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» Division of Education - Elementary & Secondary Education

The Division of Education and Health, Physical Education and Recreation offers programs in early childhood, elementary, secondary and middle school education, instructional strategist I: mild/moderate, instructional strategist II: LD/BD, English as a second language (ESL), physical education, health, athletic training, coaching, and exercise and sport studies with emphases in sports administration, fitness and wellness, recreation, and sports studies.

Through cooperation with the Division of Liberal Arts, teaching licensure is available in American government, American history, art, economics, English/language arts, journalism, psychology, reading, social studies, sociology, Spanish, and speech communications.

Through cooperation with the Division of Business and the Division of Science and Mathematics, licensure is also offered in business–general, business–marketing/management, earth science, economics, biology, chemistry, general science, mathematics and physical science.

Through a unique partnership with Northeast Iowa Community College, Upper Iowa offers a program which can lead to a teaching career in secondary industrial technology.

 

Health, Physical Education and Recreation Information

Course Descriptions

TEACHER EDUCATION

Upper Iowa University's Teacher Education Program is committed to preparing teachers who are well-informed, reflective, professional, competent and sensitive to the diverse needs of their future pupils. Each teacher education studentis provided current, practical, applied knowledge and a variety of classroom experiences. The teacher education program is dedicated to the development of teachers with personal education philosophies and systems of beliefs that encourage a lifelong commitment to inquiry and excellence.

Current trends in teacher preparation include performance-based assessment and practical teaching experience. The education curriculum at Upper Iowa University has been designed to meet the changing educational demands of curriculum including literacy development, integrated instruction, higher order thinking skills and practical skills (flexible management, computer technology and early teaching experiences). Practicum is provided in the Foundations of Education course so students can serve as observers and participants in the regular classroom to help determine if they wish to continue in teacher education. Each student then follows a sequenced series of courses to acquire the theoretical background, instructional techniques, management strategies and practical skills needed to be a competent educator.

To obtain desired endorsements and licensure, students will need to plan their program early in their college experience and work closely with the academic advisors to insure that course work and performance requirements leading to state licensure are being met in a timely manner. Students need to start education courses late in their freshman year or at the beginning of their sophomore year in order to be in sequence for graduation. Students must also successfully pass a basic academic skills exam (writing, English/literature, and mathematics) and maintain an adequate grade point in their major, in all education courses, and cumulatively.

A Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) background check is required before students are allowed to participate in experiences in the field. Upper Iowa University does not discriminate in acceptance or in placement for field experience and student teaching on the basis of sex, age, race, color, creed, disability or national/ethnic origin.

Students seeking initial licensure are strongly advised to re-take education methods courses if such courses were completed prior to ten years from initial enrollment at Upper Iowa. Students must complete their program requirements within seven years of initial enrollment or be subject to current program requirements. In addition, changes in licensure requirements of the Iowa Department of Education may affect requirements for students.

Upper Iowa University's Teacher Education Program is approved by the Iowa State Board of Education. Individuals seeking teacher licensure must complete the approved requirements of the Teacher Education Program to be recommended for teacher licensure.

Note: To obtain teacher licensure from the State of Iowa, individuals need to be at least 21 years of age.

Endorsements

Students may prepare for a teaching license with an elementary classroom endorsement (grades K-6) by completing an elementary education major and a specific content area endorsement. Students may prepare for secondary classroom endorsement (grades 5-12) in a specific content area by completing the professional education requirements (the professional education core) and required content area courses in the content major as listed in Upper Iowa's approved programs on file with the Iowa Department of Education. Those who hold a license to teach may add an additional endorsement or endorsements at the K-8 and 5-12 levels. Contact the Director of Teacher Education for specific requirements of the K-8 and 5-12 endorsements and to learn the requirements for obtaining certification to teach additional grade levels or subject matter.

The endorsement areas and grade levels in which a student may be prepared at Upper Iowa University are as follows:

Endorsement
Number		 Endorsement Level
100 Teacher-Prek-3 with Special Education Prek-3
101 Athletic Coach K-12
102 Teacher – Elementary Classroom K-6
103 Pre-kindergarten-Kindergarten Pre-K
104 ESL Teacher K-12
106 Teacher-Prekindergarten-Grade 3 Prek-3
113/114 Art K-8, 5-12
115 Business – General Business 5-12
117 Business – Marketing/Management 5-12
119/120 English/Language Arts K-8, 5-12
137/138 Health K-8, 5-12
133/134 Foreign Language-Spanish K-8, 5-12
140 Industrial Technology 5-12
141 Journalism 5-12
142/143 Mathematics K-8, 5-12
146/147 Physical Education K-8, 5-12
148/149 Reading K-8, 5-12
150 Basic Science K-8
151 Science-Biological 5-12
152 Science-Chemistry 5-12
153 Earth Science 5-12
154 General Science 5-12
155 Physical Science 5-12
184 Science: All Science I 5-8
185 Science: All Science II 9-12
157 Social Science - American Government 5-12
158 Social Science – American History 5-12
160 Social Science – Economics 5-12
163 Social Science – Psychology 5-12
164 Social Science – Social Studies K-8
165 Social Science – Sociology 5-12
186 All Social Science 5-12
167/168 Speech-Communication/Theatre K-8, 5-12
182 Teacher – Middle School Classroom 5-8
260 Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate Disabilities K-8
261 Instructional Strategist I: Mild/Moderate Disabilities

 5-12
263 Instructional Strategist II: Behavior Disorders/Learning Disabilities K-12

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Admission to the Teacher Education Program

Students must meet three general requirements: (1) gain admission to the Teacher Education Program; (2) meet standards required by the University for licensure and; if seeking initial licensure, (3) take the course EDU 110 Foundations of American Education (this course cannot be transferred in). These standards reflect the fact that teachers are expected, by parents and by boards of education, to attain levels of professional qualification that are above the average in all areas relating to the education of the students entrusted to them. (For additional requirements, contact the Director ofEducation).

Application for admission to the Teacher Education Program will be made following the successful completion of EDU 110 Foundations of American Education. Applications for admission to Teacher Education are approved by the Teacher Education Committee and forwarded to the Division of Education for formal acceptance.

Requirements for admission into the Teacher Education Program:

  1. Student must successfully complete EDU 110 Foundations of American Education with a grade of "c" or above and successfully complete the Foundations practicum (completed 20 hours, was prompt, score "Fair" or better on personal attributes.)
  2. Student must earn an Upper Iowa University cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.70 or above.
  3. Learner must have positive recommendations from two learner-selected instructional staff members, learner must have a "Teacher Education Dispositions Rubric: Admittance to Teacher Education Program" overall score of 10 or higher.
  4. Student must successfully pass the College Basic Academic Skills Exam (C-BASE) in Reading and Literature, Writing, and Mathematics with the following minimum scores:
    • Reading and Literature - 235
    • Writing - 235
    • Mathematics – 235
    Each section of the exam may be taken an unlimited number of times. (Praxis I PPST scores of 170 minimum are also accepted.)

Students need to be admitted into the Teacher Education Program to register for Field Experience, and to register for many of the EDU courses required in their programs.

Student Teaching

Student teaching, the teacher education capstone experience, takes place at the end of the student's program. Requirements for student teaching must be met. Application for student teaching must be filed according to the deadlines established by the Teacher Education Program. Failure to adhere to deadlines may delay student teaching placement. Students will not be allowed to register for any courses during the terms in which their student teaching will take place.

Teachers who are already licensed at a particular level (i.e., K-6) and seeking an endorsement at a new level (i.e., 5-12) will need to complete student teaching at the new level. Other requirements may also apply.

Requirements for Student Teaching Sequence:

  1. Student must be admitted to the Teacher Education Program.
  2. Student must successfully complete appropriate field experiences with a grade of "C" or better.
  3. Student must have met all competencies required within standards set by the University and Iowa Department of Education.
  4. Student must provide two positive recommendations for student teaching (one from a teacher education faculty and one from a faculty member in the major content area or content endorsement area).
  5. Students must complete the University’s general education requirements listed on page 32 with these specific qualifications:
    1. The following courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or above
      • Basic Composition
      • Expository Writing, English Composition II, Writing for Business, or Writing for the Sciences
      • Public Speaking, Interpersonal Communications, Communication in the Workplace or Organizational Communication
    2. A physical science and a biological science course must be used to meet the natural science requirement
    3. EDU 162 Diversity for Teachers may be used to meet the culture requirement
    4. EDU/PSY 142 Human Growth, Development and Guidance may be used to meet one of the social science requirements.
  6. Student must complete all required education courses (prefix EDU) with a grade of "C" or better.
  7. If an elementary education major, student must complete all requirements for the major and all requirements for at least one specific endorsement area (as required to be eligible for an Iowa teaching license).
  8. Student must attain a GPA of 2.70 Upper Iowa University cumulative, 2.70 in the major to include transfer courses applied to the major and 2.70 in each K-8 or 5-12 endorsement area to include transfer courses in which the learner is seeking licensure.
  9. Student must complete and submit application materials to student teach to the director of teacher education.

Note: A student may have no more than six general education semester credits of total course work remaining prior to the start of the student teaching experience. The remaining course work may not be in the learner's major, in the professional education core, in the first specific endorsement area, or in the general education requirements of Composition I, Composition II, speech and computer applications.

Federal regulation requires students wishing to be recommended for Iowa licensure to teach in an elementary classroom to take a content test and attain a qualifying score. Completion of the teacher education program and a qualifying score on the content test do not guarantee a candidate recommendation for teacher licensure. Serious deficiencies shown by the candidate in one or more areas of personal or professional development or in assessment could result in no recommendation or additional preparation by the candidate.

Professional Education Requirements

Candidates for an initial teaching license must complete a major in elementary education or a minimum 30 semester credit major in a teaching subject area. Candidates must complete the following approved professional education courses:

  Credits
EDU 110 Foundations of American Education 3
EDU/PSY 142 Human Growth, Development and Guidance 3
EDU 152 Assessment and Psychology 3
EDU 162 Diversity for Teachers 3
EDU 206 Field Experience I: Elementary* 2
EDU 226 Field Experience II: Elementary* OR 2
EDU 207 Field Experience I: Secondary* 2
EDU 227 Field Experience II: Secondary* OR 2
EDU 208 Field Experience I: Elementary/Secondary* 2
EDU 228 Field Experience II: Elementary/Secondary* 2
EDU 210 Methods: Birth-Elementary AND/OR 3
EDU 233 Methods: Secondary 3
EDU 252 Computers and Instructional Technology 3
EDU 300 Secondary majors must have a methods
course in each area of endorsement		 3
EDU 304 Exceptional Persons 3
EDU 425 Content Area Literacy (secondary majors only) 3
EDU 462 Individual Behavior and Classroom Management
Pre-Kindergarten-12		 3
EDU 49_ A Student Teaching experience at the level and
subject area(s) in which licensure is sought		 14
Total 42 or 48

*Professional Education Core Field Experiences must be taken concurrently with methods courses. For Elementary Education majors, EDU 206 Field Experience I: Elementary must be taken concurrently with EDU 210. EDU 226 Field Experience II: Elementary is to be taken concurrently with EDU 305 Teaching Elementary Science, EDU 315 Teaching Elementary Social Studies, EDU 325 Teaching Elementary Math, or EDU 335 Teaching Elementary Language Arts. Secondary majors complete EDU 207 Field Experience I: Secondary concurrently with EDU 233. EDU 227 Field Experience II: Secondary is to be taken concurrently with EDU 300. For K-12 majors, EDU 208 Field Experience I: Elementary/Secondary must be taken concurrently with EDU 233. EDU 228 Field Experience II: Elementary/Secondary must be taken concurrently with EDU 347 Teaching Health/Physical Education Secondary or EDU 300-8 Teaching Secondary School Art.

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Last Updated 1/16/07