At Madonna we are committed to preparing teachers who are caring, competent, and professional.

CARING: Madonna University is proud of its commitment to quality liberal arts education and its history of public service. As an independent Catholic institution, the University remains committed to its belief in the spiritual, educational and service-oriented mission: education for truth, goodness and service. The College of Education explicitly works to develop teachers who care about their students and our nation's schools. Faculty members nurture students through carefully planned instruction and thoughtful academic counseling.

COMPETENT: Madonna University provides its diverse student population with high quality educational opportunities. The College of Education enjoys the reputation of preparing teachers with excellent content area preparation and pedagogical skills. Students are required to complete programs that combine challenging academic study and extensive field experience.

PROFESSIONAL: The College of Education prepares teachers to meet the challenges facing professional teachers in our nation's schools. Our graduates, in addition to being excellent teachers, are capable of providing building and district level leadership for school improvement. We expect our graduates to demonstrate the highest level of professionalism in their teaching.

As the Dean of the College of Education, I am committed to three personal goals.

1. The program must offer high quality instruction and content.

There are over thirty teacher preparation institutions in the State of Michigan. In many ways, these programs are more similar than they are different. Madonna's College of Education faculty have decided to run a "high end" program because quality is valued by future students and school employers. We require an additional basic skills test because we want students in the program to be able to comprehend the complexities of today's schools and teaching methodologies. We pay particular attention to student writing because we know this skill is crucial in the professional life of a teacher. We have special coursework in behavior management, teaching exceptional learners, and using technology to enhance learning. Students spend their time and resources preparing for the teaching profession. I feel obligated to run a program worthy of this commitment. Madonna University is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). This organization accredits only the very best teacher preparation programs. Madonna has held this high status since 1981.

2. The faculty needs to nurture and support all of the students.

My second goal is to offer programs that nurture and support students. Running a program with high standards means that some candidates will not be successful. At Madonna University, we actively work to provide support services to help students meet our standards. Computer based tutorial materials are available to help students with basic skills problems. We have a writing center and many support services for students with special needs. Our goal is not to be an exclusive program. We strive to be both inclusive and supportive. The faculty in the College of Education are available to help students achieve to their highest potential.

3. The programs should meet the career long needs of pre-service teachers and in-service teachers.

Finally, the College of Education at Madonna wants to meet the needs of teaching professionals throughout their careers. We offer exciting programs at the associate's level for students interested in pre-school education. We offer teacher preparation for those interested in elementary teaching or secondary teaching. Madonna offers many choices of teachable majors and minors at both levels. The College of Education offers post-degree opportunities as well as five different master's programs for in-service teachers. We are constantly looking for new ways to help teachers be effective in their classrooms and leaders in their schools.

I am proud to be the Dean of the College of Education at Madonna University. It is rewarding to work with faculty who are committed to establishing a climate where students grow and learn. I hope you will choose Madonna University. It's a wise choice!