The Future of Science
The Secondary Science Education student at Wheaton College receives a solid foundation in the liberal arts tradition and an interpretation of the scientific nature of God’s creation. Students are included in both the Education Department and the scientific discipline of their choice. Wheaton College has been granted program approval by the state of Illinois in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Physics.
The Wheaton Teacher Education Program (WheTEP) is an experience-oriented program and sees the teacher as an agent of change. Teacher candidates are challenged in the areas of scholarship, service and reform to become, themselves, students of teaching and learning. WheTEP is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and has a 100% passage rate on the Illinois Basic Skills Teacher Examination. The Department of Education at Wheaton College was presented the “Models of Excellence Award” for 2004 by the Association of Independent Liberal Arts Colleges for Teacher Education (AILACTE).
The natural sciences at Wheaton also have a long distinguished history. Founder Jonathan Blanchard realized that a working knowledge of the earth and its inhabitants is integral to a Christian Education. The continuation of this early commitment has enabled these departments to couple content knowledge with experiential learning and research for a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field of teaching.
Given the current national shortage of science teachers and our nation’s science literacy issues, there is an increasing demand for teachers who demonstrate a strong commitment to their profession. Wheaton strives for all of its teaching graduates to be champions for social justice. This will help to ensure that all children, regardless of any differences, are truly educated.