We offer you a dynamic blend of classroom excellence and practical, hands-on fieldwork. Our diverse academic programming and our balance of theory and practice equip you to be a great teacher, and to meet the needs of your students and your institution.
The Education Department offers programs leading to Initial licensure for teachers wishing to teach at the early childhood, elementary, middle school, middle-secondary, and secondary levels. Each program provides a balanced blend of theory and practice such that students will graduate with the knowledge and skills needed to become effective teachers.
"The Education Department at MCLA gives us so many tools to become effective teachers. The hands-on pre-practicum experience has really given me a sense of assurance that I can one day lead my very own classroom. The professors are all so welcoming, and I find that they especially encourage their students to strive for their best, knowing that we will someday be in their shoes." - Stephanie Karian '11, Teaching English at the National Center of Aesthetics, Gyumri, Armenia
The Education Department @ MCLA is thrilled to share that two of our current students have been working in MCLA’s Disability Resources Office, helping run and support the Assistive Technology Center on the first floor of Mark Hopkins Hall.
Paige Dufur, who is earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Education and working towards her teaching license in Early Childhood, has been working in the Center since the beginning of the academic year. Paige shared with us a bit about her work: “I began working in the lab in the Fall of 2023 as one of the two first peer technologists in the lab. We worked over the summer to buy new equipment for the lab and decorate it to be welcoming. I am the most familiar with the Smartpen assistive tech device and I train students on how to use them. I love working in the lab because I enjoy helping people, I relate to them with the disabilities of my own, and there is always something new to learn.”
Isabella Dill, who is earning her Master’s Degree in Education, is currently completing a full-time internship in the office. “I'm involved in various projects aimed at expanding my knowledge and experience. I've delved into learning about Assistive Technology (AT) through exploring the AT Lab at MCLA, learning about the different services and tools available to students. Every week, I convene with the Disability Resources and AT Lab teams to engage in collaborative sessions aimed at exploring and learning about diverse assistive technologies. I'm also working on organizing an open house for the AT Lab to increase awareness of the space and available resources. The goal is to foster collaboration with students and faculty from the Education Department. I also am arranging an event in the newly added Zen Den on Campus, focusing on promoting relaxation and self-care. Furthermore, I'm contributing to the promotion and curation of MCLA’s 100 Level Gallery, actively developing a virtual platform where information and artwork can be showcased and accessed. As well, I am collaborating with student mentors who led the Start Strong Program, which aims to support incoming students’ success in their transition to college. I am working to gather feedback and advocate for the program."
NORTH ADAMS — Even before COVID upended the world, Clio Stearns was already thinking about the lack of support for educators.
“Teachers need support,” said Stearns, assistant professor of education at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. “That’s always been true.”
Two years of the pandemic have only exacerbated that need. In districts across the county, Stearns said, “teachers are dealing with this tremendous emotional and behavioral fallout from kids who have lost people, they have lost secure economic circumstances, they’ve been through this massive upheaval and trauma.”
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Before the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts was the Massachusetts
College of Liberal Arts, it was North Adams State College.
Before that, it was the State Teachers College of North Adams.
Before that, it was the North Adams Normal School.
In 2020, there is nothing normal about the way teachers are trained.
When the world turned upside down in March, MCLA professor Nicholas Stroud, like educators
across the country, had to rethink how he teaches. But as the chair of the school's
education department, he also had to think about what he teaches.
As attitudes and practices around education change, so must educators—and the professors who educate them. The two newest members of MCLA’s Education Department, assistant professors Maggie Clark and Clio Stearns, know this well.
