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The preparation of teachers is consistent with the mission of the University and with its philosophy of education.  This is evident in the University of Northwestern School of Education mission statement which defines the purpose of teacher education at the institution.

The School of Education exists to prepare educators for transformative service through Christ- centered programs.  Candidates are equipped with the professional knowledge, skills and dispositions to enable them to provide effective and compassionate professional practice and God-honoring leadership within the diverse communities they serve. Through its programs, the School of Education prepares caring and committed educational professionals equipped to serve within public, private or global educational settings.

Just as the University is committed to “equipping students to grow intellectually and spiritually, to serve effectively in their professions,” so the School of Education “exists to prepare educators for transformative service” who are able “to provide effective and compassionate professional practice and God-honoring leadership within the diverse communities they serve.” These commitments are consistent with the core educational values of community: life-long learning; ministry; integrity; pursuit of excellence and; leadership as defined within the University’s philosophy of education.  Similarly, equipping teachers with the “professional knowledge, skills and dispositions to enable them to provide effective and compassionate professional practice and God-honoring leadership within the diverse communities they serve” is part of the purpose of instilling in students the “desire to pursue truth as a life-long calling” as stated in the institution’s philosophy of education.

The School of Education’s Conceptual Framework defines the work of the unit as preparing “Compassionate Educators for Transformative Service” which is in alignment with the institutional mission and philosophy as described above.  The institutional mission is grounded in the historical understanding by Christians that all learning is centered in Christ. As stated in the Foundational Beliefs, “Believers are called to use their God-given rational abilities to understand, organize and use what God has revealed.” Therefore, the School of Education seeks to equip its students to study their chosen disciplines with rigor and to participate meaningfully in society through service that is grounded in faith- based character and theological foundations and characterized by just and ethical practice that is learner and community focused.

Compassion and transformation are key concepts in viewing the professional work of the teacher as consistent with a biblical worldview.  The School of Education desires to nurture in its students a deep understanding of God’s compassionate love for them as individuals and an understanding of how that compassionate love may be extended to the world around them through service to others. Foundational to the model is a shared understanding that individuals are capable of change and that in an educational setting, this occurs in two dimensions.  The act of service transforms both the learner and the teacher, the one who is served and the one serving.  The purpose of service is to extend compassion to learners with the expectation of positive growth and change.  However, it is equally true that teachers are in a continual reflective learning process of growth and change that re-informs their practice and their capability to affect change in their areas of service.  Therefore, the term “transformative service” is used to describe the type of service that will impact learners and communities in positive ways.