Willimantic, CT — Since it was founded as the Willimantic State Normal School in 1889, Eastern Connecticut State University has prided itself on training future educators for Connecticut. The National Council on Teaching Quality recognized the university’s dedication to scholarship by ranking Eastern’s teacher preparation programs as the most outstanding in all of New England.
Crediting the intensity of the curriculum, Jacob Easley, who is the Dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies at the university, stated “The Education Unit, working collaboratively with our N-12 partners, seeks to maximize high impact practices that prepare future educators to positively impact learning among diverse student populations.” The education program has wholly devoted itself to producing and preparing dedicated, disciplined teachers who have a desire to be the best at their craft. Dr. Easley reaffirmed this through his statement: “Continuous improvement is the cornerstone of our work, aligned with professional standards while focusing on instructional and school effectiveness.”
The elementary education program, which focuses on producing teachers between the kindergarten and sixth grade level, was ranked as the top teacher preparation program of any kind in New England. Their accomplishments did not stop there, however, and they were also ranked the 8th best education program in the entire nation.
The secondary education program is also achieving enormous success and was rated as one of the top three programs in the region, and top 50 in the United States in its respective field.
Eastern’s education department competes with some of the most prestigious universities in the country by continuing to produce teachers that utilize the nuances of pedagogy in order to create learning environments where students feel engaged and comfortable.