Teacher Education Program

The primary purpose of teacher education is to prepare highly qualified teachers for Texas and the nation. The goal of Texas Wesleyan University’s Teacher Education Program is to develop teachers who:

Possess the knowledge and skills required to deliver age-appropriate content;
Possess the specialized knowledge and abilities required to deliver content specific instruction;
Communicate effectively with students, parents, and other professionals in a range of formats;
Apply the principles of instruction and assessment in the delivery of curriculum;
Use effective teaching practices;
Value and encourage critical thinking and problem solving;
Use instructional technology to skillfully promote learning;
Uphold the ethics of the teaching profession;
Are committed to continued professional growth and development;
Actively participate in the democratic process in school and community affairs.

The Teacher Education Program at Texas Wesleyan University, through the General Education Curriculum, encourages its graduates to display the following characteristics:

A firm grounding in the liberal arts tradition;
A familiarity with the leading ideas and texts of our civilization;
An understanding of how ideas formulated in previous centuries and in other cultures influence current thought;
An appreciation of the philosophical, historical, and economic heritage of the United States;
A value of the processes that have allowed the above ideas to come to fruition;
An ability to encourage similar values in their own students.

Notice to Applicants regarding Occupational Licensure

As a point of information required by the Texas Occupations Code, Section 1, Chapter 53, Sections 53.151 – 53.152, as amended in 2017 by HB 1508, if you are applying for admission to or currently enrolled in an educational program that may prepare an individual for an initial occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code Section 58.001 and/or if you later decide to change to an educational program that prepares you for an initial occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code Section 58.001, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following:

An individual who has been convicted of an offense may be ineligible for issuance of an occupational license upon completion of the educational program.
Each licensing authority that may issue an occupational license to an individual who completes an educational program must establish guidelines that state the reasons a particular crime is considered to relate to a particular license and any other criterion that affects the decisions of the licensing authority.
Local or county licensing authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history. Applicants should contact their respective local or county licensing authority for more details.
A person may request a criminal history evaluation letter regarding the personal eligibility for a license issued by a licensing authority under Texas Occupations Code Section 53.102.

Applicants are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements related to the respective occupational license. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the applicable licensing authority.

Admission to the Teacher Education Program

All students interested in entering the Teacher Education Program are responsible for reading this information and complying with the stated requirements.

University admission and admission to the undergraduate teacher education programs require different admissions criteria. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission into the undergraduate Teacher Education Program.

Admission Criteria

Minimum 2.5 Overall GPA or current state requirement;
THEA Scores of: Reading=260, Mathematics=230, Writing=220. For details, refer to the THEA exemptions listed in the section below.
Meet TEA requirements through a screening and interview process as part of entrance to the program* (see below);
Demonstrated proficiency in oral English by obtaining a grade of "B" or better in a fundamental speech course or by receiving a proficient score in the interview portion of the screening and interview process mentioned above;
Completed at least 9 hours of university English or the equivalent with grades "C" or better;
Passed EDU 2100, Foundations of Education, with a C or better.

*Failure to Schedule or Attend Teacher Education Program Admission Interview

Any student, in any program that leads to an initial certification through the Teacher Education Program at Texas Wesleyan University who does not respond to faculty attempts to schedule their Teacher Education Program interview (emails or phone calls) will automatically be denied admission into the Teacher Education Program. Any student denied admission into the Teacher Education Program at Texas Wesleyan University must reapply and successfully complete the essay and interview process in a subsequent semester before further consideration for admission. Any student, in any program that leads to an initial certification through the Teacher Education Program at Texas Wesleyan University, who fails to attend a scheduled interview will not be admitted into the Teacher Education Program unless, at the discretion of the interview committee, unforeseen circumstances explain the absence. Any student who misses a scheduled interview, due to unforeseen circumstances, must contact the professor with whom the interview was scheduled, at the earliest possible opportunity, to explain the absence and to request the scheduling of a second interview.

EC-6 Candidates (including EC-6 Core Subjects with English as a Second Language Certification, EC-6 Bilingual, Liberal Studies with Core Subjects EC-6 Education):

Provide evidence of 6 hours in each field: English, social studies, mathematics, and science.

EC-6 Bilingual Candidates are required to demonstrate Spanish language proficiency. For the purpose of program admissions, Spanish proficiency is defined as:

Grades of A or B in SPN 1341 Spanish I, SPN 1342 Spanish II, SPN 2313 Intermediate Spanish I, and SPN 2314 Intermediate Spanish II or equivalent credit;
and
Passing Score (700 or above) on the Web Based WebCape Exam, Spanish Version. Students are only allowed to take the WebCape exam once. Students who do not receive a passing score on the WebCape Exam are required to take SPN 2321;
Students must receive a grade of A or B in SPN 2321 or waiver of the class in order to be admitted into the EC-6 Bilingual Program. SPN 2321 can be retaken once.
Once admitted into the program or in the case of a change of major to EC-6 Bilingual, students must make a grade of “C” or better in the upper-level required Spanish courses related to the EC-6 Bilingual degree, SPN 3328 Advanced Spanish Grammar and SPN 3340 Advanced Spanish Writing. The classes can be repeated once each.

Secondary Education and All Level Certification:

Provide evidence of 12 hours with a GPA of 2.5 or better in their content area (area of specialization) for English, History, Music, EC-12 Physical Education and Spanish;
Provide evidence of 15 hours with a GPA of 2.5 or better in their content area (area of specialization) for mathematics and science.

Continued Enrollment in the Teacher Education Program

Admission to the Teacher Education Program is granted for five years provided the student maintains a 2.5 grade point average or current state standard** while in the program, both overall and in major program course work. A student requiring longer than five years to complete certification requirements will be required to reapply for admission to teacher education through the Teacher Certification Officer and meet current admissions requirements.

Students must obtain a grade of “C” or better in all education and reading courses in order to continue enrollment in all undergraduate education programs. The Teacher Education Program will not accept for transfer credit any reading or education course in which the student’s grade is below a “C.”

**Admission and continuance in the Teacher Education Program is contingent on state mandated GPA requirements.

Texas Higher Education Assessment (THEA) Requirements

To be admitted into the Teacher Education Program, a student must pass all sections of the THEA or have an approved exemption.

THEA—Passing Standards:

Reading: 260

Mathematics: 230

Writing: 220

THEA scores must not be more than five years old. Students may retake the THEA as many times as needed. The test is administered in a computer-based format at various sites throughout the state, including Texas Wesleyan University. THEA registration booklets are available online at www.thea.nesinc.com.

THEA Exemptions: Students may be exempt from the math and writing sections under certain conditions. There are no exemptions from the reading portion of the THEA.

American College Test (ACT)—Composite score of 23 or higher, with English and mathematics scores of 19 or higher.
Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT)—For tests taken after April 1995, a combined score of 1070 or higher, with verbal and mathematics scores of 500 or higher. College Board concordance tables are used to compare scores on the redesigned SAT with those that predate it.
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) exit level— English language arts score of 2200 or higher, mathematics score of 2200 or higher, and writing score of 3 or higher.
State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) — Algebra II level 2 exempt from math, English II Level 2, exempt from writing.

Note: Scores on the ACT and SAT must have been achieved no more than five years prior to, and TAKS and STAAR scores no more than three years prior to, the time the individual applies for admission to the Teacher Education Program.

THEA Exemptions Based on University Level Coursework

Writing—

Students may also be exempt from the writing section of THEA by earning a grade of “B” or higher in one of the following related courses:

English Composition and Rhetoric;
English Composition and Literature;
A 2000 level Literature course (English Delivery); or
A 3000 level Writing course (ex. English 3310).

Mathematics— Students may also be exempt from the math section of THEA by earning a grade of “B” or higher in one of the following related courses:

College Algebra (or a course for which College Algebra is a prerequisite);
Plane Trigonometry (or a course for which Plane Trigonometry is a prerequisite.)

EDU 2100 Foundations of Education

To be admitted to the Teacher Education Program, a student must successfully complete EDU 2100 Foundations of Education. This course should be completed during the second semester of the sophomore year for students applying for freshman admission, or during the first semester at Texas Wesleyan University for students applying for transfer admission.

Formal application to the Teacher Education Program is made while students are enrolled in EDU 2100. Students may be admitted to the Teacher Education Program at any semester after successful completion of EDU 2100 and completion of all other admissions requirements.

To enroll for EDU 2100 or any Education or Reading (except developmental reading) course, a student must have a 2.5 GPA or current state requirement and have a minimum of 36 hours of coursework posted to their transcript. Passing scores on the THEA are not required to enroll in EDU 2100. To receive a grade in EDU 2100, students must pass all sections of the THEA or have an approved exemption. Students who do not pass all sections of the THEA prior to the end of the semester in which they are taking EDU 2100 will receive a grade of a “T”.

A student who receives a grade of a ‘T’ in EDU 2100 will not be allowed to register for any Education and/or Reading course until the ‘T’ is removed. This includes the courses listed as concurrent enrollment with EDU 2100 and EDU 3341/3342.

Students who are dropped from EDU 2100 for non-attendance may remain in other EDU and RDG courses but will receive a grade of “T”. If students are in good standing, they can re-register to take EDU 2100. Upon successful completion of EDU 2100 requirements, all affected Education and Reading grades will be changed to the grade earned.

Students must pass EDU 2100 and EDU 3341 or EDU 3342 with a grade of C or better before taking any Education or Reading courses that require Teacher Education Program admission. (refer to the Admissions to the Teachers Education Program section listed above.)

‘T’ grades apply to all Education or Reading courses until Teacher Education Program admission requirements are met.

Observation and Field Experience Requirements

The professional contact experiences of our candidates are comprised of field experiences and observation hours. Field experiences are experiences in which the students are interacting with EC-12 students. These experiences are supervised by the instructor and scheduled within the time allocated for the course where practical to do so. Observation hours are conducted in EC-12 classrooms in which the student does not have interaction with the children. Observation hours are required for a number of courses. In order to fulfill observation requirements, students are guided to choose a specific school and classroom to conduct their observations. Observation hours are scheduled outside of the time allotted for class.

At the beginning of each semester, if a student enrolls in a course that has an observation or field experience component, the student needs to complete the necessary documentation. Many districts require a criminal background check for observation and/or field experience. At the end of each observation or field experience session, students are required to provide verification of the school, classroom, and teacher with a data log sheet that requires the teacher’s signature. Students are expected to demonstrate both professional dress and behavior while participating in Field Experience and Observations. CAART (Child Abuse Awareness and Responsibility Training) and BART (Bullying Awareness and Responsibility Training) must be completed prior to participating in any activities involving school-age children.

The observation/field experiences hours described below are required. (Refer to State Regulations that follow)

EC-6 Core Subjects and Bilingual

*Observations Hours*
EDU 2100	Foundations of Education	10
EDU 3318	Introduction to Early Childhood Education	5
EDU 3341	Instruction, Assessment, and Management El	2.5
EDU 4348	Social Studies for the Elementary School	2.5
Total Hours		20
*Field Experience Hours*
EDU 3319	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers	5
EDU 3320	Science for Elementary School Teachers	5
EDU 4340	Environmental Processes and Assessments	7
RDG 4401	Beginning Literacy	15
RDG 4402	Intermediate Literacy	15
Total Hours		47

Secondary Education and All Level Certification

Observation Hours
EDU 2100	Foundations of Education	10
EXS 2104	Elementary Methods in PE Lab	10
EXS 2201	Health and PE Activities for PE Elem. Teachers	5
EXS 3320	Secondary Methods in PE	5
EXS 4310	Adapted Physical Education	5
MUS 2224	Intro to Music Education	5
MUS 3311	Principles of Music Ed Elementary	5
MUS 3418	Inst. Assm. Classrm Mgmt	10
MUS 4331	Diff. Instr. Mixed Ability K-12 Music Classroom	10
NSC 4301	Teaching Sci. in 6-12 Classroom	10

Field Experience Hours

Secondary and All Level students must also engage in a minimum of 15 hours of interaction time with students in an authentic setting and complete a reflective paper.

EDU 3342	Instruction, Assessment, and Management SEC	5
ENG 4390	Senior Seminar/Portfolio for Education	10
EXS 3306	Inst and Assm Elem Sec PE	4
EXS 3320	Secondary Methods in PE	5
HIS 4330	Methods and Strategies Tea. His. And SS in Secondary	10
MAT 4380	Teaching Math in Secondary School	10

All secondary and all level students must meet with their Education advisor to create a plan that ensures the TEA required hours (30) are completed.

Liberal Studies with Core Subjects EC-6 Education

Observations Hours
EDU 2100	Foundations of Education	10
EDU 3318	Introduction to Early Childhood Education	5
EDU 3341	Instruction, Assessment, and Management El	2.5
EDU 4348	Social Studies for the Elementary School	2.5
Total Hours		20
Field Experience Hours
EDU 3319	Mathematics for Elementary School Teachers	5
EDU 3320	Science for Elementary School Teachers	5
EDU 4340	Environmental Processes and Assessments	7
RDG 4401	Beginning Literacy	15
RDG 4402	Intermediate Literacy	15
Total Hours		47

Fitness to Teach

In addition to satisfying curriculum and testing requirements, to be recommended for teaching certification, all Wesleyan teacher candidates must demonstrate the skill and willingness required to teach children and youth. This preparation results from the combination of successful completion of university coursework and the demonstration of important human characteristics and dispositions that all teachers should possess. If a professor develops a concern regarding a student’s potential fitness to teach, the professor, with a member of the Fitness to Teach (FTT) committee, may complete a Fitness to Teach Report. Upon completion, the professor will schedule a meeting with the student to discuss the nature of the concerns and to develop a remediation plan. The Fitness to Teach Report will be placed in the student’s cumulative file. Failure to complete a Fitness to Teach remediation plan will prevent a student from enrolling in clinical teaching. Students who are currently enrolled in clinical teaching and who receive a Fitness to Teach report must resolve the concerns prior to the completion of clinical teaching. Students have the right to appeal Fitness to Teach Report. Student appeals must follow the appeal process listed in the Fitness to Teach Policy located on the School of Education website.

State Regulations Governing Teacher Certification

The State of Texas teaching certificate requires completion of an approved four-year degree program, clearance on a criminal records search, and appropriate field experience. When students are engaged in field experiences, they are required to follow Texas Educator Code of Ethics and the policies and regulations of the school system in which they are working.

A student applying for a Texas teaching certificate must pass two or more competency examinations in her/his fields of certification or endorsement. These examinations are called TExES. The following are the required TExES exams by area of certification:

EC-6 Core Subjects with English as a Second Language Certification

TExES 154	English as a Second Language Supplemental
TExES 160	Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (EC-12)
TExES 291	Core Subjects EC-6

EC-6 Bilingual – Spanish

TExES 160	Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (EC-12)
TExES 164	Bilingual Education Supplemental
TExES 190	Bilingual Target Language Proficiency Test (BTLPT-Spanish)
TExES 291	Core Subjects EC-6

Secondary Education and All Level Certification

TExES 160

Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (EC-12)

Secondary and All Level Content Area Specializations

TExES 116	Science (4-8)
TExES 117	English/Language Arts/Reading (4-8)
TExES 118	Social Sciences (4-8)
TExES 158	Physical Education (EC-12)
TExES 177	Music (EC-12)
TExES 231	English/Language Arts/Reading (7-12)
TExES 233	History (7-12)
TExES 235	Mathematics (7-12)
TExES 238	Life Science (7-12)
TExES 613	Languages Other Than English (LOTE) Spanish (EC-12)

Students are required to complete all test preparation activities (or a plan agreed to with the student’s educational advisor) and receive approval from the Certification Officer before registering for TExES exams. Once the student has taken and passed the TExES exams necessary for certification, and completed all other program requirements, he/she may apply for certification online at www.tea.state.tx.us. For further information, contact the Certification Officer. Certification is not automatic. The student, not Texas Wesleyan University, is responsible for completing certification applications.

Requirements for certification/licensure are determined by the Texas Education Agency, Division of Educator Certification and Standards, and subject to change without previous notification. State rules take precedence over information in this catalog.

A student may apply for graduation without completing Clinical Teaching. Education students who have completed all required coursework may request to graduate without certification. The student must submit a letter to the Certification Officer outlining the reason for the request. The letter should be submitted along with a completed application for clinical teaching/internship and all required documentation. The Teacher Education Committee will consider the student’s request. If the request is approved by the Teacher Education Committee, the student will be permitted to graduate without certification. A student cannot be recommended for certification until all requirements, including clinical teaching/internship are met.

Alternative Certification Internship Information for Texas Wesleyan graduates only: Education students who have graduated without Clinical Teaching or who have graduated with a Liberal Studies degree from Texas Wesleyan University and have completed all admission requirements for the Alternative Certification Program may serve a one-year internship as teacher of record in a public school. Students taking this option must apply to the Alternative Certification Program, register for a one-year internship (EDU 4614) and be under the supervision of a Wesleyan faculty member. Students who do not complete all required education coursework prior to graduation are not eligible for the Alternative Certification internship.