Mr. Steve Ward is a clinical instructor in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the College of Education at the University of Central Arkansas.  He also serves as the program coordinator for the Middle Level Education Program.  During the six years with UCA, Mr. Ward has taught and guided hundreds of teacher candidates.

            Recently a spring graduate sent an email expressing her heart-felt appreciation.  The email message captures the difference that Mr. Ward makes not only in the lives and careers of teacher candidates, but his dedication is lived through every middle school student who the teacher candidates teach after they graduate from UCA.  This thoughtful email reminds us to thank our teachers at all levels of education.  None of us would have found our paths and passions or achieved our goals and aspirations without our teachers--their knowledge, their guidance, and their care.

            From Leigha Westerfield

            I remember sitting in one of the meetings during Internship II thinking I would never get to this point where I am now in my life.  I am a first-year teacher and loving every minute of it.  I am sending you this message to thank you and the rest of the faculty and staff at the UCA College of Education for helping me get here.  I appreciate it so much! 

            I learned so much from all of my teachers during my time at UCA and while I know I have much more to learn in the future, as teacher I feel so prepared to take on the everyday challenges of becoming a great and wonderful teacher.  I plan to return to UCA eventually to pursue a Masters Degree in education.   I just haven't decided the field I want to study yet.  There are so many areas I want to investigate in the education field.  

            I am an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher at PCSSD (Pulaski County Special School District) this year.  I have faced many challenges and it is only the first month of school.  However, I can honestly say that I have been prepared for every single challenge because of the education I received at UCA.  I know you probably get this all the time, Mr. Ward, but your classroom management class was great.  I have even considered referring his class already to a few teachers.  

            I am so blessed to have been a part of the College of Education and cannot thank you and all the other professors enough.  I hope all is going well this year.  Have a great year.

 Thanks!