Teacher-Education Model
Berry College has long been known for its high-quality teacher-preparation programs. As a community working toward preparing teachers who will be Developers of Human Potential, we strive to provide students with the knowledge, skills and values that will enable them to teach successfully in a diverse society.
The Teacher-Education Unit (TEU) is that group of Berry College faculty charged with the responsibility for professional education programs. Most of those faculty members are from within the Charter School of Education and Human Sciences (CSEHS). Other TEU faculty include those who teach content and methodology courses in art, music, math, science, language, English or social science. These specialty-area faculty, along with faculty from CSEHS, work as a community to help students understand how the diverse parts of their education complement each other as they prepare to be Developers of Human Potential.
The Teacher-Education Unit members meet to share ideas and evaluate data from students, other education agencies and professional associations in order to make curriculum and program decisions.
Students admitted to Teacher Education receive coordinated advising from faculty in education and in the specialty areas. Students are represented on the various Teacher-Education Unit committees and advisory councils, and are encouraged to develop their potential by becoming participating professionals in education organizations.
What is the KNOWLEDGE BASE underlying the Teacher-Education Unit?
The Knowledge Base of the Teacher-Education Unit (TEU) is a description of the skills, understandings and dispositions which we believe excellent teachers should possess. Consensus on this viewpoint resulted from many hours of discussion in retreats, workshops and committee meetings.
We believe that teachers are Developers of Human Potential. Martha Berry, the founder of Berry College, saw potential where others did not in the Appalachian children for whom the Berry Schools and, later, the college were established. Like Martha Berry, we also believe the role of excellent teachers is to develop the potential every student has to gain a lifelong appreciation of learning; to acquire the basic skills and wide repertoire of thinking strategies with which to construct and evaluate knowledge; to become morally responsible and fully participating partners in a democratic society within an ever-changing world; to develop and enhance positive self-esteem; and to work cooperatively with others to foster changes in society.
The mission of the college has long been to develop the head, the heart, and the hands of students through the academic program, the religion-in-life program, and emphasis on practical work. We believe that, in order to be Developers of Human Potential, teachers should DO similar things: (1) Promote Reflection and Decision Making (head), (2) Facilitate Learning (hands), and (3) Enhance Self-and Social Awareness (heart). Experienced teachers who earn a graduate degree should model these roles at their school or system level.
In order to meet the expectations of these roles, we believe that teachers' actions must rest on the foundations of what they KNOW through Research (head), the collective Wisdom of Experience (hands), and their own Values (heart). Teachers must be competent in the essential content knowledge of their area of specialization. They must have in-depth psychological knowledge of how people learn and what motivates people to learn. They must possess the interpersonal skills to work effectively with students, parents, colleagues and community members and be aware of themselves as members of a profession which values diversity. They should have well-developed pedagogical skills for designing, implementing and evaluating learning and should be able to use a wide repertoire of strategies to engage students in constructing their own knowledge. Teachers must also have knowledge of the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the American education system in order to effect changes in it.
We further believe that there must be a constant interaction between this KNOWING and DOING. Teachers must continually reflect on lesson implementation, instructional materials used, student responses, school environment and values. This reflection, in turn, produces more knowledge, which is then used to refine what teachers do. This doing and reflecting is a continuous process that over time blurs the distinction between reflection and knowing-in-action. This cyclical process enhances the development of human potential through the education of the head, the heart and the hands.
What are the Teacher-Education Unit Program Principles?
The Charter School of Education and Human Sciences aligns its program goals with the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) principles.
1. Subject Matter: The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful.
2. Student Learning: The teacher understands how children learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development.
3. Diverse Learning: The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted for diverse learners.
4. Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student's development of critical thinking, problem solving and performance skills.
5. Learning Environment: The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interactions, active encouragement in learning and self-motivation.
6. Communication: The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration and supportive interaction in the classroom.
7. Planning Instruction: The teacher plans instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community and curriculum goals.
8. Assessment: The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.
9. Reflection and Professional: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his or her choices and actions on others (students, parents and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks opportunity to grow professionally.
10. Collaboration, Ethics and Relationships: The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents and agencies in the larger community to support student's learning and well-being.