Department Chair: Jan Westrick, Ed.D.
Miller Hall 227A, 219-464-5077
Jan.Westrick@valpo.edu

Links to Web sites:
Catalog: Department of
Education 
Department of Education
(department maintained)

Valpo Education Majors not only learn about the theory and methods of educational practice but gain hands-on classroom experience through extensive professional practice opportunities. Whether interested in teaching second graders about ocean animals or in introducing high school students to the French language, teachers of the future receive exceptional preparation in Valpo's Department of Education.

What Is Distinctive About Valpo's Program?

Theory and Practice:
At Valpo, education majors learn about the theory and methods of educational practice and gain hands-on classroom experience through extensive professional practice opportunities throughout their programs. Our education graduates serve students and communities throughout the world and at all levels of schooling.

Field work:
Students receive their first formal field experiences in their first education course, Introduction to Teaching and Field Experience. Field experiences are attached to course work throughout the program in Home, School, and Community Relationships; Learning Exceptionalities; the Elementary and Middle School “Junior Block;" and Literacy Diagnosis and Assessment; and student teaching. Students average between 150 and 200 hours of field experience prior to student teaching.

Student Teaching:
Students spend 12 weeks full-time with their cooperating teacher to complete the student teaching requirement during the Professional Semester which also includes the Senior Seminar class.

Extracurricular Activities of Education Students at VU:
Kappa Delta Pi – National Education Honor Society
Valpo’s Student Advisory Board
National teachers’ organizations such as National Council of Teachers of English, among others.

Tutoring: On-campus tutoring programs as well as off-campus tutorial programs at places like Hilltop House and the Valparaiso Community Schools.

Required Credentials for Beginning Teachers:
Bachelor’s degree and State of Indiana certification. Indiana has reciprocal certification agreements with 46 states in the U.S.

Graduates of Teacher Education Have Many Options after Completing Their Degrees:
Teaching positions in elementary, middle and high school in public, private, and parochial schools.
Education- related positions in publishing companies, training programs, and business.
Graduate school
Substitute teaching
Education-related positions in churches
Peace Corps
Overseas teaching assignments

National Honors:
Five Valpo Education graduates have received the Phi Delta Kappa Excellence in Student Teaching Award since 1999. Only five awards are presented nationwide each year.

Phi Delta Kappa Outstanding Student Teacher Awards:

1999-2000 Colleen Murphy………...Elementary Education
Brenda Christensen……..Elementary Education
2000-2001 Karla Huppe Elementary Education
2001-2002 Susan Doria Elementary Education
2002-2003 Jamie Buffington Elementary Education and Special Education

Indiana Association of College of Teacher Education: Outstanding Future Educators Award:

2005-2006

Brooke Busse, Elementary Education
Megan Coulter, Elementary Education and Special Education

John Engelhardt, Music Education

Michael Ross, Music Education

Kelly Winkelbauer, Elementary Education

2004-2005
Marianne Dooms, Elementary Education
Marion Hansen, Physical Education
William Marshall, Elementary Education
Stephanie Shevik, Biology, Secondary Education
Courtney Starin, Elementary Education

What Can You Do with an Education Major?

Degree, Skills or Experience Needed for Beginning Teachers:
A Bachelor's degree with State of Indiana certification requirements completed. Please note that the State of Indiana is presently updating its licensure program and will have available soon an early adolescent (middle school) licensure program that Valparaiso University's Education Department will incorporate in a program of studies similar to elementary and secondary education programs already existent beginning Fall 2002.

Kinds of Work Available to Graduates in Teacher Education Licensure Programs:
Public, private, and parochial school teaching is available. Additionally, many related educational opportunities exist in related fields and vocations.

Potential Employers:
Public school corporations and schools, Lutheran and other non-public schools, and positions in education-related fields and professions.

What Beyond-the-Classroom Opportunities Does Valpo Offer You in Education?

Extracurricular Activities:
Valpo Education students are involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities, including Kappa Delta Pi – National Education Honor Society, Valpo's Student Advisory Board, and National Council of Teachers of English, among others.

Tutoring:
Students have the opportunity to take part in on-campus tutoring programs as well as off-campus tutorial programs at places like Hilltop House.

Field work:
Students receive their first formal field experiences, usually in the sophomore year, attached to coursework Introduction to Teaching and Field Experience and Learning Exceptionalities. Field Experiences are attached to coursework through the program until student teaching (in the senior year). Therefore, students will average between 150 and 200 hours of field study/experiences prior to student teaching, of which approximately 40-50hours are spent actually assisting the classroom teacher in the instructional process.

Chicago Arts Program: The Chicago Arts Program is a 15-week semester of immersion in the Chicago artworld. The Program is designed for college students with a strong interest in the language, visual, performing, media and commercial arts, as well as arts education and community outreach.

Students live and study in Chicago, and work at a part-time internship. Participants attend events in a variety of artistic media, meet and interview guest artists and arts professionals, and write about and discuss practical and theoretical issues.  Click here for more information.


Notable Alumni
Charles “Skip” Bird (VU’62/’66), Retired English Teacher/swim coach, Walt Disney Coach of the Year 1993
Helene Boumann Debelak, (1973), 2005 Outstanding History Educator Award of the History Channel and National History Day
David Grimm (VU ’77) Head Cross Country and Track Coach – Luther North High School, Chicago, IL; State Class A Coach of the Year in both Boys
and Girls Cross Country and Boys and Girls Track several times in the last 20 years
Lois Niemier (VU “78), Founder and Director of Learning Solutions in Winona Lake, Indiana; The Educational Comprehensive Clinic at Lakeland Christian Academy, Warsaw, Indiana. and teacher training programs for the Archdiocese of Fort Wayne and South Bend.
Jim Wacker (VU ’60), Retired Head Football Coach, University of Minnesota.
Janice Yung (VU ‘66), Assistant Principal of Lutheran South Academy, Houston, Texas



RETURN TO COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES HOME PAGE