LUMEN
University Consortium for Catholic Education

The LUMEN program embraces the mission of the University of Great Falls. All courses will build upon the four core questions at the heart of the University which are articulated in the College of Education’s conceptual framework.

The LUMEN program combines three components for future teachers: Professional Education, Community, and Spiritual Formation. During the two-year program, students live together in a spiritual community while gaining professional experience as teachers and earning a master's degree.

Professional Education

LUMEN teachers are recruited to teach in regional Catholic schools in high need teaching areas such as English, science, and math. Teachers are supported by on-site mentor teachers as well as University supervisors. LUMEN teachers may be assigned to schools in Montana, the Dakotas, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and eastern Washington. LUMEN teachers spend two summers on campus at the University of Great Falls in classes specifically designed to prepare them to take on the challenges of teaching in successful ways. Mornings are devoted to practical experiences in the classrooms of the local public schools working with experienced master teachers. Afternoons are spent attending class and discovering the theory and practice behind the morning experiences. The first summer deals with such topics as " Teaching in Catholic Schools", "Lesson Planning", "Cognitive Psychology Applied to Learning", "Assessment in the Classroom", and "Classroom Management." Students take additional coursework on-line during the school year providing an immediate opportunity to put current coursework into practice. At the end of the two year program, students are able to gain state certification as licensed teachers and have earned a Master of Arts degree in Secondary Education. In this strand of the program, the University's core questions, What does it mean to participate in intellectual inquiry? and What does it mean to make a living as a professional and be a productive human being? are answered.

Community

Living LUMEN teachers live simply in spiritual communities of one to four students. Community living bonds the students together as they share meals, spiritual struggles and triumphs, and teaching experiences. Students also share living experiences and become accountable to each other as community members. All LUMEN students are connected through on-line coursework, activities coordinated by the program, and informal gatherings. This model of community living leads students to understand the University's core questions, What does it mean to be human? and What does it mean to make a living as a professional and be a productive human being?

Spiritual Formation

During the school year, LUMEN teachers devote one evening a week to prayer and spiritual reflection. Attendance at weekly Mass and active participation in the liturgical life of their school is expected. LUMEN teachers have opportunities to attend "virtual" and full-gathering retreats during each year. These retreats are designed to refresh and deepen the faith of participants. The University's core question, What does it mean to participate in the spiritual and religious dimensions of life? is addressed in this strand of LUMEN. It is perhaps the most life-changing question explored within the program.