Nov 23, 2024  
2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2016-2017 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Education

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Junior High, Professor and Director of Undergraduate Education
Megan Parker Peters, Assistant Professor and Director of Teacher Education and Assessment 
Misty Vetter Parsley, Assistant Professor and Director of Special Education Programs
Carrie Abood, Assistant Professor
Sarah Duncan, Assistant Professor
Emily Medlock, Assistant Professor
Marcia C. Stewart, Professor
The mission of the College of Education is to serve and inspire candidates so that they master the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to become caring and competent educators in a diverse and technological society. The college offers undergraduate and graduate programs built upon the conceptual framework of C.A.R.E.-Craft of Teaching, Attitudes and Values, Relationships, and Essential Knowledge. Courses are designed to meet Tennessee licensure and the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation [formerly the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education] standards.
 
The College of Education cooperates with various academic departments to offer the PreK-3 early childhood major, K-5 interdisciplinary teaching major, the 6-8 interdisciplinary middle grades teaching major, the special education interventionist K-8 major, and six programs in grades 7-12 teaching majors (biology, chemistry, English, history, mathematics and physics). Several academic departments also provide preparation for teaching K-12 (art, theatre, health and physical education, instrumental and vocal music). Programs are offered for PreK-12 endorsements in French, German and Spanish. Candidates in secondary education will be expected to complete a teaching major in the academic department/subject or area in which they plan to teach. One may also elect to complete state requirements for endorsement in additional high school subjects. Undergraduate candidates completing most programs may work toward either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree.
 
The teacher education program at Lipscomb University is approved by the Tennessee State Board of Education and nationally accredited by NCATE. The recent accreditation visiting team recommended the  passage of all standards with no areas for improvement cited. The state team recommended approval of all programs with no weaknesses. The next accreditation visit, Spring 2019, will be by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).

Distinctives of the Undergraduate Education Department

Because of Lipscomb’s location in the metropolitan Nashville area, candidates majoring in education have available to them a wealth of professional resources and opportunities. Lipscomb education majors enjoy a variety of placements in schools in Metro Nashville and neighboring counties. Special opportunities include magnet schools and schools with large English language learner populations. Interdisciplinary education majors (PreK-3, K-5, 6-8) also earn English as a Second Language endorsement as a required part of their program. Programs are developmental in nature. Following admission into teacher education, candidates enroll in proficiency-based courses in which classroom teaching and clinical placements in area schools are fully integrated. Members of the education faculty invest their time and experience in the professional lives of their students, providing opportunities to learn and grow beyond the Lipscomb classroom.
 
Since the department emphasizes working with diverse populations and a variety of stakeholders, candidates visit and participate in area school activities throughout their education at Lipscomb. In addition, our candidates and faculty jointly make alternating annual trips in May to work in a two-week program with Native American students in South Dakota or with Spanish-speaking students in Lima, Peru, or Haiti. This program is offered in the three locations as part of the Cultural Perspectives course. International student teaching opportunities are also available through the Christian College Teacher Education Coordinating Council. For more information, contact the director of student teaching.
 
Lipscomb University’s College of Education, named by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Teacher Preparation Program Report Card in 2014 as best in the state at preparing teachers, is a leader in the movement to support educational progress in Tennessee. The college has also been recognized by the National Council for Teacher Quality (NCTQ). Both elementary and secondary preparation programs are nationally ranked.
 
In Spring 2012, the Ayers Institute for Teacher Learning and Innovation was launched to define and design competencies around teacher leadership. The Ayers Institute will be working closely with the Tennessee Charter School Incubator in developing sustainable leadership programming. Working with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the institute will also be working to collaborate with institutions of higher education to develop and implement the new Tennessee Academic standards across the state. These efforts are designed to transform teaching and learning in pre- service teacher education in K-12 programs.
 
The Lipscomb College of Education has been consistently impacting schools across the state in significant ways. The college is the teacher professional development provider for the first public-school-to-charter-school transformation in Tennessee and has received more than $2.5 million of competitive grant monies to strengthen P-12 math and science instruction for local in-service teachers. Additional awards include four Race to the Top grants promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and conducting professional development for teachers in Davidson, Cheatham, Williamson, Sumner and Robertson counties in Tennessee.

Career Opportunities

A teacher education degree prepares one for several types of service:

  • Teaching in elementary and middle schools
  • High school teaching
  • K-12 teaching
  • Consultants to publishers and industry
  • Liaison between community services and schools
  • Educational positions in industry
  • Teaching in foreign countries
  • Adult education
  • Child-care centers
  • Church kindergartens
  • Administrators of children’s homes
  • Educational directors for local congregations
  • Bible school teachers
  • A teaching degree also serves as a foundation for rearing children in the home

Teaching Majors

Admission Requirements

The initial step for all students interested in being admitted to the Teacher Education Program is to enroll in and successfully complete ED 2313 - Schooling in America (3) F, SP , which includes a required weekend retreat at the beginning of the course.

Specific admission criteria include successful completion of both Lipscomb Seminar and EN 1313  courses; ED 2313 - Schooling in America (3) F, SP ; prerequisite scores on the Core Academic Skills for Educators test, or ACT/SAT; a 2.75 grade-point average; an interview; references; an autobiography and beginning of a professional portfolio; evidence of mental, physical, social, emotional, and moral maturity; approval by the Teacher Education Council; and a clean criminal background and fingerprinting check.

Upon successful completion of the above requirements, a student may be formally admitted to the program. The capstone experience for candidates seeking a teacher education major and licensure is the successful completion of Clinical Practice III (student teaching), the student teaching seminar, a professional portfolio assessment, a teaching unit that documents student learning, and an exit presentation

Licensure Requirements

Candidates planning to teach in states other than Tennessee should contact the College of Education for requirements which may vary from those in Tennessee and at Lipscomb. In order to be recommended for licensure by Lipscomb University a candidate must complete the following requirements and must pass all PRAXIS II exams related to their major area. (These requirements may be changed as mandated by the State of Tennessee.)
 
Note: No grade below a “C” is acceptable in a professional education course. A minimum grade point average of 2.75 must be maintained.

Secondary and K-12 Teacher Education Programs

General Education Courses Required for Secondary and K-12 Teacher Education Programs
Note:

No grade below “C” will be accepted for any professional education course.

For other academic requirements, consult the Teacher Education Handbook.

Specialized Professional Courses

See each major. Note: Students must take and pass the appropriate PRAXIS II national teacher’s exam(s) in order to enroll in Student Teaching (Clinical Practice III) and be recommended for licensure

Requirements for Specific Secondary and K-12 Teaching Majors

Refer to each department’s section for teaching major requirements.

Visual arts teaching major
Biology teaching major
Chemistry teaching major
English teaching major
French teaching major
German teaching major
Health and physical education teaching major
History teaching major
Mathematics teaching major
Music teaching majors (instrumental and vocal)
Physics teaching major
Spanish teaching major
Theatre teaching major

The program in teacher education is developmental in nature. It is outlined as a tier system and must be followed closely. Exceptions must be approved by the Director of Teacher Education.

Tier 1 Exploring the Profession
Tier 3 Modeling the Profession

Program of Study Requirements

    MajorMinorEndorsement

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