The preparation and professional development of public school teachers has been Castleton’s mission since 1787 when the university first opened its doors to higher education. Some traditions have remained intact; as Castleton students interested in becoming teachers still walk across Main Street to our local village school to practice teaching, just as they have for over two hundred years. Our students also travel the world to experience schooling in other cultures. In Vermont our school relationships are interconnected to our community ties, and Castleton pre-service teachers learn to teach from within these relationships that are built over each student’s course of study. Reflexively, our local school professionals come to Castleton to study at the master’s level in order to reflect upon and to research educational questions.
At Castleton we believe that it takes a university and community to prepare a teacher. As such, you will have the opportunity to choose a major in the liberal arts and sciences and work toward licensure in elementary education or secondary education. You may also work toward an endorsement in special education in K-8 or 7-12. To support your program planning, you will be assigned two academic advisors: one each in education and in your chosen liberal arts major.
To receive elementary licensure for kindergarten through sixth grades you may major in multidisciplinary studies. In consultation with a liberal arts advisor and an education advisor, you will have the opportunity to plan a major course study that is designed to provide you with the content knowledge needed across all disciplines taught at the elementary level, as well as the education courses required for licensure. To further develop as a future elementary teacher, you will also choose a four course liberal arts concentration that further deepens content knowledge in an area such as math or literature. On occasion students choose a major by contract in mathematics, history, literature or the sciences.
Students seeking secondary licensure for 7-12 grades in secondary education typically choose to major in English, history, math, or science. In consultation with a liberal arts advisor and an education advisor, you will have the opportunity to plan a major course of study that is designed to provide you with the content knowledge needed in your area of interest.
Students interested in teaching art must choose Elementary or Secondary licensure. Students interested in teaching Spanish must choose Secondary licensure. In consultation with a liberal arts advisor in art or Spanish and an education advisor, you will have the opportunity to plan a major course of study that is designed to provide you with the content knowledge needed in teaching art or teaching Spanish as a second language.