Teacher Education

Faculty

Karen J. Birkenfeld, Chair, Assistant Professor
David M. Finn, Professor
Charlotte Freeman, Professor
Tarsha E. Bluiett, Associate Professor
Diana Cheshire, Associate Professor
Amanda S. Hilsmier, Associate Professor
Amy E. Hoaglund, Associate Professor
Erin N. Gilchrist, Assistant Professor
Myrtis A. Johnson, Instructor, Clinical Coordinator
Michele K. Haralson, Director of Curriculum Materials and Technology Center

Undergraduate Programs and Requirements

Majors

Early Childhood/Special Education/Elementary/Collaborative (ESEC) Major, B.S.E.
Elementary Education Major with a Concentration in Christian Education & Missions, B.S.E.
English Major, B.S.E. with Teacher Certification  (phased out in 2015-16)
History Major, B.S.E. with Teacher Certification  (phased out in 2015-16)
Secondary Education, B.S.E.

Teacher Certifications

Combined Program (ESEC):

Early Childhood Education (Grades P-3)
Early Childhood Special Education (Grades P-3)
Elementary Education (Grades K-6)
Elementary Collaborative Education (Grades K-6)

P-12 and Secondary (click here)

The Department of Teacher Education offers four distinct undergraduate majors-ESEC (early childhood/early childhood special education/elementary/elementary collaborative); elementary education with a concentration in Christian education and missions; English; and history–all leading to a bachelor of science in education. Teacher certification is available in the combined ESEC program for grades P-3 (early childhood education and early childhood special education) and grades K-6 (elementary education and elementary collaborative education), and in secondary education for grades 6-12 (English and history). In addition, the department offers P-12 certification in world languages and music for students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in those respective departments.

Each program offered by the teacher education department complies with teacher certification requirements prescribed by the Alabama State Department of Education. Certification requirements outlined by the Alabama State Department of Education differ slightly from traditional Arts and Sciences majors and must be followed exactly. The bachelor of science in education with a major in English (ENGT) includes a language arts component, with requirements in communication studies, journalism, and theatre, in addition to English and education. The bachelor of science in education with a major in history (HISD) includes a general social studies component, with requirements in economics, geography, and political science in addition to history and education. Information about other programs may be obtained from the department chair or advisement counselor. Students planning to earn certification in secondary education must come to the Orlean Bullard Beeson (OBB) School of Education at the beginning of the freshman year for advisement.

The OBB School of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036. This accreditation covers all of the institution’s initial and advanced teacher preparation programs.

Teacher Certification Subject Areas Offered (P-12 and Secondary Education)

Composite Subject Areas (Grades 6-12)	Major Subject Areas (Grades 6-12)	Major Subject Areas (Grades P-12)
English/Language Arts History/Social Studies	World Languages: (French, German, Spanish) History Mathematics	World Languages: (French, German, Spanish) Instrumental Music Vocal/Choral Music

Certifications or Proficiencies

A summary of special requirements for teacher education undergraduate students in general may be noted:

ESEC majors are not required to earn additional majors or minors.
Those earning P-12 certification in world languages or music and those earning secondary certification in English or history are not required to earn additional majors or minors.
All ESEC majors must take additional math and science courses.
All students earning certification must successfully pass an exit examination, currently Praxis II, in their content area.
All students earning certification must successfully pass the Alabama Education Certification Assessment Program (AECAP).

Admission to Teacher Education

Requirements for admission to teacher education undergraduate programs are:

Minimum ACT score of 20.
Grade of C- or better required in all courses.
Formal application for admission.
Successful completion of EDUC 221 and EDUC 222 , or EDUC 200 .
Completion of 60 credits of coursework with a GPA of at least 2.75 for ESEC, elementary, secondary, and P-12 majors.
Completion of projected schedule and agreement form.
Completion of an interview with a faculty member in the OBB School of Education.
Passing score on Faculty Disposition Form.
Document on file verifying ABI and FBI criminal background checks.
Passing scores on the Applied Math, Reading for Information, and Writing sections of the Alabama Education Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) examination.
Demonstration of satisfactory potential for teaching, including evidence of emotional stability and a satisfactory record as to conduct, character, and mental health, to the effect that the applicant does not have any personal qualities prejudicial to satisfactory performance as a teacher.

Acceptance is contingent upon the recommendation of the admissions panel, which meets twice yearly. Applicants will be notified in writing of their acceptance or rejection. Transfer students follow the same admission policies. Education courses may not be transferred into the teacher education program without permission from the department chair.

Retention in Teacher Education

Once admitted into the teacher education program, the minimum GPA requirement (2.75 for ESEC, elementary, secondary, and P-12 majors) must be maintained in all of the following three areas: cumulative, major courses, and professional courses. Failure to maintain the required minimum cumulative GPA and the required minimum GPA in the major teaching and professional fields prevents a student from enrolling in specific education courses until that GPA is met. No grade below C- in any course is permitted; in case of a lower grade, the course must be repeated. These GPA requirements also pertain to graduation and certification.

Any student who, in the opinion of the OBB School of Education Hearing Board, is judged to have developed dispositions or characteristics, academic or otherwise, deemed undesirable for the profession may, after appropriate review, be dropped from the program.

Students wishing to take courses from other colleges must obtain permission beforehand. Please note that education courses may not be transferred into the teacher education program, and independent studies will not be offered. Also, if students take a course through Evening Studies, they will be billed additional tuition equivalent to the day rate per credit.

Students must complete their program within four years of being admitted to teacher education or must reapply for admission to the program. Grievances related to grades may be brought before the Teacher Education Academic Review Board. See the department chair in OBB Room 338 for specific procedures.

Clinical Requirements

All teacher education majors are required to complete a wide variety of clinical experiences, which include rural, urban, and suburban settings. Clinical placements will be within a reasonable driving distance from the university campus.

Professional Semester

The student-teaching semester is the final experience in teacher education. The internship experience includes 15 weeks of student teaching and may be taken in the fall or spring semester.

Students planning on student teaching in the fall must submit the student-teaching application during the preregistration period of the preceding fall. Students planning on student teaching in the spring must submit the student-teaching application during the preregistration period of the preceding spring. Applications must be turned in to the Office of Clinical Experience in OBB Room 325.

To be eligible for student teaching, a student must have been admitted to teacher education, be in good academic standing, have demonstrated necessary dispositions to be a successful teacher, have successfully completed the required clinical experience, completed all 64 convocation credits, and must have had a complete records check. To be in good academic standing, a student must have completed all EDUC-prefix courses and all essential teaching-field courses, have removed all Incompletes from all courses, and have maintained a 2.75 GPA overall and in each teaching field (ESEC, elementary, secondary, and P-12 majors). Students are referred to the Clinical Handbook for a complete explanation of the required clinical experience.

Student teachers must observe the guidelines established by Samford University and all the rules set by the school in which the student teaching is done. Failure to do so can result in the student being dropped from the professional semester or removed from his/her school placement.

Students should consult the Clinical Handbook for additional information.

Completion of Program

Students who successfully complete a prescribed program at the baccalaureate level in teacher education will be eligible for the Alabama Class B teacher certificate in their area(s) of specialization. Completion of the program is contingent upon achieving a 2.75 GPA (ESEC, elementary, secondary, and P-12 majors) in the area or areas of specialization, in the professional components, in the higher education GPA, and performing satisfactorily as a teacher during the professional semester. Students must also demonstrate professional dispositions as explained in the departmental dispositions policy. In order to receive certification, all students must be fingerprinted. Students enrolled in EDUC 221 /EDUC 222 or EDUC 200 will be informed of the ABI and FBI fingerprinting procedures.

Students must also pass exit examinations (currently PRAXIS II) and the AECAP in order to receive certification. If a student successfully completes all program requirements, he/she may graduate, but certification may not be received until all exams are passed.

Secondary Education and P-12 Majors

Curriculum requirements for secondary education and P-12 education requirements may be obtained from the certification officer/advisor, OBB Room 323; or the head of the academic department involved. All secondary education majors are required to meet with the certification officer/advisor, OBB Room 323 upon admission to the University. This meeting could be during regular orientation program. Subject to change if state and/or federal requirements are revised.

University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements

See University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements in the Howard College of Arts and Sciences introductory pages for a list of required courses. General education requirements are detailed in the individual degree tables, with some exceptions. In those cases where a requirement is not specified, consult the University Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements and the Physical Activity Program for a list of applicable courses. For ESEC and history majors, INTL 202 is an acceptable substitution for the fine arts general education requirement.

Programs

Major

Courses

Education - Undergraduate