Professional Education—A Community of Teachers

A highly individualized way to earn a secondary teaching license, A Community of Teachers (CoT) centers on an ongoing seminar that features intensive, hands-on work in one school. Students complete the program not by earning course credits but by completing a portfolio of evidence of their ability as teachers. CoT is also open to students in the All School Settings Program seeking degrees in K-12 art, music, and physical education.

The Seminar

The central requirement of the program is an ongoing seminar (EDUC-S 400) that is led from one semester to the next by the same faculty member. Each seminar group contains students from different majors and includes both beginning students and student teachers. Each semester, the seminar’s focus is determined by the students and their professor; and under the umbrella of the seminar, each student organizes and carries out an individualized program of preparation. The seminar replaces six of the professional education courses of the standard program: EDUC-W 200, EDUC-P 312, EDUC-P 313, EDUC-H 340, EDUC-M 300, and the first special methods course; as well as all fieldwork courses associated with the program. However, completion of any of these courses still counts as progress toward the completion of the CoT program.

The Apprenticeship

CoT students spend one day a week in a school of their choice, working with a teacher of their choice who has consented to be their mentor. The relationship continues throughout students’ professional preparations, including student teaching.

The Portfolio

The activities of the apprenticeship are guided by a list of 30 Program Expectations that students satisfy by building evidence of their teaching capabilities. The evidence is organized in a portfolio that supports the case students must make to the faculty of their readiness to enter the profession.

The secondary special education program is available as a major only through the CoT program. The program includes the standard 36 credit hours of general education; combines the special education content and professional education requirements into 56 credit hours; and requires a content field concentration of 14-20 credit hours in language arts, mathematics, or science content and methods course work. The required content field concentration does not currently meet secondary major licensing requirements.

For program requirements (program planning sheet), see: site.educ.indiana.edu/SecondaryEd/tabid/5502/Default.aspx.