Education

The purpose of the education department at Covenant College is to prepare competent and compassionate teachers who practice their profession according to biblical guidelines in diverse educational settings. Candidates develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to become teachers who model life-long learning and faithful service to God as change-agents in society.

On this page Overview Graduate Outcomes Programs / Features Faculty Contact

Program Overview

The education department offers both undergraduate and graduate programs that lead to initial teacher certification in elementary, middle grades, and secondary education along with a variety of secondary content certifications. The elementary education major can also receive a special education endorsement. Additionally, Covenant offers an 11-month Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program. Our programs are academically rigorous and pedagogically current with a strong emphasis on field experiences.

In all programs, we strive to teach, learn, and lead in light of the admonition of Colossians 1:18 so that in all things Jesus Christ will have supremacy. We believe there is a profound difference between a teacher or leader who happens to be a Christian and a Christian educator who understands that everything is part of a larger, divine story. By God’s grace, we strive to produce Christian educators who are guided by the biblical story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration.

professor teaching students in classroom

Graduate Outcomes

Graduates from Covenant are now teaching and leading in public, private, and Christian schools around the US and in multiple foreign countries. We have learned over the years that when a school hires one of our graduates, the administration usually comes back looking for more Covenant grads to hire.

The education department offers a unique teacher placement service that assists students in obtaining a teaching position after graduation.

Teacher Placement Services include:

Creation of a credentials file
Distribution of a credentials file per request
Annual teacher recruitment event
Electronic database of teacher vacancies
Electronic directory of teacher candidates sent to schools

Haile Nottage ’17

Hannah Carroll ’17

Debbie Ertel ’93

Dr. Donaldson’s humility and her desire for us to learn the material well is so inspiring. She puts so much effort and care into what she teaches and into her students. This makes me want to become like her one day when I become a teacher.

Sarah Newsome ’20

Education major

Programs & Features

The education department offers two undergraduate programs: Elementary Education Early Childhood and Education Studies. Additionally, a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) can be completed at Covenant.

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An education minor is open to all students, but specifically recommended for students intending to enroll in the MAT program.

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The Covenant College Teacher Education Program is approved by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Upon graduation, students are eligible for the teacher certification in the state of Georgia as well as certification through the ACSI.

View GaPSC Information View ACSI Information

The certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) explores the fields of education, linguistics, English, and foreign languages to better understand how languages work and how to effectively teach a foreign or second language.

View Requirements

Students interested in pursuing teacher certification in Elementary Education (P-5) will enroll in EDU 121 Introduction to Teaching in the freshman year, if possible. This course provides an introduction to and exploration of teaching as a profession and includes 30 hours of field experience, which requires the student to pass a background check.

At the conclusion of EDU 405 Senior Field Experience and upon successful completion of coursework and fieldwork, Teacher Candidates will be granted Approval for Clinical Practice.

Clinical Practice should be considered equivalent to full-time employment. Students should be largely free from other demands on their time.

View Course Catalog

EDU 222 Educational Psychology
EDU 234 Teaching in a Pluralistic Society
EDU 361 Education of Exceptional Children
EDU 427 Diagnosis and Remediation of Math Difficulties
EDU 454 Organization and Management of the Elementary Grades Classroom

“The Importance of Handwriting in the Classroom”
“The Dual Language Model: Preserving and Developing Emergent Bilinguals’ Home Language”
“Who Has the Right to Direct the Mind?”
“Oppositional Behavior in the Elementary Grades and Appropriate Teacher Responses”
“Teaching Mathematics to Middle School Students with Learning Disabilities”

Meet the Education Faculty

Amy Bagby Associate Professor of Education

Jack Beckman Professor of Elementary Education

Sarah Donaldson Professor of Education

Jim Drexler Professor of Education

Lindsey Fain Director of Graduate Programs in Education

Gretchen Herwig Assistant Professor of Education

Elaine Tinholt Professor of Education

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