Student Handbook for Teacher Education
Education Requirements
Teacher Certification Programs
and PRAXIS II websites, as well as on links embedded within the WJC Department of Education web site.
Education majors complete William Jewell’s General Education Requirements, "The Responsible Self", an approved major of William Jewell College, and state certification requirements of additional courses of study.
"The Responsible Self" General Education Curriculum - Specific Requirements
Art or Music: Elementary Education majors must take one course in art or music. This requirement may be met through a Level II General Education course that integrates art or music into the coursework in a significant way, such as GEN 201, 204, 207, 211, 231, and 233. This requirement can also be met with applied music courses or art studio courses.
Geography and Economics: Elementary Education majors may meet this requirement through GEO 304 Economic Geography, a course that integrates geography and economics.
Secondary Education majors seeking Teacher Certification in Social Studies must take two separate courses to meet this requirement because a 3 semester hour credit is required in each subject. Students may enroll in GEO 304 Economic Geography and an economics course, such as ECO 100 Understanding Economics, 201 Microeconomics, or 202 Macroeconomics.
Growth and Development: PSY 305 Childhood Development is required for Elementary Education majors.
Health: Elementary Education majors must take a one-semester hour course in health. This requirement may be met through PED 250 or NUR 214 to meet this requirement. Activity courses and first aid courses do not meet this requirement.
Multicultural Studies: Students must take a course focusing on multicultural studies. This requirement may be met through GEN 200 or GEN 206; or from a non-General Education offerings, such as COM 358.
Science Courses: Elementary Education majors must have two science courses;both courses must be laboratory courses. Level II General Education courses will satisfy one or both of the science course requirements. SCI 101 Integrated Science for Elementary Educators is highly recommended. Secondary Education majors must take one laboratory science course. Level II General Education courses will satisfy the requirement.
Social Science Courses: Gen 284, School and Society is required for all education majors and examines the development of schooling here in the context of U.S. social history. Elementary education majors must complete a history or political science course whose main focus is U.S. government.
Degree Options
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Art
Biology
Chemistry
Elementary Education
English
French
Mathematics
Physics
Economics, History, Political Science, Psychology (Social Studies Teaching Certificate)
Spanish
Communication (Speech and Theatre Teaching Certificate)
Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
Elementary Education
Instrumental Music
Vocal Music
Physical Education
Advising
It is extremely important to work with your Education Advisor to enroll in the required courses in a timely and appropriate order. Eight-semester graduation guidelines are available to you and your advisor to assist you in planning your courses with the goal of graduating in four years, eight semesters. The Student Timeline provides you with a guide for submitting applications, taking professional examinations, and planning ahead for your career in education.
Admission to Teacher Education Programs
A student can declare a teacher education major upon entry into the College or at any time thereafter. To declare a major a student can go to the WJC Intranet (jww.jewell.edu) to the “Online Forms” prompt and then select “Advising” and complete the Advising Form to request the education major and an education advisor. You can declare either an elementary education or a secondary education major (K-12 program applicants declare a secondary education major – including music majors). It is important that you complete and submit, in person, to the Department of Education a Declaration of Intent Form documenting your desire to complete a Teacher Education Program, at the same time you declare the education major. You may complete and submit the form on-line or you can obtain a blank copy of this form in the Department of Education Office, Marston 110. This form allows us to start an internal education file for each education major and helps us in planning future field placement numbers. Declaration of a major and submission of the “Declaration of Intent” form DO NOT CONSTITUTE admission to a teacher education program. Specific, state mandated and WJC adopted, admission criteria for teacher education must be met before a student can be admitted to teacher education.
All students who wish to complete a teacher education program and become certified to teach must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program as soon as they have met the requirements for admission. (Ordinarily teacher education students must apply and be admitted no later than the spring of the sophomore year (45-50 credits earned) in order to finish the teacher education program in four years*.) Requirements for admission vary for elementary, secondary, post-baccaulareate, and alternative certification education programs. Consult the specific admission requirements for the teacher education program of your interest.
Students must submit the following to the Department of Education: (Forms may be obtained online and in the Department of Education Office.)
Once all required materials (recommendations, transcripts, etc.) have been received, the faculty members of the Education Department will consider the student, on the basis of the stated criteria, for admission at the next regularly scheduled admission meeting. The student will be notified by letter of the faculty’s decision.
Approval - If the request is approved, the student continues to enroll in teacher education courses at or above the 300 level.
Disapproval - If the request is denied, the student will not be permitted to enroll in education courses at or above the 300 level. The student's advisor will assist the student in planning future action.
Due Process Appeal Procedure
Each student is responsible for meeting all admission application deadlines, submitting all required documentation, and meeting all standards.
If a student is denied admission to either a teacher education program or student teaching the student may make a one-time appeal to the Department of Education faculty for reconsideration.
To appeal an admission decision the student needs to submit a written petition for reconsideration with the following elements:
1. Name, Nature of request (What action would you like the faculty to take?).
2. Narrative description of substantive reasons that the faculty should reconsider their decision (i.e., What serious factors might the faculty not have known when they reached this decision (serious illness, other extreme extenuating factors?). Is there additional evidence of your effective teacher attributes of which the faculty might not have been aware -- courses completed, repeated, field work evaluations that the faculty did not have, test scores that the faculty did not have, care team issues that have been resolved?).
3. Provide any additional evidence cited in #2.
The Department of Education will consider petitions at their regularly scheduled meetings (every other week) and notify the student in writing of the response to the petition.
Admission to the Teacher Education Programs will be valid for a period of seven years, beginning on the date of official acceptance. Students who fail to complete all requirements for certification within the seven year period must re-apply for admission under the policies and regulations that are in force at the time of the new application.
Student Teaching
Formal admission to the teacher education program is a prerequisite to applying for student teaching. (see criteria for admission to student teaching.) Students must submit the Application for Student Teaching Form by the third Friday in January for student teaching during the following Fall and the second Friday in September for student teaching the following spring. The student teaching application process includes an FBI/Highway Patrol Background Check. The results from the background check must be submitted with the Application for Student Teaching, unless instructed otherwise by the depart ment.
Transfer students seeking teacher certification in secondary education and who have completed their major at an institution other than WJC must pass the PRAXIS II exam in their content field before they will be considered for student teaching.
A student must be approved for student teaching before enrolling in EDU 410, Student Teaching for Elementary School Teachers, EDU 423 Student Teaching in Middle School, EDU 424, Student Teaching in the Secondary Schools, or EDU 425, Student Teaching in Grades K-12.
Students must successfully complete a Student Portfolio before receiving a grade in student teaching.
Application for Missouri Teacher Certification
- complete the official Application for Missouri Teachers Certificate form (available in the Department of Education Office, MAR 110) in the last semester of their program of studies
- provide official transcripts from all colleges that they have attended
- provide evidence of passing scores on the required teaching specialty test of the PRAXIS II (a national teacher examination) appropriate to their teaching field
- complete an FBI/Highway Patrol Background Check. One of these screenings will be done prior to student teaching, but since they are only valid for six months, the student may have to submit another background check for application for teacher certification.
Test Information: C-BASE and PRAXIS II
Information regarding test scheduling, test titles, and minimum passing scores is available from the Teacher Certification Officer, on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, C-BASE Test,
In order to obtain a Missouri teaching certificate, upon completion of a teacher education program, students must:
*Late Admission If a student applies for admission and/or does not meet admission criteria by those thresholds the teacher education program will PROBABLY exceed four academic years, assuming that the student does meet admission criteria eventually. Enrollment in education courses does not imply admission to a teacher education program.
