Middle Childhood Education

Executive Director, School of Education: Dr. Monica Riley

Phone: 479-788-7942
Location: Math-Science Building, room 111

The Bachelors of Science in Middle Childhood Education 4-8 provides highly qualified teachers for the middle grades (4-8). The program provides a strong focus in specialized content areas as well as significant coursework in professional education. In addition to specialized coursework, the program includes general education courses to provide additional content preparation and background knowledge and skills necessary for a quality education.

 

In addition, the program is designed for students who have graduated in the top half of their high school class and who maintain a 2.75 minimum grade point average during their years in college. The School of Education is committed to excellence in teacher preparation through both classroom instruction and extensive field experiences.

 

There are numerous career opportunities for individuals who graduate with a degree in Middle Childhood Education. Public and private schools are in need of teachers qualified to teach at this level. Other opportunities consist of junior and community colleges as well as adult education centers. Further education may lead to specialization in counseling, media science, or administration.

 

There is an application process, and requirements for admission may change over time. Students must meet admission requirements current at the time of their final application for admission to the teacher education program.

Please see, the School of Education web site for detailed listing of admission requirements.

Future Educators Association Professional is a student leadership organization comprised of early childhood, elementary, middle level and secondary education majors. The organization provides opportunities for members to explore the teaching profession in a variety of ways. FEA Professional, sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa International, helps prepare pre-service teacher candidates for transition into the education profession as the next generation of teacher leaders.

KDP is the education honor society. Membership is by invitation only.

Collegiate Middle Level Association invites all those interested in the education of young adolescents to meet and work together.

 

Education programs are approved by the Arkansas Department of Education and accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP). The Elementary K6 program is a new program and is aligned with the Elementary Program CAEP, K6, Teacher Excellence and Support System (TESS) and Science of Reading (SoR) standards required by the Arkansas Department of Education. The Middle Childhood Education Program is nationally recognized by the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). Secondary Education Programs are delivered in their respective colleges in coordination with the School of Education. The Biology with Life/Earth Science Teacher Licensure Program is nationally recognized by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). The English with Teacher Licensure Program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). The History with Social Studies Teacher Licensure Program is nationally recognized by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). The Mathematics with Teacher Licensure Program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). The Music with Teacher Licensure Program is accredited by National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). The Spanish with Teacher Licensure Program is nationally recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). In addition, the School of Education offers an Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education and a preschool education credential. Candidates pursuing the Elementary K6 degree can also receive an age 3-4 endorsement to add to their licensure area. All candidates may choose to pursue the Special Education Resource Room endorsement or the Teaching English as a Second Language certificate.

 

To Become a Teacher ranked UAFS School of Education #2 in Arkansas (2015) – To Become A Teacher understands that choosing the right program is never easy.  For this reason, they have streamlined the process.  With the aid of a complex algorithmic tool, they have reviewed, tested and documented the top education programs in the state of Arkansas for 2015. Notably, their criteria reflects prospective teachers’ top priorities.  For this reason, their rankings focus on total expense, student-to-faculty ratios, graduation rates, potential earnings, and over all return on investment. 

 

CHEA Award (2010) – The Council for Higher Education Accreditation has awarded the 2010 CHEA Award for Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning Outcomes to the University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, one of four institutions in the nation and the only Arkansas university to receive one of the awards in 2010. The CHEA Award was established in 2005 to recognize institutions that have been exceptional in developing and applying evidence of student learning outcomes to improve higher education quality and accountability. A committee selected from higher education institutions, accrediting organizations and the public judged the winners on the basis of four award criteria: 1) articulation and evidence of outcomes, 2) success with regard to outcomes, 3) information to the public about outcomes; and 4) use of outcomes for educational improvement.

 

Finalist for the AASCU Christa McAuliffe for Excellence in Teacher Education Award (2009) – Recognizes innovative teacher education programs that document the success of their graduates and their impact on the students they teach. University of Arkansas - Fort Smith School of Education was a finalist for this honor.