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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE
About Prescott College Prescott College began in the 1950s, a time of optimism and growth when leaders of a small town in the stunningly beautiful pine and chaparral country of central Arizona were searching for a new cultural identity. Dr. Charles Franklin Parker, minister of Prescott’s First Congregational Church and Prescott College founder, drew on the Congregationalist tradition of founding some of America's leading colleges and universities, beginning with Harvard in 1636 and extending to some 50 other institutions, including Amherst, Smith, Middlebury, Dartmouth, Yale, Oberlin, Grinnell, Whitman, Colorado, Pomona, and Scripps. Dr. Parker announced the ambitious project of creating the Harvard of the West, Prescott College.
Making a Difference in a Changing World . . . Many of the philosophical and educational principles that form the foundation of Prescott College emerged in 1963 in a significant conference of state- and nationally-known leaders from higher education, funded by the Ford Foundation’s Fund for Post-Secondary Education, Business, and Industry. These principles crystallized around a central goal: to produce the leaders increasingly crucial to successfully meeting the challenges of the changing world.
Dr. Parker’s vision for “a pioneering, even radical experiment in higher education” and his aim “to graduate society’s leaders for the 21st Century who would be needed to solve the world’s growing environmental and social problems” seem especially prescient today. Humanity is coming to terms with the fight against global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic, and ecological effects. Society looks to new models of education to better prepare students of all ages for their role as global citizens. A New Educational Paradigm
Center for Indian Bilingual Teacher Education The Center for Indian Bilingual Teacher Education (CIBTE) is designed to meet the needs of Native American paraprofessionals, teachers, and aspiring teachers living on rural Indian Nations who want to earn the bachelor of arts degree and a teaching credential simultaneously. CIBTE delivers courses onsite through mentored studies, provides personal support and counseling, helps students to develop their own individualized graduation requirements, encourages students to work cooperatively, and supports integrating native language and culture into student programs. Prescott College is a member of the Navajo Nation Teacher Education Consortium and works closely with tribal entities to assist students with scholarship opportunities. Prescott College also offers scholarships specifically intended for Native American students. For more information visit http://www.prescott.edu/academics/teachercert/cibte.html or contact Dr. Vicky Young at vyoung@prescott.edu.
Over a half century of leadership in developing and refining such new educational models has kept Prescott College in the forefront of schools that seek to address these urgent issues facing human societies in our times. The College's tradition of educating with ethics, vision, and sensitivity supports Prescott College students as they become the leaders the world needs now and in the decades to come.
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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE
About the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Program Assisted by a generous grant from Helios Education Foundation, Prescott College is putting the power of education back into the hands of Arizona’s Native American reservation communities. The funds provide scholarships; a faculty member experienced in culturally appropriate education needs for reservation and rural communities; individualized support for the development of students’ language and literacy skills; and value-added support for students of the Navajo Nation in Northern Arizona, the Tohono O’Odham Nation in Pima County, and other Arizona reservation communities.
munities understand the educational and cultural needs of their local areas better than anyone coming from the outside. Native American students are given an opportunity to use their work experience, language, cultural background, and knowledge to advance indigenous/tribal education. According to Dr. Young, the Helios Early Childhood Education Program will equip early education teachers to provide children with culturally appropriate language and literacy skills for language preservation, and foster development of ongoing academic success for their future in the K-12 school system. Additionally, through a community-
“Through a combination of Helios Education Foundation–funded scholarships, Federal grants, and Prescott College grants and scholarships, it is our intention that most Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars will enroll in Prescott College’s B.A. Degree Program in Early Childhood Education, leading to the Arizona teaching credential with all costs fully covered.” Dr. Vicky Young “Students in Arizona’s reservation and rural areas who are considering early childhood teacher certification, and who had believed a college education was beyond their financial reach, now have the opportunity to further their education,” says Prescott College’s Coordinator for Native American Students, Dr. Vicky Young. As part of the Prescott College low-residency Bachelor of Arts Program, the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Program provides Native American students the opportunity to complete a bachelor’s degree and earn Arizona teaching credentials while continuing to live in their home communities. Dr. Young describes the program as a “revitalization” of the existing Center for Indian Bilingual Teacher Education (CIBTE). “With this grant, we’re building on a rich tradition of providing educational opportunities to Arizona’s underserved populations,” she explains. The overarching belief behind CIBTE is that Native American people who have grown up in reservation com-
based model of education, students are able to honor and maintain family, community, and cultural ties while pursuing degrees. “The purpose of this program is to train and place certified early childhood education teachers in leadership roles in schools on their reservations or in their home communities. All Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars are strongly encouraged to regard the obligation to teach in a high-need field in a school serving low-income students after graduation as a core principle of this program,” notes Prescott College President Dr. Dan Garvey. “Our hopes are to honor culture, preserve language, and cultivate community leaders among Arizona’s Native Americans. “We are grateful Helios Education Foundation shares these same hopes.”
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Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars The purpose of this program is to train and place certified early childhood education Native American teachers in leadership roles in schools on their reservations or in their home communities. Students eligible to be admitted to Prescott College as Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars: • Are low-income (Federal Pell Grant eligible) tribal affiliated Native American Arizona residents. • Have a minimum of 60 completed college credits (associate’s degree is preferred but not required). • Agree to major in Early Childhood Education at Prescott College leading to the Bachelor of Arts Degree and provisional certification through the Arizona Department of Education.
additional aid such as Federal TEACH and Pell Grants, plus Prescott College grants, to fully cover tuition, fees, and other program costs. Continued funding each semester until completion of degree requirements is contingent on students’ making satisfactory academic progress and continuing to meet all financial aid eligibility requirements (see page 26 for details).
Federal Teach Grant It is preferred, although not required, that Helios scholars meet the qualifications for the Federal TEACH Grant Program: • A minimum transfer grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. • Agree to serve as a full-time highly qualified teacher in Early Childhood (including Pre-K), in an identified high-need field, at a low-income elementary school for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after completing the Bachelor of Arts degree. Applicants who do not meet the Federal TEACH Grant GPA qualification or who do not agree to the Federal TEACH Grant service obligation are encouraged to apply to the Helios Early Childhood Scholars Program but will be ineligible for Federal TEACH grant funding and will need to secure alternative funding (complete details regarding the Federal TEACH grant program and alternative sources of funding may be found on page 26 of this catalog). Although not a requirement of the Federal TEACH Grant Program, Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars are strongly encouraged to meet their service obligation in a school located on a Federally Recognized Indian Reservation in Arizona. For purposes of the TEACH Grant Program, any public or private elementary or secondary school listed in the Department’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits qualifies as a low-income school. Any elementary school operated by the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) – or operated on an Indian reservation by an Indian tribal group under contract or grant with the BIE – also qualifies as a lowincome school, even if it is not listed in the Department’s low-income school directory.
Helios Education Foundation
Financial Support for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Students who are admitted to the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Program receive the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholarship and may receive 4
The Helios Education Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals in Arizona and Florida by creating opportunities for success in post-secondary education. The Foundation's community investments are made across three impact areas: Early Childhood Education, the Transition Years (grades 5-12) and post-secondary Education. For more information, visit the Foundation online at www.helios.org.
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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE
Bachelor of Arts Degree Adult students face unique challenges balancing school, work, and home and family responsibilities. Prescott College’s Low-Residency Bachelor of Arts Degree program provides flexibility and freedom to students. With the assistance of experienced faculty, students create programs of study that best fulfill their interests, dreams, and goals. The ideal student for this program is self-directed, has had prior success with independent learning, is enthusiastic, and can articulate his or her educational goals. The Bachelor of Arts Degree is intended for returning adult students who are seeking to advance their undergraduate and professional experience, change careers, or engage in advanced academic work for personal or professional gain. Each student pursues an independent-study-based curriculum in collaboration with Prescott College faculty. The student completes this coursework in the home community through the assistance of locally based, qualified mentors. This flexible structure allows students to maintain their family and work life while they study at a distance. The number of transferable credits and an estimated time to complete the degree may be established through a pre-admissions transcript review and preliminary advising session with an admissions counselor. Completion of the B.A. Degree in Early Childhood Education through the Helios Scholars program is anticipated to require two years of full-time enrollment.
Teacher Certification Program Early Childhood Education
the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Standards, Interstate New Teachers Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles, and the International Society for Technology in Education/National Education Technology Standards for Teachers (ISTE/NETS). Upon successful completion of the teacher preparation program, students apply to the College for an Institutional Recommendation (IR), which facilitates the students’ receipt of provisional certification through the Arizona Department of Education. Degree-Seeking Students In order to qualify for an undergraduate degree, students must successfully complete all College graduation requirements, including a base minimum of 120 semester credits. Students agree that they will: • Adhere to all College policies, be aware of all Program requirements, and demonstrate academic integrity throughout their program, • Adhere to study contract and evaluation deadlines, and complete the student electronic portfolio requirements, • Obtain an Arizona fingerprint clearance card, required prior to student participation in all field experiences, • Complete individually tailored degree programs in Early Childhood Education that contain 100 specifically designated Program semester credits (49 in the competence/major, plus one 3-semester-credit elective in the competence/major and 24 semester credits in each of the two breadths/minors).
Introduction This program is for students seeking a teaching credential to work with young children, in two age groups, birth to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/eight years of age. Students may fulfill the Arizona provisional teacher certification requirements in Early Childhood Education while earning a bachelor’s degree. The program includes academic coursework; structured performance assessments of teacher knowledge, skills, and abilities; and field experiences, including a capstone practicum experience that takes place in two six-week settings, one in each of the two age groups. All coursework, assessments, and field experiences align with state and national standards, including the Arizona Professional Teaching Standards, the National Association for
Students may transfer to the College previously or concurrently completed coursework and credits that meet the curricular standards established by the College for Early Childhood Education and may identify, with their faculty, appropriate elective semester credits to meet or exceed the College graduation requirement of 120 semester credits. However, students must complete a minimum of 24 upper division semester credits in coursework and their 8-semester credit practicum with Prescott College to be eligible for an Institutional Recommendation from the College. • Complete the course Explorations in Interdisciplinary Studies, which houses the “limited-residency” requirements for Prescott College students, and is a part of 5
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the Program-designated coursework. • Complete the Arizona Structured English Immersion (SEI) course requirements, two sequential courses for a total of 6 semester credits included within this total designated number of Program credits. • Complete at least one Liberal Arts Seminar. • Demonstrate writing and mathematics proficiency, which includes submitting a research paper for faculty approval. • Pass the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessment (AEPA) in Early Childhood Education professional knowledge and content knowledge. Students planning to obtain certification in a state other than Arizona are responsible for research into that state’s certification requirements to ensure compliance. • Complete the College’s Graduation Portfolio requirements and apply for an Institutional Recommendation from the College at the successful conclusion of their programs.
Emphasis of the ECE Program and the Expected Outcomes for ECE Students ECE courses emphasize current educational research and theory as well as practical experiences in the classroom. Students will demonstrate competence in educational principles and experiential strategies. They will apply their learning in problem solving situations in their courses and practicum assignments as they provide young learners with the skills, knowledge, and tools of successful learning. The Program requires students who are dedicated, informed, and resourceful learners; these are the same qualities teachers need in order to provide a dynamic, learner-centered classroom for their students. The Early Childhood Education Teacher Preparation Program emphasizes student-centered learning through: • Knowledge of state and nationally identified core competencies, standards, and emerging expectations for professional practice • Participative, experiential instruction involving learners in action, discussion, and thought-provoking activities • Classroom management techniques stressing praise and positive regard, social and emotional development, conflict resolution, and enhancing student motivation • Development of critical thinking skills, interdisciplinary learning, and technological competence in support of teaching and learning • Use of multiple teaching strategies and assessments based on variations in learner styles and in language and cultural backgrounds within school-based teaching settings • Sensitivity to the environment and to various teaching and learning contexts • Commitment to professionalism, ethical behavior, and continued professional development • Knowledge and utilization of community involvement, resources, and opportunities 6
Evaluation of Competence Evaluation of an Early Childhood Education teacher candidate’s competence is based upon successful completion of all required coursework, a thorough assessment of key formative and summative artifacts submitted at designated points during the student’s program, completion of a standards-based student electronic portfolio with all required components, and results of active assessment of the candidate’s performance in sustained authentic classroom teaching experiences.
Early Childhood Education (ECE) Program Bachelor of Arts Degree Course Sequence In order to qualify for an Institutional Recommendation (IR) leading to Arizona Early Childhood Education Certification, students must complete 49 semester credits in education coursework. A minimum of 24 upper division credits and an 8-semester credit practicum must be completed with Prescott College. Students must meet all other College credit or program completion requirements identified for their levels of study. Students must pass the Arizona Educator Proficiency Assessments (AEPA) in both Early Childhood Education professional and content area knowledge (students planning to obtain certification in a state other than Arizona are responsible for research into that state’s certification requirements to ensure compliance). Foundation and Theory Coursework: Foundations of Early Childhood Education (ECE) (3 credits) Child Growth and Development (2 credits) Social and Emotional Development (3 credits) Curriculum Development and Implementation (3 credits) The Exceptional Child and Special Education Processes (3 credits) Educating for the Future: Multicultural and Environmental Issues (3 credits) Assessment and Evaluation (3 credits) Methods: Early Language and Literacy (3 credits) Parent, Family, School, and Community (3 credits) ECE Instructional Techniques and Methodologies (2 credits) Health, Safety, and Nutrition (2 credits) Child Guidance and Classroom Management (3 credits) Characteristics and Practices in a Young Child’s Behavior (2 credits) Structured English Immersion Methods (3 credits) Advanced Study in Structured English Immersion (3 credits) Capstone: Practicum (in the two required age groups: birth to pre-K, and K to age 8) (8 credits total)
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INTRODUCING PRESCOTT COLLEGE
College Without Walls Knowledge Without Boundaries Education Where You Live and Work Prescott College students complete their coursework wherever they are – in rural communities, small towns, and large metropolitan areas – without interrupting jobs, family life or connections to their own communities. Students live in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and throughout the West, Pacific Northwest, and New England.
Hybrid Low-Residence/Online Instruction Model Prescott College’s low-residency programs are unlike any other educational experience. We combine self-directed, individually mentored, and online distance education with a limited residency requirement. This approach offers students the opportunity to design a meaningful program, which is carried out with the support of faculty and mentors (professionals from your home community) who work with you in your chosen field of study. Mentored courses combine tutorial and traditional independent study. Students meet weekly with their mentors, at times and locations that are mutually convenient, to discuss material and review progress. Our individually mentored approach to education results in a Student/Faculty ratio of 1 to 1. Many core courses are also offered online to small student cohorts by Prescott College core faculty.
Education Unplugged The College’s academic programs are “unplugged” from such conventional practices as the departmentalization of knowledge, confining learning to the classroom and textbooks rather than real experience, and thinking of college as preparation for life rather than life itself. Prescott students learn critical thinking and research and how to apply them to real-life problems and their own passions by living them, testing them out in real time.
An Emphasis on Teaching At Prescott College, faculty view students not as consumers but as co-creators of their educational experience. This approach empowers students to direct their own education. Faculty and advisors work with each student to co-create an individualized concentration within a degree area. There is a firm belief that the best learning is collaborative and the best teaching is individual. Like professors at other distinguished colleges and universities, Prescott College faculty author books, publish in prestigious journals, speak at international conferences, and receive competitive grants to support their research and creative work. What distinguishes Prescott College faculty is a commitment to put their students first. While faculty are supported and encouraged to make strides in their fields, they are first and foremost passionate educators, emphasizing teaching over research and other scholarly activities.
Student-Directed Learning Education at Prescott College has its roots in the fundamental idea that the student is in control of her or his learning, and learns best through self-direction and real-life experience. Programs of study at all levels are individualized; no two students will take identical paths. Prescott College is a place to envision your educational goals, design your course of study, and complete coursework with the advice of an expert. This collaborative approach ensures valuable learning for teacher and student alike. Students work at their own pace, driven by their own passions and guided by experts in their chosen fields. 7
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SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Pauline Begay ’95 Mentor, Elementary Education
Dr. Pauline Begay ’95, Prescott College alumna and Superintendent of Apache County Arizona Schools, was recently appointed as the Arizona tribal representative on the Governor's P-20 Coordinating Council for education reform. Her lifelong passion for education, particularly bilingual education, is evident from her career and educational journey.
mentors as to how we should be teaching our Native American students,” including how to integrate traditional language and culture into the curriculum, she noted. Pauline fears that young Native Americans can lose a sense of self if they lose their native language: “Knowing the Navajo language helps students transfer their skills more easily into other areas. Students become more knowledgeable, and if they know their culture they know where they come from and have higher self-esteem,” she says. “After my program at Prescott College I just wanted to go on and on, to learn as much as I could in education. I became more focused on what career path I would take after I graduated.” Pauline went on to earn a master’s degree in education with an emphasis on American Indian leadership from Oklahoma City University, and a Ph.D. in education from the Fielding Graduate Institute in California. Her dissertation, titled “Drum and Sing Out the Language,” explored the ways Navajo music can be utilized to teach
“As a Native American, Navajo person, I know that being a role model is very important to the other Native American students. I know you can do it if you put your mind to it! The door is wide open to the world. I know that every day I make a difference wherever I go. “I’m just thankful that Prescott College was there when I needed it, and gave me the right career choice in education.” In the 1970s Pauline taught for Head Start, followed by a decade as a bilingual resource teacher. It was during her time at the Language and Culture Center with Window Rock Unified School District in Arizona that she became aware of Prescott College. At the time, the College had an office in Window Rock, which made it extremely convenient for her to enroll in evening classes after work. As a single mother of six children, Pauline needed a lot of flexibility in her school schedule. Prescott offered her the flexibility she needed as well as the opportunity to explore subjects she is passionate about. “I especially appreciated the discussions with my
the Navajo language – not unlike other cultures’ use of the ABC song and nursery rhymes.
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SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Preserving Language and Culture through Education Barbara Goodluck Morgan M.A. ’06 works to pass on Navajo language and culture by creating educational standards for the Navajo Nation After many years of experience in Navajo classrooms, Barbara Goodluck Morgan M.A.’06 sought a way to address some of the challenges of creating and delivering effective bilingual education within a Native American cultural tradition. She enrolled at Prescott College after a personal friend, Kee Ike Yazzie, and tribal judge Carol Perry both told her about the College’s flexibility and quality of education.
For her Prescott College master’s thesis, Barbara created a curriculum for Alamo Navajo grades six through eight that includes historical, social, geographical, and economic information on Alamo that teachers can build on for classroom presentations. Barbara has expanded on her Prescott College studies in her position as Senior Education Specialist at the Office of Dine Culture, Language, and Community Services under the Department of Dine Education in Window Rock, Arizona. Is the work she’s doing making a difference? Barbara believes that when it comes to the future for Navajo children, the answer to that question is yes. “[We are making a difference by] training their teachers, giving them technical assistance in infusing Navajo language and culture into all of the studies. The curriculum needs to have cultural relevance; we don’t learn Navajo history from textbooks made somewhere in Texas.” 10
Her experience at Prescott College, she says, helped to facilitate the knowledge and awareness she now brings to her work. “There is no stopping change. My life on the Navajo Nation changed because I saw the world differently. As a result of reading Paulo Freire (and many others), I began to see things I had never seen before. My studies led me to understand some mysteries, like [the fact] that Navajo people dwell in a state of shock. When a Navajo person is unable to take the best from domineering cultures and keep the best from the ancient ways, they will encounter depression. “This depression is generational and can cause deep wounds that can only be healed by serious ceremonies. The ceremonies that were used for all time to help us to heal are being replaced by American medical practices. The ironic thing is that American medicine is finding that our therapeutic ways and holistic approaches to healing are lately being proven to work. My world view has changed to always be open to my cultural ways, for accepting the philosophy of my grandmothers as being true and viable.” Barbara began her studies at Prescott College in the Adult Degree Program completing her teacher certification. She graduated in 2006 with a Master of Arts in Education: Bilingual Curriculum Development. Now in her 60s, she has worked as a certified teacher in New Mexico and Arizona for 12 years, is on the Prescott College Alumni Board, and has helped to develop curriculum standards for the Navajo Nation to help preserve the Navajo language and culture. A mother of four, Barbara began her college education at the Rhode Island School of Design, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico in 1987. She has made and sold art throughout the years alongside her educational and other career pursuits.
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SOCIETY’S LEADERS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Katherine Mike ’08
Claude S. Endfield
Management in Early Childhood Education
Mentor, Early Childhood Education
“I truly believe that I make a difference in the Navajo Head Start Program. The confidence and knowledge I’ve gained through my studies at Prescott College relates directly to my work operating a $4 million dollar program. I’ve learned how to work with other people more effectively as well, treating them with a higher degree of respect and understanding. “I chose the [low-residency bachelor’s] program at Prescott College because it is so flexible and allowed me the time to continue working while pursuing a degree. The most meaningful part of the program has turned out to be the focus on environmental and cultural issues tied to each area of study. “That approach to learning is applied to students as well. Prescott College staff has a way of taking into consideration the knowledge and abilities you already have while [guiding students] in building your courses, as well as demonstrating an understanding of your specific environment and cultural perspective. In this way, each mentor I’ve worked with has brought out the best in me.”
Prescott College Early Childhood Education Mentor Claude Endfield grew up wanting to be a teacher. She became convinced that this was the right career path while serving as a Head Start parent volunteering in her children’s classrooms, where she recognized a need for skilled aides to assist teachers. A 35-year resident of the White Mountain Apache Reservation, Claude has been involved in Early Childhood Development since the mid 70s, when she completed an associate’s degree at Northland Pioneer College. She’s been a faculty member at Northland Pioneer College since 1988 and now works directly with five high schools in the region, all but one of which operate their own childcare centers. This fifth-generation Arizonan is also working alongside her own children and grandchildren to develop the Apache Family First program. "Once you get into the field, you never want to leave. Your interest becomes more intense the longer you work with kids," she explained. Claude also serves as a consultant on early childhood education to Indigenous groups across the nation. She has conducted workshops for the Yupik Eskimo Head Start workers in Bethel, Alaska; been a repeat presenter at several Three Feathers conferences and National Tribal Child Care conferences; and served many years as a grant panelist in Washington, D.C., for funding Head Start programs.
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ACADEMIC PROCESS
Academic Process: How the Program Works A Community-Based Approach to Education Prescott College’s low-residency undergraduate programs are for students of any age and background who wish to complete Bachelor of Arts degrees while remaining in their home communities, and without sacrificing personal or professional lives. Students benefit from the guidance of faculty members, experts in their particular fields, to design learning experiences that integrate their passions and educational goals and meet career objectives.
Prescott College’s low-residency programs are considered to be hybrid models, using a combination instructional model. This approach integrates individual faculty/mentor and student face-to-face instruction with limited residency and online distance education opportunities. We refer to this model as Community-Based Mentored Study. This means that each of our students’ home communities are extensions of the Prescott College learning community. With the guidance of core faculty, students create study contracts with local mentors who support the students’ learning in one to three courses each semester. Support for students is also available through the main campus in Prescott, Ariz., and through an expanding number of bioregional hubs around the state and country. One of these important bioregional hubs is located in Tucson, Ariz. The Tucson Center provides Tucson and southern 12
Arizona undergraduate students with admissions counseling, academic advising, administrative support, and opportunities for interaction and networking with fellow students. In addition, the Center occasionally hosts workshops of interest to the undergraduate students.
Active and Collaborative Learning Prescott College employs an active and collaborative learning model rooted in experience. This focus on experi-
ential learning is a true strength in preparing students to step effectively into their chosen career fields. The enhanced opportunities for direct experience at Prescott College provide optimal time for students to engage in guided application of methodology, management, and theory. Real-world classrooms serve as the sites of “apprenticeship” for Prescott College students. A Prescott College education is based on the belief that experiential learning is the most effective model through which students learn. Anchored in Constructivism and supported by ongoing attention to studies of cognition, faculty members believe that students learn through the sense-making processes (experiences) in which they engage, and that acquiring new information depends upon each student’s prior knowledge and the degree to which new information can be connected by the student to this prior knowledge.
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ACADEMIC PROCESS
This approach holds that learning depends upon social interaction and opportunities to use language (written, spoken, read, thought), which cause the learners’ understandings and ideas to become explicit as students engage in conversation and discourse and receive feedback. Faculty members understand that learning is situated – tied to the specific situations in which the construction of new knowledge and understandings occur – and that learning is strategic. With this understanding in mind, faculty members help learners to acquire both simple and complex strategies to assist them in constructing knowledge and understandings when presented with new information.
from other limited-residency programs is the fact that students have the opportunity to study face-to-face with experts in their field who live in the students’ home communities. For this reason Prescott College intentionally uses many persons outside the regular educational institution as mentors who contribute significantly to students’ undergraduate experience. Further, by involving committed practitioners in their programs, students can better design their programs to anticipate the demands of working in their chosen field upon graduation. Working with local mentors, students build a network of professionals in their field of study that often lead to rewarding intern-
“One of the most valuable skills you should gain from Prescott College is enhanced networking prowess. If you have reason to believe that your community is comprised of potential mentors, then get your networking and head-hunting hat on! Seeking out the unfamiliar will serve you well in life’s myriad endeavors.” John Douglas Archer ’08, Horticulturist, Botanist, and Sustainability Strategist
Expert Guidance … There are at least three people actively engaged with the student’s program at any given time: • The Student • The Core Faculty Member • The Mentor Students work closely with both a Prescott College core faculty member, to devise a degree plan for their program, and local mentors in their individual courses. For each mentored independent study, the student-mentor-faculty team determines course objectives, activities, and methods of evaluation. Mentors provide community-based expertise for each course, and students receive human contact and support throughout the program. In addition, mentors provide students with a valuable network of professionals in their field of study. These connections often lead to internships, recommendations, and jobs. Core faculty members both advise students and teach some basic or extended courses within the programs. New students are individually matched with an appropriate core faculty member who provides support and oversight of their degree program and helps students individualize their curricula as they move through the program. To ensure that new students have the proper tools and support to succeed, core faculty also teach a required Explorations in Interdisciplinary Study course.
Individual Mentoring … and Online Any society should include among its educators its best artists, scientists, writers, musicians, dancers, physicians, lawyers, and other specialists. What distinguishes the Prescott College’s low-residency undergraduate program
ship and employment opportunities. In this model students direct their own learning, using mentors as course resources and guides. Mentored courses combine tutorial and traditional independent study. Students meet weekly with their mentors, at times and locations that are mutually convenient, to discuss material and review progress. Students can schedule vacations or special events by agreeing on a make-up schedule with their mentors. This format fosters the development of initiative, organizational ability, and motivation to learn. In some cases, mentored study takes place in small classes or cohort groups. Students normally take no more than three courses with any one mentor. Being ready and able to identify local mentors is one of the more challenging aspects of being a Prescott College low-residency student. In academic programs and in geographical areas where Prescott College has extensive experience, core faculty and support staff can often assist students in finding suitable mentors. Mentors must meet or exceed the College’s criteria for mentor credentials, which include a minimum of a master's degree, substantial teaching experience at the college level, or alternative demonstration of expertise. Mentors are paid a small stipend for their services and are typically found at universities and community colleges, at local elementary and high schools, and in business and other professional fields. Prescott College’s low-residency undergraduate programs use a combination instructional model involving individual face-to-face instruction with limited residency and online distance education opportunities. Prescott College uses an open-source learning management system 13
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called Moodle to improve networking opportunities among students, faculty, and staff, as well as to offer some courses in key areas where students may have difficulty finding mentors. Students taking Moodle courses still design unique contracts.
courses of study throughout the first semester. Orientation also provides students with an opportunity to meet and interact with faculty and staff in person, an opportunity that past students tell us is key to understanding the College’s unique approach to college-level study. Because Orientation is a substantial part of the residency requirement and has proven essential for successful completion of the program, attendance is mandatory.
Personalized Curriculum
Limited Residency The Prescott College low-residency undergraduate program is a unique college experience that requires more than the usual amount of student initiative and engagement. Although students complete their courses in their home communities, they are required to be in Prescott once during their entire program of study for a three-day Orientation at Prescott College. Orientation gives students a detailed overview of the program and marks the start of the cohort course Explorations in Interdisciplinary Study. This course prepares new students for success in their individualized 14
The low-residency B.A. offers students the flexibility and freedom to design their own studies. With the assistance of experienced faculty, students create individualized programs of study that best fulfill their interests, dreams, and goals. Education students pursuing teacher certification complete a list of required courses within a structured curriculum that meets state standards. However, within this structure, the program’s model allows students to incorporate activities that enhance learning and bring students into real-world situations likely to be encountered in the teaching profession. Because of this unprecedented freedom, curriculum development is often considered one of the most exciting features of the program. Core faculty and mentors assist all students in choosing appropriate activities for their courses. Core faculty will encourage students to research their fields of study and develop a solid list of courses that form the basis for each individualized program. All students work with a curriculum committee that helps them structure their programs to meet the low-residency B.A.’s academic standards. The most important component of the student’s curriculum is the development of study contracts (course syllabi). Students design and write a study contract outlining course objectives and activities for each course. Mentors and students discuss the format of the course at their first meeting and agree upon the content of the contract during the next few meetings. Mentors and students determine how the student will be evaluated in each course. Students may request a grade, or credit with no grade. Credit is granted only for a grade of C or better. The methods of evaluation (papers, discussion, projects, and/or a learning journal) are described in the course contract and approved by the core faculty member. Explorations in Interdisciplinary Study All new students seeking their first bachelor’s degree begin their programs with a required course taught exclusively by Prescott College faculty, Explorations in Interdisciplinary Study. In this course, students learn how to
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ACADEMIC PROCESS
create their courses and identify their mentors, experts in the student’s field who live in the student’s own community. They also learn new networking, library, writing, technology, and research skills to apply in their respective fields of study. By the end of the Explorations course, each student will have completed a detailed Degree Plan that lays out what courses the student will take to demonstrate competence in her or his field and satisfy all graduation requirements. Core faculty work closely with students in all phases of the course, which is completed in the student’s first semester.
rative evaluation of student work is the norm. Each course ends with the student and the mentor each completing a narrative evaluation that considers the learning objectives laid out in the study contract and the degree to which those objectives were met over the length of the course. Any student may opt to receive letter grades for all courses in addition to the narratives; this is a choice that students make after they consult with core faculty at Orientation. All narrative evaluations become part of the student’s permanent file and may be used to calculate a grade point average in future years, if necessary.
Liberal Arts Seminar Degree-seeking students are required to take a second course, Liberal Arts Seminar. Multiple sections of Liberal Arts Seminar are offered each semester, and students may take one or more sections after completing their first semester. The core faculty who teach these seminars create the conditions for students to apply the methods and perspectives of the liberal artist, which include critical thinking, reading, writing, and discussion, to selected aspects of the human experience. The seminar encourages students to examine their lives and values and carry their findings into their professional and personal futures. In this way, the seminar aims at enhancing the liberal education of all students as a complement to their individualized curricula.
Demonstration of Competence Prescott College believes that for learning to be fully assimilated, it must be applied in an authentic setting working through real-world challenges. As a capstone experience, students are required to complete a Senior Project (also known as a Demonstration of Competence) that typically involves an internship, service-learning, or experiential immersion in the student’s competence area. For example, Teacher Education students demonstrate their readiness to teach through supervised student teaching in a public or private school. A student with an Expressive Arts competence might create a collection of paintings for exhibition in a local gallery or curate the work of others as an intern. Community organizing, designing and delivering sustainability workshops in one’s hometown or composing a grant proposal with members of a local nonprofit are other examples of Senior Projects. Some students may complete their Senior Project with prior experiential learning through the Life Experience Documentation process.
Degree Planning With the guidance of core faculty, students create a curriculum that is academically sound, balanced, and personally meaningful. Student research, consultation with core faculty, and experience with mentors culminate in a document known as the Degree Plan, which students should submit by the end of their first semester. The Degree Plan (DP) lists all completed and proposed courses in the competence, an elected breadth (i.e., minor), and the Liberal Arts breadth. This curricular road map allows the student to plan ahead for future coursework and know how long it will take to finish the degree. Once the DP is approved by core faculty, it is reviewed by a faculty committee to ensure that it is feasible and appropriate to the student’s goals and the requirements of the low-residency B.A. This document becomes part of the student’s permanent records and provides evidence to future employers or graduate schools of the intentional nature of the student’s academic program.
Other requirements To complete the program, students must additionally meet the Mathematics and Writing Proficiency requirements of the College. Students meet the Math Proficiency requirement by passing a brief written examination or completing a college-level math course as approved by the core faculty member. The course may be completed as a mentored study or at another institution. Writing proficiency is demonstrated primarily through the submission of a formal research paper that meets the low-residency B.A. Required Research Paper Guidelines. Students’ writing is evaluated in their first semester, and the core faculty may require additional writing courses or activities of any student whose writing skills could hinder progress toward the degree.
Narrative Evaluation Students who do not like the idea of becoming a number at a traditional college or university tend to be the same students who prefer not to be assigned numerical or letter grades for their work. In the low-residency B.A., nar15
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ACADEMIC RESOURCES
Academic Resources Prescott College Library
Student Life
Prescott College provides access to library services and resources essential for attaining superior academic skills, regardless of where students and faculty are located. The Library supplements its collection of books, periodical subscriptions, and audio and videocassettes with electronic access to thousands of additional resources through online journal and newspaper databases. Librarians work with students to develop competency in new and traditional research techniques. They offer instruction in using online resources, provide books and journal articles, and assist students in learning to use their local resources. They also provide instructional and informational handouts, many available online, to help navigate the Library and its resources. The Library encourages and supports independent learning, and assists users to become familiar with, and to critically evaluate, information resources in a variety of formats. For further information contact the Library at (928) 350-1300 or (877) 350-2100 ext. 1300. Web site: www.prescott.edu/library. Email: library@prescott.edu. Off-campus students can request any circulating book in the library’s catalog. The 30-plus libraries in our county library network permit Prescott College to send their books to off-campus students. The College covers the cost to mail the books to students, who then cover the cost of mailing back to the library. This increases the College’s available collection to over a million books.
Career Services at Prescott College provides counseling services to assist students with career development. A dynamic program of assessment, education, and personalized career counseling is offered to promote awareness of options and choices in the present and the future. Services include: individual career counseling; résumé, cover letter and portfolio development; interviewing techniques; job search strategies; local, regional, national, and international employment listings; and access to local and national volunteer and service-based learning opportunities through the Prescott College Ripple Project.
Value-added support for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Personal support and counseling of a dedicated Helios ECE core faculty member who assists students: • With an individualized program of study • With integration of native language and culture into students’ courses and academic program of study • With mentored study in students’ home communities • To connect to tribal education and scholarship offices to assist with educational opportunities and funding (e.g., Navajo Nation Teacher Education Consortium (NNTEC) and Office of Navajo Nation Scholarship and Financial Assistance (ONNSFA)) • To work and learn from their roles as educational paraprofessionals
Health Insurance Prescott College offers an optional student Accident and Sickness Insurance. A copy of the insurance plan is available at www.prescott.edu/student_services.
Housing Services Student Services maintains an updated list of rentals throughout the tri-city area. This list is available under Housing on the Student Life page of the Prescott College web site. Look under the section for short-term, temporary options. The Student Services Housing Coordinator is available for all student housing questions.
Services for Students with Disabilities The Academic Counselor/Learning Specialist works with students with learning-related differences and disabilities. Any requests for academic accommodations must be supported by appropriate documentation. For further information contact Student Services at (928) 350-1005 or (877) 350-2100, ext. 1005.
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Faculty
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Jen Brown Education Associate Faculty M.A.T.C., Rhode Island College, Elementary Education, 1991; B.S., University Of Rhode Island, Natural Resource Science.
Jennifer began her career in education teaching Environmental Education. Her experience includes teaching for the Rhode Island Audubon Society and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire. She also spent time in North Carolina teaching for the National Wildlife Federation. After teaching environmental education for several years, Jennifer moved west and taught the early elementary grades in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. She spent three years on the Navajo/Hopi reservation in Northern Arizona. Jennifer also spent one year teaching on the Jacarilla Apache Reservation in Northern New Mexico. She enjoys working with the diverse group of students at Prescott College. She also enjoys hiking and spending time with her family.
Danny Brown Program Development Director for Teacher Professional Preparation Programs M.Ed., Northern Arizona University Educational Leadership, 1995; B.S., Ball State University, Secondary Education, 1988.
Danny has spent over 20 years in the southwest and brings a wide variety of educational experiences to the College. He spent 12 years as a public school principal, including time on the Navajo Indian reservation and with the Jicarilla Apache Nation in New Mexico. Danny brings experiences, both in teaching and administration, at all levels, K-12. He spent 8 1/2 years teaching social studies at the secondary levels and enjoys studying the history of the state. As educational reform is in the forefront across the nation, he sees that we must prepare teachers for the rigors of this paradigm shift. “It is critically important, however, that post-secondary institutions maintain their philosophy and mission in preparing teachers as all students can learn and learn in different ways.” Danny is currently involved with West Yavapai Guidance Clinic as a member of their Board of Directors. He also enjoys hiking, camping and spending time with his wife and two young boys.
Paul Burkhardt Dean, Adult Degree and Graduate Programs; Chief Academic Officer Ph.D., Comparative Cultural & Literary Studies, University of Arizona, 1999; M.A., Comparative Literature and Literary Theory, University of Arizona, 1993; B.A., English and American Literature, University of Arizona, 1991.
Paul grew up in the border town of Yuma, Arizona, and remains deeply committed to the people and places of the Arizona/Sonora border region. Paul believes that student learning and faculty scholarship can be most effective and transformative when integrated through participatory, field- and community-based projects. Paul’s academic background in interdisciplinary cultural studies focuses on the role of cultural discourses around the built and natural environment in movements for socio-economic and environmental justice in western communities. Paul has developed these interests into a range of interdisciplinary, community/field-based learning environments on topics such as Fire, Water, Desert Lands, Community-based Management, and Social Movements. Paul has held faculty and administrative positions at various institutions including the University of Arizona, The College of The Bahamas, and Arizona International College.
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Deborah Heiberger Education Core Faculty Ed.D., Educational Administration Supervision, University of Maryland, 1986; M.S., Educational Administration/Supervision, University of Maryland, 1975; B.S., Elementary Education, Towson University.
Deborah completed a thirty-one-year public school career K–12 in Maryland as teacher, assistant principal, principal, supervisor, executive director, and assistant superintendent in January 2001. In 1995, she began working as an adjunct faculty member with several Maryland colleges including McDaniel College and Towson University, teaching a range of graduate and undergraduate education courses and specializing in curriculum theory and standards-based curriculum design, performance-based assessment, and advanced instructional methodology. Deborah relocated to Tucson, Ariz., where she worked with teacher candidates and as an adjunct faculty instructor for the University of Arizona. Her long-time interests in education include Constructivism as a theory of learning, standards-based program reform, leadership, organizational theory, and school-based administration. Deborah is currently providing leadership to Prescott College’s teacher education re-accreditation process with the Arizona Department of Education as Coordinator of Educational Assessment.
Janice Kempster Director of ADP, Liberal Arts Associate Faculty and Coordinator of Online Academic Development, Prescott Ph.D. in Higher Education Leadership, Colorado State University, 2008; M.A., English, Northern Arizona University, 1997; B.S., English, Lewis Clark State College, 1993
In her teaching, Jan focuses on creating access and opportunity for learners. Her focus includes creating accessible courses in live and online environments, and utilizing technology in ways that enhance learning. She applies her 10 years of higher education teaching and technology experiences to assist Prescott College students and faculty with their learning needs. Jan’s doctoral dissertation at Colorado State University explores how the organizational cultures of higher education institutions have an impact on women’s abilities to negotiate those cultures and advance within them. Jan was a river guide in the Grand Canyon and in Idaho for 12 years. She has a great appreciation and love for the rivers of the West. She is also a novice horsewoman and longtime lover of dogs.
Vance Luke Education Core Faculty, Tucson Ph.D., Secondary Education, University of Arizona, 1988; Ed.S., Educational Media, University of Arizona, 1985; M.Ed., Educational Administration, University of Arizona, 1979; M.Ed., Elementary Education, University of Arizona, 1973; B.F.A., Art Education, University of Arizona, 1970.
Vance taught in the Arizona Public Schools for over thirty years, both as an elementary and secondary school teacher and as a Project Specialist in magnet schools. During his last ten years in public schools he also served as a Prescott College mentor and graduate advisor. Vance enjoys working with students in the areas of instructional design and implementation and the visual arts. He is presently illustrating a children’s book he wrote when he was teaching.
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Beth Scott Education Faculty Ed.D, Educational Leadership, Higher Education, University of Rochester, 2007; C.A.S., Educational Administration, State University of NY at Brockport, 2000; M.A., Linguistics, University of Rochester, 1975; B.A., Secondary Education, French/Spanish, State University of NY at Buffalo, 1972
Prior to joining the faculty at Prescott College Tucson Center, Beth worked in higher education for over nine years at the SUNY Geneseo Ella Cline Shear School of Education and the University of Rochester Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, coordinating all field placements for student teachers. She was a public school teacher for 17 years, with 12 of those years in the Rochester City School District. She holds teaching certifications in French and Spanish for grades N–12 and a Certificate of Advanced Study as a school district administrator in New York State.
Gary Stogsdill Liberal Arts/Education Associate Faculty, Prescott M.A., Community College Education, Northern Arizona University, 1990; B.A., Elementary Education, Prescott College, 1986.
Gary has a long relationship with Prescott College, first as a student in the Adult Degree Program in the mid-1980s, then as faculty for the Resident Degree Program from 1990 to 2003, and since 2004 as faculty for the Adult Degree Program. His interests include education, spirituality, energy healing, and creative mathematics. He designed and mentors the course Mathematical Explorations to give ADP students a more holistic and anxiety-free option for meeting the math proficiency requirement at Prescott College.
Vicky Young Education and Liberal Arts Core Faculty, and Coordinator for CIBTE and Native American Students, Prescott Ph.D., Human and Organizational Systems, Fielding Graduate University, 2007; M.A., Human and Organizational Systems, Fielding Graduate University, 2004; M.Ed., Educational Leadership, Northern Arizona University, 2001; M.Ed., Counseling with an emphasis in Human Relations, Northern Arizona University, 1999; B.A., Human Services, Prescott College, 1995.
Vicky has lived in the Philippines, Iceland, and Indonesia, and the richly diverse communities of Philadelphia, Key West, San Ysidro, and San Diego. Vicky provides academic and administrative support for Native American students in the Center for Indian Bilingual Teacher Education (CIBTE). She is the Director for the Prescott College four-year early childhood education project funded through the generosity of Helios Education Foundation. She serves on the Navajo Nation Teacher Education Consortium. She believes the mission of education is to promote understanding and respect so as to educate students who will enhance and honor our environment and diverse world community. As a social change agent, Vicky supports activities that improve people’s lives. She now serves on the national UNOS/OPTN Living Donor Committee helping formulate public policy and law to advocate for and protect the rights of living organ donors.
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Early Childhood Education Course Descriptions Foundations of Early Childhood Education (3 credits) The aim of this course is to provide early childhood educators with broad foundational knowledge of the social, cultural, historical, theoretical, socioeconomic, environmental, legal, financial, ideological, and political dimensions of early childhood education. This involves gaining knowledge and experience in the two developmental and instructional levels, birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. The course challenges students to think about commonly held ideas and learning strategies, and to begin to understand the influencing factors within the learning environment. Each student will actively engage in developing a personal perspective on the functions and purposes of early childhood education (ECE). Students will develop a critical multicultural perspective that reviews the more recent schooling reforms, including but not limited to the Leave No Child Behind Act of 2002, within the broader implications of early childhood education in federal, military, state, public, private, and tribal systems. The student will examine the impacts of education on the natural environment and the diverse human community. In this course students begin compiling academic and professional resources and materials for their ADP studies and ECE career. Child Growth and Development (2 credits) Through this course students will learn about theories of child growth and development. The course will include content on stages of typical cognitive and physical growth for children in the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Students will focus on children’s development through learning theories including research on brain-based cognitive development, multiple intelligences, natural and place-based environments, and culturally-appropriate approaches to learning. Critical to an educator’s professional development is the teacher’s ability to create age-appropriate learning strategies and environments that enhance young children’s physical growth and cognitive development. Social and Emotional Development (3 credits) Through this course students will investigate theories of social and emotional development as they relate to the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8, which can include the work of E.L. Thorndike, Howard Gardner, Albert Bandura, L.S. Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, and Daniel Goleman. In studying social intelligence, students will develop a grasp of children’s ability to understand and relate to people, including intra- and interpersonal intelligences. This will include a familiarity with the five characteristics and abilities of emotional intelligences: 1) self-awareness, 2) mood management, 3) self-motivation, 4) empathy, and 5) managing relationships. In addition, students will learn to demonstrate comprehension of why social and emotional health is fundamental to effective learning, and why children must have an understanding of themselves and how they best 22
learn. The course will offer an overview of how the brain and emotions work, and the neuropsychology of emotions. Students will also investigate cultural and environmental factors that influence social and emotional development. Curriculum Development and Implementation (3 credits) Through this course each student will create developmentally and culturally appropriate curriculum for early childhood education, as well as classroom implementation, for the two developmental and instructional groups, birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Curriculum will encourage active exploration and the opportunity for self-discovery by the children, along with teacher-initiated or -selected activities. Each student will create integrated thematic units and lesson plans for mathematics, natural science, literacy, language arts, social studies, art, music, movement, educational play, and social/emotional development. Students will explore curriculum applications that can expand out of the classroom into the natural learning environment for both ECE groups, while ensuring that the curriculum embraces appropriate multiple cultural perspectives. The course will help students develop an understanding of the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) curriculum standards and benchmarks. The Exceptional Child and Special Education Processes (3 credits) Students in this course gain an understanding of the physical, social, and cognitive characteristics and classifications of the exceptional child in the two developmental and instructional groups, from birth to prekindergarten and from kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Through high expectations set by developmental specialists and educational professionals, students will learn strategies for the inclusion of all young children with disabilities and other challenges. The course will examine the implications for inclusive practices for children in both indoor and outdoor educational environments. Through this course students will learn the required compliance with the local, district, state, federal, and tribal special education laws, rules, policies, and regulations. They will develop appropriate modifications to meet the social, cognitive, and physical environment requirements in order to optimize exceptional children’s learning needs. The course offers students the opportunity to examine the strategies of the team of educators, parents or guardians, therapists, and support people who help exceptional children maximize their learning opportunities during the two developmental phases in order to reach their highest potential. Educating for the Future: Multicultural and Environmental Issues (3 credits) The focus of this course is to strengthen students’ environmental and multicultural awareness. The course will explore the emerging issues in multicultural and environmental education focusing on the two developmental groups, children from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. The course is interdisciplinary in nature, examin-
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ing the relationships among education, culture, and environment. Students will acquire foundational knowledge of theoretical issues and concepts, learning to identify real issues in today’s world for young children. Through personal action, students will develop personal, societal, and educational perspectives on cultural and environmental issues. Assessment and Evaluation (3 credits) Educators must become familiar with the current research on the assessment and evaluation of young children in the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8, and of their classroom activities and environment. This course will focus on using assessments to evaluate how young children learn starting at birth; to understand how to monitor the young child’s progress; to determine levels of young student’s knowledge and skills; to ensure that developmentally and age-appropriate systems are in place; and to guarantee that educators use the young child’s language(s) and culturally appropriate instruction. The assessment tools evaluated will support individual student progress, a variety of learning styles, and the diverse abilities of young children. In analyzing the different types of assessments, students will consider their characteristics, cultural application, uses, advantages, and limitations. Assessments will consider observable behaviors, student-initiated and adult-facilitated activities, learning in indoor and outdoor environments, anecdotal record keeping, and portfolios of children’s work as means to document progress. Through this course students will develop competence in reporting, as required and appropriate, young children’s progress to parents or guardians, educators, school/district, health care, and community, tribal, state, and national governmental agencies. Early Language and Literacy (3 credits) Through this course the student will study early language and literacy, including development and acquisition of oral language for children in early childhood education (ECE) placements, in the two developmental phases from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. The emphasis is on developmentally appropriate language development, teaching phonological awareness, personal name and letter recognition, print awareness, and prewriting skills. Students will develop a culturally and developmentally appropriate repertoire of songs, poems, rhymes, and finger plays, and a library of classroom readings and literature appropriate for children in the two developmental phases. Each student will engage children in learning through literacy materials that honor their local natural environment. Students will become familiar with the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) essential components of reading and the Early Childhood Language and Literacy Standard and concepts. They will also engage in activities that meet the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Performance Standards. This course is a major component of the ECE program of study. Parent, Family, School, and Community (3 credits) This course focuses on the social, emotional, and psy-
chological aspects of child, parent, family, school, and community relationships for young children in the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Each student will develop technology-based and other types of outreach strategies to create links and materials that can facilitate a communication flow to and from the parent or guardian, family, school, and community resources. Students will become competent in understanding the diversity of the families and the community, including looking at culture, languages, genders, abilities, family and social structures, ethnicity, and socioeconomic, environmental, and educational factors. In this course, students will develop professional practices that will honor and engage the young children’s family cultural traditions, customs, and celebrations in the learning process and curriculum. Furthermore, each student will create learning opportunities that appropriately enhance and embrace the natural and human communities. ECE Instructional Techniques and Methodologies (2 credits) Students in this course investigate instructional techniques and methodologies in early childhood education settings for the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8. These can include curriculum that uses culturally and developmentally appropriate practices; different types of activity/learning centers; individualized and differentiated instruction; educational play; and multi-sensory approaches. Each student will develop instructional techniques and methods for teaching subject-area knowledge in art, music, literature, language, reading, movement, mathematics, natural science, and social studies. In this course, the student will create strategies to formulate a consistent and predictable early learning environment, including activities in indoor, outdoor, and community-based arenas that offer young children ways to be challenged and grow to their capacity. Health, Safety, and Nutrition (2 credits) This course will focus on procedures to protect the health and safety of young children in the two developmental phases, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8, at home, in the community, and while engaged in learning and school environments. Students will explore methods to develop and promote healthy lifelong habits, including the fundamentals of good nutrition, rest, and exercise. The course will examine cultural and environmental factors that can impact the health, safety, and nutrition of young children. Students will engage in research to reveal how brain development, nutrition, and safe environments are related; they will develop skills to share knowledge with families and the greater community in order to provide the safest possible environment for young children 24 hours a day. This course will advocate for the educator to establish appropriate and safe human and natural community interactions inclusive of the local environment (e.g., plants, animals, firefighters, public safety officers, and medical personnel). Furthermore, the student will understand the importance of developing curriculum to encourage safe and vigorous movement, active exploration, and opportunities for self-discovery by the children. 23
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Child Guidance and Classroom Management 3 credits) This course will focus on child guidance and classroom management procedures to protect the health and safety of young children in the two developmental groups, from birth to prekindergarten and kindergarten to grade three/age 8, and to optimize learning opportunities in all early childhood settings. Students will examine cultural and environmental factors that can facilitate and enhance learning strategies for all young children. Through this course the student will develop an understanding of how the physical layout of the learning environment or classroom and outdoor play areas can impact child guidance and classroom management strategies. The early childhood educator will help young children learn developmentally appropriate skills for self-awareness, mood management, self-motivation, and empathy in order to create positive relationships with other children and adults. Characteristics and Practices in the Young Child’s Behavior (2 credits) This course will focus on recognition of the range of typical and atypical behaviors in young children in the two developmental groups, from birth to prekindergarten and from kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Students will explore practices that facilitate a learning environment where the young child can develop his or her own physical, social, and cognitive skills and age-appropriate behaviors. Using the knowledge of age-appropriate behaviors, the student can develop practices that will enhance children’s critical thinking, good health, and physical development. Students will investigate behavioral factors for both indoor and outdoor learning situations, including appropriate behavior in the classroom, on playgrounds, and during community visits and field trips for children in both phases of development. This course will examine cultural and environmental factors that can support developmentally appropriate behaviors in young children. Structured English Immersion Methods (3 credits) This course, the first in a two-course sequence, provides teacher education students with an introduction to Structured English Immersion (SEI) issues, challenges, and methods designed to meet Arizona State Board–approved standards for pre-service and in-service teachers of English Language Learners (ELL). Students will examine ELL Proficiency Standards, assessment strategies and tools for use with ELL, and SEI foundations and strategies. The course will review the standards, strategies, and tools with a focus on ELL needs of the two developmental groups, from birth to prekindergarten and from kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Students will gain the competence to teach in an inclusive classroom, maximizing opportunities for proficiency in oral and written skills as a result of research, observation, and practicum experiences. Through analyzing disaggregated data, students will learn to differentiate instruction and parental involvement. Students must obtain, for use with this course, specific study and professional materials as designated by the Arizona Department of Education. This course meets ESL Endorsement requirements in conjunction with other coursework.
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Advanced Study in Structured English Immersion (3 credits) This course provides pre-service and in-service early childhood education teachers the opportunity to master the knowledge and skills necessary to meet the requirements in Structured English Immersion (SEI) for full endorsement as required for the standard Arizona teacher education certificate. The course builds directly on the knowledge and skills acquired through successful completion of the first Prescott College course in the two-SEI-course sequence, EDU 47002. Early childhood students will focus on the requirements as they are applied to ELL for the two developmental groups, from birth to prekindergarten and from kindergarten to grade three/age 8. Pre-service and in-service teachers will examine, extend, and apply material related to the following State SEI goal areas: ELL Proficiency Standards; Data Analysis and Application; Formal and Informal Assessment; SEI Foundations; Learning Experiences – SEI Strategies; and Parent/Home/School Interactions and Communication. Students will gain increased competence to teach in an exemplary manner in inclusive classrooms through research, observation, and practicum experiences. They will analyze disaggregated data and interpret results to effectively differentiate instruction for ELL and maximize home/school/community involvement and resources. Students must obtain, for use with this course, specific study and professional materials as designated by the Arizona Department of Education. Early Childhood Practicum (2 parts) Section I: Practicum/Student Teaching – Birth to PreKindergarten (4 credits) Section II: Student Teaching – Kindergarten to Grade Three/Age 8 (4 credits) The practicum is the final capstone field experience allowing the student to practice the application of theoretical knowledge and to demonstrate mastery in planning, instruction for diverse students, assessment, classroom management, and professional proficiency. The early childhood practicum must include a minimum of 4 semester credits in a supervised field experience, practicum, internship or student teaching setting serving children birth through prekindergarten, and a minimum of 4 semester credits in a supervised student teaching setting serving children kindergarten through grade three/age 8. Throughout the practicum assignment the student is expected to respond to critical feedback and participate in every facet of the daily learning environment activities and classroom teaching – from daily instruction to playground duties, extracurricular commitments, parent-teacher conferences, and any additional responsibilities typically conducted by the supervisor or cooperating teacher within the specific early childhood teaching environment. The final preparation will assist the student in obtaining a professional position working with young children in the two developmental phases, such as serving as an early childhood classroom lead teacher.
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COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS
Costs and Financial Aid Programs Cost of Attendance It is our intention that Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars will be able to earn a B.A. degree from Prescott College in preparation for the Arizona teaching credential with all costs fully covered. This will be possible in most cases through a combination of Helios Foundation funded scholarships, Federal Grants, and Prescott College grants and scholarships. This presumes that most Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars will meet the qualifications for the Federal TEACH Grant and will agree to serve for at least four years as a full-time, highly qualified teacher in a highneed field, in an elementary or secondary school serving lowincome students. Students who are admitted to the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Program but who do not agree to the required Federal TEACH grant service obligation will need to secure alternative funding to have all costs fully covered (please see complete details regarding the Federal TEACH grant program and alternative sources of
funding below). Prescott College will assist students to the extent possible to identify and secure alternative funds in these situations. Regardless of TEACH Grant qualification, all Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars are strongly encouraged to regard the obligation to teach in a high-need field, in a school serving low-income students after graduation, as a core principle of this program. The following example illustrates costs and funding for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars enrolled for the 2010–11 Academic Year. Funding in future years will adjust in response to increases in tuition and/or fees. This illustration is based on a scenario in which the student is eligible for the maximum Federal Pell grant and Federal TEACH grant. Students whose Federal Pell grant eligibility is less than the maximum will receive additional Prescott College grants to make up the difference. Students who do not qualify for the Federal TEACH Grant need to secure alternative funding.
Low-residency B.A. Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Costs and Aid (example) Tuition and Fees Tuition ($472/credit) Sustainability Fee Transcript Fee Orientation Fee Total
Fall Term $5,664 $50 $50 $150 $5,914
Spring Term $5,664 $50 $0
Other Program Costs Meals & Lodging Books & Supplies Transportation Total Indirect Costs Total Cost
Fall Term $300 $536 $300 $1,136 $7,050
$536 $6,250
TOTAL $300 (One-time attendance at Orientation) $1,072 ($536 per term) $300 (One-time attendance at Orientation) $1,672 $13,300
Scholarships & Grants Prescott College Teacher Education Scholarship1 Helios Early Childhood Education Scholarship Pell Grant/Prescott College Grant2 Federal TEACH Grant or Alternative Funding3 Total Scholarships and Grants
$1,000 $2,000 $2,775 $2,000 $7,775
$2,000 $2,775 $2,000 $6,775
$1,000 $4,000 $5,550 $4,000 $14,550
Aid above and beyond program costs
$725
$525
$1,250
$5,714 Spring Term $536
TOTAL $11,328 $100 $50 $150 $11,628
1 Prescott College may at its discretion substitute other Prescott College Scholarships such as the Hearst or Quitobaquito Scholarships in place of this particular scholarship. 2 Students who are not eligible for full Pell Grants will receive additional Prescott College grants to equal the full amount (see below for additional information on this funding source). 3 For students who fail to complete the required teaching obligation (see above) the Federal TEACH Grant will convert to an Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan that must be repaid (see below for additional information on this funding source). Students who choose not to agree to the required Federal TEACH service obligation may be admitted to the Helios Scholars program but will be ineligible for Federal TEACH grant funding. Such students will need to secure alternative funding in lieu of the Federal TEACH grant (complete details regarding the Federal TEACH grant program and alternative sources of funding may be found on the next page).
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Tuition Payment Tuition and fees for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars will be paid in full as long as all requirements to receive the funding have been met (see below for more information). Students ineligible for Federal TEACH grants must secure alternative scholarships, grants, and/or student loans in lieu of Federal TEACH grant funding. Such students may not have all costs fully covered and will be required to pay any balance due by published payment deadlines. If you have questions about tuition payment, contact the Student Billing Representative at (877) 350-2100 ext. 4000. Tuition must be paid in full or payment arrangements (payment plan or financial aid awards sufficient to cover tuition) must be in place by published tuition due dates: Fall – September 10, 2010 Spring – January 21, 2011 Applying for Financial Aid (required for all prospective and enrolled Helios Scholars) • Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www. FAFSA.com as soon after January 1 each year as possible. • Anticipate that the FAFSA will be processed within two to three weeks if you have applied via FAFSA on the Web. If you apply with a paper application, anticipate four to six weeks. • Once the FAFSA is processed, the FAFSA federal processor will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). You are encouraged to review the SAR to insure that all information is correct. Prescott College will receive an electronic version of the SAR and will then begin determining eligibility for all forms of financial aid. • Prescott College begins its awarding in March for the academic year beginning with the summer term. If you have completed your FAFSA prior to March, anticipate receiving an award notice in March. The College continues its awarding based on FAFSA information thereafter. • In your award offer, it may indicate that you are required to submit additional documents in order for your offer to be finalized. Complete and submit all documents requested as soon as possible.
Scholarships and Grants From Prescott College Helios Early Childhood Education Scholarship - $2,000 per semester. Awarded to applicants who meet admission requirements for admission to the Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars program. Prescott College Arizona Teacher Education Scholarship $1,000 in the first semester of enrollment as a Helios Scholar. Awarded to applicants who meet admission requirements for admission to the Helios Scholars program. 26
Other Prescott College Scholarships Quitobaquito Scholarship Selection Criteria: Awarded to a Tohono O'odham student who graduated from a secondary school in the Tohono O'odham Nation of Southern Arizona and who demonstrates academic passion and commitment. In lieu of a Tohono O'odham applicant, the award may be awarded to any Native American student who demonstrates these qualities. William Randolph Hearst Endowed Scholarship Selection Criteria: Awarded to a Native American student studying teacher education. Federal Pell Grants – up to $2,775 per semester Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. Eligibility is determined by the US Department of Education and is based on information you provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). How much you receive depends on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), Cost of Attendance (COA), and the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled. You may not receive Pell Grant funds from more than one school at a time. Federal TEACH Grant – $2,000 per semester The Federal TEACH Grant Program provides grant funds to college students who are completing or plan to complete coursework that is needed to begin a career in teaching, and who agree to serve for at least four years as a full-time, highly qualified teacher in a high-need field, in an elementary or secondary school serving low-income students. Eligible full-time students may receive $4,000 per year in TEACH Grant funds, up to a maximum of $16,000 for undergraduate (first bachelor’s degree only), and $8,000 for graduate study. Income is NOT a consideration when determining eligibility. The TEACH Grant will not reduce any eligibility for need-based aid. The TEACH Grant, combined with all other financial aid, cannot exceed a student’s cost of attendance. For purposes of the TEACH Grant Program, high-need fields are: mathematics, science, foreign language, bilingual education, English language acquisition, special education, reading specialist, and other identified teacher shortage areas as of the time you begin teaching in that field. These are listed in the Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.pdf. More than half of the classes you teach during each school year must be in a high-need field. For the 2010–11 Academic Year, Arizona has identified the following high need Elementary Grades fields: ESL/ BLE, music, reading specialist, special education–cross categorical, early childhood (including pre-K), emotional disability, learning disability, mental retardation, severely & profoundly disabled, and visual arts. For purposes of the TEACH Grant Program, any public or private elementary or secondary school listed in the
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Department’s Annual Directory of Designated LowIncome Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits qualifies as a low-income school. You can search the Department’s low-income school directory at: https://www.tcli.ed.gov/ CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp Any elementary or secondary school operated by the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) – or operated on an Indian reservation by an Indian tribal group under contract or grant with the BIE – also qualifies as a low-income school, even if it is not listed in the Department’s low-income school directory.
Failure to complete the required teaching obligation Failure to complete the required teaching obligation results in conversion of the TEACH Grant to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accruing from the date the grant was disbursed. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans may be repaid using a variety of repayment plans, such as Standard Repayment, Graduated Repayment, IncomeSensitive Repayment, Extended Repayment, or IncomeBased Repayment, to repay student loans. The Federal Government offers Stafford Loan Forgiveness for Teachers and Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs for qualified borrowers. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for details.
Participating In TEACH at Prescott College Step One: File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and meet the general eligibility requirements: • Not in default or owing a repayment on federal student aid • US Citizen or eligible noncitizen • No prior convictions on drug-related charges • If you are male and required to do so, register for selective service Check “yes” to question #32 on the 2010–11 FAFSA, that you are planning to complete coursework necessary to become an elementary or secondary school teacher, either now or in the future.
Other Sources of Grant and Scholarship Funding for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars
Step Two: You must meet the following academic criteria to receive TEACH at Prescott College: • New Transfer Undergraduates • Transfer College GPA of 3.25 (evaluated at Prescott College based on credits accepted for transfer) -OR• Test score above the 75th percentile on at least one section of the SAT or ACT. Step 3: Once you have received an award letter that includes TEACH, • Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and Promise to Pay online. (Complete this each year you receive the grant.) • Complete TEACH Grant entrance counseling online. (Necessary in the first year only.) Continuing to Receive the Teach Grant Students must maintain a 3.25 GPA to continue to be eligible for the TEACH Grant. In order to meet this requirement at Prescott College, students must ask faculty to provide grades for each course, rather than narrative evaluations alone. Starting Your Teaching Obligation Within 120 days of completing enrollment in the TEACH-eligible academic program, you must notify the Department of Education that you are fulfilling or will fulfill the terms and conditions of the service agreement. You must provide documentation to the Department at the end of each year of teaching.
Financial Aid for Native American Students http://www.finaid.org/otheraid/natamind.phtml Information about financial aid for Native American students, compiled with the assistance of Donovan Gomez, Executive Director of the San Juan Pueblo Department of Education. Bureau of Indian Affairs Indian Higher Education Grants for undergraduate and graduate students: US Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Education 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20240-0001 Phone (202) 208-4871, (505) 881-4584, or (202) 208-7163 Fax (202)208-6334 Ak-Chin Indian Community Department of Education 42507 W. Peters & Nall Rd., Maricopa, AZ 85239 Phone (888) 501-9352; (520) 568-3374; (520) 568-3731 Fax (520) 568-3732 Cocopah Tribe Cocopah Higher Education Co. 15 & Avenue G, Somerton, AZ 85350 Phone: (520) 627-4973; Fax: (520) 627-2510 Colorado Indian Tribe Career Development Route 1 Box 23B, Parker, AZ 85344 Phone (800) 809-6207; Fax: (520) 669-5570 Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation Elementary & Secondary Services P.O. Box 18358, Fountain Hills, AZ 85269-8358 Phone (480) 816-7163 Fax (480) 837-9861 Fort Mojave Indian Tribe Higher Education Office P.O. Box 7066, Mojave Valley, AZ 86442 Phone (520) 346-1121 Fax (520) 346-1123 Fort Yuma-Quechan Tribe Higher Education Office P.O. Box 1899, Yuma, AZ 85366-1899 Phone (760) 562-5268 27
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Gila River Indian Community Higher Education Office P.O. Box 97, Sacaton, AZ 85247 Phone (888) 448-6918; (520) 562-3316 Fax: (520) 562-3348
Tohono O'Odham Tribe Scholarship & Higher Education P.O. Box 837, Sells, AZ 85634 Phone (888) 966-3426, (888) 9O'Odham Fax (520) 383-2668
Havasupai Tribal Scholarship P.O. Box 10, Supai, AZ 86435 Phone (520) 448-2731 x102 Fax (520) 448-2551
Tonto Apache Tribe Education Department #30 Tonto Apache Reservation, Payson, AZ 85541 Phone (520) 474-5000 Fax (520) 474-4238
Hopi Tribal Grants & Scholarships P.O. Box 123, Kykotsmovi, AZ 86039 Phone (800) 762-9630; (928) 734-3533 Fax (928) 734-9575
White Mountain Apache Tribe Higher Education Office P.O. Box 250, Whiteriver, AZ 85941 Phone (520) 338-5800 Fax (520) 338-1514
Hualapai Tribe Hualapai Training Center P.O. Box 179, Peach Springs, AZ 86434 Phone (520) 769-2200 Fax: (520) 769-2250
Yavapai-Apache Tribe Higher Education Office P.O. Box 1188, Camp Verde, AZ 86322 Phone (520) 567-9207 x31 Fax (520) 567-6485
Kaibab-Paiute Tribe Higher Education HC 65, Box 2, Tribal Affairs Building, Fredonia, AZ 86022 Phone (520) 643-9245 Fax (520) 643-7260
Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe Education Department 530 E. Merritt Street, Prescott, AZ 86301 Phone (520) 445-8790 X31 Fax (520) 778-9445
Loans Navajo Nation – Chinle Agency Chinle Agency ONNSFA, P.O. Box 25-B, Tsaile, AZ 86556 Phone (800) 919-9269 Fax (928) 724-2208 Navajo Nation – Fort Defiance Agency ONNSFA, P.O. Box 1870, Window Rock, AZ 86515 Phone (800) 243-2956 Fax (928) 871-6561 Navajo Nation – Tuba City Agency ONNSFA, P.O. Box 370, Tuba City, AZ 86045. Phone (866) 839-8151/52, (928) 283-3216 Fax (928) 283-3215 Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona Main Office, Tucson 7474 S. Camino de Oeste, Tucson, AZ 85746 Phone (800) 5PASCUA Fax (520) 883-5057 Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona, Guadalupe Office 9405 S. Avenida del Yaqui, Guadalupe, AZ 85283 Voice mail (480) 768-2000 Phone (480) 768-2011 Fax (480) 768-2050 Quechan P.O. Box 1899, Yuma, AZ 85366 Phone (760) 576-2314 Fax (760) 572-2305 Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Education Department 10005 E. Osborn Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85256 Phone (480) 850-7662 Fax (480) 850-7600 San Carlos Apache Tribe Scholarship & Higher Ed. P.O. Box 0, San Carlos, AZ 85550 Phone (520) 475-2337 Fax (520) 475-2507 28
Loans are borrowed funds that must be repaid with interest. Students are automatically considered for federal loan funds by completing the FAFSA. Helios Scholars may choose to accept or decline any student loans offered, since all costs associated with participation in the program are fully covered. Loans may be borrowed to cover additional costs above and beyond costs associated with participation in the program. It is important to note that all Federal TEACH grants received by the student will convert to Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans if the student fails to fulfill teaching obligations required of TEACH grant recipients. Federal Stafford Loans Stafford Loans are the most common source of student loan funds made available to students seeking a degree or certificate. Federal Stafford Loans must be repaid with interest. As of July 1, 2006, these loans have a fixed interest rate of 6.8%. Stafford Loans offer deferments of principal payments while a student is in school and allow a six-month grace period after leaving school before repayment begins. Depending on a student's need as calculated by the US Department of Education, a Stafford Loan may be offered as a subsidized or unsubsidized loan, or as a combination of the two. Subsidized Subsidized Stafford Loans are need-based. With a Subsidized Stafford Loan the Department of Education will pay the interest that accrues while the student is in school and during the grace and deferment periods. Unsubsidized All qualified students, regardless of their income or assets, may take out Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. They must meet all of the same requirements as those for subsidized loans, except they do not need to demonstrate financial need. With an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan the student is responsible for interest that accrues
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throughout the life of the loan. A student may elect to defer interest payments while in school; however, this interest will be added to the principal balance of the loan upon repayment. Therefore, we recommend our students pay their interest on a quarterly basis to keep their loan debt under control. Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) The Parent PLUS Loan has a fixed interest rate of 8.5% for all loans disbursed after July 1, 2006. Interest will begin to accrue with the first disbursement to the school. Repayment of principal and interest will begin 60 days after the loan funds are fully disbursed to the school. Parents of students who are less than 24 years old may borrow up to the cost of attendance less any other financial aid funds and resources received. Federal Stafford Loan Academic Year limits (2 consecutive terms of full-time enrollment) Dependent Undergraduate Students First-year students: $5,500; Second-year students: $6,500; Third-year students and beyond: $7,500. Independent Undergraduate Students and Dependent Students (whose parents have applied for but were unable to get a PLUS Loan) First-year students: $9,500; Second-year students: $10,500; Third-year students and beyond: $12,500.
Resources A variety of resources are available to assist you with outside scholarship searches and general financial aid information, including calculators that estimate financial need.
General Information www.fafsa.ed.gov: Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at this website. www.finaid.org: General financial aid information, including a financial aid estimator. www.studentaid.org: US Department of Education’s student aid information site. www.students.gov: Government-wide portal making it easy for students to find any kind of federal service or information at a “one-stop-shop.”
Commonly Asked Questions How much will my family be expected to pay for college? All direct and estimated costs for participation in the B.A. Degree in Early Childhood Education are fully covered for Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars who qualify for the Federal TEACH Grant. Students may also choose to borrow through the Federal Direct Loan program to cover any additional costs not directly related to the program or to cover costs not covered resulting from Federal TEACH grant ineligibility. Once I receive a scholarship, is it guaranteed for the duration of my enrollment? Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars must maintain enrollment as required and make satisfactory academic progress to renew the scholarship each semester. Will my Prescott College grant be increased as costs increase? Your grants will be increased as a function of cost increases. Do I have to provide parental information on the FAFSA? You are automatically considered independent if you were born before January 1 of the year specified for independency on the FAFSA if you: • will be enrolled in a master's or doctoral program • are married before you complete the FAFSA • have children who receive more than half of their support from you • have legal dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from you through the time specified on the FAFSA • are, or were, an orphan or ward of the court until age 1 • are a veteran of the US Armed Forces. If you do not meet any of the independency criteria outlined above, you are considered a dependent student and must provide parental information on the FAFSA. If you feel that you should be considered independent due to extenuating circumstances, contact the Prescott College Financial Aid Office to inquire about options. Is there any affect on my financial aid award if I win an outside scholarship? No, scholarship amounts are guaranteed for the time required to complete degree requirements.
www.nslds.ed.gov: US Department of Education’s database lists lender information and Stafford Loan borrowing history. You’ll need a federal PIN to access this information (go to: www.pin.ed. gov to acquire a PIN). A federal PIN is required to apply for aid via the FAFSA on the web.
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Applying to Prescott College Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars Program At Prescott College, you are much more than a number. The Admissions Committee carefully considers all applications to the College, looking beyond the paperwork to see the individual who wants to be a member of our community. In addition to the admission criteria listed below we also consider a student’s potential for growth and success at the College. General admission criteria include, but are not limited to: • Evidence of previous academic success and promise • Good citizenship and community involvement • Commitment to interdisciplinary academic pursuits • Clearly articulated academic goals • Evidence of self-direction • Well-developed college essays Specific admission criteria for the Helios Scholars Early Childhood Education Program includes: • Qualify as a low-income (Federal Pell Grant eligible), tribal-affiliated Native American Arizona resident. • Have completed a minimum of 60 college credits, associate’s degree is preferred but not required. • Agree to major in Early Childhood Education at Prescott College leading to the bachelor of arts degree and provisional certification through the Arizona Department of Education. • Preferably, meet the qualifications for the Federal TEACH Grant Program: o Achieve a minimum transfer grade point average (GPA) of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. o Agree to serve as a full-time highly qualified teacher in Early Childhood (including Pre-K), an identified Arizona high-need field, at a low-income elementary school for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after completing the bachelor of arts degree. o Although not a requirement of the Federal TEACH Grant Program, Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars are strongly encouraged to meet their service obligation in a school located on a Federally Recognized Indian Reservation in Arizona. Note: Applicants who do not meet the Federal TEACH Grant GPA qualification or who choose not to agree to the Federal TEACH Grant service obligation are encouraged to apply and may still be admitted to the Helios Early Childhood Scholars Program. Such applicants will be ineligible for Federal TEACH grant funding and will need to secure alternative funding (complete details regarding the Federal TEACH grant program and alternative sources of funding may be found on page 26). 30
The required application items include: • $25 application fee • A completed application form • Completed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – see page 26 for instructions on filing the FAFSA. • Official Transcripts from all Colleges and/or Universities Attended. Transcripts should be sent directly from the college or university to the appropriate Admissions Office. Note: Transfer students who have NOT successfully completed two full years of college study (90 transferable quarter credits or 60 transferable semester credits) are required to submit high school transcripts, GED results, or other proof of high school graduation. • Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood: For applicants who are enrolled tribal members, a copy of the Certificate of Indian Blood/Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood must be submitted with application. • Letter of Recommendation and Support from a supervisor in the early childhood program where you work or volunteer, from an early childhood college faculty member, or from a member of the tribal council/administration. • Essay In two to three pages (typed, double-spaced), integrate your thoughts around the themes below into a comprehensive response. Write about your personal background. • If you speak, read, or write more than one language, tell us about your daily activities with your languages (e.g., what do you speak at home, at work, etc.). • Tell us about your computer access and the programs or applications that you use on a regular basis (e.g., email, Facebook, Word, Excel). • What types of books do you like to read? How often do you read? What is the last book you read? Tell us about it. Write about your educational goals. • What are your educational goals and how do you see your life changing after graduation? • What significance does this area of study now play in your life and what has been your experience, if any, in this discipline? • Why do you want a career in the field of early childhood education? • What are the most important reasons for which you should be selected to participate in Prescott College’s Early Childhood Education program as a Helios Scholar?
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• Tell us about a person you admire who has graduated from college. Write about your readiness to thrive in the kind of selfdesigned, student-directed education that Prescott College offers in its Low-Residency Bachelor of Arts Program. • What led you to want to pursue a bachelor of arts degree at Prescott College? • What kind of experience and success do you have working or learning independently? • How will your strengths help you succeed in our program? What kind of help will you need to overcome any weaknesses? • How do you manage your time with school assignments? What support do you have in place to help you accomplish your academic goals? Contact the Admissions Office with questions: Prescott College, 220 Grove Avenue, Prescott, AZ 86301 Toll free: (877) 350-2100 Option 1 — Telephone: (928) 776-5180 — Fax: (928) 776-5242 admissions@prescott.edu
Admissions & Financial Aid Calendar Prescott College practices rolling admissions, which means that you may apply at any time prior to the published last day to apply. However, there are recommended Priority Dates for all applicants. Helios Early Childhood Education Scholars may apply for fall or spring enrollment. Fall Financial Aid/FAFSA (priority date) September 3 Final Application Deadline September 3 New Student Orientation September 16-18, 2010 Spring Financial Aid/FAFSA (priority date) Final Application Deadline New Student Orientation
December 15 December 15 January 27-29, 2011
Deferred Matriculation Students wishing to defer matriculation may do so by sending a written request to the Director of Admission. Matriculation will be postponed for up to a full academic year, subject to successful completion of any academic work completed during that time.
Application Forms Applicants apply using the paper application forms included in the back of this catalog.
Transfer Students Transfer students who have successfully completed two full years of college study (90 transferable quarter credits or 60 transferable semester credits with grades of C or better)
are not required to submit high school transcripts. All other requirements apply. Transfer students must be enrolled as full-time students at Prescott College for at least one year before they can receive a Prescott College degree.
Computer Literacy Requirement Candidates are expected to enter the College with a level of technology competency sufficient to function effectively in the program. Proficiency is defined as a comfort and knowledge of using email, navigating the Internet, and basic word-processing skills. Students must be able to use message boards or computer conferencing tools to communicate with others, download and upload files, and attach files to email. Students are required to have full-time access to a computer that has a reliable Internet connection.
Transfer Credit From Other Regionally Accredited US Colleges or Universities Prescott College will transfer in college-level credit from regionally-accredited US colleges or universities for courses in which a grade of C or the equivalent was obtained. College-level credit from non-US institutions will be transferred according to current guidelines of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offices (AACRAO). In some cases college-level credit from US colleges and universities that are not regionally accredited may be transferable via Prescott College’s Conversion Portfolio Policy. Students desiring to transfer such credits should contact the Office of Admissions to determine the applicability of this policy to their educational background. Once enrolled, students work with their academic advisor to determine how their transfer credits will apply to their Degree Plan. Prescott College has transfer agreements in place with the following Arizona Community College systems: Pima Community Colleges Maricopa Community Colleges Yavapai Community College Central Arizona College The following transfer credit policies apply to transfer of credits to Prescott College from any campus within these systems: • Prescott College has no limit to the number of semester credits accepted in transfer. Nonetheless, transfer students must be enrolled at Prescott College for a minimum of 8 to 10 upper division courses and complete a minimum of 120 semester credits before becoming eligible to graduate with a bachelor of arts degree from Prescott College. • Only college-level courses numbered 100 and above and with a grade of P, C, or better will be accepted for transfer. These credits may be applied as an elective within a competence (major), breadth (minor), as a general education requirement, or as an exemption or 31
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replacement for a required course, and applied toward a bachelor of arts degree. • Completion of the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC-A, B, or S), a 35-semester-credit general education program of study, will transfer seamlessly as a block and will fulfill general education requirements for bachelor of arts degrees from Prescott College.
CLEP Prescott College accepts a full range of College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests, which measure mastery of college-level introductory course content in a wide range of disciplines. To receive credit for successful performance on a CLEP examination, an official transcript must be sent by the CLEP Transcript Service. Prescott College will not accept a transcript or score report submitted by the student, nor will credit be awarded based on another institution’s prior evaluation.
Military Transfer Credits Prescott College awards transfer credits for US military services training via the American Council on Education (ACE) endorsement transcripts: AART (Army ACE Registry Transcript) and SMART (Sailors/Marines ACE Registry Transcript). Prescott College also awards transfer credit for tests administered to military personnel by DANTES (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support). AART and SMART transcripts and DANTES scores will be evaluated on a course-by-course basis with faculty input. Only those courses that pertain to a student’s degree program will be awarded transfer credit.
Credit for Life Experience – maximum 25 credits A great deal of academically meaningful learning occurs outside of the classroom, in professional work or in structured workshops, seminars, and training. Because many students who enroll in the Low-Residency Bachelor of Arts Program have already devoted a great deal of time to learning outside of the classroom, Prescott College has established a path for adult learners to earn college credit through the mechanism of Life Experience Documentation. Students who seek academic credit for life experience enroll in a Life Experience Documentation course that teaches them how to properly document their prior learning in one of three types of portfolios. Completion of a portfolio is writing intensive and requires the integration of theoretical and practical knowledge in coherent chapters that observe the editorial style of the American Psychological Association or the Modern Language Association. All portfolios are evaluated by experts in the student’s field of study.
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Prescott College
Low-residency Bachelor of Arts Application Helios Early Childhood Scholarship Program
Application Information For entrance: Fall 20
Spring 20
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Filed?
Yes
No
Date filed:
Biographical Information Full name:
Last
First
Middle
Employer/Title: Former name(s):
Preferred name:
Home Language: Language(s) you speak:
Language(s) you can read and write:
Date of birth:
/
/
Native American, Arizona Resident
Gender: Yes
M
F
No
Tribal Affiliation:
Chapter Affiliation:
Social Security number:
Are you a veteran?
Yes
No
Contact Information Mailing address: City:
E-mail: State:
Zip:
How long is your mailing address valid? Indefinitely or until
Telephone: (
)
Cell Phone: (
)
Telephone: (
)
Permanent address: City: Decision letter should be sent to:
State: Permanent address
Zip: Mailing address
Family Information Father or guardian’s name: Highest education obtained:
Email: Primary language spoken in the home:
Employer/title: Mother or guardian’s name: Highest education obtained: Employer/title:
Email: Primary language spoken in the home:
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Education Final high school attended: Did you graduate?
Yes
City/State: No
Graduation date:
or GED date:
Colleges/Universities attended: List all colleges and/or universities in which you were enrolled regardless of how many credits you earned or the nature of the program. College/University
City/State
Telephone
Dates Enrolled From mo./yr.
To mo./yr.
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
Grad Date/Anticipated
Official transcripts are required from all schools indicated above for admissions consideration (refer to Application Instructions for specific details). Prescott College Admissions Office must receive these transcripts directly from the issuing institution or in a college/university envelope sealed by the issuing institution. List all colleges and/or universities that you are currently attending or plan to attend prior to enrollment at Prescott College. College/University
City/State
Telephone
Dates Enrolled From mo./yr.
To mo./yr.
/
/
/
/
List credits earned by examination (i.e. CLEP, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement). List subjects taken, and scores if known. Prescott College must receive official results directly from the testing agency to award credit.
Extracurricular, Volunteer, and Personal Activities List your principal activities in the order of interest to you. Include specific events and/or major accomplishments.
Survey How did you hear about Prescott College? Have you visited the Admissions Office? If so, when and with which staff member? Do you know any members of the Prescott College community? If so, whom? Have you previously applied to Prescott College?
Yes
Have you previously attended Prescott College?
Yes
No No
Term applied for: Dates attended:
I certify that the information in this application and essay is complete, true, and solely my creation. I understand that my application and acceptance may be rescinded if I have not complied with this statement. Signature:
Date:
Prescott College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Prescott College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, condition of handicap, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, or any other College administered program.
Submit application materials to: Prescott College Admissions Office 220 Grove Ave., Prescott, AZ 86301 (928) 350-2112 • (877) 350-2100 ext 2112 • Fax: (928) 776-5242
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Prescott College Low-residency Bachelor of Arts Application Helios Early Childhood Scholarship Program
Evaluation Form Student name
(please print or type)
Address: School:
Last
Street
Official Name
First
City
City
I authorize and waive my access to the completed form.
Middle (complete)
Jr. etc.
State
Zip
State
Zip
to complete this recommendation for my application to Prescott College
Student’s signature
To the Candidate: After you have filled in the lines above, give this form to a teacher, counselor, or employer who knows you well and ask him/her to fill it out in support of your application.
To the Evaluation: Prescott College is a fully accredited, coeducational four-year college located in Prescott, Ariz., offering Bachelor of Arts degrees. The Admissions Committee appreciates your assistance in determining whether this applicant is well suited to Prescott College. We are interested in a student’s academic accomplishments, intellectual strengths and weaknesses, and personal qualities, such as a student’s maturity compared to his/her peers, the standards this student sets for himself/herself, and the ease and probability of the student’s learning in an environment requiring a high degree of selfmotivation.
Confidentiality: We value your comments and ask that you complete this form in the knowledge that it will not become part of the student’s permanent file. 1. How long have you known this student, and in what context?
2. What are the first words that come to mind to describe this student?
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Evaluation: Feel free to write whatever you think is important about the student including a description of academic and personal characteristics. We are particularly interested in evidence of the candidate’s intellectual promise, motivation, relative maturity, integrity, independence, originality, initiative, leadership potential, capacity for growth, special talents, and enthusiasm. We welcome information that will help us to differentiate this student from others. Your frank evaluation, which may include anecdotes and specific illustrations, will be most helpful. Attach a separate letter if you prefer.
Ratings: Compared to other college-bound students you have known, how would you rate this student in terms of academic skills and potential?
No basis
Poor
Below Average
Average
Good (above average)
Very Good (well above average)
Excellent (top 10%)
Creative, original thought Motivation Independence, initiative Intellectual ability Academic achievement Written expression of ideas Effective class discussion Disciplined work habits Potential for growth SUMMARY EVALUATION
Teacher/Counselor Signature Teacher/Counselor Name
Date Detach and mail to: Prescott College Admissions, 220 Grove Ave., Prescott, AZ 86301
One of the top few encountered in my career
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How to get here Prescott College Prescott, Arizona The main campus is a two-hour drive from Phoenix. Take Interstate 17 north to Highway 69, Cordes Junction exit. Follow Highway 69 into Prescott. Take Gurley St. to Grove Ave. (past the Courthouse Square). Turn right on Grove Ave. and a left at the first stoplight (Sheldon St). The Admissions Office is located near the corner of Grove and Sheldon at 306 Grove Ave. Rental cars are available at Sky Harbor International Airport, Phoenix and other locations. U.S. Airlines (800-235-9292) provides flights from Sky Harbor Airport to the Ernest A. Love Airport in Prescott. Ground transportation from Phoenix to Prescott is provided by Prescott Shuttle (800445-7978), and Shuttle-UEnterprises (800-304-6114). Make reservations at least 24 hours in advance. Prescott College Tucson Center Tucson, Arizona The Tucson Center is located at 2233 E. Speedway Blvd. in Tucson, Ariz. From Interstate 10, take the Speedway exit east. The office is located on the north side of the street, on the corner of Wilson Ave. and Speedway Blvd., between Campbell Ave. and Tucson Blvd.
Visit www.prescott.edu to learn more about the following degree programs: On-Campus Bachelor of Arts Low-Residency Bachelor of Arts Low-Residency Master of Arts Low-Residency Teacher Preparation and Certification Programs Low-Residency Professional Licensure Programs in Counseling Psychology Prescott College’s Teacher Preparation Programs are subject to change as mandated by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) or other College accrediting agencies. Students are responsible for being cognizant of all Prescott College communications and website updates that inform students of required curricular program changes. Students must complete all requirements as indicated on their individual degree plans and/or by the College and current Arizona State Board Rule. This catalog was writen by Ashley Mains, Tim Robison, and Jarod Silverman; designed by Bridget Reynolds, and edited by Mary Lin, Candace McNulty, Ashley Mains ’11, and Tim Robison. It is with gratitude that we thank everyone involved with this catalog. Photographers/photo contributors Pauline Begay, Claude Enfield, Anya Fayfer, Kimberly Loeb, Kathering Mike, Leslie Nelson, Travis Patterson, Bridget Reynolds, Weddle-Gilmore Architects, BigStock Photos, and IStock Photos. The Prescott College logo and mark are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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Prescott College Earns High Marks National media, ratings, and rankings list Prescott College among best and greenest.
US News and World Report: Best in the West US News and World Report has rated the College as a “Best in the West” College and in their list of best colleges in the U.S.
Princeton Review: One of Best in Nation This past spring the Princeton Review added Prescott to its annual book announcing the best 300-plus colleges in the nation. Prescott College earned high marks in ten categories, ranking in the top ten in Gay Community Accepted, Class Discussions Encouraged, Lots of Race and Class Interaction, and 11th and 12th, respectively, in the categories Professors Get High Marks and Happiest Students. Last year the Review also selected Prescott as one of 165 schools profiled in America’s Best Value Colleges, 2008, and for several years has named the College as one of 123 schools in 15 states as “Best in the West.” New York Times: Green Education The New York Times noted Prescott College’s environmental focus in three articles, including a piece on Eco-Education and another which highlighted the College’s trademark Wilderness Orientation (“Outside the Box”) in November 2007, and a July 2008 article on sustainability in higher education. Sierra Magazine In a November/December 2007 article calling the environment “the hottest thing since coed dorms,” Sierra included Prescott College, as an Eco League member, in an article on the top ten greenest campuses in the US, noting an “emphasis on environmental learning and hands-on experience.” In its September/October 2008 issue Sierra lauded Prescott College and the other Eco League schools for “active pursuit of environmental studies” and “integrating experiential learning into the curriculum.” National Wildlife Federation The NWF’s 2008 Campus Ecology Report honored Prescott for having recruiting programs and offering interdisciplinary degrees in environmental or sustainability studies. Arizona Department of Education The Arizona Department of Education reported that the Prescott College Teacher Ed Certification Programs at all levels of study clearly meet, and in many categories exceed, state certification requirements. Sunset Magazine: Youthful Pulse An article in Sunset on dream towns credits Prescott College with providing the “youthful pulse” of the city – quite a credit, considering Prescott is included on dozens of lists and rankings as among the best places to live in the US.
Prescott College Admissions Office
Prescott College Tucson Center
220 Grove Avenue • Prescott, AZ 86301 (877) 350-2100 • (928) 350-2100
2233 E. Speedway Blvd. • Tucson, AZ 85719 (520) 319-9868 • (888) 797-4680
admissions@prescott.edu www.prescott.edu
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