General Information 2. Subject Specialization is required of all prospective elementary and secondary students. Subject specialization for the prospective secondary school teacher consists of completing a teaching major, a teaching minor field, or a composite teaching major, all of which are currently being taught in Utah secondary schools. The program outline lists acceptable subject specialization areas and requirements. 3. Professional Education courses help the prospective teacher leam about children, the nature of the learning process and how to provide desirable learning experiences. These courses are reserved largely for students of junior and senior standing. To meet certification requirements, secondary school candidates are required to complete a rninimum of 37 quarter hours of professional course work; 51 quarter hours are required of the prospective elementary school teacher. PERFORMANCE-BASED TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM Weber State's Teacher Education core is organized into modules. A module is similar to a "minicourse" which has a narrow focus; these modules are grouped into courses for convenience. The performance-based program requires students to demonstrate their knowledge and application of attitudes, skills, and instructional concepts in a variety of ways, and in settings which range from individual faculty/student interviews to school classrooms. A modified self-pacing sequence allows students to progress at different rates. Since students beginning the program are usually unfamiliar with the unique elements of the program's operation, it is essential that they attend orientations and contact the Director of Advisement or a faculty adviser before beginning their studies in teacher education. STANDARDS FOR ADMISSION AND RETENTION All candidates are required to apply for admission to Teacher Education. Normally this should be done during the quarter when the student is enrolled in Education 195, Orientation to Teacher Education. All applications will be considered by the Admissions Committee. Formal admission is contingent upon the candidate's meeting the following minimum standards: Secondary Education: • A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75 based on a rninimum of 45 quarter hours. • Subtest scores on the ACT (College Admissions Test) must meet the following niinimum requirement: English 18, Math 17, Social Science 17, Natural Science 19; or successful completion of the Education Test Battery. Students will be required to take additional courses in areas where score levels are below those indicated above. • Completion of Commun 102, or 307, or an approved equivalent, with a B- or better, or evidence of equivalent performance. • Demonstration of personal qualities appropriate to the teaching profession, as evidenced by the successful completion of Educ 195 and Educ 300, Interaction Laboratory for Teachers, or approved equivalent courses. A student may not proceed beyond Educ 300 until admitted to the Teacher Education program unless granted special permission. A student must have prior approval to register in any Education class. Elementary Education: Option A: • Earn a 3.25 cumulative GPA, which includes at least 45 quarter hours of General Education coursework. • Successfully complete Educ 195 and Educ 300. • Pass writing and spelling proficiency examinations. • If either the writing or spelling proficiency examination is not passed on the initial attempt a student may repeat the examination once. Information helpful in preparing for the examination is available in room Ed 230-b. • Both the writing and spelling proficiency requirement must be cleared before credit will be awarded for Educ 302, Understanding the Learner. Option B: • Earn a 2.75 cumulative GPA on total college coursework of at least 45 quarter hours. • Successfully complete Educ 195 and Educ 300. • Pass writing and spelling proficiency examinations.* • If either the writing or spelling proficiency examination is not passed on the initial attempt a student may repeat the examination once. Information helpful in preparing for the examinations is available in room Ed 230-b. • Both the writing and spelling proficiency requirement must be cleared before credit will be awarded for Educ 302. • Earn ACT scores or their equivalent of at least 18 in English, 17 in Mathematics, 17 in Social Science, and 19 in Natural Science. • If a student scores below the minimum standard on the math subtest, or if the math ACT score is not available, he/she may meet the college mathematics competency requirement and the math requirement for teacher education admission by (a) earning at least a C grade in Math 105, or (b) earning at least a C grade in any course having Math 105 as a prerequisite, or (c) score at least 17 on the alternate ACT math examination. A student is allowed to retest once on the alternate ACT math examination. Information helpful in preparing for the math ACT is available in room ED 230-b. • If a student scores below the rninimum standard on the English, Social Science, or Natural Science ACT subtests, or if ACT scores are not available, he/she is required to take the alternate ACT subtest on the respective area(s) and pass with the scores listed above. A student is allowed to retest once on each of the alternate ACT subtests not initially passed. Information helpful in preparing for the ACT tests is available in room ED 230-b. • Students unable to pass the ACT subtests after two attempts eventually may be admitted under Option A above, or must wait one year and reapply for admission under Option B. • Appeals by students relative to the admission policy may be directed to the Elementary Education Admissions and Retention Committee. Elementary Teacher Education Time Limit On Admission and Coursework: • Admission to the elementary or early childhood education program is valid for a period of five years. If the student has not completed the program within the five-year period, he/she must seek readmission under current admission standards. • After admission or readmission to the elementary or early childhood education program, the student has a period of three years to complete the program in force at time of admission. If the student has not completed the program within the three year period, he/she must meet the requirements of the current program of study. Changes in state certification requirements may necessitate more immediate program changes. • Professional education courses completed more than five years prior to the date of admission or readmission to the elementary or early childhood program will be evaluated for currency standards, and courses older than eight years for time of admission will not be counted • Appeals by students relative to the admission policy may be directed to the Elementary Education Admissions and Retention Committee. • Graduate students who desire to earn teacher certificates will need to meet the following requirements: clearance by the director of the Elementary or Secondary Education program; completion of the regular teacher education admission procedures; and, for Secondary Education candidates, clearance with the department chair responsible for their major and minor subjects. Candidates who wish to complete their major/minor programs at another institution must complete degree requirements at that insitution before admission to the teacher education program or meet all Weber State College major/minor requirements prior to certification. STUDENT TEACHING One quarter of teaching shall be completed in the junior or senior year in selected public schools under the direction of cooperating teachers and college supervisors. Assignments are made in cooperation with the district, the professional association, and the college. Consideration is given to the qualifications of the personnel in the cooperating school as well as the needs of the student teachers. All arrangements for student teaching are to be made in the office of the Director of Professional Field Experiences. See deadline dates for applications in room Ed 230. Student teaching is normally completed prior to the student's final quarter on campus. Advanced students who have completed the prerequisites, will be permitted to do student teaching the last quarter of the junior year. All candidates must demonstrate language/spelling proficiency prior to student teaching. Elementary Student Teaching Educ 488. Teaching Practicum in Elementary Education - a full day of school experiences and related professional course work for a quarter in an elementary school. Prerequisites: Educ 195, 300, 302, 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, 314, 316, 318. Secondary Student Teaching Educ 495. Teaching Practicum in Secondary Education — a full day of school experiences and related professional course work. The secondary student teacher may elect to have experience at both the junior and senior high school level in both major and minor subjects where such assignments are feasible. Prerequisites: Educ 195, 300, 350, 363, 462, 364 and at least 25 credit hours in the Teaching major and 15 credit hours in the Teaching minor or 40 hours in the composite major. DUAL CERTIFICATION Dual Certification is a possibility for a student who desires to qualify to teach at both elementary and secondary teacher levels. Ordinarily this requires two or more quarters of work beyond that required for the single certificate. An outline of the requirements for dual certification may be obtained from the Teacher Education office. Persons interested in dual certification must be approved by the chair of the Teacher Education department EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION The Departments of Child and Family Studies and Teacher Education offer a major in Early Childhood Education with certification for teaching programs which serve children from age three through eight years of age. (Grades K-3) See Department of Child and Family Studies or the Department of Teacher Education for requirements. THE TEACHING OF READING MINOR The School of Education offers course work in the teaching of reading and study skills improvement Courses in this area may be used to satisfy requirements for an academic minor for students in Secondary Education. This program was developed in response to the growing demand for teachers with specialized training in reading and study skills. The preparation covers instructional methods, materials selection, diagnostic procedures, and curriculum design for teaching reading at both the remedial and developmental levels. Students in this preparation program are encouraged to extend it to include the Resource Teaching endorsement for mildly and moderately handicapped students. PROGRAM: TEACHING OF READING MINOR General Requirements: • Students planning to pursue this reading program should contact the reading instructor in the School of Education. • An overall GPA of 2.75 is required. Requirements continued on next page Student Services Interdisc. Programs Allied Health Sciences Arts* Humanities Economics Education Natural Sciences Social Sciences Technology 116 117 Continuing Education