Majors

Courses

Abbreviations

Wis. teaching
standards

Professional
Education
Program

Student teaching

Teacher
certification

Certifiable
programs

Education
(College of Professional Studies)
Patricia Shaw, Head of the School of Education
Room 470, College of Professional Studies Building
Phone: 715-346-4430
E-mail: education@uwsp.edu
Web: www.uwsp.edu/education

Maggie Beeber, Advising Coordinator
Room 469, College of Professional Studies Building
Phone: 715-346-2040
E-mail: mbeeber@uwsp.edu

Faculty: L Bardon, K Buchanan, P Caro, P Cook, P DeHart, C Gould, J Katzmarek, L McClain, J North, Y Ogunnaike-Lafe, E Reyes, L Riggs, P Shaw, S Slick, H St. Maurice, L Wilson.

Abbreviations
Com Dis = Communicative Disorders
CPS = College of Professional Studies
ECED = Early Childhood Education
Educ or Ed = Education
HD = Human Development
IRES = Instructional Resources
Math = Mathematics
PEP = Professional Education Program
Psych = Psychology
WLNS = Wellness

Wisconsin Teaching Standards
To receive a license to teach in Wisconsin, you must complete an approved program and demonstrate proficient performance in the knowledge, skills and dispositions under these 10 standards. As a teacher you will:

1. Understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines you teach and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for your students.

2. Understand how children with broad ranges of ability learn and provide instruction that supports their intellectual, social, and personal development.

3. Understand how students differ in their approaches to learning and the barriers that impede learning, and adapt instruction to meet the diverse needs of your students, including those with disabilities and exceptionalities.

4. Understand and use a variety of instructional strategies, including the use of technology to encourage your students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

5. Use an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

6. Use effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques as well as instructional media and technology to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

7. Organize and plan systematic instruction based on knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

8. Understand and use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of your students.

9. Be a reflective practitioner and continually evaluate the effect of your choices and actions on your students, their parents, and professionals in the learning community and others. Also actively seek out opportunities to grow professionally.

10. Foster relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support student learning and well being, and act in an ethical manner with integrity and fairness.

Professional Education Program (PEP)
Admission Procedures
If you are interested in any teacher certification program, you must officially declare your teaching intent by making an appointment with the Undergraduate Advising Office, 715-346-2040. You must also apply for admission to the Professional Education Program after you have completed 40 credits; but you must have earned 54 credits by the end of the semester in which you are applying to be fully admitted. University approved credits for Advanced Placement (AP), CLEP, and test out may apply toward the 54 credits. Applications are available from the School of Education Advising Office, Room 469 CPS Building. Applications are processed two times each year, February 22 and September 22. Applications received after the deadline will be processed during the next deadline period.

You must have completed the following minimum criteria and have passing scores  on file in the Undergraduate Advising Office to be eligible to apply for admission to PEP. Criteria may change at any time.

1. Earn a 2.75 cumulative grade point average (GPA) from all accredited institutions attended.  The School of Education honors academic bankruptcy and UWSP course repeat policies at the time of admission to the PEP, but you must have a 2.75 GPA overall and a 2.75 GPA in your major, minor, concentration, and teacher certification coursework for student teaching, regardless of academic bankruptcy or GPA requirement waiver. If you declare academic bankruptcy, you must have at least a 2.75 GPA in 40 credits of courses you complete after declaring academic bankruptcy and any courses taken at other institutions.

2. Earn a 2.50 GPA in English 101 and 102 or a C or better in English 150   –OR–

1. Test out of English 101 and 102 through the department test-out exam or receive credit by examination for both courses.

2. Test out of one course (or receive credit by exam for it) and maintain a 2.50 GPA in the other course.

3. Receive a grade of B- or better in English 250.

4. Receive a passing score on the reading and writing portion of the Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) and receive grades of B or better in two writing emphasis (WE) courses.

5. Satisfactorily complete the required work in the Professional Writing Competency Program. (Sign up and pay fee for this program in 469 CPS.)

3. Complete speech and hearing screening.

4. Receive a 50 percent or better score on the Watson-Barker Listening Test.  You may repeat this test if you do not receive a passing score or if you are denied entry into PEP. Appropriate accommodations are available if you have a documented disability or if you are an English language learner. Contact the Education Advising Office for details.

5. Receive passing scores on all three sections of the Pre-Professional Skills Test. (Written version requirements and computer version requirements after January 2002: Reading 175, Writing 174, Math 173. Computer version requirements prior to January 2002: Reading 322, Writing 320, Math 318.) Appropriate accommodations are available if you have a documented disability or if you are an English language learner. Contact the Education Advising Office for details.

6. If you are an early childhood education major, elementary education major, or exceptional education major, you must receive a passing score of 15 or higher on the Pre-Professional Interview. You may repeat this interview once if you do not receive a passing score.

7. See the department of your major or minor for additional requirements and enrollment cap policies. All programs have additional requirements to apply.

8. You must be able to prove DPI required competency in communication skills including computers and emerging technology by receiving a B- or better in Educ 205  -OR-

1. Complete CIS 102 or equiv from another university with title (1)Internet Research,  (2)PowerPoint, or (3) Word Processing AND Spreadsheet.

2. Before admission to PEP, complete the Technology Proficiency Session. Sign up and pay fee for this program in 469 CPS.

9. If you meet the following criteria you may apply for a waiver of either the PPST score requirements OR the 2.75 grade point requirements AND/OR the Pre-Professional Interview score requirement by using the formal waiver application available in the Education Advising Office. If granted, this waiver allows you to apply to PEP without meeting the requirements, although your actual scores or GPA will still be used in calculating rank. Deadlines for waiver requests are September 11 and February 7.

           a.  PPST score waiver requirements:

• Take and receive scores for PPST at least twice.

• Scores cannot exceed a nine point deviation for the cut off.

• Related coursework must have grades of 3.0 or higher.

• Overall grade point average of at least 2.75 from all accredited institutions attended.

• Forty credits of instruction completed.

• Copies of the PPST results from both attempts and transcripts from all institutions.

• Letter explaining reasons for waiver request.

           b.  Grade point waiver requirements:

• Passing scores on all three parts of the PPST.

• Forty credits of instruction completed with a grade point average of at least 2.75.

• Grades that show a significant improvement over minimum of two consecutive semesters.

• Copies of the latest PPST results and transcripts from all institutions.

• Letter explaining reasons for requesting waiver.

   c. Pre-Professional Interview score waiver requirements:

• Take and receive score for interview at least twice.

• Overall grade point average of at least 2.75 from all accredited institutions attended.

• Copies of the latest PPST results and transcripts from all institutions.

• Letter explaining reasons for requesting waiver.

10. If you are not currently registered for coursework at UWSP at the time you apply to PEP, please see the special rule concerning admission requirements for transfer students below.

The Watson-Barker Listening Test, Pre-Professional Interview, speech and hearing screening, and the Technology Proficiency Sessions are offered at the beginning of every semester.  Dates, times and locations are listed on our Web site. A fee may be charged. The Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) is given through the ETS company for a fee and registration takes place at least four weeks in advance of a scheduled test. The PPST results usually take six weeks to be mailed. The ETS Web site has information on dates, times and registration procedures for all requirements - www.ets.org/Praxis.

Transfer Student Admission Procedure
If you are a transfer student or have an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution, you may be admitted to the Professional Education Program (PEP) if you complete items 1-8 above, are admitted to UWSP, and have paid the required deposit. You must attach proof of admission to UWSP when you apply.

Enrollment Caps for PEP
Enrollment caps are in effect for all certification areas. Please see your major/minor department for more information.

If you are seeking admission to PEP and are majoring or minoring in exceptional education or majoring in elementary education or early childhood education, you will be assigned a rank based on your cumulative GPA from all accredited institutions attended, the PPST, Pre-Professional Interview, and the Watson-Barker Listening Test. Your cumulative GPA and Pre-Professional Interview will be weighted twice. You may be admitted to only one of the following majors for initial certification: early childhood, elementary education, exceptional education.

Enrollment caps and an application portfolio requirement are in effect for all social studies programs. Contact the Education office for more information.

You may apply twice for admission to PEP in any one “program area.” Early childhood, elementary and exceptional education are considered one program area for this rule.

You may appeal if you are denied admission to the program. You may contact the School of Education for information regarding the appeal process.  The School of Education Appeals Committee will handle appeals for all certification programs. If you are not admitted, you will not be allowed to pursue teacher certification or a teaching major/minor at UWSP or register for Educ 200, junior and senior level early childhood, education, instructional resources courses, and some methods courses.

If you do not apply to the program before you have completed 60 credits, you may be in jeopardy of taking course-work that is not necessary for an alternative program.

Block Courses
Many courses are offered in a series of “blocks.” Blocks are explained on our Web site and in the School of Education Advising Handbook you will receive when you declare your teaching intent.

STUDENT TEACHING
Henry St. Maurice, Director of Field Experiences
Room 464, College of Professional Studies Building
Phone: 715-346-2449
E-mail: fieldexp@uwsp.edu

In this final step in your preparation for teaching, you demonstrate practical competence in one of many schools that cooperate with UW-Stevens Point in providing field experiences. As a student or intern teacher you will be assigned to any cooperating school system depending upon your personal preferences and the availability of qualified cooperating teachers.

The Office of Field Experiences and the cooperating school administration arrange all assignments. Please do NOT initiate contact with a cooperating teacher to arrange an assignment. Some assignments may entail additional fees for supervision services, which the director of field experiences must approve and arrange. We will notify you in writing if your assignment requires special fees.

Please don't plan to student teach in a school where your child is enrolled or where a relative is currently employed as an administrator or serves on the school board.

For most program areas, when student or intern teaching for initial certification, you are limited to a maximum of two assignments per semester (e.g. elementary and middle, or high school and middle). Coursework or significant employment during the same semester as student teaching or interning will be counted as an assignment.

The semester before you student teach, you must attend an orientation meeting to get information about the requirements for student teaching.

General Requirements for Eligibility to Student Teach

1. Be admitted to the Professional Education Program. Apply at the School of Education Advising Office, Room 469, CPS Building.

2. Earn a 2.75 overall GPA as well as a 2.75 GPA in your major, minor, concentration, and education courses to student teach. Earn a 3.00 GPA for teaching intern.

3. You must complete all teaching methods/techniques courses BEFORE you student teach.

4. Submit passing scores on the required state Praxis II exams no later than March 1 (if student teaching in the fall), and October 15 (if student teaching in the spring).

5. The semester before you student teach, submit your completed application forms by the date set by the Office of Field Experiences.

6. Receive written recommendation from the department chair or associate dean and the School of Education Advising Coordinator.

7. Present a medical statement indicating that you have been examined within the last two years and are free from tuberculosis.

8. Complete a Conduct & Competency affidavit, including your attestation that you ordered a report of a Criminal Information Bureau background check administered by the UWSP Office of Protective Services.

9. Dates of student teaching assignments are set according to the school district semester, not the university semester.

Student Teaching Plans
Plan A: Full Semester Student Teaching
Before student teaching, complete all work toward your major, and your minor if you wish to student teach in it.

You must register for student teaching in appropriate sections and for credits as your advisors approve. You will spend a full semester student teaching according to the daily schedule and semester calendar of an approved cooperating school. You may be asked to return to campus for one or more seminars or to confer with UW-Stevens Point instructors.

Plan B: Internship for Elementary and Secondary Teachers
You may be selected to enroll as an intern teacher at any one of many levels. You must complete all required courses in professional education before you begin your internship.

As an intern, you are a licensed and contracted member of a school staff, and you will spend an entire semester or year in that school system. During this time, you will be involved in a team providing educational services. Internships are determined by local agency requirements.

To be considered for an internship program, you must earn a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better, a 3.00 or better in your major, and a 3.00 GPA in your minor if you want to be certified in it.

Plan C: Split-Semester Student Teaching
Before student teaching you must complete all requirements in a major, as well as requirements for a certifiable minor or additional subjects or levels. You must student teach in your major in order to request another student teaching assignment. You must obtain written approval from both major and minor programs, where applicable. If approved, additional assignments take place during the student teaching semester in sequences and locations coordinated by the Office of Field Experiences. Typically, assignments change at the end of a quarter. 

TEACHER CERTIFICATION
Maggie Beeber, Certification Officer
Room 469, College of Professional Studies Building
Phone: 715-346-2040
E-mail: teachcert@uwsp.edu

Notes for Teacher Certification

1. Applications for initial licensure are processed only after you complete all degree and certification requirements and your degree is conferred.

2. For initial licensure in Wisconsin:

1. Fulfill all human relations requirements of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.  Get human relations requirements checklist from the School of Education Advising Office, Room 469, CPS Bldg, or from the Certification Office, Room 112, CPS Bldg.

2. Successfully demonstrate competence in the Wisconsin Teaching Standards through portfolios.

3. Determine content knowledge with passing scores on standardized tests approved by the state superintendent which include Wisconsin’s Model Academic Standards.

3. Certification areas:

1. Elementary certification covers middle childhood through early adolescence (approx ages 6-13) with an option to add-on ages 6-13 in a teaching minor.

2. Early childhood education certification covers early childhood through middle childhood (approximate ages birth-8).

3. Secondary certification covers early adolescence through adolescence (approx ages 10-21). K-12 programs in family and consumer ed; health; music-choral, general, instrumental; physical ed; and speech and language cover early childhood through adolescence which covers a wide range of all ages in public schools.

4. Certification in exceptional education (CD, EBD, LD), ESL, and music is either middle childhood through early adolescence (approx ages 6-13), early adolescence through adolescence (approx ages 10-21) or early childhood through adolescence which covers a wide range of all ages in public schools.

5. Certification in family and consumer sci, French, German, physical ed, and Spanish is early childhood through adolescence which covers a wide range of all ages in public schools.

6. Reading certification (available only to teachers with two years of experience) is early childhood through adolescence which covers a wide range of all ages in public schools.

Title II Reporting
To comply with mandates of Section 207 of Title II of the Higher Education Act, www.uwsp.edu/education/report/ lists the number of students in teacher education, the number of student teachers, numbers of several kinds of supervisors of student teachers, and a student/faculty ratio. More statistics related to teacher certification and licensure will be included on the Web site as they become available.

CERTIFIABLE PROGRAMS
UW-Stevens Point offers certification in the following majors (#), secondary education minors (@), elementary education minors (t), and graduate certifications (x). Elementary education majors may minor in any UWSP minor, but can receive certification to teach ages 6-13 in certifiable minors. Due to changes in state requirements, this list may change at any time.
See Majors & Minors for more information on these topics.