A Three Step Process

           Documenting your progress throughout the four years of your program is very important; our assessment system, required by the university, the State of Indiana, and our accrediting agency, relies on regular, periodic, and accurate measurements of how each student is progressing toward meeting the competencies and requirements necessary to acquire a teaching license. This section of the handbook provides information about the three major steps necessary to meet these requirements; specifically, the steps are: Admission to Teacher Education, Admission to Student Teaching, and Graduation and Licensure. The Professional Portfolio that must be submitted at each of these steps is described in the next section of this handbook. 

Step One: Admission to Teacher Education

           As mentioned in the first part of this handbook, the requirements for

Admission to Teacher Education are:

Each of these requirements is described below. 

Completion of Education 100, 200, and 320 with a grade of C or better. 

        These three courses are required for all students entering teacher education and provide a beginning point for students; Education 100 and 200 are considered “writing intensive” courses, and help faculty determine the degree to which writing skills are adequate. We feel strongly that all teachers, regardless of teaching field, need to be good communicators and writers, and during these courses, professors will pay close attention to student skills. Periodically, some students need some additional help and training in writing, and if that is the case, the students and faculty work closely with the University Writing Center (located in the Library) to improve skill levels.

           Education 320, generally taken during the fall of a student’s sophomore year, is the first “instructional methods” course and is a demanding course with many assignments and tasks; one of these tasks, is to prepare a lesson plan that is taught by a junior intern in a local school.

          Successful completion of these three courses provide a beginning basis for determining whether or not a student’s decision to become a teacher is a good one or not.

          Students generally apply for Admission to Teacher Education during the semester in which they are enrolled in 320. 

Overall cumulative GPA of 2.6 or better.

         Teacher education students are held to a very high academic standard; indeed, as you progress though the program, the GPA requirements rise. It is therefore, very important that you take every course (math, science, history, world cultures, etc.) very seriously. Furthermore, for elementary education majors, your general education courses are even more important, for they provide much of the basic knowledge you will need to teach all of the subjects for which you are responsible as a classroom teacher.

          There are no exceptions to the GPA rule, and if your GPA drops below the required levels, you may be removed from the teacher education program until your GPA meets the required level.

Competency in Technology Skills

         The technology used in contemporary classrooms is becoming more sophisticated each year, and classroom teachers must not only be proficient in the use of certain applications, they need to be able to embrace new applications as they are developed. Therefore, technology and its uses are emphasized throughout the teacher education programs, and students should be able to demonstrate competency in the following skills. 

Admission to Teacher Education Interview

          You will have an opportunity to sign up for a specific time for your interview and submit your portfolio for review approximately two weeks prior to interview dates. Interviews generally take place over several days, and faculty members from many departments take part in the process. You should dress professionally but the interview is rather informal, and faculty will ask you questions about your portfolio, your reflections, and your reasons for wanting to become a teacher. Interviewers will also carefully note your writing skills in your portfolio as well as your poise and professional manner.

          When you have completed the interview, the entire School of Education faculty votes on you application; you will receive a letter from the Chair of the School of Education within two weeks of your interview, informing you of your admission status. In a few cases, your admission may be delayed until certain requirements are met (corrections in your portfolio, Praxis test scores that have not been received, etc.) When you have been fully admitted, you have attained candidacy status, and your next steps are to continue with your coursework and internships, and finally apply for student teaching.

Step II: Admission to Student Teaching

        Applying for Student Teaching

           Students apply for student teaching one year before the planned student teaching semester; the Director of Student Teaching uses this time to contact various administrators and teachers to arrange for the best possible placement for you. In many cases, school districts also need the time to identify possible cooperating teachers. In no instance, should you attempt to locate a student teaching placement for yourself; we work very diligently to find placements that fit you, your needs, and the school district’s needs. The application for student teaching form can be obtained from the Multimedia Center and must be completed and returned to the Education office, along with your completed and expanded Portfolio. The portfolio should be organized in the same manner as when you applied for Admission to Teacher Education, but the artifacts will reflect a more advanced level of skill development. The portfolios are examined and assessed by three persons: your advisor, a practicing teacher, and one other faculty member; for secondary education students, your content area advisor must also assess the portfolio. Again, the portfolio must reflect excellent communication and writing skills.

        Requirements for student teaching

            Students should consult with their advisors concerning the submission of an application for student teaching. Application forms are available in the Multimedia Center. The completed form should be submitted one year prior to the student teaching year, typically, during the fall semester of the junior year. An application should be submitted even if all of the following eligibility requirements are not entirely met: 

           Students cannot begin their school placements until they have been officially and fully admitted to student teaching.

Step III: Graduation and Licensure