Teacher Education 211
Handbook
Navigating the Teacher Education Program
(With Success!)
This won’t be YOU!!
Table of Contents
1. Where am I and What am I doing Here?
2. What Teachers Make
3. The Teacher Education Program: an Overview
4. What the Heck is a Conceptual Framework?
5. Knowledge, Skills, and Applications
6. Reflective Practice
7. Professional & Ethical Behavior
8. Developing a TEP Portfolio
9. Goals: Long and Short Term
10. Philosophy of Education: Getting Started
11. My Resume: Who am I? & What Have I Done?
12. Evidence & Captions
13. The Interview & How Do I Get In? (to TEP)
14. The Teaching License PRAXIS Connection
15. PRAXIS Information
21. Other Random Stuff You Should Know!
Where Am I And What Am I Doing Here?
If you have purchased and are reading this handbook, let’s assume you
have for some reason chosen to be a teacher! This course is the beginning
of the process through which you will navigate to reach your goal of
teaching somewhere in public or private schools. Our program will lead to
licensure in the state of Tennessee within your chosen field. There are lots of
people here; faculty and staff whose job is to make the transition from
student to teacher an easier one for you.
If you have entered the field of education because you think it is an easy
job, or it’s something to fall back on in case something else doesn’t work
out, you probably should rethink your choice. Teaching is a demanding,
soul wrenching, exhausting job. Entering into this profession should not be
taken lightly.
This course will introduce you to the basic requirements of the Teacher
Education Program (TEP). You will develop an understanding of the
Conceptual Framework that guides our program. During this semester you
will be expected to develop your portfolio with which faculty judge your
progress in our program. You will create a resume, a professional teaching
philosophy and goals. How you go about all of this, plus learn about
licensure, PRAXIS, and graduating with a toolkit to guide your first years
as a teacher will be part of this course.
I hope you are ready…
1
WHAT TEACHERS MAKE
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.
One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He
argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best
option in life was to become a teacher?" He reminded the other dinner
guests what they say about teachers:
"Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."
To emphasize his point, he said to another guest; "You're a teacher,
Susan. Be honest. What do you make?"
Susan, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You
want to know what I make?
"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.
"I make a C+ feel like the winner of the Congressional Medal of
Honor.
I make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall in absolute silence.
You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder.
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write.
I make them read, read, read.
I make them show all their work in math and perfect their final
drafts in English.
I make them understand that if you have the brains, and follow your
heart, and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you
must pay no attention because they just didn't learn."
Susan paused and then continued. "You want to know what I make?
'I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.' What do YOU make?"
Teachers make every other profession possible!
2
The Teacher Education Program (TEP)
An Overview
The teacher education program housed in Gooch Hall is an N.C.A.T.E.
accredited program. This means that this program has met national standards in the
preparation of teachers. If you leave this state to teach elsewhere, it tells prospective
employers you have gone through a program which thoroughly prepares you to begin
a teaching career.
The curriculum in your program includes three parts: the general education
core, specialty area, and professional education. Your check sheet clearly indicates
which is which. Your check sheet and catalog need to be your constant companions in
the next couple of years. You need to read them, know what is required, and if you are
staying on target for graduation. After you have been admitted to the TEP, you will
have a faculty advisor to help you navigate your program. Ultimately you are
responsible for your education, no one else can make you attend class or do
assignments.
Admission to the TEP requires an interview with a faculty interview board, a
minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 2.5, (going to 2.75 in Fall 08) and a minimum of 22 or
higher on the A.C.T. or pass PPST (PRAXIS I). There is an appeals process. Finally, you
will be evaluated from time to time on your disposition toward the profession and
other educators.
The following dispositions characterize the UTM teacher education undergraduate and
graduate candidate:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Demonstrates positive interactions with peers, faculty, and P-12 school
personnel.
Demonstrates self-respect and respect for others.
Accepts constructive criticism and changes behavior in response to faculty
suggestions.
Assumes responsibility.
Solves problems in a fair minded manner.
Exhibits interest in the learner and enthusiasm for the learning process.
Adheres to professional guidelines regarding academic conduct established by
the Teacher Education Program.
Check out the Educational Studies website for more information about all the
services, degrees and other miscellaneous information you may need.
http://www.utm.edu/departments/cebs/educate/resources.php
3
The Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework (CF) guiding the TEP was
developed by faculty. This is a compilation of those things faculty
believe candidates need to know in order to be prepared as a
teacher. These include: Knowledge, Skills and Applications,
Reflective Practice, and Professional and Ethical Behavior. Your
portfolio and its evaluation depend on how well you present
your case to your advisor and other faculty in the TEP in these
areas.
Within these three areas you will also be asked to show your
knowledge of assessment, technology and diversity. This means
you will need to show that the work you have done within the
three components of the C.F. also indicates you have considered
these in doing your work for your courses. On the following
pages each section of the C.F. will be considered separately.
4
Knowledge, Skills, and Applications
Knowledge includes knowledge of your content area as well as knowledge in
the pedagogical (teaching) part of your program. If you are going to be a science
teacher, you must know science. The same is true for every other content area.
Specialty areas vary greatly from secondary to early childhood education. Each of your
programs differs in the general education core, specialty area and professional
education. In professional education, knowledge includes how to teach the science,
math, history, or special education children you will have in your classrooms. It is not
enough to know science content, you also must be aware of the developmentally
appropriate approaches to teaching it.
The skills you must know include how to write lesson plans, plan a unit,
integrate content areas, assess students, and modify lessons to meet the needs of all
your students. Although not a comprehensive list, these skills, and others, will be
acquired in your professional education courses. Seemingly mundane things have to be
considered to be successful in the classroom: do my objectives match my assessment?
Am I teaching what I say I am? Am I testing what I teach? How do I incorporate higher
order thinking questions and objectives in my lesson planning? How do I maintain some
kind of order in the room? Do I reward or punish? What rules are appropriate?
The application of knowledge and skills comes with mastery of these two
important components. How you use them is the application of the information we as
a faculty try to impart. You will find that, your professional education courses should be
more than memorizing techniques and regurgitating information. They should be using
that information to best teach students.
Reflective Practice
If you go home at the end of the day and don’t consider how your day went,
you are weird!! A good teacher will be critical of themselves and reflect on lessons that
went well or went wrong. They reflect on what they could have done differently or
better. They think about keeping or not keeping an activity. They think about what
Sarah was doing in social studies or where her mind was. What is going on in her life
that I need to know about? Did Jim get this breakfast? He certainly couldn’t focus on
what we were doing. How is Will’s grandfather doing? Did that affect how he was
working today?
If 86% of your students failed their exam, whose fault is it? Theirs or Yours? How
can you find out? Where do you go from here?
These are some of the hundreds of things you may consider on a daily basis. Just
as a coach analyzes what went right and wrong in a game, you as the teacher must do
the same thing. You will not improve as a teacher or facilitator of learning if you hand
out information in tidy 50 minute packages, never consider how the information is
related to your students’ lives or ever consider that you may be the one at fault when
they don’t get it.
5
Professional and Ethical Behavior
As a teacher there will be tasks you are asked to do above and beyond your
normal classroom duties:
 parent teacher conferences,
 professional development,
 coaching,
 attending P.T.A. or other functions.
Professional and ethical behavior includes:
 behaving in a manner that does not violate the law or put students in
harms way,
 criticizing other teachers or the administration in public,
 talking about your students to others not permitted to have that
information,
 not cheating on TCAP or GATEWAY tests
The question: are you a professional or not?
 Do you keep up with your area of expertise?
 Do you attend conferences?
 Do you find outside sources for information if you need help in a
particular matter?
 Do you do more than show up at 8:00 and leave at 3:00?
How will YOU answer these questions?
6
Developing the TEP Portfolio
The purpose of the portfolio is to give your advisor and other faculty
a record of your growth as a prospective teacher. You will include all kinds of
documents and a caption that explains why that document is included. The
portfolio will be set up in a standard format using the following information.
You can however, individualize it with the kinds of paper you use, whether
you decorate the front with something other than just the required title,
and any other personal touches you choose to use. Your portfolio basics will
be completed in this course.
Needed for your portfolio:
3 ring binder; 2 or 3 inch will do
Dividers with clear tabs
Page protectors for your documents
Portfolio Divisions (Use dividers with clear tabs for this)
Each of the following items should have its own tab.
Table of Contents
Professional Philosophy
Professional Goals
Resume
Conceptual Framework
Knowledge, Skills, and Application
Diversity
Technology
Assessment
Reflective Practice
Diversity
Technology
Assessment
Professional and Ethical Behavior
Diversity
Technology
Assessment
7
Goals
Goals refer to long and short term professional goals. This is not where you
indicate you would like to remodel your kitchen or add a workshop to your garage.
Where you do want to be in one year? What do you want to accomplish over
the next two years? These are short term goals.
Where do you want to be in 5 years? 10? These are long term goals.
Again, we are talking professionally speaking. Would you like to start work on a
master’s degree in 5 years? Graduate with honors in two years? Have an assistant
coaching position in 5 years?
Look at goals you might attain professionally.
Philosophy
Your philosophy should tell us something about you. How do you feel about
students? Or how they should be taught? Do you feel comfortable using corporal
punishment? How do you want to present the content you have worked hard to
acquire? The following is an example:
My Educational Philosophy
All students should have an equal opportunity to learn in a safe and equitable
environment. I believe that education should be experiential in nature, so students
should be active participants in their own education. The teacher’s duty is to provide
experiences for students that not only enhance their knowledge in subject matter
content, but also develop cognitive skills through inquiry and discovery learning, and
problem-based instruction, in an environment that encourages questioning, critical
thinking, and social action.
In science education, I believe the teacher should establish an environment that
develops a community of science learners who come to understand that all students
can be scientists, can conduct scientific inquiry, and participate as problem solvers to
the betterment of society and the natural world.
This is not to say your philosophy should mirror this one, but this gives you an idea as to
what might be included. Start thinking about how you feel about learning and
learners.
8
Resume
You will include a resume in your portfolio. Include work you have done, schools
you attended and so on. There are lots of examples of resume styles on most word
processing programs including Microsoft Word. Consider what you want this document
to say about you, your work history, your schools attended and any outside activities
that will shed some light on you as a person. This is part of what you will complete for
this course to put into your portfolio.
Evidence and Captions for your Portfolio
The evidence you will collect for your portfolio will come from a variety of
places including your coursework. It will come from activities you do outside of the
classroom such as workshops or events you attend. You will have to decide along with
your advisor where your work will best fit. Remember you will try to fit these under
those three areas of the conceptual framework. YOU INCLUDE WORK YOU HAVE
DONE, NOT COPIED FROM ANOTHER SOURCE.
Knowledge, Skills and Applications:
Lesson and Unit Plans
Objectives, Questions (Bloom’s Taxonomy)
Lesson plans with accommodations (special education)
Management Plan
Unit Assignments
Learning Centers or Bulletin Boards
Tests and other evaluation instruments you have developed or used
Internet lesson plans you have modified
Web Quests you create (HL 311)
Technology used to teach lessons, or incorporated into lessons
Reflective Practice
Journal entries
Lesson Critiques
Field Experience Assignments
Textbook, software evaluations
I.E.P. s
9
Professional and Ethical Behavior
Membership in professional organizations
Office in professional organizations
Attendance at conferences, in-services, or other professional meetings
Juried performances, shows, judging
Agriculture judging, participation in high school activities (band camp, FFA,
etc.)
The Explanatory Caption
Portfolio Section (Knowledge, Skills, & Application)
Title of Work:
Date Created:
Course in which created:
Introduction and Explanation:
Interpretation & Reflection:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You will write a caption sheet for each individual piece of evidence presented in your
portfolio. When you finish student teaching, you will have 9-15 pieces of evidence. As
your work improves, you will replace old evidence with new. Before you student teach
you should have a minimum of 5 pieces of evidence in your portfolio and may have
more than that. There are portfolio checkpoints throughout the program, the first in
211. It will be checked in TCED 302, 303 & 305 (these checkpoints may change)as well
as at EACH registration advising appointment with your advisor. It will also be
checked prior to student teaching and will be checked at the end of the semester in
student teaching.
10
The Teacher Education Admissions Interview
Toward the middle of each semester, teacher education admission interviews
are held. You have to sign up for these and schedule an appointment time. This will be
discussed more in class.
The interview team will be looking for oral language skills, how well you know
what the heck you are doing, what influenced you to become a teacher and so on. The
questions will vary somewhat depending on your interview team. This is not a time to
panic or worry excessively. However, do not take the interview process lightly. You
must dress professionally: no midriffs, cleavage, no alcohol on breath, no torn jeans,
dirty clothes or unkempt appearance. If you pass your interview and have the other
requirements listed on page 5 of the handbook or on page 163 in the 2006-2007 UTM
catalog, you will be admitted.
There may be a background check required before student teaching. You must
have one to teach in Tennessee. At the interview you will sign a statement
acknowledging the requirement of a background check.
11
The Teaching License PRAXIS Connection
In order to become a licensed teacher in Tennessee, there are a series of tests
you must complete and pass. Depending on your area, you may have to take more
than someone else in the TEP. For instance, K-6 majors must pass 4 tests to be licensed.
Your advisor is the best person to talk with about when to schedule your PRAXIS
exams. You do not want to find yourself student teaching only to find you have 4 tests
to take in a very short time if you want to get a teaching position. Generally speaking,
take your content area exam when you have completed most, if not all of your
content courses. Some should not be taken until you have completed your upper
division methods courses, some should be taken during your student teaching semester.
Do NOT wait until the last minute to try to take them all, you will not be happy. There
are workshops usually twice a year to prepare you for the PLT. Take one. One of your
exams will also serve as your exit exam from our program.
Who Do You Call?
Questions about licensure:
Office
Gooch 205 Student Services
Contact Person
Ms Jenny Hahn 881-7126 or jhahn@utm.edu
PRAXIS,
New Check sheets,
advisor information,
interview sign-up,
Graduate Student Assistants
881-7203
student teaching applications,
Ms Debbie Stigall 881-7129 or
dstigall@utm.edu
Student teaching placements,
Mrs. Jennifer Cook
Gooch 205 Student Services offers help in multiple areas. Be nice! These people are
here to help you. Their website has the answers to FAQ, check it out!
http://www.utm.edu/departments/cebs/ESS.php
To sign up for PRAXIS exams, or to review Tests at a Glance, help prepare for the tests:
www.ets.org
The connection between PRAXIS and licensure is simple, pass the tests, you may be
licensed. Be sure to request scores go to UTM.
12
Where to Get Additional Information
To obtain information about approved teacher education programs or certification for
individuals who hold certification in another state, you may contact:
Office of Teacher Licensing
State Department of Education
5th Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower
710 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243-0377
Telephone 1-615-532-4885
Test Requirements
If you test in Tennessee a copy of your scores will automatically be sent to the State
Department of Education.
The first digit of the "Session/Test Code" indicates the session during which the test is offered
in the 2005-2006 testing year. There are no session numbers for the CBT tests, which are
given by appointment, as explained in Praxis I Overview.
You may take each Computerized PPST once per calendar month up to six times in a 12month period. If you violate this restriction, the scores from your retest will not be reported
and your test fees will not be refunded. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test
taken previously.
Licensure
Session/ Test
Qualifying
Area
Test CodeName
Score
Entry Into All
Endorsement Areas
10710
20720
10730
PPST Reading
174
PPST Writing
173
PPST Mathematics (calculators prohibited)
173
or
5710
5720
5730
Computerized PPST Reading
174
Computerized PPST Writing
173
Computerized PPST Mathematics
(calculators prohibited)
173
Where to Take the Computer-based Tests
The computer-based tests are offered by appointment through a national network of
PrometricTM Testing Centers (many Prometric Testing Centers are located inside Sylvan
Learning Centers), selected institutional sites, and ETS Field Service Offices. Visit Computerbased Test Centers for the locations near you.
Test center locations for the paper-based PPST are listed in the appropriate Test Center List:
United States and U.S. Territories
Outside the United States
The following tests are also required for teacher licensure:
Licensure
Session/
Test
Area
Test Code Name
All Teaching
Licenses
30521
Principles of Learning and Teaching: Early
Childhood
Qualifying
Score
155
or
30522
Principles of Learning and Teaching:
Grades K-6
155
or
30523
Principles of Learning and Teaching:
Grades 5-9
154
or
Test (Beginning
Administrator A)
(PreK-12)
Test (Beginning
Administrator B)
(Prek-12)
Agricultural 7-12
Art 7-12
(Visual Arts)
30524
Principles of Learning and Teaching:
Grades 7-12
159
11010
School Leadership Licensure Assessment
(must use SLS bulletin to register)
156
11010
School Leadership Licensure Assessment
(must use SLS bulletin to register)
156
Agriculture
530
Art: Content Knowledge
150
10700
10133
Choice of:
20132
Art: Content, Traditions, Criticism and
Aesthetics
140
or
20131
Art Making
155
(Test takers are required to bring four color photographs or still
reproductions of their own artwork. For more detailed information about this
requirement, see the TAAG material)
Biology 7-12
20235
Biology: Content Knowledge
(calculators prohibited)
148
Choice of:
30233
Biology: Content Essays
(calculators prohibited)
146
or
30433
General Science: Content Essays
(calculators prohibited)
130
Business Education
7-12
Chemistry 7-12
10100
Business Education
(calculator allowed)
570
20245
Chemistry: Content Knowledge
(calculators prohibited)
152
General Science: Content Knowledge,
Part 1
(calculators prohibited)
145
Education of Young Children
155
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge
(calculator allowed)
140
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
20571
Earth and Space Sciences: Content Knowledge
(calculators prohibited)
146
10431
General Science: Content Knowledge, Part 1
(calculators prohibited)
145
10910
Economics
(calculators prohibited)
530
Elementary Education: Curriculum,
Instruction and Assessment
(calculators prohibited)
159
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge
(calculator allowed)
140
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
Elementary Education: Curriculum,
Instruction and Assessment
(calculators prohibited)
159
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
10431
Early Childhood
Education
(PreK-4)
20021
10014
20201
Earth Science
7-12
Economics 7-12
Elementary K-6
10011
10014
20201
Elementary K-8
10011
20201
Choice of:
10014
Elementary Education: Content Knowledge
(calculator allowed)
140
or
English 7-12
English as a Second
Language
(PreK-12)
Family & Consumer
Science
20146
Middle School: Content Knowledge (calculator
allowed)
150
10041
English Language, Literature, and Composition:
Content Knowledge
157
30043
English Language, Literature, and Composition:
Pedagogy
145
20360
English to Speakers of Other Languages
(contains listening section)
530
10120
Family and Consumer Sciences
(calculator prohibited)
580
French 7-12
French (PreK-12)
Geography 7-12
German 7-12
German
(PreK-12)
Government 7-12
Health K-12
History 7-12
Latin 7-12
Latin (PreK-12)
Library Media
Specialist
(PreK-12)
Marketing 7-12
Mathematics 7-12
20173
French: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
160
10171
French: Productive Language Skills
(contains speaking section)
165
20173
French: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
160
10171
French: Productive Language Skills
(contains speaking section)
165
Geography
580
20181
German: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
149
20181
German: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
139
Government/Political Science
600
Health Education
570
World and US History: Content Knowledge
136
Latin
540
Latin
540
Library Media Specialist
600
10560
Marketing Education
(calculators prohibited)
640
10061
Mathematics: Content Knowledge (graphing
calculator required)
136
Mathematics: Pedagogy (calculator allowed)
125
Middle School: Content Knowledge
(calculator allowed)
150
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
30920
10930
20550
10941
10600
10600
10310
30065
Middle Grades
5-8
20146
20201
Middle School Highly Qualified Status (tests are optional, not
required for initial licensure)
Middle School
English Language
Arts
10049
Middle School
Mathematics
20069
Middle School
Science
10439
Middle School Social
20089
Middle School English Language Arts
145
Middle School Mathematics (calculator allowed)
143
Middle School Science (calculators prohibited)
135
Middle School Social Studies
140
Studies
Music K-12
(Instrumental)
Music: Concepts and Processes
145
Music: Content Knowledge
(contains listening section)
150
Music: Concepts and Processes
145
Music: Content Knowledge
(contains listening section)
150
Physical Education: Content Knowledge
152
30092
Physical Education: Movement Forms Analysis and Design
148
10265
Physics: Content Knowledge
(calculators prohibited)
144
30111
10113
Music K-12
(Vocal/General)
30111
10113
Physical Education
K-12
Physics 7-12
10091
Choice of:
30262
Physics: Content Essays
(calculators prohibited)
135
or
General Science: Content Essays
(calculators prohibited)
130
Psychology
560
Reading Specialist
510
School Guidance and Counseling (contains
listening section)
580
School Psychologist
590
Sociology
540
10191
Spanish: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
152
20192
Spanish: Productive Language Skills (contains
speaking section)
154
10191
Spanish: Content Knowledge (contains listening
section)
152
20192
Spanish: Productive Language Skills (contains
speaking section)
154
20353
Education of Exceptional Students: Core
Content Knowledge
144
10544
Education of Exceptional Students: Severe to
Profound Disabilities
155
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
30433
Psychology 9-12
Reading Specialist
20390
20300
School Counselor
(PreK-12)
20420
School Psychologist
(PreK-12)
10400
Sociology 7-12
Spanish 7-12
Spanish
(PreK-12)
Special Education /
Comprehensive K-12
20950
20201
Special Education /
Early Childhood
Education
(PreK-1)
Education of Exceptional Students: Core
Content Knowledge
144
Special Education: Preschool/Early Childhood
560
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
Education of Exceptional Students: Core
Content Knowledge
144
Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
163
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
20353
Education of Exceptional Students: Core
Content Knowledge
144
10542
Education of Exceptional Students: Mild to
Moderate Disabilities
164
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
Speech-Language Pathology
600
Education of Exceptional Students: Core
Content Knowledge
144
Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
700
Reading Across the Curriculum: Elementary
151
Speech Communication
570
Technology Education
(calculators prohibited)
580
Theatre
610
20353
10690
20201
Special Education /
Hearing
(PreK-12)
20353
10271
20201
Special Education /
Modified K-12
20201
Special Education /
Speech Language
(PreK-12)
Special Education /
Visual (PreK-12)
20330
20353
10280
20201
Speech
Communication
7-12
Technology
Education
5-12
Theater K-12
10220
10050
10640
Other Random Stuff You Need to Know
Courses taken off campus at an institution other than UTM:
Must be taken before the last 30 hours of your program
Substituting courses you have had transferred to UTM:
Courses must meet certain criteria and there is a particular procedure
that must be followed:
 You have to produce the course syllabus,
 The proper paperwork must be filled out by your advisor and
signed by you,
 We do NOT substitute methods courses for our own,
If you want to sub a course in the university general education
core, it must go before the Undergraduate Council as well as
departmental committee,
Math majors, pay attention to course rotation, some courses are only offered
every other year.
K-6 majors, take Math 191 and 192 early.
Secondary Education majors, your methods class is only offered in the fall and
TCED 302 is a pre-requisite. (SEDU 411, 412, 413 etc)
TCED 302 is a pre-requisite for MOST professional education courses.
You have to register for student teaching as for other courses.
You should join S.T.E.A. the Student Teacher Education Association. Your
membership provides liability insurance. It is affiliated with T.E.A. and N.E.A. It
also saves you a registration fee for the PRAXIS PLT workshop. S.T.E.A. also
puts you together with other education majors. Dr. Ginny Esch (vesch@utm.edu)
is the advisor for this group.