Education

The Goshen College Teacher Education Department is accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP http://caepnet.org/) and all programs below were approved in the 2020 CAEP accreditation decision.

An important part of Goshen’s Teacher Education program is learning first-hand in the schools. Students will work in a variety of settings with diverse populations. If a Study Service Term (SST) is part of the international education experience, students will also have the opportunity to work with children or youth in another culture during SST.

School systems in the area cooperate with Goshen College to provide strong and varied student teaching experiences. Pre-service teachers experience a broad spectrum of classroom situations. During the student teaching experience, students will work 13 or more weeks full time in a local school system and will be supervised by classroom teachers and college professors. After satisfactorily completing an approved teaching program and the appropriate Praxis II exams, students will apply and be recommended for licensure. Visit the education department website at goshen.edu/education.

Education programs available

Elementary education (K-6)

Upon completion of a major in elementary education, pre-service teachers are eligible to be certified to teach kindergarten through sixth grade. Fieldwork takes place in a variety of classroom settings where pre-service teachers learn to teach language arts, math, social studies, science, art, physical education and music. Approaches to classroom management, discipline and evaluation are also explored. To meet state licensure requirements, elementary K-6 majors also need a minor in a licensable area to show an area of specialty.

Elementary education/Special education (K-6 or K-12)

Certification in Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention for K-6 is offered in conjunction with an elementary education certificate. It is a certification that must be completed simultaneously since Exceptional Needs does not stand alone as a separate program. To complete this program, 12 additional hours (Student Teaching: Exceptional Needs, Special Education Issues, Mild Disabilities I, and Mild Disabilities II) are added to the elementary education program. For Mild Intervention K-12 certification, one additional course is needed: Educ 348.

Elementary education/English learners(K-6)

Certification in English Learners for K-6 is offered in conjunction with an elementary education certificate. To complete this program, 17 additional hours (Expository Writing, Introduction to Linguistics, Global English, English Grammar, Methods of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and TESOL practicum for 120 hours) are added to the elementary education program.  Students selecting this certification program who choose the alternate SST program must select Comm 206, Communication across Cultures as one of their courses.

All-grade education in English learners, music, physical education or visual arts (P-12)

Students planning to teach in these content areas will double major in Secondary/P-12
Education and one of the following: music, physical education, art, or TESOL. Upon
completion of this double major, students can be certified to teach their selected subject
in elementary, middle, and high schools.

Secondary education (5-12)

Students planning to teach in middle or high schools will double major in Secondary/P-12
Education and one of the fields listed below. Upon completion of the program, they will be eligible for licensure in grades 5-12:

Biology Business Chemistry Deaf Studies English

History Mathematics Physics Spanish Theater

Transition to Teaching programs

Information about the Transition to Teaching program for adults who have already completed a bachelor’s degree is in the Adult and Graduate Programs section of this catalog.

Special attributes of Goshen’s teacher education program

See the Education department webpages for more information.

1. Elementary and exceptional needs dual certification program
2. English learners certification for K-6 or P-12
3. Bible and religion or coaching certificate for teachers (see below)
4. Environmental education experience at Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center
5. Laboratory kindergarten in collaboration with the public schools on campus
6. Curriculum Library, Aschliman Peace Arts Center (APAC), and Royer Reading Room

Admission to the Teacher Education program

Students apply for admission to the Goshen College Teacher Education program at the end of the Foundations of Education class, taken either at the end of the first year or the beginning of the second year. Admission to the program requires:

• One of the following:
  • Successful completion of the Praxis I exam in reading, writing, and mathematics
  • ACT scores of 18 or higher
  • Math/Reading SAT scores of 970 (SAT taken on or after March 1, 2016)
  • A master’s degree
• A review of the high school record
• Successful performance in early fieldwork experiences
• Supportive references
• A written essay

Teacher Education students must maintain a 2.8 grade point average (GPA) overall, and within their content area. All education courses and courses for the license content area must be passed with a C or higher. Because the field of education is continually changing, education courses taken more than 15 years prior to admission to the program will not be accepted for transfer credit.

 

Major in elementary education (K-6)

Modified Goshen Core program (63-76 credit hours)

Language arts

• Core 110, Academic Voice 3
• Core 1XX (various), Research and Writing 3
• Educ 307, Children’s and Adolescent Literature 3

Science

• Phys 215 NW, Climate Change 3
• Sust 340, Field Experience in Environmental Education 3

Mathematics

• Math 131, Math Concepts for Elementary Classroom I 3
• Math 132, Math Concepts for Elementary Classroom II 3

History and Social Science

• Hist 105, American History I 3
• Educ 310, Education Psychology: Elementary 3
• Hist 217, Geography and Culture 3

Physical education

• Core 115, Wellness for Life 1
• Kin 309, Physical Education for Children 2

Humanities

• Artistic World perspectives course 3
• Educ 330, Fine Arts for Children 3

Bible/religion/philosophy/peace studies

• Core 120, Engaging the Bible 3
• PJCS 210 PX, Transforming Conflict and Violence 3
• Religious World perspectives course 3

International/intercultural education

• Core 100, Identity, Culture & Community 3
• Foreign language competency 0-8
• SST: international or on-campus alternative (see planning and advising notes below) 9-14

Professional education courses (K-6) (37 credit hours)

• Educ 201, Foundations of Education 3
• Educ 300, Exceptional Learners: Elementary 3
• Educ 301, Curriculum Studies: Math 2
• Educ 303, Literacy I: Developmental 3
• Educ 304: Curriculum Studies: Social Studies 2
• Educ 308, Curriculum Studies: Science 2
• Educ 344, Adaptation and Assessment for Diverse Learners 3
• Educ 401, Child Development Practicum 1
• Educ 402, Student Teaching: Elementary 12
• Educ 406, Literacy II: Diagnostic 3
• Educ 409, Elementary Education Seminar 3

Requirements for Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention (K-6) (12 credit hours)

• Educ 341, Mild Disabilities I 3
• Educ 343, Mild Disabilities II 3
• Educ 346, Special Education Issues1
• Educ 415, Student Teaching: Exceptional Needs 5

Additional course for Exceptional Needs: Mild Intervention K-12 certification:

• Educ 348, Teaching Adolescents with Exceptional Needs 3

Additional requirements for English Learners (K-6) (17 credit hours)

• Engl 204, Expository Writing 3
• Engl 310, Introduction to Linguistics3
• Engl 315, Global English 3
• Engl 319, English Grammar1
• Engl 320, Methods of TESOL 4
• Engl 325, TESOL Practicum 3

Note: Those earning EL certification who choose to complete the SST one-course-at-a-time program are encouraged to select Comm 206, Communication across Cultures as one of their courses.

Student learning outcomes

The Goshen College Educator Preparation Program uses the following core proficiencies to structure curriculum and candidate evaluation. These seven proficiencies blend unique GC values with the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards.

1. Learner and Learning: The candidate understands and applies their knowledge of how learners develop, recognizing that individuals’ development varies across cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical domains.
2. Learning Environments: The candidate creates and maintains inclusive environments that support learning, positive social interaction, and active engagement. 
3. Content Knowledge: The candidate understands the core knowledge, skills, and ideas in the discipline(s) that they teach. 
4. Curriculum: The candidate applies content and pedagogical knowledge to plan curriculum that engages learners in critical thinking, creativity, and problem solving. 
5. Instruction: The candidate uses a variety of instructional strategies to help all learners develop comprehensive content knowledge, skillfully apply that knowledge, and make interdisciplinary connections. 
6. Assessment: The candidate uses multiple methods of assessment to monitor learner progress, reflect on their own instructional practice, and promote student learning. 
7. Professional Practice: The candidate engages in ongoing professional learning, demonstrates ethical practice, and collaborates with families and colleagues to ensure learner growth and well-being. 

 Candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions will be evaluated on the above core proficiencies throughout the course of the program, in the context of both coursework and field experience.

Planning guide elementary education

First year	Identity, Culture & Community Academic Voice Research & Writing American History Wellness for Life Engaging the Bible Foundations of Education Climate Change (NW Perspective) Transforming Conflict & Violence (PX Perspective) Geography & Culture
Second year	Children’s and Adolescent Literature Exceptional Students Foreign language Expository Writing (required for English Learners certificate; strongly recommended for others) Artistic World course Math Concepts for Elementary Classroom I & II Educational Psychology (SW Perspective) Physical Education for Children Adaptation and Assessment for Diverse Learners SST (spring) or on-campus alternate Linguistics (EL certificate) English Language (EL certificate),
Third year	Religious World course Field Experience in Environmental Biology Curriculum Studies: Math Curriculum Studies: Science Curriculum Studies: Social Studies Mediation: Process, Skills & Theory (strongly recommended) Fine Arts for Children Child Development Practicum Mild Disabilities I (Exceptional Needs Certificate) Mild Disabilities II (Exceptional Needs Certificate) TESOL Methods(EL certificate) English Grammar(EL certificate) Literacy I: Developmental Literacy II: Diagnostic
Fourth year	Global Issues Seminar (for alternate SST) Elementary Education Seminar Special Education Issues (Exceptional Needs Certificate) Student Teaching (fall) Student Teaching: Exceptional Needs (spring) (Exceptional Needs Certificate) TESOL Practicum (EL Certificate) Conflict-healthy Groups (strongly recommended)

Planning and advising notes

Teacher Education students are encouraged to participate in international SST when possible. It is assumed that teacher education students will complete an international or domestic SST experience.  In unusual cases and because the teacher education program includes significant intercultural training, the domestic  alternative for both elementary and secondary education majors may be modified:

• Language requirement: 102 level of any world language by placement test, course credit, or CLEP (or native language other than English)
• Two courses selected from the SST list (see Global Engagement section of the course catalog)
• Educ 324 (secondary) or Educ 406 (elementary)
• GLST 300, Global Issues Seminar.

Secondary/All-Grade Education Major (grades 5-12 or P-12)

Professional education requirements (35-38 credit hours)

• Educ 201, Foundations of Education3-4
• Educ 302, Exceptional Learners: Secondary 3
• Educ 309, Educational Psychology: Secondary 3
• Educ 321, Curriculum & Instruction I: Middle School3-4
• Educ 324, Curriculum & Instruction II: High School3-4
• Educ 403, Secondary Education Seminar 3
• Educ 405, Student Teaching 12
• PJCS 210, Transforming Conflict and Violence 3
• One of the following: 1-2
  • Educ 325, Secondary Curriculum & Instruction: Content Methods 2
  • Educ 401, Child Development Practicum 1

Second major: Content-area
All secondary education majors select a second major that corresponds with the content area that they intend to teach. In many cases, course requirements within the subject-area major differ from those for non-education students. Consult both the course listings and the advising notes on the catalog pages for the appropriate department.

Planning guide secondary education

First year	Identity, Culture & Community Wellness for Life Academic Voice Research & Writing Engaging the Bible Transforming Conflict and Violence (PX Perspectives) Other Goshen Core courses Introductory courses in major
Second year	Goshen Core Foundations of Education Exceptional Learners: Secondary Courses in major SST (spring)
Third year	Educational Psychology: Secondary Curriculum & Instruction I & II Goshen Core Secondary Curriculum & Instruction: Content Methods (5-12 only) Child Development Practicum (P-12 only) Courses in major/content area
Fourth year	Student Teaching (fall) Education Seminar Balance of Goshen Core Balance of major and certification requirements

Planning and advising notes

Teacher education students are encouraged to participate in international SST when possible. Because teacher education programming includes significant intercultural training, alternate SST for education majors may be modified. See elementary education advising notes above for details.

Certificate in Bible and Religion Education

13 credit hours

This certificate is not a state teaching license, but will suggest to a potential employer that the education student has had additional study in Bible and religion. The one-credit field experience helps students explore religious curriculum, instruction and related issues in both the public and private school contexts.

• Core 120, Engaging the Bible 3
• Religious World course 3
• One course selected from this list (Bible/Christianity emphasis): 3

• REL 316: Liberation Theologies
• REL 318: Anabaptist/Mennonite History
• REL 320: Christian Theologies
• REL 374: Congregational Ministries

• One course selected from this list (philosophy and religion emphasis): 3

• PJCS 332: Religion, Conflict, and Peace
• PJCS 350: Dynamics/Theology of Reconciliation
• REL 315: Religion in Culture and Society
• REL 317: Islam

• EDUC 407, Religious Education in the Academic Context 1