Education: Teaching, Schools, and Society

Salem offers a bachelor of arts with a major in Teaching, Schools, and Society with several interdisciplinary concentrations blending broad areas of study and foundational education classes: Advocacy (public policy, history, sociology, and psychology), Literacy (English, creative writing), Natural Sciences (bio, chemistry, physics, and earth science) and Social Sciences (history, sociology, economics, and political science).

Students in Teaching, Schools, and Society do extensive field experiences in local schools, including but not limited to observing, teaching lessons, and student teaching.  The result for them is opportunities to apply what they learned in the classroom to authentic school situations and get feedback from professors on their development as educators.

• For example, a required course for this program is Texts in Context. This course addresses young adult and children’s literature as a central relevance to K-12 education.
• A foundational understanding of this course is that education and literacy are key to the health of children and the overall health of communities.  Through a close examination of young adult and children’s literature, this course examines social determinants of health as demonstrated in literary works.

The teacher education program at Salem College is rooted in our history and grounded in our foundational belief that equitable learning opportunities should be made available for all students. Prospective teachers, Salem faculty, and school-based partners collaborate to promote lifelong learning for all students. The objective of the teaching, schools, and society major is to provide tomorrow’s educators with a broad understanding of the societal context in which twenty-first century schools operate. Though this major is not required to pursue teacher licensure, it is excellent preparation for teaching in the areas of elementary and special education.