Teacher Education
The Williams Teacher Education Program (WTEP) prepares professional educators who effectively communicate, integrate, and care. The unit is approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.
The eight degree programs offer teacher candidates carefully planned and sequenced educational experiences. Through these experiences, teacher candidates acquire knowledge, understand theory, pattern best practices, and participate in purposeful field experiences.
Degrees
The Bachelor of Science in Education is offered in Early Childhood (preschool through grade 4); Middle Level Science and Math (grades 4-8); Middle Level Language, Literature, and Social Studies (grades 4-8); K-12 Art; K-12 Music; P-12 Physical Education; Secondary English; and Secondary Social Studies.
All degree programs share similar requirements in general education courses, in learning and human development courses, in professional courses, and in field experiences. Specialization course requirements are specific, however, to a discipline, e.g., secondary English majors take EN 4223 Studies in Shakespeare, P-12 Physical Education majors take PE 4213 Kinesiology, and Early Childhood majors take ED 3143 Emergent Literacy. All teacher candidates complete a semester of Directed Student Teaching to culminate the requirements for all degrees.
Teacher Candidates who complete the WTEP Bachelor of Science in Education requirements meet the Arkansas Department of Education Licensure requirement and leave Williams ready for employment. Programs are planned to prepare well-qualified applicants for positions of leadership in the field of education.
Teacher Candidates who complete the WTEP Bachelor of Science in Education requirements meet the Arkansas Department of Education Licensure requirement and leave Williams ready for employment. Programs are planned to prepare well-qualified applicants for positions of leadership in the field of education.
Early Childhood Education
The Early Childhood program prepares teacher candidates for preschool through fourth grade. This program assumes that general knowledge in literacy, math, science, social studies, art, music, and physical health is fundamental to effective teaching. Teacher candidates learn to plan, prepare, present, and assess experiences that are developmentally appropriate for young children. Field experiences provide opportunities for teacher candidates to bridge educational theory and classroom practice. Teacher candidates learn to create an environment that fosters the child’s competence and confidence.
Middle Level Education
The Middle Level Programs prepare teacher candidates for Middle Level (4-8) Language, Literature, and Social Studies, and Middle Level (4-8) Mathematics and Science. Teacher candidates learn to prepare for these specialized areas by integrating content and methods and by using developmentally appropriate teaching strategies and assessment. Field experiences provide opportunities for teacher candidates to bridge educational theory and classroom practice. Teacher candidates learn to create learning environments that invite and establish patterns for school success.
Secondary Education
Secondary Education programs (7-12) include Social Studies and English Language Arts. For the social studies degree, teacher candidates study a wide range of content specific courses. Williams Bachelor of Secondary English and Social Studies programs are nationally approved by the National Council for the Social Studies and the National Council of Teachers of English.
English Language Arts teacher candidates study a complex complement of subjects. Both Social Studies and English Language Arts majors also take professional block courses. In both specialization and professional courses, secondary teacher candidates enter classrooms for field experiences.
Art Education
In conjunction with the Department of Art, the Department of Education offers a major in art education. This program prepares students to be teachers of art in public or private schools in grades K-12.
Coursework in design, drawing, ceramics, painting, printmaking, watercolor, art history, and art education are required as well as professional development courses such as childhood development and learning, adolescent and adult development, measurement and evaluation.
Music Education
The Department of Education and Music offer a major in music education, which prepares students for placement as choral music teachers in classrooms grades K-12.
The program requires music coursework in voice, piano, aural skills, creative and analytical concepts, orchestration, choral conducting, music literature, music history, and diction. Additionally, students take courses in professional development such as childhood development and learning, adolescent and adult development, measurement and evaluation.
Health Physical Education
The program in health and physical education is designed for students seeking teacher licensure P-12 and a coaching endorsement. The program stresses the relevance, diversity, and importance of the role of health and physical education. The Williams' Health and Physical Education program is approved by National Association for Sports and Physical Education.
Required coursework in the health and physical education major includes kinesiology, anatomy and physiology, exercise physiology, care of injuries, health, theory and practice of coaching, motor skills development for children, and adaptive physical education. Additionally, students take courses in professional development such as childhood development and learning, adolescent and adult development, and measurement and evaluation.
Health and physical education majors are often participants in the varsity sports program of the college. Williams is a member of the American Midwest Conference of the NAIA and fields teams in men's basketball, baseball, soccer and golf, and in women’s basketball, volleyball and softball.
Field Experience
One positive feature of the WTEP is the systematic and course relative field experiences. Field experiences provide teacher candidates with opportunities to observe and to interact with students and teachers.
Teacher candidates learn of teachers’ roles and responsibilities and of schools’ environments during their field experiences. These observations and interactions begin early. Near the completion of general education requirements, teacher candidates enroll in ED 2203 Introduction to Education, a course that initiates their placement in area schools.
Throughout the remaining semesters, field experiences are assigned in specific specialization and professional courses. In those experiences, teacher candidates develop case studies, participate in minority partnership schools, and take part in professional service learning projects, as well as engage in classroom instruction
These field experiences form a strong foundation for the full semester of Directed Student Teaching just prior to graduation. Therefore, WTEP teacher candidates exit the programs having both the theoretical and professional preparation for teaching, as well as extensive practical interactions with students, exemplary teachers, and effective administrators.
Record of Success
The WTEP’s teacher candidates have earned a record of success since the first Bachelor of Science in Education was granted in 1991. All graduates have passed the Praxis II Subject Assessments, and are in demand for employment. WTEP graduates merit regional, state, and local recognition, they model responsibility in their churches, civic organizations, and community, and they are WTEP’s concept of a professional educator who effectively communicates, integrates, and cares.
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