Education program options change
Mary Petrides
Issue date: 9/17/09 Section: News
Profound changes are altering the face of the education program this year. Under the auspices of the education department, students can now earn the interdisciplinary classical education minor. In addition, the education program itself will be restructured. The last students to graduate from Hillsdale's current education program will graduate in 2013 - this year's freshmen, if they graduate in four years.
Beginning in 2013, Michigan Department of Education will require that teacher certification programs be nationally accredited in order to be authorized to recommend graduates for teacher certification.
The college has decided not to pursue national accreditation for its teacher education program, Associate Professor of Education Jon Fennell said. Instead, it will form a collaboration with Spring Arbor University's education program.
The college did not release its statement about the details of the collaboration before The Collegian went to press.
Ordinarily, Fennell said, students wishing to teach in public schools apply for the education program and, when they graduate, are recommended for teacher certification.
Often, however, students skip the education program entirely and teach at private or classical schools, where certification is not required. Headmasters of these schools often seek out Hillsdale students to teach.
After about a year and a half of discussing and planning, the department added the classical education minor, which requires coursework in philosophy, speech and classics.
"[It's] a way of preparing future teachers while they're undergrads so that when they get to classical schools, they can hit the ground running," Assistant Professor of Education Daniel Coupland said.
Sophomore Brittany Baldwin, an American studies major and classical education minor, said she chose the minor instead of the education program because of the course load.
"When I started out, I wanted to do the entire education program," she said.
Beginning in 2013, Michigan Department of Education will require that teacher certification programs be nationally accredited in order to be authorized to recommend graduates for teacher certification.
The college has decided not to pursue national accreditation for its teacher education program, Associate Professor of Education Jon Fennell said. Instead, it will form a collaboration with Spring Arbor University's education program.
The college did not release its statement about the details of the collaboration before The Collegian went to press.
Ordinarily, Fennell said, students wishing to teach in public schools apply for the education program and, when they graduate, are recommended for teacher certification.
Often, however, students skip the education program entirely and teach at private or classical schools, where certification is not required. Headmasters of these schools often seek out Hillsdale students to teach.
After about a year and a half of discussing and planning, the department added the classical education minor, which requires coursework in philosophy, speech and classics.
"[It's] a way of preparing future teachers while they're undergrads so that when they get to classical schools, they can hit the ground running," Assistant Professor of Education Daniel Coupland said.
Sophomore Brittany Baldwin, an American studies major and classical education minor, said she chose the minor instead of the education program because of the course load.
"When I started out, I wanted to do the entire education program," she said.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Andy Losik
posted 9/17/09 @ 3:58 PM EST
It will be terribly disappointing if the Hillsdale program makes it difficult for graduates to obtain certification for jobs in public schools.
It is great that private and classical schools are seeking Hillsdale graduates, but if Hillsdale wants to actually do something about the state of public schools then it needs to be producing top-notch teachers that can enter a classroom anywhere in the country and be a positive influence on both students and the quality of instruction delivered. (Continued…)
Erin Davis-Valdez
posted 9/18/09 @ 8:08 PM EST
This change is great news. As a Hillsdale alum teaching Latin/Greek in classical schools since 2003, I can say that this community desperately needs qualified teachers for the higher level classes in such subjects as logic, rhetoric, and the classical languages. (Continued…)
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