Teacher Licensure Program in Science and Mathematics Education Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any prerequisite courses for the program?
All teacher licensure candidates must complete the following prerequisites- 60 hours of reflective classroom experience (SED 409 or equivalent).
- The 'teacher test' CBEST, ORELA, and PRAXIS. The tests need to be completed by the end of September.
- A course in Adolescent Psychology (ex. TCE 512, HDFS 313, HDFS 229 at LBCC, or a similar course at another institution
- SED 412/512 (Technology Foundations for Teaching Math and Science) offered Summer and Fall terms.
- SED 413/513 (Science Materials and Laboratories) or SED 414/514 (Math Materials and Laboratories) - offered Summer and Spring terms.
- ORELA Civil Rights And Equity in Education subtest The ORELA Protecting Student and Civil Rights in the Educational Environment Examination is required of candidates seeking Oregon licensure with authorization at the early childhood, elementary, middle, and/or high school levels as a teacher, personnel specialist, administrator, or school nurse. It is offered through the Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices (TSPC) Commission. This requirement must be completed before beginning part-time student teaching Fall term. Please contact TSPC for more information (503-378-3586 or http://www.tspc.state.or.us/).
When exactly does the program start?
The program officially begins during Summer session four. You'll be enrolled in a 3 week intensive course that combines methods for teaching science and mathematics with a practicum teaching middle school students who are attending a science camp at OSU. The program is designed to prepare you for your first student teaching practicum Fall term.
On my graduate school application, I applied for Fall term instead of Summer. Do I need to change it? Yes. Contact the Office of Admissions to change your term date to summer. They can be reached by phone at (541) 737-4411 or toll free at (800) 291-4192 or by email at http://oregonstate.edu/dept/sci_mth_education/program/pte/inform_prosp/OSUadmit@oregonstate.edu.
What other dates do I need to keep in mind for this summer?
The summer course ends in mid-August. The orientation to student teaching will be held soon after. After that, the next scheduled event is the beginning of the school year in the district where you'll be doing your student teaching practicum Fall term. You'll begin the same day that the teachers go back to work. This varies from district to district, but typically falls somewhere around the last week of August. Some districts also have special inservice days for new teachers before the rest of the teachers go back to work.
When will I find out where I'll be doing my student teaching?
As soon as we get back all of the blue information sheets that we sent out with your acceptance letters, we'll begin contacting schools to arrange your placements. We'll see the information on the sheet to find the best placement for you. Once we have a possible arrangement, we'll contact you with the information so that you can get in touch with the cooperating teacher to determine if it is a good match for both of you.
Placements are made throughout the spring and summer. School administrators sometimes don't know for sure who will be teaching in their buildings until later in the summer, so it may be that you won't know your placement until August. In any event, we'll let you know as soon as a placement has been arranged for you.
I've heard that it might be possible to get more than one endorsement on my license. How do I find out what endorsements I'm qualified for?
An endorsement is the subject matter that your license permits you to teach. To qualify for an endorsement, you must meet the following requirements:
- Teach a work sample in the subjet,
- Complete appropriate coursework in the subject
- Pass the PRAXIS exam in the subject
In this program, everyone will teach one work sample at the middle school level in either Integrated Science or Mathematics. Everyone will also teach a second work sample at a high school. For the science people, if your primary endorsement area is Biology, Chemistry, or Physics, and you also have the necessary coursework to qualify for the Integrated Science endorsement, all you need to do is pass the Integrated Science PRAXIS and you can add that endorsement since you'll already have done the work sample in that area.
It's also possible to combine other endorsements, such as Biology/Chemistry, Chemistry/Physics, and even Advanced Mathematics/Physics, although this is a little more difficult. Because the work sample for all of these subjects must be taught at the high school level, doing one of these combinations requires teaching an additional work sample Spring term during the full-time student teaching practicum. (Of course, you must also have the appropriate coursework and be able to pass the PRAXIS.) It can and has been done, however, by a few people in the cohort every year.
To determine if you have the appropriate coursework, refer to the Advising Sheets on our website. You'll need to fill out a Form B for each endorsement that you plan to pursue. Over the next few weeks, I'll be emailing each of you individually to discuss which endorsements you appear to be qualified for. At that time, I'll let you know if you need to complete any additional coursework.
I keep hearing about Work Samples. What exactly are they?
The Work Sample is basically a unit that you will create and teach to your students. It includes the goals and objectives for the unit, the assessments you use to evaluate student learning, the lesson plans, and your reflections on how it went and what you and your students learned as a result. In essence, it is a way for you to demonstrate your qualifications as a teacher. The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission (TSPC), which is the licensing agency in Oregon, requires that prospective teachers do a work sample for each endorsement they wish to hold.
In this program, you'll teach your first Work Sample in November, and a second longer Work Sample during Spring term.
What will the rest of the year be like?
September:From the day your school district starts until classes start at OSU in late September, you'll be doing your first practicum, the September Experience. This is a time to find out about your school and become established in your classroom. Your day will start at whatever time the teacher work day begins, and it will end when the teacher work day ends. The one exception is the one afternoon a week when we'll meet to talk about the experience and to begin our analysis of classrooms.
October: Once OSU classes begin, you'll be taking classes in the afternoons. You'll also have a seminar one afternoon a week to help you prepare for your part-time student teaching in November. The rest of the mornings are free for planning your unit and visiting your school. You'll be expected to spend at least 2 mornings a week at your school so you can continue to build a relationship with your students and your cooperating teacher.
November/December: In late October, you'll begin your part-time student teaching. For the next five weeks, you'll spend every morning teaching at your school, and afternoons at OSU taking classes. Your first Work Sample will be due on Monday of Finals Week in fall term. Then you get a well-deserved break until classes start up again in early January.
Winter term: During Winter term, you'll divide your time between taking classes at OSU and observing in your Spring placement classroom. The coursework focuses on finishing the Fall work sample, beginning, the Spring work sample, and completing your Master's Project.
Spring term: During Spring term, you'll spend every day in your new placement doing your full-time student teaching. In addition, there will be a seminar at OSU one afternoon a week. You'll be in your placement until Friday of Finals Week in spring term. Commencement will be held on Sunday.
I've heard we have to take 3 graduate level subject matter courses. Is that still true?
Yes, the program requirements include 9 credits of graduate level subject matter coursework. (Science students are also required to take at least one History of Science (HSTS) or Philosophy of Science course. This course can be taken at the graduate level to meet both requirements.)
That sounds like a really intense year!
It is! Think about it: in 10-1/2 months, you'll be completing all of the requirements for an initial teaching license, as well as a Master's of Science in Science or Mathematics Education. Not to mention doing two student teaching practicums! This is a very rigorous program, and you can expect the year to be challenging on many levels. Most students also find that it is extremely satisfying to begin such a rewarding career.
What can I do to make things go smoothly next year?
We asked the students in this year's cohort what advice they have to offer you so that you can have the best experience possible. Here's what they had to say:
Get the 'teacher tests' done this spring! It's a lot of extra work and hassle to take them during the program.
Get as many of the graduate subject courses as you can out of the way before the program starts!!!
NOTE: If you are still an undergraduate, you can take graduate level courses and reserve them for the program. At OSU, this requires getting an override from the department offering the course, and then filling out a form from the registrar to reserve the courses for graduate credit. You are only allowed to reserve a maximum of 6 credits per term. Not more than 15 graduate credits reserved in combination as an undergraduate and posbaccalaureate can be used in a graduate degree program. If you took courses in another graduate program at any university, you can transfer these in as long as they did not count towards another Master's.
Be prepared for a commute to your student teaching practicum sites.
(NOTE: This is true. We will try to place you as close as possible to where you live. HOWEVER, 'as close as possible' may mean up to a one hour drive each way. This year we have people placed in schools from Salem to Eugene to Sweet Home. We will try to cluster people in schools so that carpooling might be a possibility, but it doesn't always work out that way. Also, keep in mind that you will be spending from 2 - 5 days a week throughout the entire year at your school sites.)
Don't try to hold down a job while you're in the program.
(NOTE: This is good advice. The program is very intensive, and student teaching takes a tremendous amount of physical and mental stamina. Any time not spent in classes is generally spent writing lesson plans and grading your students' work. Be prepared for a very busy year!)
Be prepared for long days. Figure out ahead of time how you'll arrange your life to take care of other responsibilities.
(NOTE: During your student teaching practicums, you'll need to be at your school when the teacher work day begins. Some schools start as early as 7:30 am and teachers need to be there even earlier. In September and in the spring, you'll also need to stay at your school until the teacher work day ends.)
Most important of all, keep your eyes on the prize! Remember what made you want to be a teacher in the first place and stay focused on your goal. Teaching is hard work, but it's also a lot of fun!