Education

Prepare for the adventure of teaching as an active, creative, lifelong learner. With Corban’s teacher education program, you will be ready to inspire your students in a public, private, faith-based or international school setting.`

We are dedicated to preparing highly-effective teacher candidates who will make a difference in the world. This has resulted in Corban being respected as one of the premiere institutions of teacher preparation in our region. Corban is recognized as a College of Distinction, with special honors for the education program.

Corban’s teacher licensure programs are nationally accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). This full accreditation acknowledges that the program prepares effective educators who continue to grow as professionals and has demonstrated the commitment and capacity to maintain quality.

Corban’s teacher candidates are passionate, knowledgeable and well-equipped for the classroom. After you graduate and successfully complete all required components of the program, you will receive a recommendation for a preliminary Oregon state teacher’s license and the tools and resources to be successful in a challenging career.

We prepare our teachers so well that 100% of Corban education majors who pursue a teaching job get one!

Program Options

Corban offers teacher training in a variety of subject areas to help you achieve your career goals. Choose from the following program options:

Paraprofessional Educator (A.A.)

Education Minor
Mathematics Education Minor

Strategic Practicums

One of the most important distinctives of Corban’s education program is that you will be in the classroom each year of your education training, immersed in field experience to prepare you to take on your own classroom with confidence.

During your observation and student teaching, you will have the opportunity to experience three distinct types of classrooms to give you a well-rounded foundation and help you determine the best fit for your strengths and interests.

  • Freshman year – private schools (faith-based or secular)
  • Sophomore year – urban, high-needs, Title I schools (often bilingual)
  • Junior year – rural schools in the community surrounding Salem
  • Senior year – based on your interests and strengths

Salem-Keizer Partnership

Corban is paving the way to changes in education. We aren’t just part of the conversation in education reform—we’re leading it in the Salem-Keizer area. We have pioneered an innovative and exciting partnership with the Salem-Keizer school district that has gained national recognition for its unique and creative way of enabling university supervisors, school principals, classroom teachers and student teachers to work together more closely than ever before. The result: better-trained teachers and better K-12 student test scores.

International Opportunities

Corban’s faculty and staff have developed international relationships that give you one-of-a-kind teaching opportunities around the world. Corban education majors can choose from a variety of short-term teaching opportunities, often over the summer, in places such as Indonesia, South Korea, Peru and Africa.

Corban also partners with a network of five Christian schools in Indonesia (Sekolah Pelita Harapan). Many Corban graduates decide to spend the first few years of their teaching career at SPH schools or other international schools, whether to experience a new culture, pay off student loans, or continue to develop their teaching skills in a multicultural setting.

Wherever God leads you to teach, you’ll be equipped with a global perspective and unique experiences that can benefit you in any classroom.

Learn from Experts

You will learn from expert faculty who have an average of 14 years each of K-12 experience as elementary, middle school and high school teachers, administrators in private, public and international school settings, and after-school program directors. These experienced faculty will support you throughout your teacher training, serving as mentors, invested in your success, and even teaching alongside of you.

Dr. Aaron Imig, Dean of the School of Education

  • Holds a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree
  • Has worked in numerous areas of education and sport, including administration, teaching, and coaching in secondary schools
  • Served as a national scorer and presenter for the edTPA (educative Teacher Performance Assessment) and currently consults with K-12 Christian schools regarding integrating faith and learning into curriculum
  • Teaches courses in instructional alignment, coaching theory, and physical education

Prof. Rebecca Alburn, Assistant Professor of Education

  • Holds a Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) and an ESOL Teaching Certification
  • Experience includes 17 years teaching middle school language arts, including specializing intervention classes for struggling readers
  • Teaches courses in intercultural education, language arts, and teaching exceptional learners

Dr. Kristin Dixon, Professor of Education

  • Earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership
  • Experience includes nine years of business and computer education, four years of teaching internationally, and 11 years teaching Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) candidates at George Fox University
  • Teaches courses in secondary and intercultural education

Dr. Jen Kleiber, Associate Professor of Education

  • Earned her Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Curriculum Development and Design
  • Taught multiple grade levels in the Salem-Keizer school district and held several TOSA (Teacher on Special Assignment) positions such as Reading Specialist, Behavior Specialist, and District Mentor
  • Nominated for the Crystal Apple Award and currently serves on the School Board Commission for Riviera Christian School in Salem
  • Teaches courses in ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages), elementary education, language arts, and classroom management

Prof. Angela Sotelo, Assistant Professor of Education

  • Holds a Master’s in ESOL Education (M.S.Ed.) and an Administrative License
  • Has been an educator for more than two decades with experience as a teacher, as an ESOL instructional coach, and in helping train teachers across Oregon
  • Teaches courses in ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) and elementary education

NWCCU ACCREDITATION

Corban University is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and completed a Year-Seven Comprehensive (Evaluation of Institutional Effectiveness (EIE)) in 2022 for continued accreditation. The comprehensive self-study was followed by an onsite evaluation in October 2022. In February 2023, Corban received reaffirmation of its accreditation for 7 years. Corban University’s last Mid-Cycle Evaluation was fall 2018, and its Policies, Regulations and Financial Review (PRFR) was completed in fall 2021. As of our most recent evaluation, Corban University is compliant with the Standards, Policies, and Eligibility Requirements of the NWCCU.