Philosophy

An academic department's philosophy describes the set of beliefs that drives the instruction within that department. This philosophy statement should explain: the nature of the subject matter, the way in which students best learn the subject matter, the rationale behind specific sequencing of content, skills or classes, and the standards upon which the courses are created. In order for a philosophy statement to become a living system of beliefs, it must be supported by a series of essential agreements.

Essential Agreements

Essential agreements show how the philosophy will be implemented throughout instruction and assessment. They are statements that describe the type and frequency of classroom activities, assessments, and strategies that in which teachers and students will be engaged. These statements must be concrete and observable and should include specific indications of the frequency of each activity. Every essential agreement should support one of the beliefs expressed in the departmental philosophy .

Essential Questions

Essential questions are big, open-ended interpretive questions that have no one obvious right answer. They raise other important questions, recur naturally, and go to the heart of a discipline or content area's philosophy and conceptual foundation. Instruction and assessments should address the essential questions and offer students the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge.

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