Mission Statement
The mission of the Education Program at Pratt Community College (PCC) is to prepare Education majors with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to be successful in the teaching profession and enrich the communities they will serve. The mission of the Education Program drives the program including its pedagogy, field experiences, student engagement, and innovation. Content knowledge includes topics like school, governance, student issues, technology trends, learning styles, classroom management, and diversity issues. These enhance PCC’s mission by maximizing preparation for one of the most demanding of professions in a setting of excellence and optimum student learning.
CORE FUNCTION: Meeting the Kansas Teacher demands is the core function of PCC’s Education program. Majors are expected to gain both the knowledge and experience at the associate degree level.
Program Level Learning Outcomes
Outcome 1: Students articulate knowledge of foundational teacher concepts.
Outcome 2: Students demonstrate effective practices in planning and assessing learning.
Outcome 3: Students demonstrate an understanding of various aspects of diversity.
Outcome 4: Students are able to identify the rights and responsibilities of a professional teacher.
Contact Person’s Name and Information:
Meagan Etheridge, 620-930-8156, meagane@prattcc.edu
Program Features
PCC’s Education department offers Associate of Art and Associate of Science degrees, and features courses that are transferable to universities and colleges to contribute to the completion of bachelor’s degrees.
Foundations of Education is a course for all education majors. Specific to elementary education, the department also provides Children’s Literature, Children’s Health and Wellness, and Elementary School Art. Education students have the opportunity to earn one or two credit hours based on time spent in a classroom through an optional Observation and Participation experience. Associate degrees require at least twelve credit hours of education courses.
Secondary education majors will take Introduction to Education as well as courses in their teaching discipline. For the Secondary Education major, at least nine hours of electives in a particular discipline are required. This results in a discipline-specific education major, such as Math Education, Art Education, or Agriculture Education.
Visit the following link to view a transfer guide to Fort Hays State University: https://www.fhsu.edu/transfer/partner-schools/pratt/
Similar programs exist at other Kansas universities, as well.
Kansas Promise Scholarship Opportunities
Elementary Education program students from Kansas are eligible for the Kansas Board of Regents Promise Act Scholarship. This scholarship is a last dollar scholarship, which means that a student may receive a scholarship in the amount of aggregate tuition, required fees, books and materials minus all other financial aid (including grants and scholarships) that does not require repayment.
For more information:
https://prattcc.edu/financial-information/kansas-promise-scholarship-pr…
https://www.kansasregents.org/students/student_financial_aid/promise-ac…
Degree and Certificate Options:
Elementary Education and Secondary Education.
Career Options:
While a student must earn a bachelor’s degree in education to be certified as a lead classroom teacher, there are many reasons to pursue an associate’s degree in education. The three main reasons for pursuing college courses in education are:
1. To Begin a Career - Those who earn an associate degree in education may qualify for paraeducator positions such as teaching assistant and/or teacher’s aide. Some districts may offer additional pay to paraeducators who hold an associate degree. An associate degree holder has the potential for qualification as a substitute teacher with appropriate licensure through KSDE. An associate degree in education can also prepare students for entry-level careers outside of public schools, such as Head Start programs, before- and after-school programs, some private schools, homeschool programs, and daycare programs or facilities.
2. Explore the Education Career Path - An associate degree in education can be a good starting point for someone who is interested in teaching but doesn’t yet want to commit to a four-year degree. It can also be a way to explore whether becoming a teacher is right for the candidate.
3. Preparation for Further Study and Certification - As noted above, while an associate degree generally will not qualify candidates for certification as a classroom teacher, it can be a stepping stone on that path. Credit hours from an accredited associate’s degree program in education can typically be transferred to a bachelor’s program later. Upon completion of the bachelor degree in education and appropriate licensure exams, the candidate may pursue educational licensure through the state licensing agency.
Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission is the college’s accrediting agency.
Additional Information ---
Meagan Etheridge is a Kansas native resident and previous Pratt Community College student with 18 years of experience in the field of education. After graduating from Medicine Lodge High School, she completed an Associate Degree at Hutchinson Community College.
After obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education at Fort Hays State University through a pathway program at PCC, Meagan went on to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Special Education along with a certification in Building Level Administration from Fort Hays State University.
Meagan has also completed a District Level Administration program at Southwestern College and a graduate degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at the University of Kansas. She is currently finishing her Doctorate Degree in Education Administration at Southwestern College.
Education and teaching have always been a passion for Meagan. She has worked as a paraeducator, teacher, behavior specialist, building administrator, district level administrator, and college instructor. Spending quality time with her family is also a top priority for Meagan as she enjoys attending sporting events and outdoor activities with her family.