Education and Allied Studies (ED)

Admission to Teacher Education

Interested students must make application for and be accepted into the teacher education program prior to registration in upper division education courses. An applicant must have taken, or be enrolled in, ED 100, 186, and 253 before, or at the time of, application for admission. Students may not take any additional coursework beyond ED 100, 186, and 253 unless they are formally admitted to teacher education. Those accepted into the AYA or MA licensure program must also be accepted into a departmental major, e.g., History.

For undergraduates, application is normally made during the semester in which ED 253 is taken, usually in the sophomore year. Application forms are available from the department office. Post baccalaureate students are evaluated at the time of admission to the Graduate School and need not make a separate application. An interview is required of all students, undergraduate and graduate.
Candidates for teacher education are evaluated by the director of Initial Licensure Programs, in consultation with faculty and administrative staff, on the basis of the following criteria:

1. Faculty evaluation from instructors of ED 100, 186, 253
   
2. Formal essay
   
3. Interview to include:
   
   assessment of written and oral communication skills
   discussion of portfolio assignments from ED 100, 186
   responses to interview questions

   
   
4. Signed statement of moral character
   
5. ACT/SAT scores
   
6. Academic record for:
   
   overall GPA
   education GPA
   content area GPA (MC, AYA, MA)
   Core GPA (EC)
   
7. Dispositions: Evidence of behavior consistent with the following definition:

   The values, commitments, and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and communities and affect student learning, motivation, and development as well as the educator’s own professional growth. Dispositions are guided by beliefs and attitudes related to values such as caring, fairness, honesty, responsibility, and social justice. For example, they might include a belief that all students can learn, a vision of high and challenging standards, or a commitment to a safe and supportive learning environment.
   (NCATE 2000 Standards, dated March 31, 2000, p. 34)

Admissions Criteria:

Accepted - Student may begin or continue work toward teacher licensure.

Criteria

1. Favorable faculty recommendations
   
2. Academic Record:
   2.7 overall GPA
   2.7 education GPA based on ED 100 and 186 (possibly ED 253)
   2.7 content-area GPA (MC, AYA, MA)
   2.5 GPA Core classes, Division I -V Early Childhood candidates only
   
3. Basic skills proficiency:
   Math: 500 SAT or 20 ACT
   English: 500 SAT or 20 ACT
   
4. Disposition:
   Evidence of dispositions for teaching as defined by NCATE

Accepted Conditionally - May continue work toward teacher licensure.

Criteria

1. Favorable faculty recommendations
   
2. Academic Record:
   2.5 - 2.7 overall GPA
   2.0 - 2.7 education GPA based on ED 100 and 186
   2.5 - 2.7 content-area GPA for MC, AYA, MA only
   2.5 GPA Core classes, Division I - V (EC)
   
3. Basic skills proficiency:
   Same as accepted criteria
   
4. Dispositions:
   Evidence of dispositions for teaching as defined by NCATE
   
   Note: Conditional acceptance may be given for one semester or one year.

Defer - May not begin or continue work toward teacher licensure.

Appeal Process:
An applicant who is deferred may meet with the director of Initial Licensure Programs to discuss concerns and establish an intervention plan, if possible. Applicants may be reconsidered at a later date, provided all the criteria for full or conditional acceptance are met and the student re-applies.

Reject - Student is not eligible for admission to Teacher Education.

The Department of Education and Allied Studies reserves the right to alter the admissions procedures for individual students in exceptional circumstances.

Due process is available to applicants who wish to appeal their classification. First, applicants should discuss the matter with the advisor. After this discussion, if applicants still wish to appeal, they should do so in writing to the director of Initial Licensure Programs within two weeks of notification of classification. The director will respond within one week. An appeal may be made to the department chair and the Teacher Education Committee for Admission and Retention.

Grade Policy for candidates majoring in education (EC or MC) or being licensed in AYA or MA:

1. A grade of C or higher is required in all education courses. A grade of C or lower requires that the course be repeated. Applicant should schedule a meeting with the director of Initial Programs.
   
2. A grade of C- or lower in a course in the teaching field or academic major will be reviewed by the coordinator of Teacher Education and the chair of the major department to determine an appropriate course of action, e.g., repeat the course, substitute a course.
   
3. A GPA of 2.7 is required throughout the programs for the overall GPA, Education GPA and teaching content area for MC, AYA, MA.
   
4. A GPA of 2.7 or higher is required in coursework for the teaching content area for MC, AYA, MA.
   
5. Early Child candidates must receive grades of C or higher in all curriculum-content coursework for licensure, e.g., MT 171, AR 171, MT 160.6. A GPA of 2.5 in the University Core courses is required for all Early Childhood candidates. Early Childhood candidates who demonstrate difficulty with Core classes may be required to take additional courses to strengthen their content knowledge base.

Program Assessment Points

The licensure process has multiple assessment points for a candidate beginning with:

1. Admission to the university.
   
2. Application and acceptance into the Teacher Education program.
   
3. Ongoing evaluation of the candidate’s academic coursework, clinical and
   field experiences, and evidence of a disposition for the teaching profession.
   
4. Acceptance into the Pre-Student Teaching semester, and placement in an intensive field-based experience with university supervision in preparation for Student Teaching.
   
5. Admission to the Professional Semester for Student Teaching.
   
6. Exit assessment for licensure, PRAXIS II.
   
7. Entry-year Praxis III.

Professional Year

The professional year is a unique aspect of the professional development of pre-service candidates at John Carroll University. All candidates participate in a full academic year clinical experience in one classroom for Pre-Student Teaching (first semester) and Student Teaching (second semester). Pre-Student Teaching opens the opportunity to reflect, question, and continue with weekly experiences in a classroom which culminates in Student Teaching and the daily opportunity to continually challenge perceptions in light of the present. As a function of the Pre-Student Teaching and Student Teaching semester, the candidates meet on a regular basis in conference with the cooperating teacher and university supervisor to discuss present teaching capacity, provide feedback on areas for improvement, and continue to address the development progression for becoming an educator.

Pre-Student Teaching

The candidate applies two semesters before the projected Student Teaching semester. The candidate is evaluated based on:

1. Coursework
   A. GPAs
   Overall
   Education
   Content areas for MC, AYA, MA
   Division I - V Core courses for EC
   
   B. All coursework requirements have been completed or will be completed prior to student teaching.
   
2. Faculty interviews

   Interview questions
   Candidate vita
   Candidate portfolio

3. Faculty course evaluations

The pre-student teacher is assigned a cooperating teacher(s) in the licensure and content areas. In addition, a university supervisor is assigned to each pre-student teacher. A candidate is recommended by the cooperating teacher(s) and university supervisor to continue into the student teaching semester.

Student Teaching

During the pre-student teaching semester, each candidate applies for Student Teaching. Approval is granted by the Council on Teacher Education and requires that the student has:

1. The following minimum GPAs:
   2.7 overall
   2.7 in Education courses
   2.7 in teaching content area(s) (MC, AYA, MA)
   2.5 Core (EC)
   
2. Completed all clinical and field requirements for each course.
   
3. Completed all course requirements, education and teaching content area(s).
   
4. Been recommended to continue into student teaching by the cooperating teacher and university supervisor;
   
5. Demonstrated a teaching style and behaviors that provide evidence of a disposition for the teaching profession.

Note: A student is not guaranteed admission to the final professional semester because of acceptance into teacher education and completion of the requisite courses.

The Council on Teacher Education may waive requirements in exceptional cases. In planning programs, candidates and advisors should be aware that student teaching is more demanding than a normal nine (9) hours of coursework and therefore should schedule no more than the required twelve hours of education credit, including student teaching, during the professional semester. Requests for more than twelve (12) hours during student teaching must be submitted in writing to the Council on Teacher Education as part of the application for student teaching.

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