School of Education
Location: Willard Hall, Monticello
Telephone: (870) 460-1062 / Fax: (870) 460-1563
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3608, Monticello, AR 71656
Website: https://www.uamont.edu/academics/education/index.html
Faculty/Mission
Professors Longing; Associate Professors Gray, Guizar, Shahan, and Wilkerson; Assistant Professors Grimes, Hubbell, and Level (Dean); Instructors Fowler, Frazer, Givhan, Jackson, Newton, and Wilson.
The University of Arkansas at Monticello School of Education is committed to the development of highly qualified candidates. The School of Education embraces the responsibility to prepare candidates to live and work in a rapidly changing, diverse world. Candidates are challenged to achieve the highest level of proficiencies defined in the UAM School of Education’s Conceptual Framework and as modeled by the UAM School of Education faculty. The Conceptual Framework is comprised of five strands: knowledge, pedagogy, diversity, professionalism, and technology. The candidates’ understanding of the Conceptual Framework is progressively developed as they transition through the various professional education programs. The UAM School of Education is dedicated to developing highly professional educators through a partnership with the Southeast Educational Cooperative, area public schools, the university community, and supportive agencies in Arkansas’ high-need geographical areas.
Title II - Higher Education Act of 1998
The University releases information on the quality of its teacher preparation program according to the requirements of Section 207 of Title II of the Higher Education Act as amended in 1998.
Conceptual Framework
The Conceptual Framework of the School of Education is organized around five strands that promote: the acquisition of a knowledge base; development of pedagogical skills; promotion of diversity and social justice; the demonstration of professionalism, and technology skills. The core belief through all strands is that the diverse population of P-12 students can learn. This philosophy is shared by faculty and teacher candidates alike and is infused throughout the curriculum and practice of faculty and teacher candidates. The essential behaviors identified through indicators of competence within each strand define the performance of initial candidates in the teacher education program. These indicators represent the knowledge, skills, and dispositions for all initial and advanced candidates and serve as a foundation to scaffold specific experiences, assessments, and learning opportunities.
The acquisition of knowledge, skills, and dispositions is developmental and cumulative to becoming a highly qualified educator. The School of Education faculty identified four transitions through which data are collected on candidate progression: 1) pre-admission to teacher education; 2) admission to teacher education; 3) admission to clinical internship; and 4) program completion/graduation.
Program Offerings
Programs offered in the School of Education include those leading to initial teacher licensure and those that do not lead to licensure. Programs leading to licensure are the B.A. K-6 Elementary Education and B.A. in Middle Childhood. Programs not leading to licensure are the B.S. in Teaching and Learning, the B.S in Education Studies, the B.S. in Health, Physical Education, and the B.S. in Exercise Science.
The School of Education offers quality programs leading to teacher licensure in K-6 Elementary and Middle Childhood. In addition, students seeking a Bachelor of Music Education degree complete the professional education core courses. For students interested in an alternative route for initial licensure at the Elementary and Middle Childhood and secondary level areas including music and physical education, the School of Education offers the M.A.T. degree program, through which initial licensure may be earned after completion of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and completion of the M.A.T. program.
Programs leading to initial licensure:
K-6 Elementary Education
4-8 Middle Level Education
K-12 Music
Master of Arts in Teaching
Transition Point I: Pre-Admission Requirements
C or better in the following:
ENGL 1013
ENGL 1023
MATH 1003 or MATH 1043
COMM 1023 , COMM 2203 , or COMM 2283
B or better in the following:
EDUC 2233 - Instructional Technology
EDUC 2253 - Needs of Diverse Learners in Inclusive Settings
EDUC 2263 - Learning and Development
EDUC 3573 - Classroom Management
All 1000- 2000 level Major courses (EDUC, MLED, READ, & SPED)
Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or better
State of Arkansas, F.B.I., and Child Maltreatment background check
Successful Interview
Transition Point II: Teacher Education Major
C or better in all General Education courses
B or better in the following:
EDUC 3203 - Educational Psychology: Developing Learners
EDUC 3563 - Effective Instructional and Management Strategies
EDUC 3583 - Assessment Techniques
READ 2023 - Introduction to Teaching Reading
All 3000-4000 level Major courses (EDUC, MLED, MELD, READ, & SPED)
PRAXIS Subject Assessment(s) (Passing scores or alternative assessment scores for the appropriate licensure area prior to application Clinical Internship)
Transition Point III: Clinical Internship I
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
B or better in major methods courses
Transition Point IV: Clinical Internship II
Maintain cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
Foundations of Reading Test - K-6 Majors Only
Transition Point V: Program Completion
Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better
Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT) (Passing score for appropriate grade level)
Completion of all degree requirements
Teacher Education Field Experiences and Clinical Internships
The teacher education program at the University of Arkansas at Monticello supports the early involvement of its candidates in diverse field experiences with K-12 students. Field experiences are sequential, developmental, and focused on the practical application of content covered in education classes. The candidates also complete an intensive yearlong Clinical Internship I and Clinical Internship II.
Matriculating Through the Teacher Preparation Program
The teacher preparation program is comprised of three important components. The first component is general education. All candidates at UAM complete the general education requirements which provide a solid foundation for study that will occur in later courses. These courses are usually completed in the first two years. Secondly, all teacher education candidates complete the professional education core, regardless of their major. These courses are completed throughout the program, beginning in the first year of enrollment, and prepare the candidate for successful teaching and learning. Thirdly, candidates preparing to become teachers will complete specific course work in their major area that will prepare them for initial teacher licensure.
The teacher preparation program at UAM is based upon the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and Arkansas Department of Education requirements. Please check with the School of Education for specific, updated courses needed to meet state licensure requirements for teaching.
University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) School of Education (SOE) Teacher Walkout Statement
For Teacher Education Candidates:
If a teacher walkout occurs, here’s what you need to do if it happens during your field or internship experiences:
- If your School Based Teacher Educator (SBTE) walks out of the classroom to join a march or picket line, remember that you cannot stay in the classroom without your SBTE. You will need to leave the building. Be sure to inform the main office staff that you are leaving the building and that you are doing so because you have been advised to do so by the UAM School of Education. You will need to notify the SOE Partnership Coordinator immediately. We will certainly take these special circumstances into account in terms of your hours needed, grading issues, etc.
- If you choose to join your SBTE and fellow educators in the walkout, you will be doing this as a personal decision. UAM, a state institution, must be neutral on the subject. If you do choose to stand or walk with your SBTE and other educators, you will not be doing so as a representative of UAM. Do not display or wear your student ID or UAM clothing. If you are interviewed, please do not mention UAM.
- You will need to be in contact with the SOE Partnership Coordinator to find out what you will need to do in the following days after the walkout.
For Master of Arts Candidates:
- If you choose to join your fellow educators in the walkout, you will be doing this as a personal decision. UAM, a state institution, must be neutral on the subject. If you do choose to stand or walk with your fellow educators, you will not be doing so as a representative of UAM. Do not display or wear your student ID or UAM clothing. If you are interviewed, please do not mention UAM. You will need to notify the SOE Graduate Coordinator immediately if you choose to strike. We will certainly take these special circumstances into account in terms of your hours needed, grading issues, etc.
As for SOE Faculty, Staff, and Administrators:
- Likewise, whether you choose to stand with the striking teachers is also a personal decision. If you choose to stand with the teachers in person, please do not display your UAM ID, wear UAM clothing, or use your UAM email account or program/SOE social media to protest or provide support. If you use your personal social media to communicate your support or if you are interviewed by the media, please make clear that you are expressing your personal opinions. You also must do so on your own personal time before and after work hours, unless you take personal time/vacation hours so that you are not on the clock if you choose to protest.
- You can certainly discuss these issues in class or on discussion boards in Bb, but you need to maintain an educational stance when doing so. Minimize your personal beliefs when teaching and, if you do share your beliefs and thoughts, you need to be sure that you declare them as your own personal beliefs and that they do not represent UAM when you are teaching, advising, or if you are being interviewed or you are using your own personal social media.
Undergraduate Major
Minor
Technical Certificate
Certificate of Proficiency