Education

Our students are committed to transforming lives, educating learners of all ability levels, and reaching students at a young age to set them on a pathway to success.

Students sitting together in class working on a project

Students in our Education minor are constant innovators, dedicated researchers, and promoters of social justice.

With a focus on evidence-based best practices, this minor provides the skills you need to meet the needs of all students in your classroom.

Foundation 8 credits required

EDUC156 Schools in an Era of Change 4
OR
EDUC253 Critical Issues in Education 4
AND
EDUC350 Independent Study 4
OR
EDUC388 Fieldwork in Education 0

Note: EDUC 156 & EDUC 253 require fieldwork in schools.

Electives (12 required credits)

Choose 3 courses (12 credits) from the following courses in consultation with the Education Minor Advisor. The three must be spread across Content, Context, and Pedagogy. Students may substitute Colleges of the Fenway (COF) courses with approval of their Education Minor Advisor.

Content

CHL313 Survey of Literature for Children and Young Adults 4
HIST100 World History I 4
HIST101 World History II 4
HIST140 Early American History 4
HIST210 African American Experience 4
MATH115 Number Systems and Algebra for Elementary School Teachers 4
MATH116 Geometry & Data Analysis for Elementary School Teachers 4
PHYS103 Great Discoveries in Science 4
PHYS105 Science and Technology in the Everyday World: The Way Things Work 4
POLS101 Introduction to American Politics 4

ART: A course in Art selected with the approval of the Education Minor Advisor.

ENGLISH:  A course in literature selected with the approval of the Education Minor Advisor.

Or a content course with the approval of the Education Minor Advisor.

Context

EDUC344 Special Education Laws and Regulations for Teachers and Administrators 2
EDUC345 Individualized Educational Program: Strategies for Development, Interpretation, and Implementation 2
EDUC346 Learners With Special Needs 4
PSYC101 Introduction to Psychological Science 4
SOCI249 Inequalities 4

AFRICANA STUDIES: A course in Africana Studies selected with the approval of the Education Minor Advisor.

Or a course approved by the Education Minor Advisor.

Pedagogy

EDUC341 Creating A Caring Classroom Community 4
EDUC364* Reading Methods 4
EDUC367* Math Methods 4

Or a course selected with guidance from the Education Minor Advisor, perhaps via COF.

* Note: EDUC 341, EDUC 364, and EDUC 367 require fieldwork in schools.

Spotlight on Education Students and Alums

Dr. Beryl Irene Bailey's Punctuation Posse Patrol: cartoon images

Dr. Beryl Irene Bailey ’81 Champions Content-Based Literacy in Educational Leadership Magazine

In a new article published in Educational Leadership, Dr. Beryl Irene Bailey identifies the reason for flailing literacy among elementary school students and proposes an innovative solution.


Adunni Slackman Anderson and President Wooten

Adunni Slackman Anderson '73 on the Influence of Strong Leaders

Dr. Adunni Slackman Anderson '73 has spent her career as a leader in education. For over 20 years, she served as Principal for the Montclair Public Schools, and for 10 years as the Lower School Head/Primary School Director for Kent Place School, a private, independent school for girls. We spoke to Slackman Anderson about how Simmons shaped her career, and her advice for future leaders.


Photo of Sara Slager

Sara Slager '23 Researches History of Reproductive Activism in Boston

When Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, 2022, student Sara Slager — a double major in Education and Women's and Gender Studies — was in the middle of a research project on local reproductive rights activism. She spoke...