DIGITAL ADVISING HANDBOOK:JUNIORS & SENIORSMajor: Secondary Education

English/ Communications Teaching Option

Fall Semester:

Expectations of Students in the College of Education

Field Experiences: Applying For Student Teaching

The Professional Development School

Other Student Teaching Options

Computer Requirements

Expectations of Students in the College of Education

• Background checks and clearances are required of you throughout your collegiate career. It is important that you maintain a clean record in order to be able to participate in the field experiences required by your major. Failure to do so can affect your ability to gain certification.

Maintain a Clean Record

• School administrators, parents and your future students may have access to the same social media sites you use. It is important that you are mindful of the things you post to your personal accounts that could be viewed by a future principal, parent, or student.

Be Mindful of Your Social Media Presence

• As a future teacher, it is imperative that you maintain a positive public image for the sake of your students and the communities in which you will work.

Protect Your Brand

• Taken semester 6 or 7, with LL ED 412W

• Clearances Required• Application Required: Submit

one year in advance• Location: Within 70 miles of

Campus; Transportation is the responsibility of the student

Middle Field Experience

• Typically semester 7 or 8• Clearances Required• Application Required: Submit

one year in advance• Location: Usually outside of

commuting distance; Students must arrange their own housing and daily transportation

Student Teaching

Applying For Field Experiences

C I 495A

C I 495D

C & I Field Experiences (CIFE)173 Chambers Building

814-863-1545

The Professional Development School Year-Long Classroom Experience

• The year-long internship is an intensive field based program where learning to teach is accomplished through teaming with a mentor teacher and a university based teacher educator for an entire school year

Work & Learn the Entire School Year

• The interns agree to abandon the traditional Penn State academic calendar and instead to follow the district school calendar for the entire year

Gain One-On-One Support

• The interns gain valuable knowledge by teaching alongside their mentors and completing teacher inquiry projects about their work with children in a public school classroom

Connect Theory and Practice

• Professional Development School sites allow students to finish their coursework and learn from professors onsite targeted at connecting theory to practice and practice to theory.

If you are interested in the PDS program, meet with your advisor as certain coursework must be completed by Semester 7

Other Student Teaching Options

Locations in Pennsylvania

• Central Region• Greater Philadelphia

Region• Pittsburgh Region• Professional Developme

nt School Option For English Teachers

Outside of Pennsylvania

• Pierre Indian Learning Center, South Dakota

• Short Term Overseas Student Teaching• Student teachers complete 12

weeks of full-time teaching in PA, followed by 5 to 7 weeks student teaching at an international site

For the student teaching experience, student teachers spend fifteen weeks teaching full-time in classrooms. Student teaching opportunities are offered in various locations throughout Pennsylvania, in South Dakota, and abroad.

Computer Requirements

EDUCATE requires all Secondary English

students to have a notebook computer by their Entrance to

Major semester

Faculty in the College determined that an Apple

MacBook and the iLife suite of software offers the best set of digital tools to help students

engage in meaningful teaching and learning.

Apple’s MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models are highly

encouraged

Check to make sure your computer meets the

minimum specifications

A minor is an academic

program of at least 18

credits, or 6 classes

Completing all requirements for the major will qualify

students for an English

minor

Use Minor Quest

to begin exploring

other minors

Most minors require at

least 2 courses taken

at the 400-level

Minor Interests

Spring Semester:

Scheduling Block Classes

Minor Interests

Testing and Certification

Graduation Reminders

Resources for Academic Success

Student Teaching

Possible Academic Plan1(Semesters 5-8)

Middle Field Experience

LL ED Block

Semester 5

Cluster “H” Selection

Media Selection

ENGL 202A or B

ENGL 444

EDTHP 115 or 400-level EDTHP

Health & Physical Activity Selection (GHA)

Semester 6

LL ED 411

LL ED 420

LL ED 480

SPLED 400

Cluster “E” Selection

Semester 7

LL ED 412W

CI 495C

Cluster “C” Selection

Cluster “D” Selection

SPLED 403B

Health & Physical Activity Selection (GHA)

Semester 8

CI 495E (Student Teaching)

Testing & Certification

When Should I Take the Praxis: English Content Knowledge Exam?• Summer before your senior year, or later• Qualifying exam scores are not required for graduation

What Content is Covered on the Exam?• Reading, Language Use and Vocabulary, Writing, Speaking and Listening• Test at a Glance

When Can I Apply for Certification? • The month of your graduation• Final grades must be posted online• PDE 430 – Evaluation of your student teaching must be received in the Certification

office from your Supervisor

How Do I Apply for Certification?• Create an online account on the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS)

online• Follow carefully the instructions sent by the College of Ed Certification Office

Testing & Certification(FAQ)

I am Not Planning on Teaching Right Away, Is It Okay to Wait to Apply for Teacher Certification?• In the past the Pennsylvania Department of Education has changed certification

requirements so its best to apply for certification upon completing all current requirements.

• You may become ineligible for certification if requirements change over time.

I Am Not from Pennsylvania and I Do Not Want to Teach Here, Should I Still Apply for PA certification?• Yes apply for Pennsylvania certification.• The PDE certifies teachers at the highly qualified level.

All states will accept a teacher prepared in Pennsylvania (In some cases, additional standardized tests or coursework may be required.)

How do I Apply for Certification Out of State?

• Check that state’s Department of Education website.• Look for “out of state licensed teachers” for additional requirements

Graduation Reminders

• Check your degree audit at the end of your junior year for irregularities• It is your responsibility to notify the University of your intent to graduate at the

beginning of your graduation semester• Activate your intent to graduate on eLion under “Graduating This Semester” • Check the Academic calendar for dates when you can submit your intent to

graduate

Intent to Graduate

• You can declare your minor at any point after being accepted into your major• Declare your minor on eLion under the Major/Minor tab• Check your minor degree audit: adjustments and petitions must be made

through the minor department directly

Declaring Your Minor

• Education Career Day -- March 16, 2015• K-12 educators/ administrators

Career Fairs

Resources for Academic Success

• Helps you to calculate the grades necessary to reach a desired cumulative grade-point average (GPA)• On your eLion page, under

Grades, click Target GPA Prediction

Target GPA Prediction Tool

• To be considered a full time student, you must maintain 12 credits per semester

• Dropping below full-time can affect:• Your Financial Aid• Athletic Eligibility• International Students’

Visa Status

“Full Time” Status

• Ensure your academic success with iStudy tutorials on a variety of critical skills.• Test taking strategies• Time management skills• Communication techniques

• View the full list of iStudy tutorials

iStudy for Success

Semester 1

First Year Seminar

*ENGL 015

*EDPSY 014

*Math Selection (GQ)

Science Selection (GN)

Media Selection (GA)

Semester 2

*PSYCH 100

*Literature Selection

COMM 100, 118, 150, 205, 411, 413W

Science Selection

Media Selection (GA)

Semester 3

*CI 295

*Math Selection (GQ)

*CAS 100A

C I 280

Cluster “A” Selection

Cluster “F” Selection

Semester 4

CAS 211, 215, 250, 271, 280W, 375, 422, or 480

PSYCH 412 or HD FS 239

Science Selection

Cluster “B” Selection

*Cluster “G” Selection

Academic Plan: Secondary Education – English / Communication

*ETM requirement

No add’l coursework permitted during Student Teaching

Semester 5

Cluster “H” Selection

Media Selection

ENGL 202A or B

ENGL 444

EDTHP 115 or 400-level EDTHPHealth & Physical Activity (GHA)

Semester 6

LL ED 411

LL ED 420

LL ED 480

SPLED 400

Cluster “E” Selection

Semester 7

LL ED 412W

C I 495C

Cluster “C” Selection

Cluster “D” Selection

SPLED 403B

Health & Physical Activity (GHA)

Semester 8

CI 495E