Why UMF for middle/secondary
education?
When the first 31 students of the Western State Normal School gathered in Farmington in
1864, a tradition was born which continues to this day. That earlier incarnation of UMF
was the first teacher college in Maine, and nearly 140 years later UMF still offers the
finest education available to aspiring teachers.
UMF has undergone many changes since 1864 and is now known as one of the most competitive
liberal arts colleges in the Northeast. This fact is important to secondary education
majors. You are looking for the best in teacher education as well as more depth and rigor
in the discipline you will teach. Rated one of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S.
News & World Report, UMF has the courses and the reputation to launch you in your
planned career. Classes are generally small, so you will have easy access to your
professors both in and outside of classes, but opportunities are large. All the resources
of the seven-campus University of Maine System stand at your disposal.
Located near the heart of Farmington, UMF enjoys a long, close association with area
teachers and schools. This will be important when you venture into the classroom for field
experiences during your sophomore or junior years and student teaching during your senior
year. You may also appreciate UMF's location near the finest recreation areas in the
northeast: world class skiing, hiking, and water sports.
UMF is also affordable. Our extensive financial aid program ensures money is not an
obstacle to obtaining a fine education.
Majoring in secondary education with English concentration?
English cuts across every aspect of living in our society. There is not a
job, a thought, or a relationship which does not demand accurate, effective communication.
As a teacher of English in the secondary schools, you will play a vital
role in helping students improve their performance in every aspect of their lives.
Because teaching these subjects presents a dual challenge, your preparation will rely on
two departments at UMF: the English department will help you become proficient
in the subject matter itself, but beyond that you must learn effective techniques of
teaching. UMF's education department - the first and most respected in Maine - will guide
you toward becoming the best teacher you can be.
What do our secondary education English majors do after
graduation?
UMF prides itself with helping its students realize their postgraduate career goals.
Projections by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities suggest that
careers in education will be among the fastest growing in the coming decade, with over a
million new positions opening nationwide.
Here's a sample of some of the courses you may take if you major in this
program:
- Education Practicum and Seminar in Middle/Secondary Education
- History of English Language
- Teaching English in Middle/Secondary Schools
- History and Philosophy of American Education
- Poetry Writing
- Young Adult Literature
- Writing/Teaching of Writing
- Shakespeare
- American Short Story
- Early Masterpieces of Western Literature
- Twentieth Century Short Story
- Literary Nonfiction
- Early English Literature
- English Renaissance
- Eighteenth Century English Literature
- Modern British Literature
- Nineteenth Century American Novel
- Fiction Writing
Click
here for a complete listing of required courses for an English concentration.
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