Dr. Stephanie Hathcock believes great teachers don't just happen; they are thoughtfully prepared, supported and inspired. As head of OSU's School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences (STLES), she is working to ensure future educators leave Stillwater ready to make a difference in classrooms and communities across Oklahoma and beyond.

“Teaching is a very complex profession, and it requires training and thoughtfulness,” — a lesson Hathcock said she learned after stumbling into a passion for teaching middle school science while completing her bachelor’s degree at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. This very passion also led her to earn a master’s degree in education at the University of Arkansas.

After nearly 10 years of teaching, Hathcock realized she wanted to make an even bigger impact on schools — a revelation that called her back to pursue a Ph.D. in science education at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Hathcock’s goal shifted from teaching students to teaching teachers, and she joined the OSU faculty in 2014. As her career progressed, her goal has since transformed to include supporting the faculty she works alongside and pushing STLES to reach its greatest potential.

“I enjoy trying to solve problems at a systematic level. I enjoy working with faculty to build capacity, to honor the work they’re doing, and to make change at a level that helps faculty move in the direction they want to move in,” Hathcock said.

Hathcock has spent her time at Oklahoma State University focused on preparing future teachers for the profession, the district and the school they will soon belong to.

“Anytime I’m around our undergraduate students, I walk away with optimistic thinking,” Hathcock said. “They’re here for the right reasons. They’re excited about teaching, and I hope they enter a district and a school that values and encourages them and wants them to be there.”

In her work to equip students to enter the classroom prepared for the challenges that await them, she has also been able to appreciate the students themselves and the unique environment STLES provides for them.

“There are a lot of people who love being around children, and that’s a great start, but our students are here because they want to be highly trained professionals," she said. "I appreciate that our students are here to become comprehensively trained in their profession.”

The School of Teaching, Learning and Educational Sciences has a primary focus on developing graduates who leave OSU prepared to facilitate healthy and enriching learning environments for students of all ages. STLES aims to equip its students to be innovative leaders who understand not only what today’s classrooms are desperate for but also how to continue searching for that information through intensive research processes.

When it comes to the future of OSU’s teacher education programs, Hathcock and her team are working to build a strong network of partnerships with school districts to further prepare STLES students for careers in education. She is confident OSU students will meet the needs of today’s classrooms.

“I hope that our students leave as thoughtful practitioners who are data-driven and seek continuous improvement,” Hathcock said. "We are working hard to develop and launch successful pipelines to increase the number of teacher education candidates and their level of preparedness to work in today's schools."

Story By: Faith Frantz | faith.frantz@okstate.edu