Mission Statement

Content and Pedagogy
In Education Studies, the Department’s professional content and pedagogy build upon the knowledge base and core abilities gained from studies in the liberal arts and sciences. Our mission is to develop knowledgeable, caring, effective, and reflective practitioners in the educational community. Education Studies majors and minors are prepared to build an inclusive learning environment that establishes trust, is responsive to individual differences, capacities, and interests, encourages intellectual risk-taking, values ideas and human feeling, and incorporates the social, intellectual, and cultural strengths students bring to the classroom. Education Studies graduates recognize effective teaching as a synthesis of art and science which they demonstrate as they think through complex educational problems, make informed teaching decisions, and communicate ideas to students, colleagues, parents, and concerned citizens.

Dispositions
Education Studies recognizes its obligation to support future educators as they form attitudes and interests, ways of looking at questions and dealing with them, responsive to the needs of children. An educator’s development continues throughout her/his career though it begins in this: to grow one’s capacity for those dispositions supportive of the intellective, affective, ethical, and productive possibilities of life. As educators, we recognize the need to create learning environments that invite students to be partners in the construction of knowledge. We believe that teaching social justice creates the promise of a democratic society. As a result, faculty promote critical analysis, civic participation and activism for change. We model teaching practices in collaboration with our college students and school-age children that see knowledge as acquired actively, in relationship with others, and through internal processes. We work together towards the realization of a more democratic society in which social and educational opportunities, and equity, exist for students, families, schools, and communities.

Collaborations
Our mission recognizes that learning to teach requires dispositions to critically examine and reflect upon practice and the ability to engage colleagues in critical conversation. Of concern to Education Studies is the development of those powers and dispositions to obtain ever-enhanced understandings and commitments to education. Similarly, we recognize that life-long learning is a core disposition of educators. We strive to be fully engaged with our students as we explore and refine the knowledge base, educational experiences, and reflective practices shaping our discipline. Thus, as active researchers we see as imperative the integration of our ongoing learning and reflection into courses. In addition, we communicate the findings of our research through publication in scholarly journals, presentations at research conferences, and in workshops designed for educators. We are committed to developing close one-on-one relationships with students and strong collaborative relationships between and among members of the College, the public schools and community, and institutions across the state and beyond. Students in Education Studies have opportunities to work collaboratively with department faculty in addressing educational questions and the needs of children, schools, and families through independent and collaborative research projects and assistantships as well as service-learning field placements. Community partnerships are as far reaching as Antigua and South Africa, and as nearby as Saratoga Springs, Amsterdam, Troy, and Schuylerville. Because of the humanistic, inspired, and informed learning practices that infuse our programs of study, Education Studies graduates maintain contact with their former faculty and retain strong relationships with their cohort.