THE RECORD
Online
Fall 2002 Features
 Graduate
Teacher Education Program
As the 52-year-old Greenville College Teacher Education Program
enjoys continued success, it seems a natural progression to add
graduate education to its existing undergraduate course offerings.
Beginning in the spring semester, the college will do just that.
Planning for the Graduate Teacher Education Program, including
a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) and
a Master of Arts in Education (MAE),
began in November 1999 with individuals from the Department of Teacher
Education and the Office of Adult
and Graduate Studies. Their research of similar master’s
programs in the midwest and west coast, in addition to very enthusiastic
endorsements of the concept from groups of teaching professionals,
leaders from community colleges in the region, current students
in the traditional bachelor’s program and adult learners in
the college’s bachelor’s degree completion program (GOAL),
led to internal approval from faculty and administration during
the 2000-01 academic year. Funding to cover start-up expenses was
secured through donation in 2001.
While GC already offers the Leadership and Ministry Master’s
Program (LAMP), the Teacher Education
Program seemed the obvious next choice for added graduate components.
The program traditionally has been one of the strongest offered
by the college; currently, 300 of GC’s 900 students are education
majors. “I’ve already had students tell me they want
to stay on and get their master’s degree,” says Dr.
Ed Blue, director of Teacher Education and head of the Education
Department.
Market trends offer even more convincing evidence. As the state
of Illinois experiences a teacher shortage — due to retirement
of veteran teachers and the lack of retention of newer teachers
— and given the increasingly demanding certification and continuing
education requirements, the college is poised to address this need.
Dave Holden, director
of Adult and Graduate Studies, is confident that enrollment will
reflect the region’s desire for such programs. “From
our experience with the GOAL Program we know that Christian higher
education designed for convenient access is well-received in Central
and Southern Illinois,” he reports.
The MAE is a 33-hour program geared toward public and private
school teachers who wish to advance their professional development
through continuing education. The curriculum emphasizes research
components and methodologies designed to help teachers to understand
program improvement and procedures in order to enhance instruction
for their students.
Designed for those who already have earned a bachelor’s
degree in a field other than education and desire to teach at the
elementary or secondary level, the MAT will lead the student through
the requirements necessary to receive certification. This program
requires 43 semester hours and includes student teaching.
Clearly, participants will come from varied backgrounds. Some will
be traditional students who have just completed their bachelor’s
degree and wish to continue on to receive their master’s.
Others will be certified teachers who want to receive their master’s
in education or individuals who are embarking on a new career in
education. Whatever an individual’s goal, says Holden, “If
the mission of the college is to transform students for lives of
character and service, [these programs] allow us to continue to
partner with them in that transformation.”
While the initial phase of the graduate program development includes
classroom locations at Greenville College, Lewis and Clark Community
College, Kaskaskia Community College and Frontier Community College,
GC plans to broaden the geographical scope in the coming years.
Operation of the GOAL Program has provided the college with a working
knowledge of area demographics and the logistics of providing quality
education at off-site classroom locations.
Last updated: January
17, 2003
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