Women's College
- Early Childhood Education (BA)
- Elementary Education (BA)
- Special Education (B.A. degree)
- Speech-Language Pathology (B.A. degree)
Evening Program
- Early Childhood Education (BA)
- Elementary Education (BA)
Effective teachers have the ability to make use of all available resources to maximize the quality of classroom instruction. Professionalism and collaboration are essential skills for successful educators. Providing education majors with opportunities to develop these skills is the foundation of the Teacher Education Program at Columbia College.
The mission of the Education Department at Columbia College is to prepare teachers as Collaborative Professionals who are knowledgeable in the content and practice of their respected discipline. Based on research in the field, a key characteristic of an effective teacher is the ability to make use of resources, human and other, to maximize the quality of instruction in classrooms. To this end, the essential elements of professionalism and collaboration have come together to form a unique approach that has served as the foundation of the Columbia College Teacher Education Program.
The governing body for the Teacher Education Program is the Columbia College Teacher Education Committee, made up of representatives from certifying programs and Education Department faculty and staff. The Alliance of Educators, a group representing Columbia College faculty from teacher education, liberal arts faculty, and teachers and administrators from Professional Development Schools , serves as an advisory board.
Undergraduate Education Majors
The Department of Education offers undergraduate majors leading to teacher certification in early childhood education, elementary education, special education, and speech-language pathology. A non-certifying major in speech-language pathology also is available.
The Department of Education works in collaboration with other academic departments to offer certifying majors in Art, Dance, English, Mathematics, and Music. In addition, a M.Ed. in Divergent Learning is offered.
Columbia College's Teacher Education Program is accredited and approved by the South Carolina State Board of Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
Goals of the Program
The Teacher Education program seeks to:
- Provide a knowledge base for the development of content proficiency.
- Model connections and varied perspective between core content and specialized subject matter.
- Model communication and collaboration through instructional methods and interactions.
- Model and define pedagogical principles, best practice and inclusive teaching procedures and practices.
- Model and provide opportunities to conduct inquiry in teaching and learning.
- Model ethical, caring, professional behaviors.
- Model and address the essential components of teaching and learning with technology.
- Model and assess professional growth through performance and reflection.
Opportunities for Teaching Experience
Education majors are quickly introduced to the real-life world of a practicing educator. As early as the sophomore year, students enter public classrooms to begin learning and teaching. Students participate in three sequential experiences in public schools: Shadowing in Schools, Apprenticeship in Schools, and the Internship (Directed Teaching).
Columbia College has formal partnerships with 3 public schools in the Columbia area:
- Satchel Ford Elementary (Richland School District One)
- Windsor Elementary (Richland School District Two)
- Nursery Road Elementary (Richland-Lexington District Five)
Columbia College Professional Education Unit Conceptual Framework Summary
The Conceptual Framework is the rationale and organizing principles that guide the development of the Department of Education curriculum and all teacher education programs at Columbia College.
Learn more about the Conceptual Framework here.
Additional Information
For information on Columbia College's teacher preparation programs, please see the Teacher Education Handbook (PDF format).
|
