Mission Statement

The mission of the Education Division is to provide teacher candidate training programs for Thomas University students and staff development programs for in-service teachers. These programs combine classroom and field-based experiences in various programmatic areas to promote the acquisition of skills necessary to teach successfully in a variety of educational settings.

Professional Commitments, Dispositions, Values

The Education Division at Thomas University is committed to preparing excellent teachers for the State of Georgia. To this end, we are committed to:

• frequent collaboration within the Division, the University, the local school systems, and the community;
• conducting rigorous courses with high academic and professional standards and expectations;
• continuing assessment of student progress and support for individuals;
• maintaining on-going professional development through membership in professional organizations, attendance and participation at conferences and workshops, and professional presentations at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels

Philosophy and Purposes

As we progress through the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly important to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will allow them to become life-long learners, get along with others, and contribute positively to our society. Decades ago, many of these skills were the responsibility of the family; however, as more students are being raised in poverty, single-parent homes, or homes with two working parents, more of the responsibility for these skills has fallen to the schools.

Additionally, today’s students will certainly be members of a global community. As technology advances, students will more frequently encounter people with backgrounds and experiences that may be vastly different from their own. Telephones, fax machines, satellites, computers, and airplane travel all make it very likely that students will have opportunities to interact with people from many parts of the world. Furthermore, as people become more mobile and move frequently for better opportunities, students will likely find that their own school or neighborhood is representative of our global society. Thus, it is essential that they have the attitudes, dispositions, and skills to understand themselves and others.

Critical Thinking

Teachers, who are responsible for educating students, must themselves be critical thinkers; respect and understand diversity; communicate effectively; possess pedagogical skills, content knowledge, and classroom management skills; demonstrate skills for life-long learning; effectively use technology; and demonstrate professionalism. Furthermore, we believe that this conceptual framework for our teacher education program will be a document that is continually up-dated and revised. As the faculty, students, community, and society grow and change, so too should this framework. Additionally, the conceptual framework should reflect the growth of knowledge in our field and innovations in technology.

Albert Einstein once stated that “We cannot solve any critical problem at the same level of thinking with which it was created.” Teachers must be critical thinkers in order to optimally utilize the information they deal with every day. Teachers should be reflective practitioners who assess their own practice on a regular basis. They must develop empirical, analytical, evaluative, strategic, practical, and communication skills (Jensen & Kiley, 2000). Critical thinkers have the ability to connect knowledge, theory, and research evidence to the everyday experiences of teaching (Sadovnik, Cookson, & Semel, 2006). As stated by Dewey (1933, p. 9), critical thought is “active, persistent, and careful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support it and the further conclusions to which it tends.” Furthermore, teachers who are critical thinkers are able to think at all levels of Bloom’s taxonomy (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation) (Wilen, et al., 2000).

The knowledge that teachers use is not fixed or permanent. As a result, the ability to interpret and analyze information (data) is crucial. Therefore, the development of critical thinking skills must become a part of an interactive system of mental activities that we use to interpret and assess different types of information (Welton, 2005). Many believe teacher decision-making is the basic teaching skill (Wilen, et al., 2000). In the classroom, teachers must be able to use information about students’ academic, social, and emotional needs in order to make diagnostic and prescriptive decisions about classroom management (including classroom set up and grouping), discipline, and curriculum (including content, skills, sequence of experiences, and teaching methods). Furthermore, teachers must understand and use formal and informal assessment strategies. They must also apply skills of critical thinking to administrative responsibilities and parental concerns. All of this information must be processed, often simultaneously, in a professional manner.

Teacher education programs must provide prospective teachers with a foundation of information, research results, and theories that can be applied to experiences in classrooms. Teachers must have a thorough knowledge of formal and informal assessment strategies, and how to use them effectively to benefit their students. Thus, teachers must have the ability to understand a given situation, access appropriate information, and analyze the circumstances in light of potential results.

Diversity

Students in our nation’s schools currently bring with them a variety of languages, cultures, learning styles, and intelligences fro which teacher must be prepared. Because of increasing diversity in the school population, preparing teachers for this diverse population is an imperative. According to Birmingham, preparing teachers to work in diverse settings and make a difference in the lives of students from another culture continues to escalate Birmingham, 2003). In 1982, for example, nearly three of four young people in the U.S. were European American but by 2020 only one of two will be European American (Blair & Jones, 1998). Diverse students include migrants, at-risk youngsters, LEP children, and those who come from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. The success of our educational system depends on the full participation of all children. The teacher should create a classroom that fosters resilience and strengthen protective factors (Webb, Metha, & Jordan, 2000).

It continues to be, important for teachers to understand their students’ backgrounds, cultural traditions, and values in order for them to interact appropriately with students and their families, plan effective educational experiences, and teach social skills. Schools of education are in a unique position to impact many fields and specifically to prepare professional to function effectively within a multicultural society. A cadre of well trained teachers is needed to increasing the academic achievement of children, improve levels of retention, improve public health and reduce many forms of violence call for a cadre of well trained teachers (Wallace, 2000). Kinzer (2003) believes that teachers’ ability to understand and acknowledge cultural differences and their effects on teaching and learning become more important as classrooms become diverse.

Respect for diversity should pervade each area of a teacher education program including content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, classroom management, and professionalism. Furthermore, teacher education programs must make a deliberate and concerted effort to recruit a diverse student body and faculty.

Communication

All teachers must be effective communicators. They must be able to receive information through reading and listening, and comprehend accurately. Additionally, they must be able to send information to others through writing and speaking.

There are many reasons for teachers to develop strong communication skills. First, teachers must be effective communicators in the classroom in order to help their students understand the content being taught. As teachers receive information from their students about preferred learning styles and needs, they must be able to understand those needs and modify the way they deliver instruction to meet their students’ learning styles. In order to do this, they must have the ability to understand how students process information, and to then choose developmentally appropriate vocabulary and reading material.

Teachers must foster thoughtful classroom discourse that provides opportunities for students to listen and speak for a variety of purposes. For both teachers and students communication competence consist of classroom communication, listening, verbal and nonverbal skills. The teachers’ ability to synthesize and communicate clearly instructional content to a diverse audience is of paramount importance (Hunt, et. al., 2002).

Teachers must be accurate models of effective communication skills. As educators teach their students the skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening in their classrooms, it is essential for them to know the rules that guide the way people communicate (including, for example, phonics, grammar, mechanics, and punctuation), and to use them accurately. Students frequently use their teachers as models. For this reason, teachers themselves must read often and with comprehension, write well, speak articulately, and listen accurately (Haberman, 1995).

In a study by Koutsoulis (2003), high school student s listed 94 different characteristics of effective teachers. The most commonly listed human characteristic was the ability to communicate effectively with students, and to presents lessons that were motivating and interesting.

Teachers must be competent communicators in order to work with parents, administrators, and the community. Teachers frequently are responsible for relaying information between students and parents, sharing information with principals and school board members, collaborating with parents, and promoting school events within the community. Teachers must participate in relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community. In these circumstances, like the situations described above, teachers must be able to communicate information accurately in order to garner support and maintain respect. To this end, education programs must provide numerous opportunities for prospective teachers to develop strong communication skills. They must have a myriad of experiences in which they share ideas and information through writing and speaking, and they must be held accountable for information gained through listening and reading. Furthermore, teacher candidates must be made aware of their strengths in this area and receive suggestions for improvements, and have opportunities for continuous revision and development of these skills.

Pedogogical Skills

All professionals must have working knowledge of the tools of their trade. For teachers, this includes understanding a variety of teaching methods and instructional strategies. Good pedagogy is the interaction between teaching and learning (Wink, 2005). The general educational requirements for teachers will almost certainly increase and their knowledge of content in a specialty area, as well as pedagogical content knowledge, general pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge of learner and learning, will have to be deep and thorough (Wayne and Young 2003).

As teachers continue to work with large groups of diverse learners, they must have a solid knowledge base of effective methods of teaching. Furthermore, teachers must not only understand these methods, they must be able to develop short and long-term lesson plans, and implement them accurately and effectively. In order to reach each child, effective teachers must be able to draw from a variety of options regarding the presentation of material. Employing myriad strategies ensure effective teaching and learning. Behind most of the best teaching performances there are usually well practiced skills at work The most effective teachers have proven skills, structure, motivation, clarity, high expectations, and effective questioning (Sadker & Sadker, 2003). Additionally, teachers must be able to integrate their knowledge of various teaching methods with their knowledge of their students and the content to choose appropriate teaching techniques for any given situation.

Teacher education programs must clearly prepare prospective teachers with the skills to create short and long-term lesson plans where they utilize knowledge about various teaching methods, including their strengths and drawbacks. In addition, teacher candidates must have many opportunities to deliberately use each of the methods in meaningful contexts. They must be encouraged to critically reflect upon and analyze their experiences, and have further opportunities to refine and modify their pedagogical skills. Teacher candidates must have opportunities to cultivate the science of teaching while developing the art of teaching.

Content Knowledge

One aspect of content knowledge refers to “a teacher’s understanding of the academic material to be learned” (Kagan, 1995, p. 228). For example, science teachers must themselves possess an in-depth understanding of the science content they are teaching; likewise, math teachers must thoroughly know the math concepts they are teaching.

Clearly, teachers cannot teach what they do not know (Haberman, 1995). As teachers present content to their students, it is essential for them to have a solid foundation in the content so that they present information accurately and clearly. They must clearly understand the central concepts and structures of the disciplines, and how they are interrelated (NBPTS, 1994).

When teachers possess inaccurate information or conceive of knowledge in narrow ways, they may pass on these ideas to their students. They may fail to challenge students’ misconceptions; they may use texts uncritically or alter them inappropriately. Subtly, teachers’ conceptions of knowledge shape their practice - the kinds of questions they ask, the ideas they reinforce, the sorts of tasks they assign (Ball & McDiarmid, 1990, p. 438).

Teachers must be knowledgeable in order to be able to recognize students’ misconceptions and confusions about subject matter content. Only then can teachers help their students develop accurate understandings about the world around them.

Another aspect of content knowledge refers to teachers’ knowledge about students’ growth and development physically and as learners. It is essential for teacher candidates to have a clear understanding of the average growth and development of students in order to plan appropriate learning experiences (NBPTS, 1994 and others).

The most important school factors affecting student achievement has been found to be the quality of teachers. Research suggests that teacher effectiveness depends on both the abilities of the teacher as well as the training that they receive. Teachers are more effective when their preparation includes higher levels of formal education and in-service professional development when the training is focused on specific fields in which they teach (Harris, 2004).

Teacher education programs must provide a solid core curriculum for prospective teachers to develop a broad understanding of fundamental subjects and of students. Additionally, teachers must have specific knowledge about students’ growth and development. However, content knowledge should be a foundation in conjunction with pedagogical knowledge and knowledge about students. Grier (2003) stresses that teacher candidate should have strong content foundation before entering methods classes so that they may learn the pedagogical strategies necessary to teach their content. It would be dangerous to create subject-matter specialists in elementary schools who have lost their focus on the students (Ishler, et al., 1996).

Management

Classroom management refers to the skills used by teachers to create, manage, and maintain an environment conducive to learning. Research shows that effective classroom managers are nearly always good planners. Good managers who carefully arrange their classrooms to minimize disturbances, provide students with a sense of security, and make sure that instruction can proceed efficiently (Sadker & Sadker, 2003).

Managing classrooms is becoming an increasingly demanding task. Research on classroom management indicates that effective teachers use a variety of techniques to develop productive climates and to motivate students (Ornstein & Levine, 2006). Effective management skills are essential to creating a classroom environment that promotes and supports learning for all students. Behind good classroom management there is usually well practice skills at work. These skills will include but are not limited to the followings items: structure, motivation, clarity, high expectations, and effective questioning (Sadker & Sadker, 2003). Additionally, clerical consideration should be given to arrangement of classroom furniture, storage space, supplies, bulletin boards, and establishing rules and procedures to name a few.

The acquisition of these skills will lead to benefits for both teachers and students. Specifically, classroom management is the process for creating and maintaining orderly classrooms. The importance of classroom management to effectively run classroom is clear. Effective classroom manage has been shown to increase student engagement, decrease disruptive behavior, and enhance effective use of instructional time, all of which results in approved student achievement (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). With appropriate planning, teachers will find that good classroom management enhances the mental and social development of students and facilitates the achievement of instructional goals

Unfortunately, classroom management seems to be the most significant area in which beginning teachers lack appropriate skills (Jones, 1996). Therefore, teacher education programs must help teacher candidates develop these skills before they become solely responsible for their own classrooms. They must be provided with “an overview of research and associated practice, ways to help them reflect on their own beliefs about children and learning, and approaches for using this knowledge to reflect on their observations and experiences in classrooms” (Jones, 1996, p. 514). Furthermore, teacher candidates must have numerous opportunities to observe experienced teachers’ classroom management techniques, and to discuss and critique these techniques with the teacher and a teacher educator (Jones, 1996). Finally, prospective teachers must be allowed to implement management strategies, and have a multitude of opportunities to reflect upon their impact, revise their approach, and try again in order to develop the problem solving and decision-making skills inherent in effective management.

Life-Long Learning

Rapid social, technological, and economic changes have forced people to prepare for second or third careers and to keep themselves updated on new developments that affect their personal and social goals. Lifelong learning will be an especially important element in the professional life of a teacher (Ornstein & Levin, 2005). Lifelong learners choose to seek out new ideas and alternative perspectives. They embrace our changing, dynamic, information-rich society by keeping their senses active and their minds full of ideas. Much of this learning is self-directed. To be successful, the individual must have basic information inquiry knowledge, skills, and dispositions. Skills for life-long learning include the ability to pose questions, form hypotheses, utilize appropriate resources to find answers, read with comprehension, and synthesize and evaluate information. Furthermore, life-long learners approach problems with an open mind, are willing to take risks, and remain persistent and positive in their efforts.

Educators frequently talk about preparing students to be life-long learners. As technology improves and changes, students will need the skills to consistently acquire knowledge throughout their lives. So, too, will teachers. In a four-year teacher education degree program, it is not possible to prepare teachers with all the knowledge they will need for a possible forty yearlong career. Society’s knowledge about the world will certainly grow and change, along with the tools and technologies that are used to generate and understand information. In order to be effective teachers, as well as productive citizens, throughout one’s career, teachers must have the skills to continually acquire knowledge and the desire to do so.

One way in which teacher education programs can promote these skills is to require teacher candidates to engage in research - both traditional library research and action research. Through a variety of research projects, teacher education students should have opportunities to pose questions and form hypotheses, utilize appropriate resources to find answers, read with comprehension, and synthesize and evaluate information. Henson (1996) identified several benefits to teacher research including: remaining better informed about the field, gaining a better understanding of one’s behaviors which leads to better choices, revitalization, promotion of continuous learning, and increased self-confidence. Furthermore, if teachers routinely engage in professional research, they may be more likely to employ teaching techniques that reflect the best of current knowledge. Ideally, this would lead to increased benefits for all of our students.

Technology

Technology has permeated all of society. The teaching profession is no exception. In fact, it is challenging the very role of the teacher (Kauchak & Eggen, 2005). Technology is not only affecting the way we teach but also the ways students learn. Forty states and the District of Columbia currently require teachers to have formal training in technology (Ansell & Park, 2003). Educational technology refers to the use of a variety of educational tools for the delivery and enhancement of instruction. These tools include, but are not limited to computers, VCRs, multimedia computers, cable TV, Internet access, CD-ROM, networks, videodiscs, and satellite.

Teachers who are competent users of current technology will find many benefits for their students (Bell, 2001; ITEA, 2000). Effective use of technology encourages students to engage in deeper cognitive activity. Technology has significant potential for developing multiple perspectives. Repeated exposure to a variety of perspectives helps students better understand and remember key concepts. Technology allows teachers to create learning experiences where students can acquire information through a variety of pathways thus respecting individual learning styles and needs.

Teacher education programs must prepare prospective teachers to be effective users of technology (Gibson, 2002). They must have access to state-of-the-art equipment and opportunities to routinely use technology in their own learning as well as in their teaching practices. Additionally, teacher candidates must become accustomed to teacher education faculty using current technology in their classes as models for appropriate integration. Finally, teacher candidates must develop the confidence to continually upgrade their technological competence over the course of their careers.

Professionalism

n order to maintain a job and to be accepted as future colleagues, it is essential for teacher candidates to acquire habits of professional behavior that are consistent with the norms of the profession. According to Bennett, et al. (1994), these behaviors include maintaining a positive attitude (which includes demonstrating enthusiasm and initiative, and accepting suggestions and constructive criticism), dressing appropriately for field experiences, showing respect for others, and taking responsibility for one’s actions (including meeting deadlines, and informing instructors and supervisors of absences).

Teacher education programs have an obligation to create reflective field based opportunities that help teacher candidates make connections between educational philosophies and classroom practice. Rather than traditional memory based courses, teacher preparation programs are following a growing trend towards using a constructivist approach. Students construct knowledge through interaction between what they already know and new ideas and experiences (Robertson, 2002).

Additionally, teacher candidates must be aware of, and abide by, the accepted code of ethics and standards of conduct within the profession. Teacher candidates in the state of Georgia, must also be aware of the Code of Ethics from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (2001). This Code of Ethics identifies Standards of Conduct that are mandatory prohibitions and requirements. “The Code of Ethics for Educators defines the professional behavior of educators in Georgia and serves as a guide to ethical conduct. The Professional Standards Commission has adopted standards that represent the conduct generally accepted by the education profession. The code protects the health, safety and general welfare of students and educators, ensures the citizens of Georgia a degree of accountability within the education profession, and defines unethical conduct justifying disciplinary sanction” (GAPSC, 2001). These standards include:

• Standard 1: Criminal Acts
• Standard 2: Abuse of Students
• Standard 3: Alcohol or Drugs
• Standard 4: Misrepresentation or Falsification
• Standard 5: Public Funds and Property
• Standard 6: Improper Remunerative Conduct
• Standard 7: Confidential Information
• Standard 8: Abandonment of Contract
• Standard 9: Failure to Make a Required Report
• Standard 10: Professional Conduct (GAPSC, 2001)

Among the most important ethical considerations for faculty are the public values of fairness, honesty, respect, and trust. Treating students fairly implies honest, candid appraisal of students’ work, listening to students, and correcting their mistakes in ways that do not demean them. Adhering to grading standards and schedules validate standards of academic integrity (Hardy, 2002).

In order to prepare professionals, teacher education programs must hold teacher candidates to the same standards as those that are accepted in the profession. In addition to the standards specified in the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (2001) Code of Ethics, students must be expected to meet deadlines, inform instructors of absences, show respect for others and differing points of view, show enthusiasm and initiative, accept suggestions and constructive criticism, dress appropriately for field experiences, show others courtesy and consideration, and maintain confidentiality. It is imperative that teachers understand applicable state and federal legislation, school board policies, and court decisions because every day they make decisions that affect the rights of students and their own rights (Webb et al., 2000).