Education

Coker College is proud of its teacher education program and serious about preparing only the finest teachers. Choosing to become part of the Coker College Teacher Education Program is an important decision. Such a commitment shows more than a willingness to take prescribed courses-it declares a determination to demand excellence and to embrace learning, not only during college, but also for life.

Education majors set high goals and work toward them with the assistance and guidance of faculty. Teacher candidates work in classrooms with master teachers, many of whom are Coker graduates. Graduates in education embark on their careers, knowing that the support of the Coker community of scholars is there for them in the years to follow.

Vision

The shared vision of the Coker College Department of Education is to create a stimulating center of learning where excellence is anticipated and enjoyed. We envision the Professional Education program as being distinguished for the development of teachers who can teach anywhere. Our graduates will become recognized as education professionals who acknowledge and foster human dignity, and recognize that all children possess a capacity to learn, who can assess instructional needs and thus make informed, appropriate decisions to meet those needs, and whose understanding of the liberal arts transfers to their work and the living of their own lives. Our program will be unique for its emphasis on involving children in meaningful learning activities, for an education residency program that methodically and rigorously involves students in the work of education professionals, and for a perspective that embraces an expanding knowledge base of educational research but resists confusing research with pedagogy.

Mission

The mission of the Teacher Education Program at Coker College is to provide the Pee Dee region of South Carolina with highly qualified professional educators. Though our emphasis is on the provision of an exemplary program of teacher education for students from our region, we also see our mission as extending to the Southeast region and beyond.

In addressing the individual, cultural, and social needs of future educators, the department specifically seeks to:

1. Provide and enhance personal perspectives relative to educational and cultural development;
2. Provide flexible and innovative academic programs to address the needs of a diverse population;
3. Foster an atmosphere of mutual respect, collegiality, and collaboration;
4. Foster highly developed skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and creative and analytical thinking;
5. Ensure that students demonstrate above average levels of competence both in pedagogy and the liberal arts;
6. Ensure that prospective educators are technologically literate; and
7. Enhance the culture of excellence through productive collaboration with the educational and business communities.

Aim
"Committed to children and community through teacher education"

As a Coker College graduate, you will have a rich background the liberal arts, a strong preparation in the subject matter you will teach, and an exceptional foundation in teaching methods that work.

Teacher Education Programs
We presently offer the following major programs:

• Art Education (PK-12)
• Biology Education (7-12)
• Chemistry Education (7-12)
• Early Childhood Education (PK-4)
• Elementary Education (1-8)
• English Education (7-12)
• History Education (7-12)
• Mathematics Education (7-12)
• Music Education (PK-12)
• Physical Education (PK-12)

These programs have been fully approved and accredited by the South Carolina Department of Education. Students who successfully complete these programs are recommended to the State of South Carolina for certification. Programs may be modified for those students seeking certification in most other states.