In addition to the coursework and field experiences during your first two years, there are some additional hurdles that must be overcome and accomplished; some of these are required by law, others are necessary for accreditation purposes, and others are simply ways for the faculty to measure your progress. There are four major areas within which these hurdles fall: tests, being accepted into teacher education, being accepted into student teaching, and meeting professional standards.

          A. Testing

          The first area is simple: you are required to take and pass a number of required tests. The first set of tests you must take (and pass,) are Praxis I tests. These tests are required by Indiana and many other states for acquiring your license; They are also required for admission to teacher education. The content of Praxis I tests are based on high school content, skills, and materials, and therefore we highly recommend that the tests be taken prior to beginning college, preferably during the summer prior to your freshman year. If it is not taken at that time, it is  required that you take the tests during your first education course, Education 100. Required Praxis I passing scores are: 

 More information about the Praxis I test can be found at www.ets.org or by visiting the Educational Multimedia Media Center on the second floor of Graves Hall. The EMC also provides a number of different support and tutorial materials for you to use to prepare for these tests. We have found that these materials are extremely helpful in preparing for the tests.

           If you do not pass one or more of the tests, you are allowed to re-take them until you have passed them, but please remember that each time you take the test, you must pay a registration fee.

           During your senior year, you will also take a number of tests (Praxis II) that measure both professional knowledge and content knowledge. Different program areas require different tests; you can find more information about the tests you will need to take by checking with your education advisor, by visiting the School of Education Teacher Licensure Information webpage, or by visiting the Indiana Department of Education Division of Professional Standards, website.

          B. Admission to Teacher Education

           The University Of Evansville School Of Education holds teacher education students to very high standards. During your sophomore year, you will apply for admission to teacher education. This important process helps you and the faculty determine not only whether or not you are qualified to begin your professional program, but it also helps assess your progress. To be fully admitted to teacher education, you will prepare a portfolio of artifacts that demonstrate your commitment and level of competencies in several areas. You must also meet these requirements: 

Another section of this handbook contains more details about the Professional Portfolio. Once teacher education students are fully admitted to teacher education, they are called “candidates.”

          C. Admission to Student Teaching

          Students should apply for student teaching one year before the planned student teaching semester.  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 requirements for Admission to Student Teaching are:

          D. Meeting Professional Standards

 Teachers are held to very high professional standards, not only in terms of knowledge and skills, but also in terms of behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs. Along your path to becoming a teacher, you too, will be held to perhaps higher standards than your colleagues and classmates here at the University of Evansville. Of course, we expect you to have as rich an experience as you possibly can, but with respect to your education courses and experiences, we expect you to begin demonstrating a number of professional behaviors and attitudes. Interestingly, these behaviors and attitudes have been shown to have an effect on student performance and achievement; that is, research has shown us that teachers who demonstrate positive attitudes and who are punctual, who have a rich sense of humor, who meet deadlines, and who hold themselves to high standards of moral and ethical behavior, generally always have students who perform better.

          Therefore, throughout your program, you will be expected to attend all classes, get to class and placements on time, hand in your work on time, dress professionally while in your school placements, and behave in an honest and forthright manner at all times. Indeed, it has been our unfortunate experience to have had to ask students to leave teacher education because they have not met these standards, so therefore we ask you to begin your college life and your progress toward becoming a teacher with these things in mind.

  E. Extraneous and Miscellaneous Items

          It is also unfortunate that the path toward becoming a teacher is perhaps a bit more expensive than other, more traditional college majors. That is, there are additional expenses that you will incur as you move toward your degree. For example, your dress – as a teacher education student, you will be expected to wear professional clothing in your placements, and of course, this may cause additional expenses. In addition, since you will need transportation to these placements, there will be additional costs for gasoline and automobile expenses. Some additional fees are also collected for some of the courses you are required to take, most notably in music and art, and there is also an additional fee required for student teaching. 

          In addition, the tests you are required to take cost additional money. The exact amounts will vary with your program, but it is safe to assume that in addition to the $130+ you will spend for Praxis I, you will need an additional several hundred dollars for the Praxis II tests you will be required to pass near the end of your program.

          During your junior internship, you will be required to acquire a substitute teacher license; the license requires a criminal background check, for which, of course, there is a fee collected by the State of Indiana. 

         Finally, you will need to purchase an official UE School of Education picture identification badge to wear at all times when you are working in the schools. This badge can be purchased at the Office of Public Safety and as of the summer of 2005, costs $5.00.