Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate

school of education In the United States and Canada, a school of education (or college of education; ed school) is a division within a university that is devoted to scholarship in the field of education, which is an interdisciplinary branch of the social sciences e ...

affiliated with

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

, a private

research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since 1898.

History

Founding and early history

Teachers College was the first graduate school in the United States whose curriculum focused specifically on teacher education. In 1880, the Kitchen Education Association (KEA), also known as the Kitchen Garden Association, was founded by philanthropist Grace Hoadley Dodge, the daughter of wealthy businessman William Dodge. The association's focus was to replace miniature kitchen utensils for other toys that were age-appropriate for kindergarten-aged girls. In 1884, the KEA was rebranded to the Industrial Education Association (IEA), in the spirit of widening its mission to boys and parents. Three years later, it moved to the former Union Theological Seminary building on University Place, as well as founded a coeducational private school called the Horace Mann School. In 1887, William Vanderbilt Jr. offered a substantial financial sum to the IEA. With the support of Dodge, Vanderbilt appointed Nicholas Murray Butler, the future longest-serving president of Columbia University and

Nobel Peace Prize The Nobel Peace Prize (Swedish language, Swedish and ) is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the Will and testament, will of Sweden, Swedish industrialist, inventor, and armaments manufacturer Alfred Nobel, along with the prizes in Nobe ...

recipient, as new president of the IEA. The IEA decided to provide schooling for the teachers of the poor children of New York City. Thus, in 1887–1888, it employed six instructors and enrolled 36 juniors in its inaugural class as well as 86 special students. To reflect the broadening mission of education beyond the original philanthropic intent set forth by Dodge, the IEA changed its name to the New York School for the Training of Teachers, and received its temporary charter from the New York State Board of Regents. Teachers College of Columbia University - panoramio

Teachers College of Columbia University - panoramio

By October 1890, the school's trustees were looking for a new campus, as the University Place campus was considered too small. After discussion with

president Seth Low, the trustees settled on a site in Morningside Heights, near where Columbia's campus was being built. In 1892, the name of the New York School for the Training of Teachers was again changed to Teachers College. The next year, Teachers College and Columbia University were affiliated with each other, and the trustees acquired land for the new college campus in Morningside Heights. The original buildings for the campus comprising Main Hall and Milbank Memorial Hall were designed by William Appleton Potter. Additional buildings subsequently added were designed by Edgar A. Josselyn and Howells & Stokes (Horace Mann School), Parish & Schroeder (Thompson Hall and Dodge Hall), Bruce Price and J. M. Darragh (Whittier Hall), Allen & Collens (Russell Hall and Dodge Hall Extension), J. Gordon Carr (president's house), and Hugh Stubbins (Building 528). The first structure in the original complex, Main Hall, was completed in late 1894; Milbank Memorial Hall, was finished three years later. The curriculum combined a humanitarian concern to help others with a scientific approach to human development. The college was affiliated with Columbia University in 1898 as the university's Graduate School of Education. A new building for Horace Mann was erected in 1899, followed by the Frederick Ferris Thompson Memorial Hall in 1902–1904. Additionally, a four-wing dormitory building, called Whittier Hall, was built in 1900–1901. Enrollment increased quickly: the graduating class of 1911 contained 686 students, as opposed to the 26 students in the first graduating class.

Expansion of scope

The founders early recognized that professional teachers need reliable knowledge about the conditions under which children learn most effectively. As a result, the college's program from the start included such fundamental subjects as

educational psychology Educational psychology is the branch of psychology concerned with the scientific study of human learning. The study of learning processes, from both cognitive psychology, cognitive and behavioral psychology, behavioral perspectives, allows researc ...

and educational sociology. The founders also insisted that education must be combined with clear ideas about ethics and the nature of a good society; consequently, programs were developed in the

history of education The history of education, like other history, extends at least as far back as the first written records recovered from ancient civilizations. Historical studies have included virtually every nation. The earliest known formal school was develope ...

and in comparative education. As the number of school children increased during the twentieth century, the problems of managing the schools became ever more complex. The college took on the challenge and instituted programs of study in areas of

administration Administration may refer to: Management of organizations * Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. ** Administrative assistant, traditionally known as a se ...

, economics, and politics. Other programs developed in such emerging fields as clinical and

counseling Counseling is the professional guidance of the individual by utilizing psychological methods especially in collecting case history data, using various techniques of the personal interview, and testing interests and aptitudes. This is a list of c ...

psychology Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Its subject matter includes the behavior of humans and nonhumans, both consciousness, conscious and Unconscious mind, unconscious phenomena, and mental processes such as thoughts, feel ...

, organizational psychology,

developmental psychology Developmental psychology is the scientific study of how and why humans grow, change, and adapt across the course of their lives. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development ...

cognitive psychology Cognitive psychology is the scientific study of human mental processes such as attention, language use, memory, perception, problem solving, creativity, and reasoning. Cognitive psychology originated in the 1960s in a break from behaviorism, whi ...

, curriculum development,

instructional technology Educational technology (commonly abbreviated as edutech, or edtech) is the combined use of computer hardware, software, and educational theory and practice to facilitate learning and teaching. When referred to with its abbreviation, "EdTech" ...

media studies Media studies is a discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history, and effects of various media; in particular, the mass media. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but it mos ...

, and school health care. Teachers College, Columbia University, was also associated with philosopher and public intellectual

John Dewey John Dewey (; October 20, 1859 – June 1, 1952) was an American philosopher, psychologist, and Education reform, educational reformer. He was one of the most prominent American scholars in the first half of the twentieth century. The overridi ...

, who served as president of the American Psychological Association and the American Philosophical Association, and was a professor at Teachers College from 1904 until his retirement in 1930.

Presidents

Academic programs

The school offers Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Education (Ed.M.), Master of Science (M.S.), Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees in over sixty programs of study. Despite the college's name, less than one-third of students are preparing to become teachers. Graduates pursue careers, for example, in the social sciences, health and health promotion, educational policy, technology, international and comparative education, as well as educational leadership. According to former Teachers College president Susan Fuhrman, the school provides solutions to the difficult problems of urban education, reaffirming its original mission in providing a new kind of education for those left most in need by society or circumstance. The college continues its collaborative research with urban and suburban school systems that strengthen teaching in such fundamental areas as reading, writing, science, mathematics, and the arts; prepares leaders to develop and administer psychological and health care programs in schools, businesses, hospitals and community agencies; and advances technology for the classroom, developing new teaching software and keeping teachers abreast of new developments. Major_General_Dwight_Eisenhower%2C_1942_TR207

Major_General_Dwight_Eisenhower%2C_1942_TR207

Teachers College also houses a wide range of applied psychology degrees, including one of the nation's leading programs in organizational psychology. Every year captains from the United States Military Academy at

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), commonly known as West Point, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York that educates cadets for service as Officer_(armed_forces)#United_States, comm ...

are selected for the Eisenhower Leader Development Program (ELDP) and complete the Organizational Psychology M.A. program to become tactical officers (TAC) at West Point. The college also houses programs in

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, society, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including archaic humans. Social anthropology studies patterns of behav ...

. It was foundational in the development of the field of anthropology and education. By the 1930s, Teachers College had begun to offer courses in anthropology as part of the foundations of education. By 1948 Margaret Mead started what would be a long association with Teachers College where she taught until the early 1970s. In 1953 Solon Kimball joined the faculty. In 1954 nine professors (including Mead and Solon Kimball) came together to discuss the topic. In the 1960s, these people formed the Council on Anthropology and Education within the

American Anthropological Association The American Anthropological Association (AAA) is an American organization of scholars and practitioners in the field of anthropology. With 10,000 members, the association, based in Arlington, Virginia, includes archaeologists, cultural anthropo ...

, and it is still considered as the leading organization in the field. Margaret Mead NYWTS

The student experience at Teachers College is governed by a student senate, headed by the Senate president, followed by the vice-president, parliamentarian, communications officer, and treasurer. Two senators, a master's candidate, and a PhD candidate are elected each year to represent each academic department at Teachers College to advocate on behalf of current students and alumni. The TC Senate meets bi-weekly to determine what issues need to be investigated.

Rankings

For 2024, '' U.S. News & World Report'' ranked Teachers College, Columbia University #1 among all graduate schools of education in the United States. In 2008, 2002, 1998, 1997, and 1996 Teachers College, Columbia University was also ranked #1 in the category of graduate schools of education in the United States by U.S. News.

Relationship with Columbia University

Teachers College serves as Columbia University's graduate school of education and psychology, and while Teachers College holds its own corporate status, an independent administrative structure, board of trustees and endowment, Teachers College graduates are awarded Columbia University degrees according to the statutes of Columbia University. Although the college houses PhD programs, these degrees are conferred by Columbia University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in a manner analogous to the PhD programs of the university's other professional schools. Teachers College's graduating class participates in the Columbia University Commencement ceremony. TC graduates are Columbia University alumni, may attend Columbia Alumni Association events, retain their @columbia.edu email for life, and are eligible for nomination of the alumni medal and membership to the Columbia University Club of New York. While Teachers College faculty appointments are approved by Teachers College's board of trustees at the discretion of the president of Columbia University, "Columbia University asno responsibility for salaries, tenure, or retirement allowances" of officers of Teachers College. Low Memorial Library Columbia University NYC retouched

Low Memorial Library Columbia University NYC retouched

Teachers College shares academic and institutional resources with greater Columbia University including courses of instruction (Teachers College students may take courses at any other Columbia University graduate school and vice versa.), libraries, health service systems, research centers, classrooms, special event facilities and the Dodge Fitness Center. During COVID-19, the

Ivy League The Ivy League is an American collegiate List of NCAA conferences, athletic conference of eight Private university, private Research university, research universities in the Northeastern United States. It participates in the National Collegia ...

allowed Columbia fourth-year senior student-athletes, who lost playing time due to pandemic-related cancellations in their final year of eligibility, to continue playing their varsity sport for the 2021–22 season if they were accepted to and enrolled at Teachers College. The Columbia University Senate includes faculty and student representatives from Teachers College who serve two-year terms; all senators are accorded full voting privileges regarding matters impacting the entire University. The president of Teachers College is a dean in the university's governance structure.

Housing

Whittier_Hall%2C_Morningside_Heights%2C_NYC

The college has three residence halls for single students. They are 517 West 121st, Grant Hall, and Whittier Hall. The college has three residence halls for family housing. They are Bancroft Hall, Grant Hall, and Sarasota Hall. One bedroom apartments are available for childless students and students who have one child. Two and three-bedroom apartments are available for students who have more than one child. Lowell Hall and Seth Low Hall have faculty housing units.

Publications

The '' Teachers College Record'' has been published by the college continuously since 1900. In 1997 a group of doctoral students from Teachers College established the journal '' Current Issues in Comparative Education'' (CICE), a leading

open-access Open access (OA) is a set of principles and a range of practices through which nominally copyrightable publications are delivered to readers free of access charges or other barriers. With open access strictly defined (according to the 2001 de ...

online

academic journal An academic journal (or scholarly journal or scientific journal) is a periodical publication in which Scholarly method, scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. They serve as permanent and transparent forums for the ...

. Teachers College Press, founded in 1904, is the national and international book publishing arm of Teachers College and is dedicated to deepening the understanding and improving the practice of education. Teachers College also publishes ''The Hechinger Report,'' a non-profit, non-partisan education news outlet focused on inequality and innovation in education that launched in May 2010. The ''Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College'' (JMETC with ) is affiliated with the Teachers College Program in Mathematics Education. It is a successor to an earlier publication by the Program in Mathematics and Education at Teachers College.

Notable faculty

Current faculty

* John Allegrante, Health and Behavior Studies * Charles Basch, Health Education * George Bonanno, Clinical Psychology * Lucy Calkins, Children's Literature * Peter T. Coleman, Social-Organizational Psychology and Conflict Resolution * Christopher Emdin, Science Education * Edmund W. Gordon, Psychology and Education * Neil R. Grabois, Mathematics Education * Henry Landau, Mathematics Education * Arthur M. Langer, Professor of Professional Practice, Department of Organization and Leadership * Suniya Luthar, Psychology and Education * Elizabeth Midlarsky, Psychology and Education * Lisa Miller, Clinical Psychology * Kimberly G. Noble, Neuroscience and Education * Henry O. Pollak, Mathematics Education * Michael Rebell, Law and Educational Practice * Robert S. Siegler, Psychology and Education * Derald Wing Sue, Counseling Psychology * Barbara Tversky, Psychology and Education * Erica Walker, Mathematics and Education * Barbara C. Wallace, Clinical Psychology

Past faculty

* Eva Allen Alberti (1856–1938), dramatics teacher * Richard Thomas Alexander, founder of New College for the Education of Teachers * Allen E. Bergin, clinical psychologist *

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and Extended technique, non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one ...

, composer, musician, poet, mycologist * Lambros Comitas, Applied Anthropology * Frank W. Cyr, father of the Yellow School Bus * Morton Deutsch, social psychologist and founding father of the field of conflict resolution *

, philosopher * Arthur Wesley Dow, arts education * David F. Duncan, health education * Elizabeth E. Farrell, first president of the Council for Exceptional Children * Hamden L. Forkner, founder of Future Business Leaders of America * Elbert K. Fretwell, second Chief Scout Executive * Maxine Greene, philosopher of education * Joan Dye Gussow, Nutrition Education * Linda Darling Hammond, founder of the National Center for Restructuring Education * Virginia Henderson, arguably the most famous nurse of the 20th century * Leta Stetter Hollingworth, psychology and education * Adele T. Katz, Music * William Heard Kilpatrick, philosopher of education * Solon Kimball, anthropologist * Julius B. Maller, educational psychology * Charles J. Martin, arts instructor * Margaret Mead, anthropologist * William Hughes Mearns, educator and poet; head of the College from 1920 * Jack Mezirow, sociologist; former professor of adult and continuing education * Harold J. Noah, comparative education * Nel Noddings, philosopher of education * Mary Adelaide Nutting, nursing * Mary Swartz Rose, created nation's first program in nutrition * Harold Rugg, educational reformer *

Julius Sachs Julius Sachs (July 6, 1849 – February 2, 1934) was an American educator, founder of the Sachs Collegiate Institute who belongs to the Goldman–Sachs family of bankers. Sachs was born on July 6, 1849, in Baltimore. After taking his A.B. at ...

, Education * Donna Shalala, former US Secretary of Health and Human Services * Douglas Sloan, professor of history of education; educational theorist; author * David Eugene Smith, professor of mathematics & mathematics education * Graeme Sullivan, art education *

Edward Thorndike Edward Lee Thorndike ( – ) was an American psychologist who spent nearly his entire career at Teachers College, Columbia University. His work on comparative psychology and the learning process led to his " theory of connectionism" and helped ...

, psychologist * Robert L. Thorndike, psychologist * Ruth Westheimer, Adjunct Professor, International and Transcultural Studies Department. * Clarence Hudson White, founding member of the Photo-Secession movement * Mary Schenck Woolman, pioneer in vocational education, one of the first two women on staff Mary Antin 1915

Notable alumni

Following is a select list of notable alumni. * Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali (M.A. 1930; Ph.D. 1934),

Prime Minister of Iraq The prime minister of the Republic of Iraq is the head of government of Iraq and the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces. On 27 October 2022, Mohammed Shia' Al Sudani became the incumbent prime minister. History The prime minist ...

* Hafizullah Amin (M.A.), President of Afghanistan * Nahas Gideon Angula (M.A. 1978; Ed.M. 1979), Prime Minister of Namibia * Mary Antin (1902), immigration rights activist; author of ''The Promised Land'' * Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1896), author of Miss Hickory, winner of the 1947

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

* William Vincent Campbell Jr. (Ed.M. 1974), CEO for Claris; Intuit Inc. and GO Corporation * Betty Castor (1963), politician and president of the

University of South Florida The University of South Florida (USF) is a Public university, public research university with its main campus located in Tampa, Florida, Tampa, Florida, United States, and other campuses in St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg and Sarasota, ...

* Shirley Chisholm (M.A. 1952), first African American woman elected to Congress and former US presidential candidate * Katherine M. Cook (M.A. 1912), Chief, Division of Rural Education, Bureau of Education; Chief, Division of Special Problems, Office of Education, HEW * Claire Fagin (M.A.), first woman to serve as president of an Ivy League university *

Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) is an American singer, actor and poet who is best known for his partnership with Paul Simon in the folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel. Born in Forest Hills, Queens, New York, Garfunkel became acquainte ...

(M.A. 1967), singer,

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...

inductee, poet, and actor * Gordon Gee (Ed.D. 1972), president of

Ohio State University The Ohio State University (Ohio State or OSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio, United States. A member of the University System of Ohio, it was founded in 1870. It is one ...

* Hazel Johnson-Brown (M.A. 1963), first female African-American general in the United States Army * Jiang Menglin (Ph.D.), president of

Peking University Peking University (PKU) is a Public university, public Types of universities and colleges in China#By designated academic emphasis, university in Haidian, Beijing, China. It is affiliated with and funded by the Ministry of Education of the Peop ...

; Minister of education for the Republic of China * William Schuman (B.S. 1935; M.A. 1937), former president of the Juilliard School of Music and the

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 ...

* Leon Sullivan (M.A. 1947), civil rights leader and social activist; 1991

Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest civilian award of the United States, alongside the Congressional Gold Medal. It is an award bestowed by decision of the president of the United States to "any person recommended to the President ...

recipient * Ruth Westheimer (Ed.D. 1970), sex therapist known as "Dr. Ruth" talk show host, author, and professor

References

External links

* {{Coord, 40.8101, -73.96107, type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-NY, display=title Universities and colleges established in 1887 Columbia University colleges and schools Schools of education in New York (state) Upper West Side 1887 establishments in New York (state)