Why Learn to Teach at Lewis & Clark?

In June 2017, we caught up with five incoming elementary MAT candidates on the morning of their orientation. We learned why they chose Lewis & Clark, what social justice in the classroom meant to them, and heard their preliminary thoughts about what the program would be. Following them throughout the course of the year and to completion of the program, we saw them change and grow as teachers, students, and people. We invite you to join them on their journey and experience their powerful transformation in the videos below.

 

At Lewis & Clark, you will be prepared for a long-term career in one of the most complex professions in the world—teaching.

Lewis & Clark gives you the preparation and support you need for a long-term career in teaching. Extensive content preparation grounded in research and best practices, along with nurturing relationships and encouragement, helps our graduates find success in their first years of teaching, and supports them through long careers.

We need great teachers

  • Nationally, hundreds of thousands of teaching jobs are scheduled to open in the next decade as baby boomers retire.

Full-year student teaching experience

  • Many writers and researchers have stated that a full year of student teaching is the most effective preparation for beginning teachers. At Lewis & Clark, you work with the same teacher through the entire school year, learning how to skillfully begin the year, transition into and out of major holiday breaks, and end the school year. Administrators report that hiring one of our graduates is like hiring a second-year teacher.

The faculty

  • Our faculty are scholars: We make sure that faculty at the graduate school have more time for individualized work with students and time to work in schools, conduct research, write, and present findings at conferences by requiring that they teach fewer semester hours than other private colleges. Many of our faculty members are full-time professors who are leaders in their fields.
  • Our faculty are practitioners: We employ faculty who have many years of experience in K-12 classrooms, and who know intimately the challenges and joys of teaching.
  • We encourage you to look through our faculty website to see who you will be working with.

The students

  • Our programs are structured on the cohort model, so you work intimately with a small group of creative, committed colleagues who bring with them a wide range of life experiences and a dedication to becoming change agents in schools. The deep relationships among cohort members are often a major support for beginning teachers.

Career support

  • During your first years of teaching, we invite you to return to campus and discuss your teaching with your colleagues and faculty. The New Teacher Seminars are a direct outgrowth of our belief in the power of mentoring new teachers and supporting them in their first years of teaching.

Coursework for diversity, special needs, and classroom management

  • Our programs include significant coursework addressing students whose first language is not English, students who have special needs, and students whose reading ability is considerably below grade level. We focus on teaching the whole child and nurturing all learners. All students learn classroom management techniques in a dedicated class.

  • Additionally, preservice students can chose a degree program that includes an ESOL endorsement.

At Lewis & Clark, you’ll find:

  • Dynamic learning environments that foster caring, equity, and inclusion and promote diverse perspectives.
  • Classroom experiences characterized by intellectual debate, a rigorous learning atmosphere, intellectual growth, and a dedication to social justice.
  • Educational experiences that cultivate connections between learners and their communities.
  • School and classroom environments designed to eliminate the impact of societal and institutional barriers to academic success and personal growth for all students.

We asked students to tell us what values they most associated with their education at Lewis & Clark. This is what they said:

  • Collegiality

  • Empathy

  • Reflection

  • Inquiry

  • Professionalism

  • Social justice

  • Collaboration

  • Experiential learning

  • Equity

  • Integrity