| The Stanford Teacher Education
Program (STEP) of the Stanford University School of
Education (SUSE) aims to cultivate teacher leaders who share a set
of core values that includes a commitment to social justice, an understanding
of the strengths and needs of a diverse student population, and a
dedication to equity and excellence for all students. The program
takes an approach to teaching and learning that is sensitive to the
family, community, and political contexts of education, focused on
the needs and development of learners, and grounded in the study of
subject matter that enables inquiry, critical thinking, and problem
solving.
STEP seeks to prepare and support teacher leaders working
with diverse learners to achieve high intellectual, academic, and
social standards by creating equitable and successful schools and
classrooms. Desired outcomes for graduates include an understanding
of teaching as intellectual work and as a caring profession; a depth
of content knowledge and a repertoire of powerful pedagogical practices;
and a view of teaching and of the role of education in society informed
by appreciation of the socio-cultural contexts of education. The
content and design of the program are organized to foster an understanding
of and commitment to research, reflection and inquiry in the classroom;
collaboration across individuals, institutions and communities;
a blending of theory and practice; and the effective use of technology
as a teaching and learning tool.
The goal is to prepare program graduates to meet both the
practical and intellectual challenges of the teaching profession,
to serve the needs of the diverse population of today’s students,
and to revitalize the profession and the field by preparing educational
leaders for tomorrow’s schools.
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