I. Introduction to the Path

The path on which you are about to embark is exceptionally

rewarding and challenging. It is rewarding because you will

have many opportunities to work with children and young

people in a variety of school settings; it is challenging because in order to complete your program you must develop a range of skills and competencies that are required by the programs and by state licensing regulations, but also because the University of Evansville has a long and rich history of preparing teachers to very high standards.

This portion of the handbook provides a general overview and outline of how you will progress up the path. It is divided into four sections; the first presents our conceptual framework.  The second section presents a synopsis of the various courses and experiences, with special attention on the first two years. The third section, organized in somewhat  a similar fashion, presents the various tasks, checkpoints, and additional requirements that must be completed each year; these additional tasks are very important, because they provide you and the faculty with a way to insure you are making appropriate progress toward your goal of becoming a teacher. They also provide a way for both you and the faculty to make decisions regarding your career; that is, some students find, particularly after certain field experiences, that becoming a teacher is perhaps not in their best interests. There is, of course, no shame associated with making such a decision, because one of the central purposes of a university education is to seek out experiences and opportunities that match our talents and desires. The fourth section describes a number of extraneous but important aspects of your life as a teacher education student, and includes a brief description of some of the additional expenses you will incur throughout your program.