Academic Catalog 2013-2014 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Life Science (grades 7-12), B.S.
|
|
The major is specifically for teacher education and requires 32 semester hours in the major, 16 of which are upper level. Students must pass the state content area life science (grades 7-12) test prior to student teaching.
|
High School Teacher Certification
All high school degree/certification programs require a minimum of 124 semester hours. Students who complete the requirements for the appropriate degree, fulfill certification requirements, and successfully pass the appropriate State tests will satisfy all requirements for secondary teacher certification in their area of preparation. Nine certification options are available to students desiring to teach at the high school level: biology/life science, business education, chemistry/physical science, communication (speech), English/language arts, history, mathematics, social studies, and Spanish. All-Level Teacher Certification
This option requires a minimum of 36 semester hours in an academic subject. This subject also serves as the student’s major and the professional education sequence serves as the minor field of study. All-level certification is available in art, music, theatre, and exercise and sport science. All-level certification allows the holder to teach at the elementary, middle school and high school levels. Certification Areas
Depending upon the subject area they wish to teach, students seeking certification as a high school teacher should pursue the Bachelor of Arts, the Bachelor of Business Administration, the Bachelor of Music, or the Bachelor of Science degree. Students seeking certification to teach art, communications (speech) English/language arts, history, social studies, Spanish or theatre should pursue the Bachelor of Arts degree. Students seeking certification to teach life science (biology), physical science (chemistry, physics), mathematics, or exercise and sport science should pursue the Bachelor of Science degree. Students seeking certification in business education should pursue the Bachelor of Business Administration degree.
Students seeking certification as a music teacher should pursue the Bachelor of Music degree. Students seeking certification as a vocational teacher should refer to the Career and Technology Education - Trades and Industry program. In each instance, the general education core curriculum must be compatible with the requirements of the degree sought. Degree/certification requirements for each of the secondary/high school certification programs offered by the University follow: Bachelor of Science Degree/Certification Requirements
The University General Education Core
Fine Art course
Three hours from: Notations:
- ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302 should be taken within first year of enrollment.
- HIST 2301 and HIST 2302 are required for teacher certification.
- Wayland Baptist University will not accept RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, from any institution except other Baptist institutions to meet the core requirement in any Wayland degree. If a student has taken RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History and/or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, at any institution except other Baptist institutions, then the student has two options to meet the core requirement: (1) take RLGN 1301 and/or RLGN 1302 at Wayland or (2) take RLGN 4306 , RLGN 4316 , RLGN 4317 , or RLGN 4318 in lieu of RLGN 1301 ; and/or take RLGN 4306 , RLGN 4320 , RLGN 4322 , or RLGN 4324 in lieu of RLGN 1302 . RLGN 4306 may be an option for either RLGN 1301 or RLGN 1302 as stated above, but may not count for both on the same degree plan. No other RLGN/RLED courses may substitute for either RLGN 1301 or RLGN 1302 . The Dean of the School of Religion & Philosophy must approve any exception to this policy. RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, taken at non-Baptist institutions, may be transferred as elective credit with approval of the Dean of the School of Religion and Philosophy and the Registrar.
- B.S. degree requires EXSS 1112 and one activity course. Courses marked with an * in the course description section maybe used to fulfill this requirement. Students who have served two or more years in the Armed Forces are exempt from EXSS requirements with DD-214 from basic training.
B.S. General Education Core Course Requirements
Notations:
- EDIT 2310 is required for teacher certification programs. MSCI 2311 is required for math or science majors.
Major (Teaching Field)
Students pursuing certification programs must complete a major in the discipline they wish to teach. The major requires the completion of at least 30 semester hours in the discipline. At least 15 semester hours in the teaching field must be in upper-level courses. Professional education courses will become the minor for teaching certification. Life Science (grades 7-12)
The major is specifically for teacher education and requires 32 semester hours in the major, 16 of which are upper level. Students must pass the state content area life science (grades 7-12) test prior to student teaching. Professional Education - High School Certification and All Level
In addition to the general education core and preparation in the teaching field, all high school certification programs require a professional education sequence. The professional education sequence provides students with knowledge of the learner, the teaching-learning process, effective teaching and classroom management strategies, and reading in the various content areas. It also provides a structured program of field experiences beginning with class-room observation and ending with student teaching. Students must have taken and passed the basic skills test upon completion of EDUC 3301 Principles and Practices in Education and before taking further professional education courses. The following courses constitute the professional education sequence. Students must pass the respective state content test prior to student teaching: Notations:
*Students seeking the dual major in chemistry and physical science education are not required to take EDUC 4328 to meet graduation or certification requirements.
# During student teaching it is a requirement that the student take the state test for Pedagogy and Professional Responsibility (EC-12 PPR). General Certification Requirements
In addition to meeting degree requirements, individuals seeking to teach in the elementary, middle school and high schools of the state must meet specific certification requirements. These include passing an approved basic skills test, formal admission to a teacher education program, the satisfactory completion of structured field experiences, satisfactory performance on required subject area and professional competency examinations, compliance with an investigation to determine absence of a criminal history, and completion of a certification application accompanied by the required fee. Information related to these requirements follows: Admission to Teacher Education
The student expecting to enter a program leading to teacher certification should apply for admission to the teacher education program as part of the course responsibilities for EDUC 2301 or during the first education course. This application should be filed with the School of Education. Requirements for admission to and retention in teacher education include:
- Filing a completed application for admission to teacher education. Application for admission to teacher education is available from the education coordinator on each campus. (If denied admission, the student must reapply in order to be considered for admission when the deficiency is taken care of.)
- A minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 for the last sixty hours of academic work attempted.
- Satisfactory completion of all basic skills requirements:
- THEA or TASP - 260, reading; 230, math; 230, writing
- Accuplacer - 90, reading; 80, sentence structure; 5, writing; 80, elementary algebra
- Exemptions - SAT (after 2006) combined score of 1070 or higher with a minimum verbal and/or mathematics score of 500 and/or writing score of 500 or higher with a writing sub-score of 8 or higher; SAT (prior to 2006) combined score of 1070 or higher with a minimum verbal and/or mathematics score of 500 or higher; ACT composite score of 23 or higher with a minimum English and/or mathematics score of 19 or higher; TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) English/Language Arts and/or mathematics score of 2200 or higher and/or writing sub-score of 3 or higher; TAAS (Texas Assessment of Academic Skills) reading score of 89 or higher, math score of 86 or higher, and writing score of 1770 or higher. *ACT, SAT, and TAKS scores refl ect and/or components for each content area/section, for TAAS scores a student must meet ALL TAAS exemption requirements to meet exemption criteria.
- Individuals seeking certifi cation in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico must meet the basic skills requirements of respective state.
*Students must demonstrate competency in basic skills upon completion of EDUC 3301 , Principles and Practices in Education, before taking further professional education courses.
- English and Math core requirements require a grade of C or better in each course.
- Evidence of oral communication proficiency.
Completion of at least 12 semester credit hours in the subject-specific content area for the certification sought:
- BSIS elementary generalist, BSIS middle school generalist, and BSIS elementary generalist/all level SPED: completion of 12 hours from 3 of the following 4 content areas: English, Math, History, Science
- BSIS middle school, BA middle school: 6 hours from content area teaching field and 6 hours from English, Math, History, or Science with 12 hours total encompassing 3 of the 4 content areas
- BA, BM, BS, BBA: 12 hours in content area teaching field
- Evidence of freedom from any incapacitating physical or emotional defects.
- Recommendation by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee (the council is composed of faculty members from the various schools offering teacher certification). It is the function of the committee to review the student’s application and determine whether the student is admitted to the teacher education program.
- Any conduct not in harmony with that encouraged by University standards (see University Student Handbook) may constitute grounds for dismissal from the teacher education program. State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) is responsible for disciplining educator, applicants for certification, and examinees taking certification exams for conduct indicating unsuitability to teach as well as unethical conduct. WBU and SBEC will enforce the Educator’s Code of Ethics. This code may be reviewed at www.tea.state.tx.us. The Teacher Education Advisory Committee assumes the role of determining whether the behavior is detrimental to performance as a teacher and delineating pertinent details of the alleged misconduct or of the incident. The Teacher Education Advisory Committee shall review the documentation and other pertinent information regarding the alleged misconduct or violation of university policy or Code of Ethics, and determine an appropriate action pertaining to retention, conditional retention, or dismissal from the teacher education program.
Structured Field Experiences
The teacher education field experience program begins in the student’s first professional education course and may include courses within the major. The student’s field experience progressively intensifies and increases the student’s involvement during the senior year and culminates with a full-day student teaching experience. Classroom visitation, tutoring, and lesson presentations are included as a scheduled part of teacher education classes. Successful completion of field experience is required for course credit. Below are the courses which include field experiences and the minimum number of hours required:
| Course |
Min. Hours |
| EDLI 3307 - Literature in the Elementary and Middle School Classroom |
5 hrs |
| EDLI 3308 - Emergent Literacy and Phonics |
5 hrs |
| EDLI 4300 - Diagnosis and Investigation of Literacy Difficulties |
6 hrs |
| EDLI 4325 - Developing Reading, Study, and Thinking Skills at the Secondary Level |
8 hrs |
| EDLI 4345 - Teaching English as a Second Language |
8 hrs |
| EDLI 4347 - Teaching Language Arts in the Elementary and Middle School |
6 hrs |
| EDLI 4348 - Literacy Processes of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations |
8 hrs |
| EDLI 4328 - Language Acquisition |
8 hrs |
| EDSP 2304 - Introduction to Special Education |
6 hrs |
| EDSP 3305 - Trends, Issues, Policies and Procedures |
5 hrs |
| EDSP 3308 - Assessment of Students with Special Needs |
6 hrs |
| EDSP 4315 - Strategies for Management of Behavior |
5 hrs |
| EDUC 2301 - Introduction to Teaching |
5 hrs |
| EDUC 2307 - Child and Adolescent Development |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 3301 - Principles and Practices in Education |
12 hrs |
| EDUC 3302 - Instructional Strategies and Practices |
8 hrs |
| EDUC 3313 - Educating Students from Diverse Backgrounds |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 4301 - Teaching Science in Elementary and the Middle School |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 4303 - Teaching Social Studies in the Elementary and Middle School |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 4305 - Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary and Middle School |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 4313 - Classroom Management |
6 hrs |
| EDUC 4328 - Curriculum and Assessment for Secondary School |
8 hrs |
| MUSI 3310 - Music Education Methods: Introduction to Teaching and Elementary Music |
10 hrs |
| MUSI 4321 - Instructional Strategies and Practices in Secondary Instrumental Music |
10 hrs |
| MUSI 4323 - Instructional Strategies and Practices in Secondary Choral Music |
10 hrs |
| MUSI 4342 - Developing Choral Score Reading, Analysis, Communication Skills, and Survey of Literature |
10 hrs |
| MUSI 4343 - Developing Instrumental Score Reading, Analysis, Communication Skills, and Survey of Literature |
10 hrs |
All teacher certification programs, with the exception of Trade and Industry Certification program, require student teaching. Admission to the University’s student teaching program is restricted to those students who meet the prerequisite criteria and have been admitted to teacher education and approved by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee for student teaching and have passed the respected state content test. As student teaching is an all-day, all-semester assignment, it is strongly recommended that the student take this factor into consideration before registering for additional course work during the student teaching semester. Student teaching must be completed at Wayland unless a written cooperative agreement with another university is on file with the School of Education office.
The application form to student teaching may be obtained from the School of Education office or the department of education teacher advisor. Applications must be filed by April 1 of the spring semester prior to the academic year in which the student will be doing student teaching. External campuses have established alternative dates and the student needs to check with the education advisor to find out the deadline for applying for student teaching. Requirements for admission to student teaching include: Student Teaching
The student teaching experience is considered the beginning of a student’s professional career, and the student’s energies should be directed in making the most of the professional assignment. During this period of time, the students’ first responsibilities are to the classroom of students they teach in the student teaching assignment. As student teaching is an all-day, 12 week assignment, it is strongly recommended that students limit outside activities during this time. Outside activities include employment, sports, sororities, fraternities, and cheerleading. Outside responsibilities should not interfere with the apprentice teaching responsibilities. Therefore, outside employment or taking coursework in addition to student teaching block are not recommended actions. If students believe employment is a necessity, it should be restricted to weekends if at all possible. A conference with the student’s University Student Teaching Supervisor, the Field Experience Coordinator, the education advisor at an external campus, or the Dean of the School of Education will determine the best options for the student who must maintain employment. In the event that additional coursework is required to fi nish a degree, anything beyond one additional course plus the student teaching block will require review by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee to determine if the student should consider student teaching during another semester.
Enrollment for student teaching semester will occur at the campus from which you were admitted to teacher education. Placement recommendation for student teaching is a function of the local campus teacher education advisory committee, and any assignment greater than fifty miles from your home campus may have an additional student fee attached. Student teaching must be completed under the supervision of a Wayland Baptist University Supervisor at a Wayland Baptist University campus unless a written cooperative agreement with another university has been approved by the Dean of the School of Education and the agreement is on fi le in the School of Education office.
Student teachers are guests in the schools in which they teach and serve. Student teachers must meet all regulations established by the principal, school administration, and school district. The student teaching assignment is made with much care and attention to many factors. Adjustments in assignments are not made after the student teaching experience begins except for unusual circumstances.
Occasionally, some incompatibility may arise, thus interfering with the success of the student teaching experience. If this should occur, you are to notify your University Supervisor at once. Requirements for advancement to student teaching are to be submitted no later than 2 terms prior to student teaching, and only in extreme circumstances will students be concurrently admitted to teacher education and student teaching. Student teaching requirements include:
- Filing a completed application for admission to Student Teaching. Applications for admission are available from the School of Education or the Education advisor on each campus. (If denied admission to student teaching, the student may reapply when the deficiency is corrected, and the student is required to submit documentation of deficiency removal and initiate a new application for student teaching.)
- Updated certification (degree) plan on file in the School of Education office
- Minimum overall GPA of 2.7 for last 60 hours of academic work attempted
- 2.7 minimum GPA on professional education courses with no grade below C
- Completion at WBU of a minimum of nine semester hours of required professional education courses at the student’s level of certification.
- 2.7 GPA in student’s teaching field(s) with no grade below C (completion of all prerequisites for student teaching) or a passing score on a state approved and administered content area exam.
- Student must have passed the state approved content test prior to the assignment of the student teaching experience.
- Completion of a criminal background check
- Recommendation by the Teacher Education Advisory Council (TEAC)
Advancement to Student Teaching
A student prior to student teaching must pass the state’s content test in the area which certification is sought.
- Degree plan on file in the School of Education office.
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 on last 60 hours of college work attempted.
- Completion of the general education core.
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 on all courses in the professional education sequence with no grade below C. Completion at Wayland of a minimum of nine semester hours of required professional education courses at the student’s level of certification.
- A minimum GPA of 2.7 on all college work taken in the student’s teaching field with no grade below C. Completion of the requirements for the student’s teaching field including any courses specified as prerequisites for student teaching.
- Completion of a criminal background check.
- Recommendation by the Teacher Education Advisory Committee (TEAC) which is composed of faculty members from the various schools offering teacher certification. It is the function of the TEAC to review the student’s application and determine whether the student is advanced to the student teaching phase.
- Enrollment for student teaching semester will be from the campus from which you were admitted to teacher education and earned senior status (90 semester hours).
- Placement recommendation for student teaching is a function of the local campus teacher education committee and any assignment greater than fifty (50) miles from your home campus may have an additional student fee attached.
Recommendation for Teacher Certification/License
The State, not the university, certifies an individual to teach. The university makes the recommendation that students take the state certification tests. To receive recommendation from the university to take the certification tests, students must maintain all requirements for the teacher education program and student teaching program through the degree. Certification is not automatic with the completion of an approved program of study and requires the recommendation of the teacher education advisory committee (TEAC). Upon completion of the required program of study and passing the appropriate state licensure test, a student may apply for certification through the state certification entity. Students should make application for the appropriate certificate during the last semester in which they complete all requirements for a certificate. The application and required fee is to be sent to the state certification entity which has authority for the issuance of certificates/licenses. Every applicant must be investigated for a record of a felony or misdemeanor conviction. As well, the student must submit fingerprints as a part of the background investigation. Students who have completed the teacher education program and have not met the state license standard the year following the completion of the program may be required to do additional work or review to obtain permission to take the state test. Accountability
The Texas State Board for Educator Certification has assigned Wayland Baptist University teacher preparation program a rating of “Accredited” under the Accountability System for Educators Preparation Programs. Educator preparation programs are held accountable for the performance of teacher candidates on the statewide certification tests. Programs must achieve a minimum pass rate on the test by disaggregated subgroups to receive a rate of “Accredited.”
According to the most recent federal Title II report, students who completed Wayland Baptist University teacher preparation program earned a summary pass rate of 99 percent for the assessment year Sept. 1, 2009, to Aug. 31, 2010. Professional knowledge pass rate was 99 percent. Content field pass rate was 97 percent. Wayland was in the first quartile for basic skills pass rate, first quartile for professional knowledge and second quartile for academic content. Possible Sequence of Courses
Bachelor of Science in Secondary Life Science Education (Grades 7-12) Possible Sequence of Courses - the following is ONE four year schedule that would result in the B. S. degree in secondary life science education (grades 7-12). Many other permutations of this plan are possible including additional majors and/or minors in other disciplines. All upper-level science courses are on rotation making exact duplication of this four-year plan impossible for some students. This plan is intended as a guide only. Students are strongly encouraged to choose their courses in consultation with their advisor. Freshman Year Fall Semester:
Freshman Year Spring Semester:
Sophomore Year Fall Semester:
Sophomore Year Spring Semester:
Junior Year Fall Semester:
Junior Year Spring Semester:
Senior Year Fall Semester:
Senior Year Spring Semester:
|
|
|
|
