The Hartwick College Teacher Education Program, which is designed to train confident, reflective, knowledgeable, and caring teachers who aspire to become educational leaders, has received approval by the New York State Education Department to add special education certification to the existing programs offered by the College.
A qualified full-time faculty member with expertise in special education will be hired by the College. This faculty member will offer courses, supervise student-teachers, and discharge other assigned academic responsibilities. The search for that person will soon be underway. The College will enroll students interested in special education certification in the fall of 2009.
"The preliminary approval by the New York State Education Department is an important achievement for our undergraduate Teacher Education Program and for Hartwick College as an institution. I am very proud of the outstanding efforts of our Department of Education in pursuing this certification," said Hartwick College President Richard P. Miller, Jr. "In this time of educational reform, our teacher education program has demonstrated that it is positioned to educate the teachers of today and the future."
According to Mark Davies, Chair of the Department of Education at Hartwick, "Students will continue to major in an academic area while working to complete all of the necessary courses for the special education certification. Students will have the option to pursue dual certification if they so choose."
The Teacher Education Program at Hartwick will offer, starting in the fall of 2009, programs in Childhood/Special Education and Middle Childhood and Adolescence/Special Education.
"The dual certification program will allow the College to meet the growing demand for special education certification from current and prospective students," Davies added. "It will position our graduates to meet the increasing demand for dual-certified teachers in New York and other states."
The Department of Education at Hartwick recently secured a formal commitment from Springbrook, a local special education school, to host Hartwick student-teachers for both the mini-practicum and the full student-teaching practicum. For the each of the past few years, Hartwick has placed 10-15 student-teachers in Springbrook.
"We feel this relationship with Springbrook serves our students well, providing a quality placement experience in a special-needs setting," Davies said. Added Springbrook Executive Director Patricia Kennedy, "Springbrook benefits immensely from our relationship with Hartwick College. The educational background and commitment of the Hartwick students makes them a highly valued part of our organization. Many of the students who have served at Springbrook stay connected to us either as a volunteer, supporter, or summer or full-time employee."
Hartwick's Teacher Education Program currently offers certification programs in childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence education in English, Languages, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Sciences and K-12 certification in Music and Art. The program is committed to providing its students with a broad-based education in the liberal arts. To that end, students enrolled in the program do not major in Education; rather, Hartwick's teachers-in-training major in a content-specific subject area, such as Biology, Political Science, History, or English. Additionally, they complete a set of required courses in pedagogy. As a result, Hartwick's education students enter the teaching profession armed with a mastery of the content of the field that they will be teaching in addition to rigorous instructional training-uniquely prepared to be successful teachers.
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Hartwick College is a private liberal arts and sciences college of 1,480 students, located in Oneonta, NY in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Hartwick's expansive curriculum emphasizes connecting the classroom to the world. Through personalized teaching, collaborative research, a unique January Term, a wide range of internships, and limitless study-abroad opportunities, Hartwick ensures that students are prepared for the world ahead. Strong financial aid and scholarship programs keep a Hartwick education affordable.
Contact: Francis Borrego
E-mail: borregof@hartwick.edu
Phone: 607-431-4465
