Admission to the Teacher Education Program (TEP)

The Teacher Education Program (TEP) begins in the junior year for Teaching All Learners/Elementary Education students and in the junior year for Secondary and Visual Arts Education students and focuses on helping students acquire the knowledge  and skills necessary to become a reflective professional teacher. This program is based upon the SOE's Reflective Professional Model. The research- based conceptual framework for this model contains nine program outcome areas:

• Communications Skills
• Higher-Order Thinking Skills
• Instructional Media Services and Technology
• Learning and Development
• School Culture and Diversity
• Instructional Design and Delivery
• Classroom Management
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Professional Development

Student Portfolio

The student portfolio shall consist of artifacts, scoresheets and reflections created by the student that demonstrate the acquisition of the knowledge and skills within each of the nine initial program outcomes. The student will begin to create the portfolio prior to entering the TEP. Specific portfolio checkpoints have been established in both the elementary and secondary programs. The portfolio must be completed prior to student teaching.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program - Admission Requirements

• Application for admission to the Teacher Education Program must be filed prior to the beginning of the semester in which students plan to start.
• Students must have successfully completed at least 26-45 credit hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.50 and have submitted an Extended Criminal Background Check.
• Students must have successfully completed with a grade of C or higher ENG W131 Elementary Composition (3 cr.), SPCH S121 Public Speaking (3 cr.), EDUC W200 Using Computers in Education (3 cr.), EDUC F200 Examining Self as Teacher (3 cr.), EDUC K205 Introduction to Exceptional Children, and EDUC P250 Educational Psychology (3 cr.).
• Students must have passed all parts of the CASA Exam (reading, writing, and mathematics). The cutoff scores are available in the Office of Education Student Services
• Requests for exceptions are handled by the Admissions and Reinstatement Committee and should be addressed to the Dean of the School of Education.

Student Teaching Program

In the Student Teaching Program, the student assumes all the responsibility for teaching in an elementary, special education, or secondary classroom.

Admission Requirements

• File an application for admission to the Student Teaching Program at least six calendar months before the beginning of the student teaching semester. (Deadlines are sent to students via university listserv)
• Complete at least 30 of the last 60 credit hours of academic work at IU Northwest, including the professional methods courses.
• Have at least a 2.50 cumulative grade point average with grades of C or higher in all required cognate and education courses.
• Be at least a first-semester senior. Normally, this will mean that the student has satisfactorily completed at least 86 credit hours of academic work.
• In the case of Elementary Education majors, complete required work in the areas of language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
• In the case of SH/JH /MS education majors, complete at least 85 percent of the major teaching area requirements and 75 percent of the minor teaching area requirements.
• Complete all required professional methods courses within three years prior to enrolling in student teaching.
• Pass the prestudent teaching portfolio check.
• Pass the all examinations required for teacher licensing by the Indiana Department of Education.  
• If an interview is requested by the cooperating institution, the student must participate in an interview with a representative of the institute or agency in which the student teaching will be completed and obtain a favorable recommendation.

Students are discouraged from taking additional academic work during the same semester of enrollment in student teaching.
The Director of Student Teaching and Field Experiences shall be the sole judge as to whether the student has met the requirements for admission to, and continuing in, the Student Teaching Program.

Completion of the Student Teaching Program and Application for a Teaching License

• Obtain a satisfactory recommendation from the Director of Student Teaching and Field Experiences

The student will be eligible for a teaching license when the baccalaureate degree has been granted, all required CASA, Core and pedagogy exams have been passed, an extended criminal background check shows no negative activity, and fees and licensing requirements by the Indiana Department of Education have been paid and/or satisfied.