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The Teacher Certification Program (TCP) is for individuals who hold a baccalaureate degree and are interested in acquiring elementary/middle or secondary teacher certification.

Through coursework designed to satisfy department and state requirements, certification in elementary/middle education (K-8), secondary education (7–12 in either life science, physical science, English, history, mathematics), or art education (K–12) can be obtained.

All coursework must be completed at the graduate level (EDU 500–600). After completion of this certification program, a student is eligible to enroll in the Master of Science in Education degree program with a concentration in Teaching Methodology.

This program builds on the Teacher Certification Program and, with the addition of 5 online core courses (15 credits), one may earn a Master of Science in Education degree.

Prior to admittance into the Teacher Certification Program, a student can take courses as a continuing education student. Continuing education (CE) students may enroll in two courses (6 credit hours). To enroll in any more courses for subsequent semesters, CE students must be admitted into the TCP.

Recent �Ӱ���Ƶ graduates can enroll as Continuing Education students to complete student teaching in the Department of Education to achieve State of Maine’s Elementary or Secondary teacher certification.

In order to be admitted to student teaching through Continuing Education, students must:

• Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 upon graduation from �Ӱ���Ƶ;
• Apply to student teach within 2 years of graduation;
• Be recommended by a �Ӱ���Ƶ advisor;
• Show evidence of passing PRAXIS I and PRAXIS II;
• Provide contact information for three references;
• Have completed the State of Maine recommended certification courses prior to student teaching.

Application deadlines for Student Teaching are October 1 for the following Spring semester and April 1 for the following Fall semester.

Once students are approved, the Chair of the Department of Education will forward the approval paperwork to the Continuing Education program. The student will be eligible to register for the 12-credit student teaching experience.

The Education Certification Programs are approved by the Maine Department of Education and meet documented state standards.

Please note that state requirements can change over time, which can affect curriculum and test requirements for students. Check with your education advisor to obtain any updates.

Field Experience

The faculty in the Department of Education is committed to providing students with ongoing and frequent observation and involvement in schools. The teacher education programs at �Ӱ���Ƶ have a specific, competency-based focus to meet the InTASC standards for teacher certification. All students engaged in the TCP will spend time in a field setting during each of the semesters for which they are registered for professional education courses. Involvement in the schools will be connected to specific, course-related tasks (e.g., conducting observations, teaching lessons, administering assessments, etc.).

Internship

Courses may not be taken during the internship semester. Therefore, all required coursework must be completed by the end of the semester prior to start of the internship. Admission to the internship is not guaranteed (see section on “Admission Requirements and Successful Progression in the Program”). In addition, the student should have each of the following:

1. Sufficient knowledge regarding the components of effective instruction.
2. Sufficient knowledge of appropriate grade-level content and teaching methods.
3. Sufficient knowledge of the developmental needs of students.
4. Sufficient knowledge of how to establish and maintain effective cooperative relationships with school personnel, students, and parents.
5. Understanding of and empathy for working with students.

The selection of individual internship sites will be made by the Certification and Placement Officer. Geographical location relative to �Ӱ���Ƶ is a consideration. �Ӱ���Ƶ has a collaborative relationship with many districts and selects schools and teachers based on their interest in and ability to assist interns in demonstrating mastery of the InTASC standards. Placement in an internship is not guaranteed. The Department of Education, through its Certification and Placement Officer, will make a good faith effort to negotiate an appropriate placement. Schools have the right to refuse placement requests. The University, at its discretion, will not place students in internship settings (1) where an intern's children or relatives are enrolled, or (2) where a spouse or relative of an intern is currently employed.

Professional Educator Review Board (PERB)

All students enrolled in the internship must demonstrate their teaching competence to the Professional Educator Review Board (PERB) with respect to the InTASC standards. This board is comprised of professional educators from area schools, as well as �Ӱ���Ƶ faculty. Students are required to develop a portfolio that attests to their proficiency in meeting the InTASC standards; they must present and defend their portfolio in front of the PERB. Receiving a passing evaluation from the PERB is a requirement for completion of all the certification programs and, subsequently, being recommended to the Maine State Department of Education for teacher licensure.

Students in the Teacher Certification Program must maintain a 3.0 grade point average in order to continue in the program. If a student does not pass an education course with a C or better, they are eligible to retake the course only once. Grade point averages will be calculated using only courses taken at �Ӱ���Ƶ (the cumulative grade point average) and using accepted transfer courses as meeting professional program requirements but will not be figured into the GPA. All TCP courses must be taken at graduate level.

No student will be able to student teach without showing evidence of passing PRAXIS II. All students must show evidence of passing Praxis II before the internship application deadline, which is February 1st for a Fall internship and October 1st for a Spring internship.

Students may obtain Praxis I registration information and Praxis II registration information from the Department of Education office or from the Educational Testing Service website: .

In addition to these achievement requirements, students admitted to �Ӱ���Ƶ's teacher certification programs are assessed periodically for the purpose of determining their professionalism and suitability for teaching. If serious reservations arise, a committee will convene to determine a student's continuance in the program. Finally, students must pass the Professional Education Review Board (referenced later in this section of the catalog) at which competency in the InTASC standards must be demonstrated.

Course Withdrawal Policy

In the fall, spring, and summer semesters, a student may withdraw from a course without academic penalty with a grade of W at any time during the first two-thirds of the semester as specified in the current academic calendar. If withdrawal occurs after that date, the grade of WP (withdrew passing) or WF (withdrew failing) will be entered. The grade of WF is computed in the grade point average.

Incomplete Policy

An Incomplete (I) grade may be given by the instructor to a student, who is doing passing work in a course, but who, for reasons beyond his/her control, is not able to complete the work on time. The Incomplete grade must be changed within the time limit determined by the instructor and may not extend beyond six weeks following the end of the semester or 30 days following the end of an eight-week session. Until changed, the Incomplete grade defers computation of credits and grade points for the course to which it is assigned. Failure to complete the work before the deadline date, or within the time imposed by the instructor, results in the assignment of an administrative F grade for the course. Once an Incomplete grade is removed, academic standing will be updated according to dean's list, good standing or probationary standards.

Completion Requirements

All coursework, including the internship, should be completed within a five-year timeframe. A delay beyond the five years might warrant the retaking of course work. Furthermore, if state certification requirements change prior to your completion even within the five-year timeframe, those changes must be incorporated into a revised program plan, in order to meet state certification regulations.

This program prepares candidates for teacher certification. The learning outcomes for this program are as follows:

• Students will analyze and apply research relevant to their teaching interest.
• Students will show competency in the Maine Department of Education InTASC Standards (see below).

Maine Department of Education InTASC Standards

Standard One: Learner Development

The teacher understands how students learn and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across