Teacher Education

Overview

The Associate in Arts degree in Teacher Education concentrates on the foundations of education using a well-balanced approach. Students may elect to focus on any of the following areas: elementary education, math education, science education, social science education, or English education. Students taking the associate degree in Teacher Education may select the Special Education track. This track provides teachers and paraprofessionals with the knowledge, skills, and strategies for supporting students with disabilities.

By offering a broad range of courses, this degree prepares graduates to be paraeducators. Alternatively, they can transfer their credits to baccalaureate         institutions to pursue a career in teaching at the elementary, middle school, or secondary education levels. WMCC has transfer agreements with the University System of New Hampshire. Students who wish to transfer to Plymouth State University must achieve a minimum GPA of 2.7, in addition to passing the Praxis 1 exam.

After completing their associate degree, students interested in matriculating in a baccalaureate degree teacher program are responsible for researching the requirements of such programs, including transfer procedures.

Specific admission requirements include:

• Algebra I and Algebra II with a grade of C or
• Strong verbal and written English language
• Personal interview with Admissions Director and/ or faculty member (may be required).

Health Considerations

Candidates for positions and careers in education should explore health requirements associated with employment in a school setting. Prospective students with special needs that may affect their learning are encouraged to contact the Disabilities Services Coordinator for accommodation options.

Character Expectations

The health and safety of children, adolescents, and other learners are of paramount concern to the program.  Prior to employment, applicants for teaching positions in public and private schools in New Hampshire must undergo background checks through the New Hampshire Department of Safety. For admission into the Teacher Education associate degree, the Special Education certificate, and the Career and Technical Education certificate, applicants must likewise undergo national criminal background checks. The cost of the background check is the responsibility of the student.  Applicants with a criminal record, depending on the nature of this record, may not be eligible for field experience or employment. Applicants are advised to discuss such matters during an admission interview to avoid confusion.

First Year

Second Year

Program Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this degree, graduates:

• Understand the learning process and the way curricula are planned, adopted, implemented, and
• Are able to apply various instructional modalities and educational delivery
• Knowledge of how children and adolescents learn and develop, and thus can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal

Technical standards provide guidance to students about the skills and abilities they need to function successfully in the program and ultimately as teachers in the public and/or private school classroom.  Applicants who suspect they may be unable to meet one or more of the technical standards should contact program faculty members to discuss their concerns. Program faculty considers all academically qualified candidates, provided that the technical standards can be met with reasonable accommodations.  Students in the program must have:

• Sufficient strength, stamina, and motor coordination.
• Sufficient hearing and visual acuity to ensure a safe environment, along with an ability to respond quickly to emergencies.
• Sufficient verbal ability to express and exchange information and ideas, as well as to interpret important instructions to children, adolescents, colleagues, and parents.
• Sufficient writing skills to record students’ daily progress and milestones, and to compose a variety of reports.
• An ability to work with frequent interruptions, to respond appropriately to unexpected situations, and to cope with extreme variations in workload and stress levels.