Bulletin Editor:

Thank you for your editorial “More Than Just Teaching” in the August 28, 2014 issue of The Bulletin. I resonate with and endorse both your message and the editorial’s balance.  It is important to note that there are eleven teacher education programs in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and one in the School of Business to accompany the four teacher education programs in The Teachers College.  An important strength of teacher education at Emporia State is the university-wide preparation that majors receive. Twenty-four colleges and universities in Kansas offer teacher education programs.  That is a lot of competition.  Elementary and secondary teacher education at Emporia State has stayed distinctive because of the high quality of the faculty in all three colleges/schools, the one-year Professional Development School student teaching experience for elementary education majors, and, most importantly, the outstanding job ESU-prepared teachers do in their own classrooms with their P-12 students.  Teacher education is one of a number of outstanding undergraduate and graduate degree programs across the university, and your editorial listed several of them (twelve degree programs in The Teachers College do not prepare educators).  All of ESU’s outstanding programs are cause for celebration, and, as your editorial advises, for publicizing to middle school, high school, and community college students, their parents, and the public.