Adolescent Education

The adolescent education program at Keuka College prepares you to teach an increasingly diverse student population.

That’s in keeping with Keuka’s philosophy regarding teacher training. As faculty member Dr. Peter Kozik puts it: “You aren’t teaching math; you’re teaching people who learn in different ways and at different rates. We teach good teaching.”

Keuka’s adolescent education program focuses on developing strategies to develop and implement lesson plans, and how to evaluate their success. It is designed to get you thinking like a teacher.

Experiential, hands-on learning has been a hallmark of a Keuka education since the College was founded in 1890 and it’s embedded in the adolescent program.

For example, 75 percent of the Adolescent Methods course takes place in nearby Prattsburgh Central School. You will have direct access to working teachers and see how the theory you’ve learned in class is applied in a real world classroom. You will also get feedback on your teaching skills from these professionals. In keeping with state requirements, there’s also a 15-hour, special education field experience component, in which you’ll spend 15 hours working with special education students in in one-on-one, small-group, and other scenarios.

Then there’s Field Period: the annual, 140-hour off-campus learning experience required of all students. In terms of adolescent education, students take the concepts they learn in the classroom and apply them in real educational settings.

Keuka also stresses the importance of interdisciplinary knowledge and cooperation. You’ll work on a team with scholars in other fields, something teachers increasingly need to do in the work force, and it’s in keeping with the reality of education: Learning isn’t done in a vacuum and Keuka believes people teach stronger, smarter and better if they are part of a team.

At Keuka, our goal is to prepare professional educators for a lifetime of collaborative service and ethical leadership as they meet the needs of diverse learners in a variety of settings. You’re expected to master the content of your major — a 3.0 GPA is required — while studying and putting into practice multiple means of teaching students, assessing how each one learns, and evaluating their (and your) success.