Greenville College Annual Report 2003-04

Campus Profile

Educating Educators

According to the state of Illinois, forty percent of teachers leave the profession within three years. However, this is not the case with Greenville College graduates, of whom 75% are still teaching after five years in the field. “I see this as dedication on the part of Greenville grads,” said Dr. Kenneth Schmidt, professor of Education.

Annette Boehm, a senior Elementary Education major, explains her love for the profession through relating her experience in an inner city school. Providing her students with new opportunities gave her great satisfaction. “I could do this for the rest of my life just to see the spark of excitement in their eyes,” said Boehm.

With over 300 undergraduates and graduate students, the Education Department accommodates thirty percent of those who study at Greenville College.

The traditional education program specializes in diversity, offering students a range of specializations from elementary education and special education to certificates in math, science, or social studies. The program also offers a broad range of field experience from urban minority school districts to schools in rural communities.

The college offers two master’s degree programs within the Education Department, the Master of Arts in Education (MAE) and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT). The MAE program, designed for teachers who desire to receive their masters, focuses on curriculum development, administration and leadership in the classroom. The MAT program, intended for those who received their undergraduate degrees in other fields, allows students to earn a teaching certificate upon completion of the program. The first students to complete the MAE/MAT program will graduate in the spring of 2005.

The Education Department also developed the Undergraduate Teacher Education Partnership (UTEP), partnering Greenville College with area community colleges. The program, which starts in January, allows students who receive the first two years of their education from their local community college to finish their last two years with education from Greenville College. The last two years of their instruction, while provided by Greenville College, take place at the community college satellite campuses. Students receive their bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate from Greenville College.

A culmination of numerous field experiences and course work, student teaching becomes a time when education majors apply their knowledge and further hone their skills. Students complete 300 hours of field experience before they ever student teach. “They have so many field experiences,” said Dr. Blue, “that when they are ready to student teach, they are almost ready to teach on their own.”

Boehm says that when she walks into a classroom she feels comfortable having a teacher hand her the textbook to take over teaching the class. “A lot of it is because we are given so many opportunities to teach,” Boehm said. “It isn’t a new experience when we student teach.”

The Greenville College Education program equips students as teachers and positive role models, recognizing the difference teachers can make through a lifetime of service to students. “Education is not an end in itself,” said Dr. Blue. “It is a means to two ends. First, it enables people to think and behave better. Second, it allows people to live a well integrated."

Last updated: October 31, 2005