The graduate programs in education are founded on a commitment to excellence and equity and are supported by the following six principles that permeate our course work and fieldwork.

The Principles

Collegiality: Those who work with young children and those who teach children of all ages need to develop good working relationships not only with one another, but also with parents and with the students themselves. The Mills graduate programs emphasize the development of collaborative and collegial work in a variety of scenarios including course work, fieldwork, and program retreats.

Inquiry and Reflective Practice: Thinking about what we do and why we do it is often a challenge in the day-to-day practice of working with children and youth. One major component of our program is to encourage the use of reflection to consider why we are doing what we do, and why it is a good idea to continue or change. Reflection is encouraged primarily through writing, discussion, and collaboration.

Learning as a Constructivist/Developmental Process: Working with children and youth requires an understanding of how children change as they grow. Our program emphasizes the active participation of all learners in the learning process as learners construct new knowledge. Our course work both teaches about theory and puts the theory into action as we encourage our students to construct their own knowledge of children and teaching.

Teaching as a Political Act: Many social and political factors in our society, in particular the issues of equity and equal access, affect what happens in our schools and in the way we parent, care for, and provide for children. The importance of these factors is continually considered as we think about our actions both in the classroom and in the larger school communities.

Creating an Ethic of Care: Everyone learns best in safe, supportive environments that tolerate difference of opinion and welcome the diversity of experiences and learning styles. Any action we take has a moral component. One important aspect of the Mills programs is a focus on how to recognize the moral content of our work to create such caring communities, both in our College classrooms and in the schools, classrooms, hospitals, and centers in which we work.

The Acquisition of Subject Matter and Professional Knowledge: Part of learning is acquiring knowledge in the disciplines that are the foundation of our profession and in the disciplines we teach. We believe the ability to apply knowledge, critique knowledge, transform knowledge into practice, and develop curriculum to support diverse learners is essential to an education professional. The graduate programs at Mills provide students with opportunities to acquire advanced knowledge and skills in areas of special expertise.