Teacher Education

The programs, which are specifically designed to prepare teachers, represent a cooperative effort by all departments involved in the preparation of teachers. Coordinated by the Teacher Education Council, the total program of Teacher Education consists of the General Education Requirements, professional education courses, including a sequence of clinical experiences and student teaching, and an academic specialization appropriate to the generally accepted philosophy and objectives of the respective programs.

Conceptual Framework: "Teacher as Reflective Facilitator of Learning"

The School of Education at Coppin State University is committed to preparing competent "reflective facilitators of learning." The primary thrust of the Teacher Education undergraduate programs is to train systematic planners, instructional leaders, effective communicators, reflective decision makers, and evolving professionals. To accomplish this goal, the faculty will provide reflective facilitators of learning with the necessary educational experiences that will enable them to deliver educational services designed to assist all children and youth to attain their optimal potential as productive members of society.

Teacher Education Programs

The School of Education offers undergraduate majors for the preparation of teachers in the areas of early childhood, elementary, and special education and majors leading to certification in secondary education in English, mathematics, history/social studies, biology, and chemistry. Each Teacher Education program is built upon a sound liberal arts foundation and is designed to enable students to acquire the skills, knowledge, and understandings, which all teachers should possess. All students in Teacher Education must meet the General Education Requirements.

Student choices of courses should be made with the guidance of an advisor for the following reasons:

• specific General Education courses may be required for certain majors;
• additional credits may be required in certain subject areas;
• grades below "C" in certain courses may not be acceptable.

The Teacher Candidate Performance-Based Assessment

The academic standing and progress of all teacher candidates must be reviewed at three strategic phases as they matriculate toward graduation. These strategic phases are as follow:

• The "Readiness-to-Enter the Teacher Education Program" Performance Assessment (i.e. entrance to the program);
• The "Assessment, Reflection and Refinement-As-Learning" Performance Assessment (i.e., mid-point in the program); and
• The "Reflective Facilitator of Learning" Performance Assessment - Entrance into the Education Profession (i.e., exit from the program).

Please obtain, from your Chairperson, and read The Undergraduate Teacher Candidate Performance-Based Assessment Manual and consult with your advisor for further details. This Manual will be distributed during EDUC 202, when the Phase I Portfolio is developed.

Admission to Teacher Education and Praxis Implementation Policy

A student, in order to be admitted to the School of Education, must declare an education major and apply for admission to Teacher Education.

Eligible students should have:

• completed 30 credit hours;
• a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better;
• completed English 101/103 and 102/104 (6 credit hours); and Math 103 (3 credit hours)
• the declaration of major form signed by the department chairperson;
• a faculty advisor assigned by the chairperson;
• completed Phase I of the Undergraduate Performance-Based Assessment Portfolio: Admission to Teacher Education;
• the Application to Teacher Education Form signed by the department chairperson;
• successfully completed Praxis I, with a score equal to or greater than the cutoff scores and/or composite scores set by MSDE.

The following information also impacts students interested in entering Teacher Education.

• Students who have met all the above except the passing of Praxis I can be admitted as a pre-major to Teacher Education.
• Students must take Praxis II prior to student teaching.
• Students must achieve state mandated cut-off scores on Praxis II prior to approval for graduation.

The current MSDE cut-off scores are: MATHEMATICS (177), READING (177), WRITING (173). Students my also meet the Praxis I requirement by achieving the cut-off composite score of 527. A student who has been denied admission to a program may appeal to the Teacher Education Council. If denied admission a third time, the student will be advised into another area.

Declaration of a Teacher Education Major

All degree-seeking students must officially declare a major. Admission to Coppin State University is not an automatic guarantee of admission to a major program. Each major department interviews and accepts its own students. Students must complete necessary developmental courses and at least 30 credits of university-level work before declaring a major.

Students who are eligible to declare a major should follow these procedures:

• report to the selected department office to obtain a Declaration of Major Form;
• obtain an unofficial copy of the transcript from the Registrar's Office;
• make an appointment to see the appropriate department chairperson;
• complete an interview with the chairperson and another faculty member;
• obtain acceptance in the major; and
• return the completed form to the Academic Advising and Testing Office.

Change of Major

Students who want to change their major after being admitted to Teacher Education must secure the approval of the chairperson of the department from which they wish to transfer and the approval of the chairperson of the department in which they plan to matriculate.

Transfer Students

All students who transfer into the University must meet all of the requirements for admission into Teacher Education, including a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.70. An official transcript of all course work taken at other colleges must be sent directly to the Admissions Office. Transfer students should check the deadline for admission into Teacher Education and file an application during the semester that all entry prerequisites will be completed.

Retention in Teacher Education

To remain in Teacher Education, students must have satisfactorily completed all General Education Requirements by the end of the junior year. A grade of "C" or higher must be earned in each foundation, professional, and methods course. Academic records will be reviewed at least once each semester by the advisor to determine continuing eligibility for retention in the program.

Admission to Student Teaching

All students in Teacher Education must apply for student teaching at least one semester before the experience is to begin.

By the end of the semester in which the application is made, students must have:

• completed all General Education Requirements;
• acquired a 2.70 cumulative grade point average;
• earned a grade of "C" or higher in all professional and methods courses;
• passed the physical examination;
• received the approval of the chairperson of the department in which the applicant will student teach;
• completed Phase II of the Undergraduate Performance-Based Assessment Portfolio: Admission to Student Teaching
• passed the interview with the Student Teacher Review Committee;
• obtained the qualifying scores established by MSDE on Praxis I;
• taken the appropriate Praxis II exam; and,
• received the approval of the Teacher Education Council.

Teacher candidates are recommended for certification only when they have:

• successfully completed all course requirements of a particular program;
• successfully demonstrated continued competence, aptitude, and potential for satisfactory success in teaching;
• met the State of Maryland cutoff scores on Praxis I & II; and,
• Completed phase III of the Undergraduate Performance-Based Assessment Portfolio: Exit from the Teacher Education Program.

The State of Maryland certification requires teacher candidates to meet a specific cutoff score on Praxis I and II.