The Division of Education serves two purposes for Paine College. The Division provides programs of study leading to teacher certification, and provides the physical and health education courses offered in the Common Curriculum.

The programs leading to teacher certification are in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Middle Grades Education, and Secondary Education. Secondary programs are offered in Biology, English, History and Mathematics. These programs require students to complete the major in the discipline in either the Division of Humanities, Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics or the Division of Social Sciences. Students then complete required coursework in the Division of Education to qualify for recommendation for initial certification.

The Division of Education is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). All Teacher Education Programs are approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (PSC).


Goals

The Division of Education emphasizes teacher education goals that directly connect to the Paine College mission and vision and serve as a critical part of the Paine College higher education structure. The unit goals are further intertwined within the institution’s mission statement that expresses the need for graduates to acquire personal development, professional and vocational competence, and social responsibility. Further, the educational process at Paine College is grounded in the philosophy that liberal learning fosters the greatest possible development of each individual’s creative and intellectual abilities. To this end, the Division furthers the highest ideals of professional excellence and personal concern that model the College’s educational ideals in the classroom and throughout the community. To fulfill these principles, the Division has identified the following goals:

  1. to develop teacher candidates at the initial level who will foster positive change within the learning community through work, service, and leadership
  2. to ensure that candidates have the necessary skills to successfully communicate with the school community in order to grow professionally and to be a contributing member of their home, community, workplace, and the professional community
  3. to ensure that candidates possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be able to impact all learners in a positive way, and to ensure that candidates have the knowledge of diverse students and the skills necessary to provide culturally responsive instruction to meet the challenges and demonstrate respect for all learners.