Discover Teaching!

at the University of North Texas

Just like all explorers, good teachers cross unfamiliar boundaries and discover new worlds. Our goal is to provide support for both novice teachers and their mentors as they take this journey together. We invite you to explore these resources to help you in your work.

• New Teacher Resources
• Mentor Teacher Resources
• UNT Mentor Teacher Guidelines
• IMPACT (program for Post-bac special education teachers)
• UNTxBESS (Practicum for Post-bac EC-4, 4-8, and 8-12 teachers)
• More Information about Teacher Certification at UNT
• The UNT Conceptual Framework for Teacher Preparation

At UNT, we are committed to preparing educators to become guides for engaged learners.

This conceptual framework is portrayed visually as the compass at the top of this page. This compass represents the tools educators employ as they orient students in the exploration of landscapes for learning. The engagement of learners requires simultaneous commitment to academic knowledge bases and to learner-centered practice. The orientation of engaged learners requires commitment to the continuous processes of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation that characterize discovery, problem solving, curriculum development, program development, inquiry, and research. Guiding engaged learners features on-going dialogue between educators and their students and with wider communities about how schools can prepare students for life-long learning in a democracy.

Our conceptual framework -- Guiding engaged learners -- draws on six areas of competence developed in all UNT programs for educators. These areas of competence outline our GOALS for teacher preparation at UNT. They are reflected in both national and states standards.

1. Content and curricular knowledge
2. Pedagogical knowledge of teaching and assessment
3. Promotion of equity for all learners
4. Encouragement of diversity
5. Professional communication
6. Engaged professional learning