Education (minor only)
Education (minor only)
The Department of Education’s fundamental purpose is to provide opportunities for its students to explore learning and teaching. Its mission is to prepare reflective professional, active researchers, knowledgeable instructors, and autonomous decision-makers for life and work in a global society. It recognizes that this preparation is provided in collaboration with all academic programs at Wooster. Throughout the preparation program students are immersed in hands-on, one-on-one experiences with classroom teachers and students. Students who complete the Teacher Education program are fully licensed to teach in the state of Ohio. Those who plan to teach elsewhere find that Ohio’s high standards for licensure provide them with a sound preparation for teaching and also allow them to pursue licensure in other states with relative ease.
A hallmark of Wooster’s program is its collaborative relationships with area educators and schools and its emphasis on field and clinical experiences. These activities allow teacher candidates to experience the profession first-hand by providing them with opportunities to participate in pre-K, elementary, middle, and secondary classrooms. This weaving of theory and practice promotes on-going professional development and prepares teacher candidates effectively for their Student Teaching and future teaching experiences.
Graduates of Wooster’s program have the benefit of a well-rounded education. Assuming a student-centered focus, the program is designed to provide teacher candidates with knowledge and skill in instructional planning, implementation, and assessment. In addition, these future educators are encouraged to gain insight into their own teaching style and broaden their understanding of educational systems. Through active learning within the liberal arts tradition, teacher candidates are guided by a student-centered model emphasizing critical inquiry, collaboration, and reflection. These themes guide their work at Wooster and further prepare them for their professional lives in which they will shape knowledge into vision and action.