Teacher Certification

Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals
Director: Dr. Rori Carson
Office: Horrabin Hall 91
Telephone: 309/298-2117
Fax: 309/298-3386
Website:www.wiu.edu/cpep

Supervision Field Specialists: Bishop, Bolton, Cromer, Erickson, Kessler, LaRue, Selders, Tocwish, Withenbury.

The Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals provides services to undergraduate and graduate students seeking teaching, school administration, and school service personnel certifications and endorsements. The center’s staff is responsible for advising services, field and clinical supervision, and certification issues for prospective teachers, school support personnel, and school administrators.

To be recommended for teacher certification, an individual must complete a state approved teacher education program, be of good character, good health, a citizen of the United States or legally present in the United States and authorized for employment, and at least 19 years of age. Individuals seeking certification must complete all University requirements as well as teacher education requirements. Early and continuous consultation and careful advising and planning are essential for individuals seeking initial teacher certification.

Admission to the University does not automatically constitute acceptance to the Teacher Education Program. Candidates for baccalaureate degrees who plan to complete certification requirements for teaching must make special application for admission to the Teacher Education Program. Application and requirements for full acceptance are available in the online Teacher Education Program Handbook (pdf).

Western Illinois University must meet the mandates issued by the Illinois State Board of Education and the State Certification Board. State Certification Board requirements take precedence over the catalog of record for individuals seeking teacher certification recommendation.

Western Illinois University reports the pass rates for its teacher education program completers annually as required by federal Title II regulations. The pass rates for the most recent reporting year can be found at www.wiu.edu/cpep.

Associate in Arts in Teaching

Western Illinois University is a participant in four Associate of Arts in Teaching (A.A.T.) degree programs, a statewide agreement that allows transfer into one of four specific teacher education programs in early childhood, mathematics, science, or special education (LBS I). Completion of an A.A.T. degree from an Illinois community college in one of the four approved fields (early childhood education, mathematics, science, or special education) will only be accepted for transfer into a teacher education program in the same field. Students transferring into Western Illinois University with an A.A.T. must meet cumulative GPA requirements for being accepted into Western’s teacher education program. Those completing the A.A.T. in mathematics or one of the sciences (biology, chemistry, or physics) must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 from the community college where they completed their program. Those completing the A.A.T. in early childhood education or special education must have a cumulative GPA of 2.75. Students completing an A.A.T. should contact the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals for additional information.

Accreditation

Western Illinois University completed its last visitation by the Illinois State Board of Education in 2003. WIU is an NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education) accredited institution, and its last visitation was completed during the 2002-03 school year.

Approved Teacher Certification Programs

The Illinois State Certification Board mandates that each institution list in its catalog those programs which are classified as approved programs. The following programs at Western Illinois University have been approved by the Illinois State Certification Board.

  1. Secondary (6–12)
    Agriculture Education
    English
    Mathematics
    Science/Biology
    Science/Chemistry
    Science/Physics
    Social Science/History
  2. Elementary Education (K–9)
  3. Early Childhood Education (Age 0 through Grade Three)
  4. Special (K–12)
    Art
    French
    Music
    Physical Education
    Spanish
    Special Education—Learning Behavior Specialist I
  5. Bilingual/Bicultural Education
  6. Administrative (graduate programs)
    General Administrative
    Superintendent
    Chief School Business Official
  7. School Service Personnel (graduate programs)
    Guidance
    Speech and Language Impaired

Teacher Education Program

Individuals seeking teacher certification must complete an approved teacher education program. An approved program consists of the following components: general education, professional education including core courses, special education requirement, field experience, major program, technology competency, and supporting coursework.

Teacher education candidates are expected to comply with the Illinois State Police and FBI fingerprint background investigation requirements as set forth by the University Teacher Education Program. Prior to any field work in schools/agencies, candidates are to supply verification of having completed both an Illinois State Police and FBI fingerprint background investigation through the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals. Candidates may be prohibited from completing field work if background investigations disclose arrests and/or convictions deemed problematic. Information may be obtained in Horrabin Hall 91; questions may be directed to Melissa (Missy) Phillips, Director of Advising and Certification Officer, 309/298-2117.

Professional Education

All persons enrolled in the Teacher Education Program must complete the professional education sequence offered by the Department of Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies. The sequence includes EIS 201, 301, 302, and 401*. Full acceptance to the Teacher Education Program is required to enroll in EIS 401. Teacher education requires a 2.50 cumulative GPA or permission of major department to enroll in EIS 303. A grade of C or better is required for all professional education courses.

All courses (C grade or better required) in the professional education sequence taken at other institutions must be evaluated by the Department of Educational and Interdisciplinary Studies for equivalency. Evaluation forms are available in the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals. In addition, 12 s.h. of student teaching are required. Secondary education majors must complete Educ 439—Methods (C grade or better required).

*Exceptions: Early childhood education majors consult department advisers.

Special Education

All persons seeking an Illinois teaching certificate (elementary, secondary, special, or early childhood) must satisfy a state mandate which requires coursework in the identification, psychology, and methods of teaching the exceptional child, including without limitation, the learning disabled child. Courses at WIU which satisfy this requirement are (grade of C or better required):

Students should check with their advisers to determine the course required for their major.

This course requires a field component.

Pre-Student Teaching Clinical Experiences

The Teacher Education Program requires that all persons seeking teacher certification must complete college supervised, pre-student teaching clinical experiences in the major. A grade of C or above is required for all field experiences completed. Clinical experiences will typically be provided in the following courses:

  1. EIS 201
  2. EIS 302
  3. EIS 303
  4. Major Methods Courses
  5. Major Department Field Experiences

Also available are experiences which may be provided in other courses in the major.

Each student should consult his/her major department adviser to determine how this requirement will be met for that major's program.

Students who transfer courses (such as EIS 201 or 302) will need to provide verification of clinical experiences completed or supplement the transferred course with comparable clinical experiences at WIU.

Since this requirement involves pre-student teaching clinical experiences, completion of the requirement automatically becomes a prerequisite for student teaching.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program

By the second semester of the sophomore year, any student who wishes to continue in the Teacher Education Program shall submit a written application for admission to the Teacher Education Program. Students must satisfy all requirements of the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Full acceptance into the Teacher Education Program is required prior to enrolling in EIS 401 and C&I 403 and applying to student teach. An appropriate committee will screen all applicants according to the following criteria:

  1. Completion of 30 s.h. of approved work.
  2. Completion of Eng 180 and 280 with a grade of C or better. An equivalent transferred course must have a C grade or better.
  3. Completion of Comm 241 with a grade of C or better. An equivalent transferred course must have a C grade or better.
  4. Cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or above and major grade point average of 2.50 or above is required. 2.75 required for elementary, early childhood, bilingual, special education, and history education majors.
  5. The prospective teacher must be able to perform the essential functions of teaching, with or without a reasonable accommodation.
  6. Recommendations from major and minor departmental advisers/designee.
  7. Completion of general education math course with a grade of C or above (Math 101, 102, 106 and 206*, 123, 133, 134, 137, 138, 139; Stat 171). Note: Math competency does not satisfy this teacher education requirement.
  8. Satisfactory performance on a screening battery designed to assess personal adjustment, if requested by the Selection and Retention Committee.
  9. Satisfactory personal interview with the Selection Retention Committee if requested by the committee.
  10. Passage of the required Illinois Basic Skills Test.
  11. Portfolio Requirement, where applicable.
  12. Approved criminal background investigation.
  13. Pass Teacher Education Technology Competency Assessment.

*Math 106 and 206 are open only to Elementary Education, Early Childhood Education, Bilingual/Bicultural Education, and Special Education majors in the State Certification Program. The sequence of 106/206 counts as 3 hours of General Education credit for the above named majors only.

The above requirements apply to all persons (graduate and undergraduate) who wish to participate in the Teacher Education Program. More detailed information about selection and retention of students may be requested from the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals. This includes information for students who may be transferring from other institutions or who may wish to change programs within this university at times other than those noted in the preceding paragraphs.

Student Teaching

Student teaching credit is required for graduation in the Teacher Education Program and is open to qualified senior students who are enrolled in the Teacher Education Program. Students must fulfill the requirements for admission to and retention in the Teacher Education Program and are responsible for meeting the student teaching requirements listed below.

  1. 2.50 or above cumulative grade point average and 2.50 or above major grade point average. 2.75 required for elementary, early childhood, bilingual, special education, and history education majors.
  2. EIS 201*, 301*, 302*, and 401*, and special education requirement*.
  3. Successful completion of the required methods coursework*.
  4. Recommendation of the departmental adviser/designee.
  5. Consent of the major department chairperson or designated person.
  6. Successful completion of Eng 180*, Eng 280*, Comm 241*, and general education Math course*.
  7. Acceptance into the Teacher Education Program.
  8. Each student must, in addition, meet all departmental prerequisites for student teaching.
  9. Completion of pre-student teaching clinical experiences as described above with grade of C or above.
  10. Completion of all coursework.
  11. Successful completion of Illinois Certification Test(s).
  12. Portfolio Requirement, where applicable.
  13. Approved criminal background investigation.
  14. TB skin test.

*Grade of C or above required.

Full-Time Student Teaching

Each student must complete a minimum of 12 s.h. (12 weeks) of student teaching to meet graduation requirements. Some programs which necessitate split assignments in two fields or at two grade levels may require 16 s.h. (16 weeks). A maximum of 12 s.h. of student teaching may be included in the minimum total of 120 s.h. required for graduation.

The student teaching semester provides direct teaching experience in an actual public school situation under the supervision, and with the guidance of, a highly qualified classroom teacher and a university supervisor.

Passage of the applicable APT exam is a requirement for successfully completing student teaching.

Full-time student teachers may not participate in campus-based extra-curricular activities such as athletics or the Student Government Association.

Student Teaching Sites

The Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals offers the following regional sites for student teaching experiences: the Quad Cities area, Western Illinois area, and City and Suburban Chicago area. Specific student teaching sites are determined by the field supervisors charged with the responsibility for placement and supervision of student teachers in each region. Providing student teachers with quality student teaching experiences in school districts with outstanding teaching reputations is the primary objective of each field supervisor. The welfare of all students enrolled in the Student Teaching Program is the key component in the selection of student teaching sites. Housing arrangements during the student teaching semester are the responsibility of each student teacher.

Course Descriptions

Student teaching is the process whereby a prospective teacher candidate demonstrates his/her competence as an effective beginning teacher. Each student teacher is expected to possess, or develop, the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to manage successfully a classroom teaching-learning situation. The successful completion of an approved student teaching experience is documented through one or more of the following courses.

STUDENT TEACHING (STch)

430 Student Teaching–Special Needs–Elementary Level. (1–16) Kindergarten through the sixth grade.

431 Student Teaching–Special Needs–Secondary Level. (1–16) Grades 7–12.

437 Student Teaching–Bilingual–K-8. (1-16) Bilingual student teaching in grades kindergarten through eighth grade.

459 Student Teaching in Early Childhood Education. (PK-K) (1–16) A pre-school through kindergarten level student teaching experience. Open only to persons in the early childhood program.

460 Student Teaching–Primary Grades. (K-3) (1–16) Student teaching in grades kindergarten through the third grade.

461 Student Teaching–Intermediate Grades. (1–16) Student Teaching in grades 4, 5, and 6.

462 Student Teaching-Middle Level. (1-16) Open only to students enrolled in elementary program who wish to student teach in grades 7 and 8. Adviser's recommendation required.

480 Student Teaching-Secondary. (1-16) Student teaching in grades 7-12.

481 Student Teaching in Music. (1-16) Grades kindergarten through the sixth grade.

482 Student Teaching in Art. (1-16) Grades kindergarten through the sixth grade.

483 Student Teaching in Physical Education. (1-16) Grades kindergarten through the sixth grade.

485 Student Teaching in Elementary Foreign Languages (1-16). Student teaching in a foreign language in grades K-6.

Application

It is the responsibility of the student to apply for a student teaching assignment one year prior to the semester in which it is anticipated that the student teaching assignment will be completed. This application is reviewed and approved by the student's academic adviser and the Coordinator of Field and Clinical Experiences. A student teaching application meeting will be held in late September/October for those requesting student teaching assignments the following fall semester. Similarly, a meeting will be held in February/March for those persons eligible to student teach in the spring of the following year. Specific dates will be announced and posted. No summer session student teaching program is available.

Grading

The student teaching experience is evaluated on an S/U grading system. Candidates must have passed the appropriate Illinois Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) exam to satisfactorily complete student teaching.

Student Teaching Program Office

Students are encouraged to contact the Center for the Preparation of Education Professionals in Horrabin Hall 91 if additional information is needed regarding the academic semester of student teaching.

Certification

Students must complete all graduation, teacher education, portfolio, and major department requirements before recommendation will be made to the Illinois State Board of Education. (See #3 below.)

Students planning to teach should keep in mind the special requirements of the certification laws in Illinois or other states where they may plan to settle. Recommendation for certification is made only by the University Certification Officer located in Horrabin Hall 91.

Students seeking an Illinois teaching certificate must apply on-line for the certificate after the student teaching semester.

Any person seeking a teaching certificate must pass state administered certification tests:

  1. Illinois Certification Basic Skills Test is required for admission into the Teacher Education Program.
  2. Illinois Certification Content Test(s) required prior to student teaching.
  3. Illinois Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT)—July 2003.

Note: Some individuals may be required to take more than one content test. (See education adviser for additional information.)

Note: Tests will be offered six times a year at various sites throughout the state. Advanced registration and payment of the test fee is required.

Note: Information bulletins and registration forms are available in Horrabin Hall 91 and at www.icts.nesinc.com.

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