Sometimes we take things for granted. I have been the dean of the TCU School of Education for almost seven years and I am well aware that the teachers, counselors, and administrators we graduate are exceptionally well prepared. But early in the spring semester a new supervisor of our student teachers sent a note about how amazed she was at the quality of our student teachers. She could not believe they were so skilled in teaching and classroom management and that they were so able with children of many different abilities. I should not have been surprised at such praise, but I was.
Every spring semester we send 35 to 40 students to Canada and Mexico and many countries in Europe to complete part of their student teaching. After each such experience, we hear from our counterparts in Denmark, the Netherlands, Hungary, England, and other countries about the excellent abilities of our students. They say they want even more of our students in the future. They also show how much they value TCU by sending their students here. Each year we receive between eight and 10 students from other countries who come to study for one semester or the whole year in the College of Education. I should not be surprised at these compliments, but I am.
Our graduates are proud of their programs; one in counseling wrote, “Over the last couple of weeks, I have attended meetings with many of my former classmates. You would be so impressed to hear all of the TCU people speaking up about how counseling programs in schools are supposed to look and sharing the benefits of solution-focused therapy in the schools." Our graduates in educational administration play significant campus-level and central-office roles all across the metroplex in both public and private learning institutions. All of our graduates are strongly sought after for employment and it is common for them to earn awards early in their careers. Since rarely a week goes by without hearing something outstanding about our students or our graduates, it is difficult to understand how I could sometimes take the efforts of faculty, staff, and teachers in school systems with whom we work for granted, but I do.
I am asking you not to do as I do. Each faculty and staff member, alum, and friend of TCU should appreciate and acknowledge, publicly and profusely, the excellence in the College of Education. All of you need to know that our graduates are exceptionally well prepared. We need you to brag on us – especially with local and state politicians and SBEC and TEA board members. Whatever you can do to help spread the word of the good works of your School of Education will be appreciated. Your support will help us make an even greater impact on education in Texas, the southwest, and the nation.
Because of your generous help, I will share what is becoming less of a secret. Given the advances in graduate programs, including the two doctoral programs now available, and the impressive work of our faculty and students, the College of Education will soon be “promoted” and will be called the College of Education. We are proud of this new honor and will work even harder to live up to our new responsibilities.
Sam Deitz, Dean
