Teacher Education General Information

Admittance to Teacher Education

All students desiring to complete teacher certification requirements must make application to become officially admitted to the professional education program through the satisfactory completion of the “Application to Professional Education Program” form. This form may be obtained from the Teacher Education Student Services (TESS) Office, Administration Building, Room 348.

Application for admission to the professional education program should be initiated in the trimester following the one in which the eligible student completes 45 hours of academic credit or upon transfer of 45 hours of credit acceptable to this institution. All students desiring to become teacher candidates must demonstrate basic educational competencies prior to formal admission into the professional teacher education program. To do this applicants must:

1. Provide evidence (score) of completion of the ACT or SAT by having scores submitted to the University.
2. Successfully complete COM 29102 Fundamentals of Oral Communication, with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Successfully complete EDCI 62211 Observation and Activity in the Elementary School for elementary education programs; EDUC 61262 Middle School Teaching Practicum I for middle school programs; EDUC 61260 Secondary Teaching Practicum I for secondary education programs; EDUC 61260 for elementary-secondary programs; EDCI 62211 or EDUC 61262 or EDUC 61260 for special education programs; HPER 22260 Observation and Practicum I in Physical Education for the Physical Education program.
4. Complete at least 45 semester hours of coursework and achieve a minimum major GPA and minimum GPA in education coursework with no more than seven hours below a “C” for all courses used to meet general education requirements. Reference minimum GPA in the Professional Education Handbook.
5. Complete two composition courses or one honors composition, a math course (MATH 17171 for Elementary Education majors), COM 29102 Fundamentals of Oral Communication, and recommended Institutional Requirements (EDUC 61145 or EDCI 62130, EDUC 61252).
6. Achieve the minimum MoGEA (English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Writing Sample) scores identified in the Professional Education Handbook.
7. Register for admission to the Professional Education Program at the Teacher Education Student Services (TESS) Office in Administration Building, Room 348, in accordance with the application procedure. This form will not be issued until all the above criteria have been met.
8. Take completed form to approved Professional Education advisor for signature and assignment of anticipated student teaching blocks or professional trimester.
9. Return signed form to the TESS Office for final approval by the TESS Office. A copy of the approved form will be sent to the student and advisor. Any changes in major or anticipated student teaching block/professional trimester must be submitted to and approved by the TESS Office once admission has been obtained.

Note: Students who do not meet the admissions standards listed above may qualify for “alternative” or “probationary” admission.

Alternative Admissions: The alternative admissions process is designed for applicants from a disadvantaged background (as provided in CBHE policy). In acting on such applications the Teacher Education Admissions Committee (TEAC) looks for evidence of extraordinary circumstances that are beyond the control of the student, and for specific data (leading indicators) demonstrating ability to succeed in teacher education programming. The student must outline a credible plan by which they will overcome the particular academic challenge(s).

Probationary Admissions: Students seeking admission to the Teacher Education Program who fail to meet the minimum score required for any MoGEA subsection(s) for a third time, may not continue in the teacher education sequence. A student, who continues to be convinced that he/she can be successful in Teacher Education, should consult their academic advisor and may request a meeting with the TEAC to discuss probationary status. The student must complete the Application for Probationary Admission form, providing data-based reasons why they believe they can ultimately be successful. In granting probationary status, the TEAC may identify support processes, short courses, or other means by which the student can improve performance in the area(s) of deficiency. If a student is granted probationary admissions, he/she must meet admissions requirement within one trimester.

Students with handicapping conditions which prevent valid test results from the MoGEA will be evaluated for basic educational competencies through appropriate testing instruments and/or procedures by psychometrists as designated and approved by the Council on Teacher Education.

Students must request testing arrangements to accommodate their special testing needs. Possible special arrangements include a large type edition of the MoGEA, extended time, readers, signers, scribes, magnifying equipment and others.

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree (B.A., B.S., or B.S.Ed.) who meet Northwest professional education program requirements or those who have earned other baccalaureate degrees and have filed an academic contract or an approved graduate program to complete teaching certification requirements and have been admitted to the professional education program will receive a Missouri State Board of Education and an NCATE recommendation for certification.

Teacher Education Guidance Committee

This committee considers those professional education students who have deficiencies which are so serious that their success in the field of teaching would be in jeopardy. Such deficiencies may or may not relate to quantitative criteria.

The guidance committee is an ad hoc subcommittee of the Council on Teacher Education. Although the Council on Teacher Education has overall reviewing authority, this subcommittee, known as the Teacher Education Guidance Committee, develops and implements the necessary procedures. Committee members may include the assistant director of Teacher Education, chairperson of the Department of Professional Education, field experiences representative, chairperson or director of the student’s major studies area, the student’s advisor, and faculty who have taught the student. These committee members are included since they possess relevant information about the student.

Any University faculty member may refer a student to the Teacher Education Guidance Committee. The chairperson of the Council on Teacher Education will then structure the ad hoc committee and arrange a meeting to which the student may be called to appear. The chairperson will then report the decision of the committee to the student.

The committee will take one of four courses of action in regard to a student in question:

1. No action; the student would continue in the Teacher Education Program.
2. Recommend remedial actions that the student must take, to be followed by further screening.
3. Recommend remedial action and suspension from the Teacher Education Program until the student has met said requirements of the committee.
4. Recommend that the student be terminated from the Teacher Education Program, in which case he or she would not be permitted to complete any program from this University leading to educator certification.

All students will have the right to appeal in person regarding decisions rendered by the Teacher Education Guidance Committee. The purpose of the appeal is not to provide a secondary hearing of a case already heard by the committee, but rather to insure that students have been able to present all information pertaining to their case and that proper protocols have been followed. Students should provide a basis for their appeal by submitting either new information (e.g. documentation from a doctor, counselor, or official) pertaining to their case, or evidence of error or bias on the part of the previous committee. The students must initiate the appeals process by contacting the Office of the Dean of the College of Education and Human Services.

Directed Teaching

Prospective student teachers must attend an orientation session and make application for student teaching with the Director of Educational Field Experiences in the trimester immediately prior to the trimester in which student teaching is to be completed. The Director of Educational Field Experiences will establish a specific date for application each trimester. At the time of application, the student must secure the approval of the following persons: Registrar, major advisor (and minor advisor when appropriate), and TESS coordinator. The application form containing the approval route can be found in Tk20. An overall GPA and official admittance to the teacher education program are required (see “Admittance to Teacher Education” above). A minimum GPA is also required for all courses taken at Northwest, all courses taken in each of the applicant’s subject areas and all courses in the professional education sequence. Reference minimum GPA in the Professional Education Handbook.

Secondary and elementary-secondary program majors are required to successfully complete EDCI 62353; EDUC 61520, and EDUC 61461 in order to maintain eligibility to student teach. Elementary, middle school, secondary, and special education majors student teach an entire trimester. Students may not have a choice of time or location for the directed teaching experience. Students may suggest a location, however, final placement resides with the Director of Field Experiences.

Graduation Requirements

Students completing a teacher education program must complete as a part of their program a field experience in a diverse setting for a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours.

Teacher Education candidates must demonstrate their competence across the state’s MoSPE standards for teacher educators. This is accomplished through authentic assessments designated in the Professional Education Unit (PEU) assessment system.

Certification Exit Requirements

In addition to satisfying the respective program requirements, each candidate seeking initial certification must achieve the minimum GPA requirement set by the State Board of Education to include: A minimum overall GPA; a minimum GPA in each of the certificate subject areas; and a minimum overall GPA and no grade lower than a “C” in professional education courses, i.e., those courses defined as foundations for teaching, teaching methods and techniques, and clinical experiences. Each candidate must also achieve a satisfactory score on the appropriate Pearson Content Exam. Reference minimum GPA in the Professional Education Handbook.

Certification

Students admitted to the Professional Education Program are subject to all prevailing academic and social regulations and policies of the University in addition to those specified for the various certificate program sequences. The Teacher Education candidate is also subject to any Missouri legislative action or State Board of Education policy that may become effective during the lifetime of this catalog. The candidate is responsible for meeting the requirements of endorsement area(s) at the time of application for an initial Missouri teaching certificate. In addition to the certificate requirements, the student must satisfy the degree requirements of the major department. The teacher education advisor in each department will guide the student in meeting all requirements. Additional information about certification is in the Professional Education Handbook and on the Northwest website at www.nwmissouri.edu/dept/peu/certification/index.htm. For specific information regarding teacher certification, contact the Teacher Certification Officer.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education-Office of Educator Quality is working with a representative stakeholder group to redesign the standards for educator preparation including certification requirements. These changes and the implementation schedule will be communicated to students through individual advising sessions, meetings, and/or other university communications. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact the Missouri Department of Educator Preparation in the Office of Educator Quality (eqprep@dese.mo.gov).

Post-Degree Certification

Individuals who hold baccalaureate degrees from regionally-accredited institutions may elect to pursue their initial teaching certificate by completing our teacher preparation program. Candidates are subject to the requirements as provided in this catalog. Candidates are required to fulfill all the general education requirements for certification as designated by the state of Missouri.

Title II Reporting

Northwest annually reports to the United States Department of Education on the performance of its Teacher Education graduates. The report is public information and is contained in its entirety on the following website: www.nwmissouri.edu/dept/peu/about.htm.