructional routines that support an emotionally safe and rigorous learning environment. With this foundation, Relay students will build their knowledge and skills around research-based instructional methods that develop students’ reading skills; their conceptual understanding and procedural fluency in math; and their inquiry skills in science and social studies. Relay students will apply their growing knowledge, skills, and mindsets to design and execute instruction that is aligned with growth and development processes in middle childhood. 

 

GEN-502: Fostering Student Understanding of Content in the Middle Grades
Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will expand their knowledge of key content and pedagogical approaches in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. They will build pedagogical content knowledge about planning and facilitating discussion-based learning experiences across content areas. Relay students will also further their skills in collecting and analyzing formative assessments during and after lessons. They will then develop action plans in response to formative assessment data to support their middle school students’ development. Relay students will apply their content understanding as they identify and address student misconceptions. In addition, Relay students will consider how they will integrate technology to support and enhance their students’ learning and development.

GEN-503: Unit Planning for Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Classrooms
Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn how to internalize a unit through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within a unit. They will learn core elements of unit design across ELA, math, science, and social studies content as they analyze and internalize a unit plan. Relay students will consider big ideas/essential concepts within the discipline and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level standards. They will also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating technology to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit.

 

GEN-504: Supporting Literacy Development in the Middle Grades
Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will recognize the literacy demands present within discipline-specific learning materials and strategically support all learners to access the content in a way that facilitates understanding. Access to content is contingent upon students’ ability to read and comprehend discipline-specific materials. To support all learners, Relay students will build a foundational understanding of the science of reading and how literacy develops over time. They will learn to strategically support students’ abilities to access content by identifying the literacy demands of class texts. With this knowledge, Relay students will be well-positioned to recognize potential barriers to students’ comprehension and plan scaffolds to support access to content. 

GEN-507: Teaching Content in Diverse Settings for Special Educators (NEW)
Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, special educators will develop their pedagogical content knowledge in social studies, science, and mathematics and demonstrate their proficiency with implementing lessons in these content areas. Students will be oriented to research-based frameworks that inform high-quality instruction in social studies, science, and mathematics and apply their understanding of the frameworks as they analyze and internalize lessons. Then, they will practice and implement instructional routines and instructional methods that are fundamental to developing student understanding in each content area. 

 

Throughout, students will consider how these strategies can be implemented effectively at various stages of student development and how they will apply the Universal Design for Learning Framework (UDL) to remove barriers to learning for diverse learners. They will explore the use of technology in the classroom as a tool for achieving learning outcomes of a lesson. Finally, students will analyze formative data to make conclusions about student learning within a lesson.

 

MATH-501: Foundations of Teaching and Learning in the Mathematics Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn how to build the foundation for an equitable math classroom by attending to the development of students’ math identities, implementing strong routines and procedures, and engaging students in grade-level instruction. They will learn research-based instructional methods that will develop math students’ mathematical proficiencies and remove barriers to their abilities to access and understand the content. Throughout the course, Relay students will reflect upon and positively develop their own mathematical mindsets to create an environment where all students see themselves as effective learners and doers of mathematics.

 

MATH-502: Fostering Student Understanding in the Mathematics Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn to develop students’ discourse skills through the implementation of task-based math discussions. They will plan strong mathematical questions and develop an understanding of how questions can be used for different purposes. Relay students will leverage these skills as they develop student understanding and self-efficacy in math through the implementation of effective mathematical discussions. Relay students will also further their data literacy skills by analyzing whole-class data from tasks to determine student understanding. They will plan for in-the-moment formative assessment opportunities that allow for students to communicate their thinking in a variety of ways, and use that data to make instructional decisions within the lesson. Throughout, Relay students will examine how technology can be used to enhance their instruction and promote digital equity among their students.

 

MATH-503: Unit Planning for Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Mathematics Classrooms

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn how to internalize a unit through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within a unit. Relay students will consider big ideas/essential concepts within the discipline and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level math and practice standards. They will also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating technology to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit.

 

MATH-504: Supporting Foundational Literacy in the Mathematics Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will recognize the literacy demands present within discipline-specific learning materials and strategically support all learners to access the content in a way that facilitates understanding. Access to content is contingent upon students’ abilities to read and comprehend discipline-specific materials. To support all learners, Relay students need a foundational understanding of how reading skill is developed and should be able to strategically support students’ abilities to access content by identifying the literacy demands of class texts. With this knowledge, Relay students will be well-positioned to recognize potential barriers to students’ comprehension and plan scaffolds to support access to content.

 

MATH-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching & Learning in the Mathematics Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students learn about the mathematical modeling cycle and plan for students to apply math to meaningful real-world scenarios by incorporating mathematical modeling that leverages students’ background knowledge, experiences, and cultural references into their instruction. Through mathematical modeling Relay students will be able to strengthen their routines for discourse and integration of technology. Throughout this work, Relay students will plan for and implement scaffolds and instructional techniques that support students in comprehending text and expressing their mathematical thinking, monitor progress of their work, and engage in feedback and revision cycles.

 

MATH-551: Understanding Concepts in Secondary Mathematics

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will reflect on who they are as a math learner while deepening their knowledge of  core secondary math topics in the following domains: the number system, algebra and functions, geometry, statistics, and calculus. In addition, they will engage with these topics as a student learner might to build their schema for activities that support building conceptual understanding of these secondary math concepts. 

 

SCI-501: Foundations of Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will consider what makes science education effective by exploring the historical context of science education and the role of inquiry in science education. They will also develop their content knowledge by unpacking state and national standards for three-dimensional instruction to ensure alignment between all components of their lesson plans. Relay students will learn how to build classroom relationships as they develop and implement safe, culturally responsive, and inclusive lessons that promote sensemaking. Throughout the course, Relay students will engage in critical reflection on their science identity and learning experiences and how these will inform their science teaching practices and impact student learning.

 

SCI-502: Fostering Student Understanding in the Science Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn how to develop students’ discourse skills through creating collaborative structures and sequencing probing questions during small- and whole-group sensemaking. After learning how to plan a monitoring key to collect data during sensemaking, they will build expertise in selecting tech tools and structuring the sensemaking process to foster students’ development of discipline/domain-specific vocabulary. Relay students will deepen their understanding of the importance of science misconceptions in planning and implementing science lessons; they will use their own understanding of science concepts alongside their understanding of their students’ misconceptions to strategically plan rigorous and illuminating formative assessments. They will then respond to the data gathered from these assessments to make adjustments to their instruction and provide culturally responsive, effective feedback to their students. 

 

SCI-503: Unit Planning for Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Science Classrooms

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn how to internalize a unit through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within a unit. Relay students will consider big ideas/essential concepts within science and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level standards. They will also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating technology to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit. Altogether, these strategies will support science teachers in critiquing and enhancing science units so that the learning experiences leverage students’ funds of knowledge and center phenomena-based sensemaking.

 

SCI-504: Supporting Foundational Literacy in the Science Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will recognize the literacy demands present within science-specific learning materials and strategically support all learners to access the content in a way that facilitates understanding. Access to content is contingent upon students’ abilities to read and comprehend science-specific materials. To support all learners, Relay students need a foundational understanding of how a reading skill is developed and should be able to strategically support students’ abilities to access content by identifying the literacy demands of class texts. With this knowledge, Relay students will be well-positioned to recognize potential barriers to students’ comprehension and plan scaffolds to support access to science content at grade-level rigor. 

 

SCI-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching and Learning in the Science Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will focus on developing student autonomy in understanding authentic scientific questions and phenomena through the use of model-based inquiry. They will integrate their knowledge of reading, speaking, listening, and writing skills as they engage students in generating, testing, and revising scientific models. Relay students will leverage technology to enhance their teaching practices and support students in using technology tools to communicate their learning and thinking in relation to the scientific phenomena that are examined. Throughout this work, Relay students will implement scaffolds and instructional techniques that support students in comprehending data and expressing their scientific thinking. They will collect and analyze data from summative assessments to understand students’ academic progress and make instructional decisions that will support students toward meeting goals. Finally, Relay students will revisit their personal, professional, and science identities as they set a vision for their science classrooms. 

 

SCI-551: Understanding Concepts in Secondary Science

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will explore the core principles of science instruction that prioritize student sensemaking. They will deepen their understanding of disciplinary core ideas within one science domain (Biology, Chemistry, or Physics) by engaging with science instruction through three-dimensional learning experiences centered on an anchoring phenomenon. Relay students will first examine the key tenets of effective science teaching, focusing on the use of phenomena, model-building, and the importance of student-driven explanation construction. They will then experience sensemaking as learners. Relay students will investigate a rich, real-world phenomenon by collecting and analyzing relevant data, building content knowledge, and constructing explanatory models that reflect their evolving understanding of scientific concepts. Throughout the course, students will critically reflect on sensemaking approaches, compare these methods to traditional science instruction, and develop strategies for implementing phenomena-driven science learning in their own classrooms.

 

SS-501: Foundations of Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will explore theories and research-based practices of rigorous and culturally responsive social studies instruction. They will begin by examining the epistemological foundations of the discipline and the significance of incorporating multiple, interconnected narratives in their curriculum. Then, they will explore key elements of creating safe and culturally responsive learning environments and reflect on the extent to which their identity and that of their students impact the design of both their classroom environment and curriculum. Next, Relay students will analyze grade-level specific social studies standards and evaluate the extent to which their curriculum and instruction align to the key knowledge and skills of the grade level. Finally, they will learn how to activate background knowledge, build interest, and teach social studies content by engaging in the Social Studies Disciplinary Skills. 

 

SS-502: Fostering Student Understanding in the Social Studies Classroom

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn and apply multiple strategies to develop student understanding and elicit students’ ideas. They will begin by exploring interactive strategies for building students’ background knowledge, a foundational step that must take place before historical evaluation or analysis can take place. Next, Relay students will harness skills required to effectively plan and facilitate rigorous social studies discussions in both small-group and large/whole-class settings. Relay students will then explore how to incorporate technology in the context of a collaborative social studies classroom as a way to both enhance instruction and remove barriers to learning that students may experience. In the second half of the course, Relay students will deepen their understanding of the importance of planning formative checks for understanding and anticipating student misconceptions in planning and implementing social studies lessons; using their own understanding of social studies concepts alongside their understanding of their students’ misconceptions to strategically plan rigorous and illuminating formative assessments. Relay students will then respond to the data gathered from these assessments to make adjustments to their instruction and provide culturally responsive, effective feedback to their students. 

 

SS-503: Unit Planning for Culturally Responsive & Inclusive Social Studies Classrooms

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will learn how to internalize a unit through the lens of the backward design process and evaluate how principles of culturally responsive teaching are reflected within a unit. Relay students will consider big ideas/essential concepts within the discipline and how the content and lessons meet the demands of grade-level standards. They will also enhance a unit by building on their previous study of Universal Design for Learning and integrating technology to support their students with developing the knowledge and skills within the unit.

 

SS-504: Supporting Foundational Literacy in the Social Studies Classroom

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will recognize the literacy demands present within discipline-specific learning materials and strategically support all learners to access the content in a way that facilitates understanding. Access to content is contingent upon students’ abilities to read and comprehend social studies–specific materials. To support all learners, Relay students need a foundational understanding of how reading skill is developed and should be able to strategically support students’ abilities to access content by identifying the literacy demands of class texts. With this knowledge, Relay students will be well-positioned to recognize potential barriers to students’ comprehension and plan scaffolds to support access to content. 

 

SS-505: Advanced Applications of Teaching and Learning in the Social Studies Classroom

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will dive into the world of Guided Inquiry Design (GID). They will begin by exploring the what and the why—What is the structure of Guided Inquiry, and how does it differ from a more traditional approach to teaching and learning? Why is Guided Inquiry a powerful instructional technique, and how does it enable us to create a more equitable, socially justice–minded classroom? Relay students will then move into the how—How can inclusive design and differentiation allow us to engage all learners in Guided Inquiry Design? They will also learn how to consider their students’ experiences and background knowledge when designing inquiry in our classrooms, how to implement the use of technology in inquiry, as well as how to assess and give feedback throughout the stages of GID. By the end of this course, Relay students will have planned and implemented a multi-step Guided Inquiry Design lesson series within their classroom context and reflected upon their agency in addressing inequities in their classroom through GID.

 

SS-551: Understanding Concepts in Secondary Social Studies

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will build and deepen their understanding of key knowledge and concepts that are a part of secondary social studies curricula. Relay students will survey key concepts in U.S. history, world history, geography, economics, and/or civics and government and focus their application of the knowledge in one specific subject area. Relay students will engage with these topics as a student learner might to build their schema for activities that support building understanding of the knowledge and concepts. They will also consider how these concepts are applied in academic tasks and what students’ responses can reveal about their understanding.

 

TEL-500: Teaching Exceptional Learners in Inclusive Settings

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will develop an understanding of how to create inclusive and rigorous learning experiences for all Birth–Grade 12 students, with a focus on exceptional learners. They will learn about their responsibilities with regard to teaching exceptional learners in inclusive settings. They will hone the skills they need to collaboratively plan inclusive instruction and, using the Universal Design for Learning Framework, will make strategic instructional decisions based on what they know about the strengths and needs of their Birth–Grade 12 students. Finally, Relay students will learn how to effectively collaborate with colleagues, families, and students to provide coordinated support to Birth–Grade 12 exceptional learners in inclusive and general education settings.

 

TEL-601: Introduction to Special Education 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will reflect on what it means to have a disability in an educational context while considering how schools have been designed to exclude Birth–Grade 12 exceptional learners. They will examine Birth–Grade 12 students’ rights under Special Education Law and consider what constitutes an effective Individualized Education Program. Finally, they will consider how to support access for all exceptional learners, including multilingual learners, in a variety of settings, and implement accommodations to ensure students’ access to the general education curriculum.

 

TEL-602: Teaching the Whole Learner

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer & Fall

In this course, Relay students build a holistic understanding of their Birth–Grade 12 students by exploring a variety of formal and informal data sources. They explore strategies to better understand students’ cognitive, physical, and social-emotional development and their linguistic strengths and cultural assets. They then learn how to use this information to design instruction that leverages their Birth–Grade 12 students’ strengths and assets in the classroom. Finally, Relay students will learn how to collaborate with colleagues, Birth–Grade 12 students, and families to support Birth–Grade 12 students’ greater educational inclusion and subsequent success. 

 

TEL-603: Exceptional Learner Profiles

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: All Terms

In this course, Relay students will learn about the varied profiles of Birth–Grade 12 students with low and high incidence disabilities and gifted and talented education. They will explore the prevalence and history of each IDEA disability category, and learn about the experiences and development of individuals identified with each. They will learn strategies to get to know individuals with specific learner profiles in their classes and explore research-based strategies to support students with varying disabilities in their classrooms. Relay students will also learn research-based strategies to support students identified with varying disability categories and practice implementing them. Finally, Relay students will learn how to evaluate and leverage community resources in support of an individual student and their family.

 

TEL-604: Critical Frameworks for Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Education

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

In this course, Relay students will develop essential knowledge, skills, and mindsets for building a strong classroom community while creating equitable and culturally relevant learning experiences for all learners, with intentional planning for PK–12 students with disabilities. They will be introduced to the basic tenets of Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Throughout the course, Relay students will prepare to use the principles of CRT and UDL in their everyday planning.

 

TEL-605: Critical Explorations into the Inclusion of Exceptional Learners

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Not currently offered

In this course, Relay students will develop an understanding of learner variability and explore their responsibilities for effectively including students with disabilities in their classrooms. They will hone the skills they need to plan inclusive instruction and make strategic instructional decisions based on what they know about the development of their individual PK–12 students. Relay students will also learn how to effectively collaborate with colleagues and families to provide coordinated support to PK–12 students with disabilities in co-taught and general education settings. Then, Relay students will learn about the varied profiles of PK–12 students with low and high incidence disabilities. They will explore the prevalence and history of each IDEA disability category and learn about the experiences and development of individuals identified with each. They will learn strategies to get to know individuals with specific learner profiles in their classes. Finally, Relay students will learn research-based interventions to support students with varying disability categories, practice implementing them, and learn how to evaluate and leverage community resources in support of an individual student.

Possible substitution for this course: Students with credit in BOTH TEL-500: Teaching Exceptional Learners in Inclusive Settings & TEL-603: Exceptional Learner Profiles have an allowable substitution for TEL-605.

 

TEL-611: Assessment & Instructional Planning I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn about and deepen their understanding of literacy development of their PK–12 students in both reading and writing domains. They will then learn to administer both reading and writing assessments to better understand their PK–12 students’ academic development related to literacy. They will use this information to develop a long-term instructional plan for a small group of PK–12 students that includes a set of long-term goals, short-term goals, and weekly objectives that support literacy development in the areas of reading and writing. Finally, they will reflect on engagement with caregivers and key stakeholders in the process of developing a literacy intervention plan.

 

TEL-612: Assessment & Instructional Planning II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students learn the process of developing an individualized plan for one PK–12 focus student who would benefit from intensive literacy intervention. They administer literacy assessments and collect anecdotal data to inform the student’s Present Levels of Academic and Functional Performance (PLAAFP). They then develop an individualized plan for the student, which will include annual goals, short-term goals, and weekly objectives supporting their literacy development. Relay students will then plan specialized instruction to target goals and a transition plan to support the focus student’s transition to different instructional contexts and beyond.

 

TEL-613: Methods in Foundational Literacy Intervention

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn about how to design and implement specialized instruction that drives toward academic goals to support the development of PK–12 students. They will learn how to utilize high-leverage instructional practices as they engage in Tier 1 instruction and , Tier 2, and Tier 3 literacy interventions. Relay students will learn numerous strategies for intervening to support their PK–12 students’ needs in word recognition, reading comprehension, and transcription, including how to use assistive technology to support reading and writing in Tier 1 settings. Finally, they will also learn how to collect and respond to formative assessment data during and after their intervention sessions to promote continuous growth. 

 

TEL-614: Methods in Foundational Math Intervention 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring & Summer

In this course, Relay students learn fundamental skills to support foundational math intervention. They explore mindsets around mathematics and learner variability, their own math-related thoughts, feelings, and performance, and build their understanding of math-based disabilities. They learn about the aspects of mathematical rigor (i.e., conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application) and how to use various math assessment tools to evaluate students’ skills. After analyzing a student’s math assessment data, they plan accommodations/assistive technology and specially designed instruction in math in ways that support the development of conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application and are aligned to a student’s specific strengths and areas in need of support.

 

TEL-615: Methods in Social-Emotional Intervention 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall & Summer

In this course, Relay students will build their understanding of supporting the social-emotional development of exceptional learners in their PK–12 classrooms. They will learn about the developmental trajectory of social-emotional skills and explore social-emotional learning assessment practices. They will use assessment data to set individualized goals for PK–12 students’ social-emotional development. Finally, they will collaborate with others to plan interventions, including specific evidence-based strategies, that support social-emotional skill development informed by student strengths, assets, and areas in need of development. 

 

TEL-617: Assessment and Methods in Literacy Intervention (New Course)

Credit Hours: 3

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

Students’ literacy development has a profound impact on their academic and social-emotional growth and achievement at school. This is why it’s so important for schools to provide explicit, systematic intervention to support students’ literacy growth and development. In this course, Relay students will learn how to plan to deliver targeted small-group literacy intervention focused on reading and writing. In the first half of the course, Relay students will administer assessments to learn more about their students’ academic development related to literacy. They will then use this information to develop a long-term instructional plan to support their students’ literacy development. In addition, Relay students will reflect on their engagement with caregivers and key stakeholders in the process of developing intervention plans. In the second half of the course, Relay students will learn how to design and implement literacy interventions. They will learn how to leverage high-leverage instructional practices and evidence-based literacy strategies in interventions, in addition to using assistive technology to support reading and writing in Tier 1 settings. Finally, they will learn how to collect and respond to formative assessment data during and after intervention sessions to monitor student understanding.

 

TEL-621: Assessment & Instructional Planning in Early Childhood I

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

Students’ social-emotional development has a profound impact on their academic growth, relationships with peers and teachers, and eventual measures of life satisfaction. This is why it’s so important for schools to provide explicit, systematic intervention to support students’ social-emotional growth and development. In this course Relay students will analyze ways to plan and implement systemic, responsive, and developmentally appropriate social-emotional learning. They will begin by exploring and administering assessments to learn more about their students’ social-emotional development. Then, Relay students will use this information to develop a long-term instructional plan to support their students’ social-emotional development. Finally, they will develop a plan to implement a small-group social-emotional intervention.  

 

TEL-622: Assessment & Instructional Planning in Early Childhood II

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will administer literacy assessments to learn more about their birth–age eight students’ academic growth and achievement. They will spend time analyzing the assessment data to leverage student strengths and identify a literacy area of need. Using this information, they will create a literacy-focused instructional plan that includes annual goals, short-term goals, and weekly objectives that support literacy development. Relay students will then adapt a literacy intervention aligned with the instructional plan that supports mastery of the long-term and short-term goals. 

 

TEL-623: Methods in Literacy Development in Early Childhood

Credit Hours: 2

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Spring

In this course, Relay students will learn about how to design and implement specialized instruction that drives toward academic goals for the whole group, small group, or individual early childhood student. They will learn how to utilize high-leverage instructional practices as they engage in Tier 1 instruction and Tier 2 and Tier 3 literacy interventions. Relay students will learn numerous strategies for intervening to support their students’ needs in word recognition and reading comprehension in early childhood. They will also learn how to collect and respond to formative assessment data during and after their intervention sessions.

 

TEL-624: Methods in Math Development in Early Childhood 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Summer

In this course, Relay students will delve into the world of mathematics. They’ll begin with a deep dive into mindsets around mathematics and learner variability, exploring their own math-related thoughts, feelings, and performance as well as their students’. Relay students will build understanding of math-based disabilities. They will learn about developmental progressions in math and ways to support mathematical development using a concrete-to-abstract continuum. Relay students will discuss aspects of mathematical rigor (i.e., conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application) and learn how to use various math assessment tools to evaluate students’ skills. They will plan specially designed instruction in math in ways that support the development of conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and application and are aligned to a student’s specific strengths and areas in need of support.

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TEL-625: Methods in Social-Emotional Development in Early Childhood 

Credit Hours: 1

Grading Scale: Standard Grading Scale

Terms Offered: Fall

This course will build Relay students’ understanding of how to support the social-emotional development of exceptional learners. They will learn about instructional practices and routines that support social-emotional learning. Then, Relay students will collaborate with others to plan interventions that support social-emotional skill development. Finally, they will explore the importance of transition planning and how to collaborate with caregivers.