Department of Education
Licensure Programs
The college's education programs prepare students
for Initial teacher licensure in accordance with the
Regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation
Program Approval of the Massachusetts Department of
Education
(October 1, 2001).
Licenses include:
- Early Childhood: Teacher of Students
With and Without Disabilities (Pre-K-2)
- Elementary (1-6)
- Biology (8-12)
- Chemistry (8-12)
- English (8-12)
- Foreign Language/Spanish (5-12)
- History (8-12)
- Mathematics (8-12)
- English Language Learner(Pre-K-6)
and ( 5-12)
- Teacher of Students With Moderate
Disabilities* (Pre-K-8) and ( 5-12)
The Initial license qualifies candidates to begin
teaching in Massachusetts and more than 40 states,
islands,
and
territories that belong to the National Association
of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification
(N.A.S.D.T.E.C.) Interstate Contract.
*Opportunities to complete licensure programs
at the undergraduate level are possible through careful
advisement. See http://www.doe.mass.edu/edprep/nasdtec.html
Academic Major in Liberal Arts
or Sciences
Students seeking initial licensure must fulfill requirements
for either an arts/sciences major or a liberal arts
major in addition to their professional preparation
major in education. Students preparing to teach biology,
chemistry, English, Spanish, history, or mathematics
at the secondary level must major in their academic
disciplines. Students pursuing licensure in early childhood,
elementary, English Language Learner, or teacher
of students with moderate disabilities major in English,
history, mathematics, or a science. The recommended
major is a combined English/history liberal arts major.
Courses are carefully selected under the guidance
of faculty advisors from both the academic and professional
preparation majors. Students should therefore stay
in
close contact with their education advisors throughout
their professional preparation programs. Candidates
must meet with both the academic and professional preparation
(education) advisors a minimum of once per semester
during pre-registration. (Ideally, all core requirements
should be completed during the
first two years.)
Admission to Teacher Education
Students interested in becoming teachers may begin the
pre-education sequence in the first semester. However,
students are not formally admitted to licensure programs
until second semester, second year. Admission to Elms
College does not guarantee admission to teacher licensure
programs.
To be eligible for admission to the Education Department,
students must meet the following requirements.
- A declared academic major in liberal
arts or sciences appropriate to the license sought.
- Successful completion of pre-education
coursework with no grade lower than a C. (The undergraduate
admission policy, which includes a listing of required
pre-education coursework for each Initial license
and an application, is available from the Education
Department in Marian Hall.)
- Evidence of successful completion
of the Communication and Literacy portion of the
M.T.E.L.
(Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure). A copy
of the results must accompany the application.
- Two endorsements from faculty who
have had the student in class. (One must be from
a
faculty member outside the Education Department.)
Advising
Education advisors are assigned upon enrollment in
the pre-education sequence in EDU 100 Introduction
to Schooling and Education.
Education Department Requirements
for Initial Licensure
- Eligibility to graduate with an academic
major appropriate to the license sought.
- Passing score on the Massachusetts
Test for Educator Licensure (M.T.E.L.) in Communication
and Literacy.
- Appropriate coursework and fieldwork
in education for the license sought.
- Passing score on the M.T.E.L. in
Subject Matter Knowledge Test appropriate to the
license sought
for student teaching placement.
- Minimum G.P.A. of 2.80 for student
teaching placement.
- Passing score on the M.T.E.L. Foundations
of Reading Test for student teaching placement (for
early childhood, elementary and teacher of students
with moderate disabilities candidates).
- Recommendation by academic major department
for student teaching placement (secondary students
only).
- Evidence of current completion of
an approved first aid/C.P.R. course prior to registering
for student teaching placement.
- Recommendation by Education Department
for student teaching placement.
- Successful completion of practicum
(student teaching experience).
Note: Students
are strongly urged to limit their employment, additional
course work, and extra-curricular activities during
student teaching. To gain the full benefit of student
teaching, students should register for no more than
12 credits during the practicum semester. Exceptions
will only be made under extraordinary circumstances
at the discretion of the academic advisor and the
division chair.
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