The College of Education & Allied Professions has teamed up with the student organization
WHEE TEACH to create a dynamic first year experience for our students interested in
becoming educators. Because we believe in a holistic approach to student engagement,
we created a first year experience that we believe will be educational, fun, fulfilling
and meaningful for our students. If you choose to be in the College of Education
& Allied Professions / WHEE TEACH learning community, here’s what your first year
could look like: You will enroll in EDCI 191-01 and LEAD 159. You will take one
of these during the fall semester and the other spring semester. You will live in
in Scott Hall, with a full residential support network to compliment the academic
cohort. You will also have the opportunity to join WHEE TEACH, a student organization
for education majors to further explore what it means to be a teacher and a leader
and to work with a group of sophomore peer mentors who are also members of Whee TEACH
and who were in this LLC last year.
EDCI 191 - Teachers, Schools, and Society LLC: What is Education For?
This seminar is designed to encourage exploration into how education transforms the
world that we see and how a limited world view impacts our thinking. As a community
of learners, we will study the growth and development of the learner, gain insight
into the nature of teaching, and examine the critical issues facing education in America
today. We will read articles, excerpts from books and watch films about education,
teaching and learning that will promote critical thinking and scholarly discussion
about who we are and how our education helps us refine our definitions of self. In
addition, this course provides a field experience opportunity for students to be actively
engaged with Pk-12 pupils in the local schools.
Faculty Bio: Pat Proffitt is a retired public school teacher of 31 years. She taught kindergarten,
second, and third grades as well as served as Lead Teacher for the last six years
of her teaching career. During that time, she has had extensive experience hosting
student teachers and interns as well as mentoring beginning teachers. She has served
WCU as adjunct faculty and model clinical faculty teaching the student teaching seminar.
She has been a presenter at the Beginning Teacher Symposium and Teachers of Tomorrow
Conference. After retiring from teaching in 2008, Proffitt has served as a University
Supervisor. She is currently a seminar teacher for the Teaching Fellows Program.
She was named Smokey Mountain Elementary Teacher of the Year two years and Jackson
County Teacher of the Year. Pat has also been awarded the WCU College of Education
and Allied Professions PEAK Performer award.
LEAD 159 Whee Teach: Leadership and Education
You will examine the principles of leadership through the thematic lens of education.
You will engage in a critical dialogue about teaching, leadership, engagement, and
active learning in a dynamic exchange with your peers and with your upper-class mentors.
You will explore diverse perspectives in educational opportunities for students in
the School of Teaching and Learning as you enhance your understanding and practice
of leadership skills for educators. As part of the Leadership Minor, this course
will also serve the needs of Education majors who choose to focus elective credits
toward the Leadership program.