Thanks to a longstanding partnership with local secondary schools, BC’s future schoolteachers gained vital hands-on experience through a semester of student-teaching mentored by current educators inside actual classroom settings.
Often described as the most rewarding aspect of teacher licensure training at Bluefield College, the student-teaching component provides “in the classroom” experiences for BC senior teacher education majors, who work and learn alongside educators who have been in an actual classroom setting for many years.
“It’s a valuable opportunity for students to practically apply various theories presented in the college classroom,” said Dr. Donna Watson, chair of BC’s Division of Education, which recently received national recognition through accreditation with the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).
Ten BC students completed the on-the-job training this past fall, including Cody Bentley of Castlewood, Virginia; Allison Deel of Springville, Virginia; Emilie Hagee of Bastian, Virginia; Keri Joyce of Richlands, Virginia; Sarah Mitchem of Tazewell, Virginia; Jessica Moroles of Houston, Texas; Becky Perry of Newark, Delaware; James Shelton of Richlands, Virginia; Stefany Turner of Bland, Virginia; and Marianne Williams of Evington, Virginia.
They all spent the fall 2011 semester providing much needed assistance to local schools, while at the same time getting valuable practical experience as teachers in the classroom.
Bentley, the son of Anita and Danny Bentley, served as a student-teacher at Graham Middle School in Bluefield, Virginia, and Bluefield High School in Bluefield, West Virginia. At BC, he is a member of the Student Virginia Education Association (SVEA) and has been named to the President’s List for academic excellence. He also served as an ambassador for the 2011 McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching Excellence. Bentley is a graduate of Castlewood High School in Castlewood, Virginia.
Deel, the daughter of Greg and Stephanie Deel and a graduate of Graham High School in Bluefield, Virginia, completed student-teaching at Richlands Middle School in Richlands, Virginia, and Tazewell Elementary School in Tazewell, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and was a 2011 participant in the Teachers of Promise Institute. She also earned the college’s 2009 Academic Achievement in Music Award and has been named to the President’s List and Dean’s List for academic excellence.
Hagee taught at Bland Elementary School in Bland, Virginia, and Rocky Gap Elementary School in Rocky Gap, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA. Before BC, she attended Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. She is the daughter of Bruce and Jill Hagee and a graduate of Pulaski County High School in Pulaski, Virginia.
Joyce, the daughter of Timothy and Diana Joyce and a homeschool graduate, completed student-teaching at Richlands Middle School in Richlands, Virginia, and Cedar Bluff Elementary School in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and the Alpha Chi National Honor Society. She also participated in the 2011 Teachers of Promise Institute and was named in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities.
Mitchem, the daughter of Mark and Amanda Bailey and a graduate of Tazewell High School in Tazewell, Virginia, taught at Abbs Valley Elementary School in Boissevain, Virginia, and Rocky Gap Elementary School in Rocky Gap, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and served as an ambassador for the 2011 McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching Excellence.
Moroles, the daughter of Jesus Moroles and Dixie Christian and a graduate of Life Christian Academy in Houston, Texas, taught at Springville Elementary School in North Tazewell, Virginia, and Graham Intermediate School in Bluefield, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and has been named to the Academic Dean’s List.
Perry, the daughter of David Perry and Pamela and Donald Smith, completed student-teaching at Dudley Primary School in Bluefield, Virginia, and Bluefield Intermediate School in Bluefield, West Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and has been named to the Academic Dean’s List. She also is a graduate of Newark High School in Newark, Delaware.
Shelton, the son of Roy and Phyllis Shelton, taught at Richlands Elementary School in Richlands, Virginia, and Cedar Bluff Elementary School in Cedar Bluff, Virginia. At BC, he served as an ambassador for the 2011 McGlothlin Celebration of Teaching Excellence and is a recipient of the Gerald E. Clay Scholarship for Teacher Education. He also is a member of SVEA and is a graduate of Richlands High School in Richlands, Virginia.
Turner, the daughter of Steve and Debbie Scott and James and Teresa Hagerman, taught at Bland Elementary School in Bland, Virginia, and Rocky Gap Elementary School in Rocky Gap, Virginia. At BC, she is a recipient of the Gerald E. Clay Scholarship for Teacher Education and was 2011 participant in the Teachers of Promise Institute. She also is a member of SVEA and is a graduate of Bland High School in Bland, Virginia.
Williams, the daughter of James and Roxanne Williams and a graduate of Brookville High School in Lynchburg, Virginia, completed student-teaching at Graham Intermediate School in Bluefield, Virginia, and Springville Elementary School in North Tazewell, Virginia. At BC, she is a member of SVEA and was a 2011 participant in the Teachers of Promise Institute.
Since 1977, Bluefield College has graduated highly qualified educators who serve as outstanding teachers and administrators in public and private schools in Virginia and across the nation. In fact, last year alone, four BC teacher education graduates won Teacher of the Year awards in their respective schools, counties and districts.
“The training and personal attention I received at Bluefield College is what prepared me for a career in education,” said Raleigh-Liberty (WV) High School Teacher of the Year and Bluefield College alumna Leslie Lambert. “My success in the classroom can be attributed to the instructors at Bluefield College who took a personal interest in my success.”
Endorsed by the Virginia Department of Education and nationally accredited by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), BC’s Teacher Education Programoffers undergraduate programs for teacher licensure in elementary and secondary education, special education, art, health and physical education, music, biology, business, chemistry, English, history, information technology, mathematics, and social sciences.