Michigan Middle School and High School Special Education teachers completing the Marygrove MAT with a Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment focus may use their degree as a demonstration of competence and evidence that they are highly qualified for their teaching assignment.

Known for excellence in teacher education since 1927, Marygrove College was one of the first colleges to offer the convenience and flexibility of a master's degree program in a distance learning format. The College has awarded more than 22,000 MAT degrees. The high-quality outcomes that the program yields have been the subject of several journal articles.

The programs offer teachers the opportunity to study, practice, and reflect on skills based on the most recent educational research. The structure of the master's program allows working professionals to earn a master's degree within two years. The program is designed to empower teachers in their classrooms by focusing on the knowledge and skills required to deliver effective instruction to diverse learners from preschool through high school, including those with special needs.

The outcomes of the programs are consistent with the five core propositions of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards:

1. Commitment to students and learning
   
2. Knowledge of subject area and how to teach it
   
3. Management and monitoring of student learning
   
4. Reflection on teaching practice
   
5. Membership in learning communities

At the end of the program, successful teachers will submit a Professional Educator's Portfolio - in lieu of a master's thesis - that will serve as a foundation for National Board Certification and is evidence of their proficiency in:

• Making sound instructional decisions based on current research, theory, and practices in education
  
• Creating a learning environment that engages and challenges students
  
• Developing information literacy and critical thinking skills
  
• Teaching to multiple intelligences and differing learning styles in order to reach the diverse needs of all students
  
• Designing curriculum that motivates and delivers desired outcomes
  
• Using technology in the classroom to enhance learning
  
• Collaborating with peers, parents, and the school community to achieve instructional goals

There are four programs, and each consists of ten sequential cutting-edge courses, three semester hours each, for a total of 30 graduate credits. From the beginning to the end of the program, course work is designed for practical use in the classroom with each course building upon the previous one to strengthen concepts and skills, and to increase teaching effectiveness.

Marygrove has partnered with Teachscape which is a leader in providing high-quality online professional development services and programs for educators. Teachscape is dedicated to one clear goal: to help improve the teaching practices and student outcomes in every classroom in every school across the country.