Teacher Education

http://teachered.cofc.edu
Phone: 843.953.5613
Robert Perkins, Chair
Anne Gutshall, Interim Associate Chair
Mary Ann Hartshorn, Director, Teaching Fellows

About the Department

The Department of Teacher Education prepares teachers to meet the educational needs of children and youth in the areas of early childhood, elementary, foreign language, middle level, secondary, and special education. The curriculum involves coursework on campus as well as field experiences and clinical practice in diverse school settings across the tri-county area.

Requirements for Admission to Teacher Education Programs

To become a licensed teacher, candidates must be fully admitted to a teacher education program. This is done in two stages. To take education (EDFS, EDEE, EDMG or TEDU) courses beyond EDFS 201 and EDFS 303 , students must be at least Provisionally Admitted. To take Clinical Practice, students must be fully Admitted.

Provisional Admission requires:

Declaring a major in teacher education with the Office of Student Services and Credentialing.
Submitting three assessments of dispositions completed by:

General education professor
EDFS 201 instructor
A person knowledgeable about the candidate’s involvement with children/youth

Meeting with an assigned adviser(s) for education planning.

Full Admission requires:

Passing scores on Praxis Core: Academic Skills for Educators as required by the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) OR qualifying SAT or ACT scores. Scores must be sent to the College of Charleston (Code R5113) and the SCDE (Code R8108).
A cumulative GPA of at least 2.750.
Completing EDFS 201 with a grade of “C” or better.
Completing the Essential Skills Statement.
Submitting a completed application for the teacher education program to the Office of Student Services and Credentialing.

NOTE: The application form and all requirements for admission to the teacher education program must be sent to the director of the Office of Student Services and Credentialing. After these materials are reviewed, the candidate will be notified of any additional requirements necessary for admission. Admission to a program does not guarantee admission to clinical practice or recommendation for licensure.

Transfer Students

Submit a completed Transfer Application to the Office of Admissions.
Have transcripts evaluated by the Office of the Registrar to determine general course equivalence. All education courses and those that may be considered for professional education requirements will be further evaluated by the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance.

Retention in Teacher Education Programs and Acceptance to Clinical Practice

The teacher education program involves a combination of coursework and field-based learning, culminating in a semester-long clinical practice internship. Throughout the program, the candidate’s progress is reviewed by a series of assessments that measure performance in relation to established standards. To maintain good standing in a teacher education program and be admitted to clinical practice, the candidate must:

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.750.
Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.000 in education courses.
For langauges and secondary education, maintain the required GPA in the content area.
Complete all program-specified courses and general education courses.
Maintain acceptable assessment of dispositions at the developing competency level.

Clinical Practice Internship

Clinical practice is the culminating experience for teacher candidates in initial licensure teacher education programs. The Office of Student Services and Credentialing conducts clinical practice information sessions every semester for candidates that are submitting applications. Attendance at one information session is mandatory and must be fulfilled two semesters prior to clinical practice. Assignments for field experience and clinical practice placements are made within the tri-county area.

NOTE: Taking additional coursework during the clinical practice semester is not normally allowed and must be approved by the chair of the Department of Teacher Education.

Recommendation for Licensure

Licensure to teach is granted by the South Carolina State Department of Education. To receive a recommendation for licensure, a candidate must complete an approved degree program and be recommended by the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance. The following requirements specified in the Unit Assessment System must be met before the candidate receives a recommendation for licensure. The candidate’s progress is reviewed by a series of assessments that measure performance in relation to established standards.

To maintain good standing in a teacher education program and be admitted to clinical practice, the candidate must:

Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.750.
Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.000 in education courses.
Complete all program-specified courses and general education courses.
Achieve passing scores on PRAXIS II.
Maintain acceptable assessment of dispositions at the competency level.

NOTE: Completion of an approved program does not automatically ensure recommendation for licensure by the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance. Although completion of the approved program of study will usually result in recommendation, it may be withheld as a result of failure to satisfactorily complete the requirements.

Title II Report Card

The College of Charleston Title II Report Card can be found on the South Carolina Department of Education Title II website, http://title2.ed.gov. Copies of the report can also be requested by contacting the director of the Office of Student Services and Credentialing at 843.953.5613 or at 86 Wentworth St., College of Charleston, Charleston, SC 29424. To discuss the College of Charleston Title II Report Card, contact the Dean of the School of Education, Health, and Human Performance at 843.953.5613. For the purpose of Title II reporting, a program completer is defined as a candidate who has successfully completed clinical practice and earned a degree from a teacher education program.

Early Childhood Education, B.S.

The undergraduate degree program in early childhood education is designed to prepare entry level teachers who will provide high quality, developmentally appropriate programs for young children (grades PreK - 3 and ages birth through eight) and who will continue to engage in professional growth and development after the completion of the program and initial licensure. Early childhood education majors explore the physical, social, intellectual, and emotional development of young children. Candidates for this degree use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive, and challenging for all children. Candidates understand and value the importance and complexity of children’s families and communities and use this understanding to develop programs and partnerships that support the development and learning of all children. Candidates use multiple, systematic observations and other assessment strategies as an integral part of their practice. The early childhood education program is nationally recognized by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Requirements for completion of this major can be found in the Programs of Study Section of the catalog.

Elementary Education, B.S.

The undergraduate degree program in elementary education prepares candidates with content knowledge and skills to implement a curriculum based on sound knowledge and learning strategies in elementary classrooms (grades 2 - 6). Elementary education majors are grounded in the development and needs of students in grades two through six and how those realities play out against a backdrop of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, socioeconomic status, family, and community. Candidates develop and use multiple means of assessment to provide ongoing, useful feedback to both students and teachers on what students have learned and to guide instructional decisions to improve student learning. Candidates are prepared to differentiate instruction in classes with students of diverse needs, interests, backgrounds, and learning styles. The elementary education program is nationally recognized by the Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI). Requirements for completion of this major can be found in the Programs of Study Section of the catalog.

Foreign Language Education, B.S.

The undergraduate cognate program in foreign language education incorporates second-language acquisition theories and methods to prepare students to teach languages in grades PreK - 12. To be awarded, the foreign language education cognate major will require successful completion of an approved content major in Classics, French, German, or Spanish. The foreign language cognate program is nationally recognized by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Information about the content majors in foreign language can be found in the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs section of the catalog. Requirements for completion of the content and cognate majors can be found in the Programs of Study Section of the catalog.

Middle Grades Education, B.S.

The undergraduate degree program in middle grades education prepares candidates with content knowledge in two areas of concentration (either English, social studies, math or science) in order to become effective middle school teachers (grades 5 - 8). Each content area requires 18 credit hours. Candidates must work with their advisor to determine the appropriate coursework. Candidates will learn about how young adolescents are different from young children and older adolescents and how middle level schools are different from elementary or high schools. The program teaches candidates how students develop and hone literacy skills, how students comprehend mathematical concepts, and how to utilize the most effective means of instruction. Teacher education candidates are prepared to understand how to create effective learning environments and how to balance the needs of students who learn at different paces. The goal of the program is to produce versatile educators who do not just teach, but who affect emotional, intellectual, and social development in each of their students. The middle grades education program is nationally recognized by the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE). Requirements for completion of this major can be found in the Programs of Study Section of the catalog.

Physical Education with a concentration in Teacher Education, B.S.

The School of Education, Health, and Human Performance provides a Teacher Education Program for candidates majoring in Health and Human Performance who seek to become certified physical education teachers. Information about this program is located in the Department of Health and Human Performance section.

Secondary Education Cognate Major, B.S.

The undergraduate degree program in secondary education develops exceptional teachers who prepare future generations of learners and leaders in high school (grades 9 - 12). The secondary education cognate major is available to students who major in biology, chemistry, English, mathematics, physics, and social studies (history, political science, and sociology). The true strength of the cognate major comes from enabling candidates to embrace their liberal arts undergraduate experience, focus on their content area major, and develop their pedagogical knowledge and skills in the cognate major. The biology, chemistry, and physics programs are nationally recognized by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA); the English program is nationally recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE); the history, political science, and sociology programs which result in recommendation for licensure in social studies are nationally recognized by the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS); and the mathematics program is nationally recognized by the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM). Requirements for completion of this major can be found in the Programs of Study section of the catalog.

Special Education, B.S.

The special education program emphasizes the importance of knowing students as individuals. Candidates for this degree develop knowledge in the typical characteristics of the disability area(s) in which they are training (emotional disabilities [ED], learning disability [LD], mental disabilities [MD]) and also learn to understand the imperative to consider individual differences in all aspects of program planning, instruction, assessment, working with parents, and communication. Instructional pedagogies include creating and maintaining effective learning environments, assessing student learning, planning for instruction, and delivering instruction using a variety of strategies. Teacher education candidates evaluate the effectiveness of their pedagogy through reflection and assessment. They are prepared to work collaboratively with parents, other professionals, paraprofessionals, and administrators for the benefit of students in grades PreK - 12.

The special education program is nationally recognized by the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Requirements for completion of this major can be found in the Programs of Study Section of the catalog.