Department of Education

Hood College develops exceptional teachers who have a strong foundation in content, theories of teaching and learning, and teaching methods. Our education programs are grounded in the sciences and liberal arts. Programs include elementary education/special education, early childhood education, and secondary education. The small class sizes provide an opportunity to build strong relationships with professors, develop a sense of community with other education students, and make connections between course content and actual preK- through 12th grade classrooms.

Our faculty are active in national professional organizations and in local schools as supervisors of teacher candidates. Faculty also serve as consultants for a variety of organizations and conduct research across multiple disciplines, including mathematics, science, literacy, and special education. Our full-time faculty all have doctoral degrees, considerable experience in the field of education, and content-area expertise.

Teacher candidates develop and teach lessons, assess student growth, and differentiate instruction to meet student needs. As a capstone project, they create an exit folio to showcase their learning and accomplishments. The exit folio is a tool that teacher candidates can then use in job interviews after graduation.

We believe that the education department at Hood College prepares educators who:

• Demonstrate the subject matter content, pedagogical knowledge, teaching skills and professional dispositions necessary to ensure that all of their students and clients learn. (CONTENT KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS)
• Use their knowledge of diversity to create learning environments that support the belief that all students can learn. (DIVERSITY)
• Use assessment data to guide practices that support the belief that all students can learn. (ASSESSMENT)
• Use technology to enhance learning. (TECHNOLOGY)
• Communicate effectively with students, families and colleagues in order to facilitate learning. (COMMUNICATION)
• Reflect on their practice and are committed to continued professional growth. (REFLECTIVE PRACTICE)
• Demonstrate ethics and integrity to show respect for the profession. (ETHICS and INTEGRITY)

Our Vision 

We believe that education is a scholarly pursuit, a science, an art, and a profession. Quality education is a fundamental right of every child and well-prepared educational professionals are integral to the success of students and society as a whole. To this end, the Education Department at Hood College strives to prepare and support future and current educators who are experts in both content and pedagogy, and responsive to meeting the diverse needs of every student.  Our programs aspire to develop reflective practitioners who continually improve their practice and advocate for the value of education.

Our Mission

The mission of the Education Department at Hood College is to prepare future and current educational professionals with the knowledge, skills, strategies and dispositions necessary to facilitate learning in a diverse society.