JACKSON, Tenn. — Feb. 10, 2005 — 51社区鈥檚 School of Education has won the 2005 Model of Excellence Award from the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education, which has a membership of more than 220 private universities nationwide.
The AILACTE award is based on 鈥渕oral and ethical dimensions of the learning community,鈥� and recognizes the School of Education for its success in integrating moral and ethical values into its program. The Models of Excellence program is designed to identify outstanding teacher education programs as examples to other schools and to the American public.
鈥淲e are integrating moral and ethical dimensions in our knowledge base, in our assessment system and in our field components,鈥� said Tom Rosebrough, dean of Union鈥檚 College of Education and Human Studies. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what we鈥檙e about here at Union. I鈥檓 just really thrilled for our faculty to be encouraged like this. We are serious about integrating faith, character and service into everything we do.鈥�
Rosebrough added that the Teacher Education Program, under the leadership of Dottie Myatt, is guided by the philosophy of incorporating character and faith into the curriculum.
In selecting Union for the award, AILACTE cited several strengths of Union鈥檚 application, including:
-- a strong institutional mission that is infused throughout the program, people and policies.
-- the close connection between the mission/purpose of the institution and the conceptual framework.
-- the clear and consistent focus to prepare candidates in the ethical and moral dimensions.
-- innovative experiences and activities that support the modeling of research-based teaching and learning practices that are ethically viable.
-- knowledgeable and supportive documentation from colleagues outside the college about the impact of the program on the wider learning community over time.
-- the program鈥檚 continuous self-assessment.
The application required three letters of support from people outside of the institution. Teresa Luna, a teacher at Madison Academic High School in Jackson, wrote one of those letters on Union鈥檚 behalf.
鈥淪tandards set by Union faculty members indicate that expectations are extremely high,鈥� Luna said of the School of Education. 鈥淭he education profession is viewed by them as the most critical of all professions for the future of our country. Therefore, Union unapologetically advocates Christian ethics as the foremost quality a great teacher needs.鈥�
Rosebrough and Ann Singleton, associate dean of education, will accept the award at a ceremony in Washington D.C. Feb. 20. In addition, Union鈥檚 award will be acknowledged in Washington at the annual meeting of the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the largest teacher education group in the country with 785 member institutions.
鈥淭his outstanding recognition is an incredibly significant tribute to 51社区 in general and to the School of Education in particular,鈥� Union president David S. Dockery said. 鈥淚 congratulate Dean Tom Rosebrough, Dr. Ann Singleton, and Dr. Dottie Myatt for their excellent leadership.鈥�