Bluefield College | Christian College Virginia | Teaching License PreK-12 Degrees

Teaching License: Grades PreK-12

Teaching License: Grades PreK-12 Overview

At Bluefield College, a student whose passion is music, art, or physical education works within that major to obtain a Virginia Professional Collegiate License for grades PreK-12. Public school field experiences take place in the elementary, middle, and high schools, and are strategically placed within the required education courses for students to explore a variety of grade levels and class settings. A strong academic major prepares students to pass Praxis II: Content Area Assessments. Completing requirements for the teaching license and the bachelor’s degree within 4 years opens the door for graduates to obtain additional credentials through master’s degrees in a number of areas.

Quick Links

Licensure Areas
Field Experiences
Outcomes
Clubs and Organizations
Contact Information
Meet the Faculty

Teaching License: Grades PreK-12 Licensure Areas

The following degrees combined with required education courses and field experiences lead to the teaching license:

Teaching License: Grades PreK-12 Field Experiences

All students in the teacher education program participate in Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience Courses which consists of classroom observation and participation in public school, combined with seminars on campus for discussion and reflection. Topics include teaching strategies, student differences and classroom management. Prior to taking the field experiences classes, students enroll in a human growth and development class which includes a public school field experience focusing on child and adolescent development.

Student teaching takes place the last semester, usually spring of the senior year. To prepare students to work with different age levels, student teaching is organized into two placements: one at a middle level, and one at the high school level. Bluefield College faculty serve as the college supervisors for the student teachers, and the student teachers meet weekly for seminars. Throughout the semester, the student teachers build a professional portfolio which is presented to a faculty and school personnel panel for review and practice with interviewing skills.

Common sites for Field Experiences

Bluefield College holds partnership agreements with the public schools in Tazewell and Bland Counties in Virginia, and Mercer County in West Virginia. School personnel from these school systems are involved in the mentoring and assessment of our students.

Teaching License: Grades PreK-12 Outcomes

Students are placed in public schools with diverse student populations providing them with the experience of working with children who have different backgrounds and needs. In addition, college coursework emphasizes the teacher’s role in valuing diversity and maintaining high expectations that all students can learn.

Graduate Schools

Many graduates from the Bluefield College School of Education have successfully completed master’s degrees from various institutions including: Virginia Tech, Radford University, University of Virginia, and Concord University. Beyond that level, other students have achieved a doctoral degree from Virginia Tech. They have received master’s degrees in reading, guidance counseling, library science, educational psychology, curriculum and instruction, and leadership, as well as content areas.

Positions Held by Alumni

Graduates from the program are licensed for jobs throughout Virginia to teach in high and middle schools. Many other states recognize and accept the Virginia license without additional requirements.

Clubs and Organizations

Students belong to the Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA) which allows them to connect with the National Education Association and provides opportunities for leadership, service, professionalism and celebration of the profession.

Contact Information

Dr. Donna Hardy Watson

Office: 276-326-4475

Facebook

Twitter

Allison Deel

Class of 2012

"Without the teacher education program, I wouldn't be where I am today. The program helped prepare me for my first job as a band director, giving me the tools for everything from lesson plans to community building activities. Dr. Watson and Mrs. Owens made it feel like a second home, whether it was offering an encouraging word, helping with a lesson plan, providing amazing food, or just lending a listening ear. There was never any doubt that they loved teaching and wanted other future teachers to love it just as much!"