To support the general purpose, four specific purposes or emphases of the teacher education program have been determined. Candidates and professional education faculty model effective teaching strategies and approaches, classroom management techniques, and other skills, in order to increase the understanding of all students. Candidates and professional education faculty are reflective thinkers who review and analyze their teaching performance in order to grow and improve as teachers. Candidates and professional education faculty use and model critical and creative thinking, decision making, and other skills relative to solving problems Each of the emphases is founded in the philosophy and is considered to be an important part of preparing teachers for tomorrow's schools. Each is further defined and clarified in the paragraphs below as it is practiced in the program at Athens State College.
Performance implies action.
Teaching is an active profession. A candidate may remember the steps in a lesson plan or be able to discuss a variety of classroom management techniques, but the same candidate may not be successful in a classroom full of students. Successful candidates must be able to translate many kinds of knowledge into appropriate and effective teacher behavior. Practice in performing the tasks of a teacher must begin early in the professional program and continue through the internship. Evaluation of candidates in the professional program at Athens State University is based on both knowledge and performance.