Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education

Allen Hall during spring

 

Join a leading university for educator preparation.

A Leader in Educator Preparation

The mission of the Annsley Frazier Thornton School of Education (AFTSE) is to prepare caring, effective educators in the Catholic liberal arts tradition of Bellarmine University to teach and lead in diverse settings. The AFTSE is a leading education school in the region.

  • Recipient of the Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
  • Signifies accreditation with no stipulations or areas of improvement, demonstrating "commitment to equity and excellence in educator preparation through the effective use of self-study procedures and evidence-based reporting."
  • Fewer than 10% of educator preparation providers met these standards.

School of Education Programs

The school offers programs to help prepare educators at all stages of their career.

Noyce Knights Scholars Program

Funded by the NSF’s Robert Noyce program, the Noyce Knights Scholars Program (NKSP) aims to prepare, support and certify 25 highly qualified diverse middle and high school (6-12) science and mathematics teachers over five years to remedy the 6-12 STEM teacher shortages in Kentucky. This program offers significant incentives to eligible participants. Learn more on the Noyce Knights Scholars Progam website.

Educator as Reflective Learner

The theme of the AFTSE, Educator as Reflective Learner, is consistent with the mission of the institution and with the philosophy of the education faculty and community partners, as well as with the various programs for candidates. The theme, based on Linda Valli’s (1997) five types of reflection (technical, reflection in-and-on action, personalistic, deliberative, and critical) captures the essence of the conceptual framework in that effective educators are called to reflect consistently and systematically on their own practice—as well as mentor and collaborate with their colleagues in reflective practice—in order to advance successful professional learning communities within schools and the broader community.