Why Teaching? Why Belmont?
Why Become a Teacher? Many communities across the nation are facing a major educational challenge of a growing shortage of qualified teachers. The latest estimates for the Federal Department of Education suggest that America needs as many as 2.5 million new teachers over the next five years. Because of this, jobs for people with a background in teaching are expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
In addition, teaching is a profession that people with a passion for learning and a desire to share their knowledge and energy with others, find very fulfilling. A career in teaching can offer meaningful, important work.
Why Study Teaching at Belmont?
The programs at Belmont University's School of Education have been developed to carefully guide and support a community of teachers and learners. These flow from a framework that emphasizes collaboration between all components of the educational community and the need for teachers to continually build their intellectual understanding and teaching skills. Belmont teacher education programs were created to develop prospective teachers for kindergarten, elementary, middle and secondary schools.
Each program is based on three fundamental components. All candidates complete a fifteen-hour professional core, made up of courses in Foundations, Educational Psychology, Child Development and Special Education that include at least 75 hours of practicum. Candidates then move into their methods courses that are school-based, and, in the case of Early Childhood and Middle School licensure, require an entire semester in schools. Methods are followed by student teaching that covers an entire semester.
