The Bell
National Honors for Gordon’s Education Department
Gordon’s Department of Education recently received national recognition for graduating top-quality teachers. The undergraduate elementary program earned the 14th spot, and the undergraduate secondary program came in 32nd out of 2,400 elementary, secondary and special education programs across the country included in the National Council on Teacher Quality’s (NCTQ) second edition of the Teacher Prep Review.
Gordon is one of only 17 institutions in the entire country—and the only school in Massachusetts—to have both elementary and secondary programs on the Top Ranked lists. “This ranking confirms the strength of Gordon’s teacher preparation program,” says Dr. Priscilla Nelson, associate professor of education and chair of the Department of Early Childhood, Elementary and Special Education. “We have a 100-percent placement rate for graduates seeking teaching positions. In fact, school districts frequently contact Gordon to recruit our teacher candidates; however, many receive immediate offers from the districts where they student teach. The ranking from NCTQ affirms Gordon’s strength in producing teachers who are classroom-ready right away.”
The Teacher Prep Review is an annual assessment of the country’s top education programs that examines 19 components of teacher preparation, including selection (admissions standards), content preparation and critical areas of training, such as early reading, classroom management, student teaching and more. The NCTQ, a nonpartisan research and policy organization, measures teacher effectiveness and works to ensure that future teachers are ready to lead the classroom when they graduate.
Above: Dr. Ellen Ballock, associate professor of education