As the oldest public coeducational teacher education institution in the nation, Westfield State College, founded in 1839 as the Westfield Normal School, has an historical and abiding commitment to serving the educational needs of all children in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The college mission statement reflects our origins and links its history to present goals. Its emphasis on teaching and community provides a supportive context for our vision of educational leadership within an expanding circle of community.
"Westfield State College's primary mission is to assist its students to develop intellectually and to use their knowledge and skills to promote the social and economic conditions in their communities. The college seeks to instill among members of its community a sense of social responsibility and citizenship. The college, from its early beginnings, prepared students to serve their communities as teachers, and teacher education remains a central part of the college's programs and a model for engagement with the community "
Our Teacher Education Programs embrace a vision of Teachers as Leaders Building Learning Communities. Learning communities are environments where learners share skills and experiences that enhance individual and common goals. Recognizing that leadership takes many forms, we prepare our teachers to serve learning communities in a variety of ways - in the classroom, on committees, with parents, and through mentoring and professional development. Our teachers' leadership is grounded in an awareness of the professional self together with an integration of theory and practice. This knowledge, in turn, supports the development of several relationships: with colleagues, with students, and with the communities our teachers seek to build or change. These professional relationships define the nature of the learning communities our teachers help to create and the context for their community leadership. Our Teacher Education Programs are based on traditions of scholarship, excellence in teaching, respect for individual dignity, and commitment to social justice.
