INTRODUCTION

            This handbook has been developed as a guide for the student pursuing a baccalaureate degree in education.  The topics included in this handbook address the critical areas of needed information.  It has been designed to provide the student with an understanding of the Williams  Teacher Education Program (WTEP) philosophy, goals and objectives.  Included are explanations and materials that will orient the student, provide information that will describe program requirements, expectations, and persons and center services related to the WTEP.  The handbook provides foundational information, strategies for an individual’s progress through the program, and promotes uniformity of policy regarding the WTEP.  It is a commitment on the part of Williams Baptist College to “Educate, Equip, and Enrich for Christ” all its students. Additionally, it is the intent of the WTEP personnel to create an environment in which a student can enter with an expressed interest in teaching, follow with a commitment to preparation, and complete the program requirements with an Arkansas Department of Education Teacher Licensure.  This sequence fulfills and expresses the WTEP conceptual framework: Preparing Professional Educators to be Effective Communicators Who Integrate and Care.

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION

            The Bachelor of Science in Education is designed to provide students the opportunity to obtain an education of excellent quality.  Program goals are adopted which assist students in their personal discovery of the relevance, diversity, and the potential role of education in our society.  Degree requirements are planned to prepare well-qualified applicants for positions of leadership in the field of education.

            Coursework begins with general education requirements that are organized to cultivate students’ understanding, experience, and ability to process information from a broad range of disciplines.  An introductory course initiates the students’ field experiences in area schools.  For students who demonstrate sufficient interest and potential for teaching, field experiences continue, as does advanced coursework.  Specialization and professional requirements are constructed to develop and refine the students’ knowledge and application skills in the areas of educational history, theory, current practice, pedagogy, and curriculum.  Pre-service preparation culminates with a semester of directed student teaching.  Selected area schools in which Williams teacher candidates student teach will provide for continuity and compatibility with the WTEP conceptual framework.

            Each degree program:  P-12 Art, P-4 Early Childhood, Middle Level Math and Science, Middle Level Language, Literature, and Social Studies, P-12 Music, P-12 P.E., and Secondary Education has similar general education requirements but each has specific courses related to the respective degree.  For planning the coursework of a particular degree refer to the appropriate STATUS SHEET provided in this handbook.