![\"\"](\"http:\/\/newsimg.furman.edu.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/06\/shutterstock-classroom.jpg\" "\\"shutterstock-classroom\\"")
<\/a>Photo courtesy of shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Furman joined Vanderbilt, Lipscomb and Ohio State universities as the only schools to receive four stars in the study compiled by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).\u00a0 According to NCTQ, the programs that rated highly in its report \u201ccombine an eye for the talent teachers need, strong content knowledge preparation, and well-structured opportunities to practice the craft of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are immensely proud of our teacher preparation program, of our students and our faculty, and we are very appreciative of the support from Furman\u2019s administrators,\u201d said Nelly Hecker, chair of the university\u2019s education department. \u201cIn celebrating our program, we acknowledge the high quality of our teacher candidates and our graduates\u2019 many accomplishments.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hecker added that the program \u201cowes its strength to outstanding faculty who engage teacher candidates in practices supported by empirical evidence and to strong partnerships with public school districts that provide excellent mentors. The retention of our graduates in the field of education has dramatically increased since we extended our teacher preparation program to a fifth year of study giving our candidates more time to enroll in content courses and more time to teach under the guidance of master practitioners and mentors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furman\u2019s teacher education program is nationally known for its high entrance and exit standards. After four years of study and following graduation, Furman\u2019s teacher candidates are required to spend an additional semester completing their teaching internship.\u00a0 Furman graduates 30-50 teacher candidates each year.<\/p>\n
NCTQ assigned overall program ratings to 1,200 teacher education programs, with 0 being the lowest rating and 4 the highest.\u00a0 There were 105 that earned three or more stars and only four that received the top rating.<\/p>\n
Furman\u2019s teacher education program is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).\u00a0 It is also a member of the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE), the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER), and the South Carolina Network for Educational Renewal (SCNER).<\/p>\n