Education

The mission of the Georgetown College Teacher Education Program is  to develop scholars who are competent and caring educators, committed to a spirit of service and learning. Our vision for transformative practice promotes equitable teaching of diverse learners and requires that we prepare competent and caring educators who Plan effective instruction, Engage and educate students in positive learning climates, Advocate for growth and development of all learners, Reflect on the teaching process, and  Lead in their classrooms, schools, and communities. PEARL serves as the theme and philosophical basis that guides the teacher education program. This philosophy embraces an ethic of caring coupled with excellence in curriculum design and professional practice. To realize this goal, learning experiences center around three knowledge domains: Professional Skills and Competencies, Professional Values and Dispositions, and Reflective Practice. Our courses are taught by full-time faculty of the College and by quality adjunct faculty with specialized experience.

 The Education Department requires majors to demonstrate:

• Content knowledge within their own discipline(s) and in application to other disciplines;
• Effective designing and planning of instruction that develops student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge;
• Effective implementation and management of classroom instruction;
• Effective assessment and communication of students’ learning results;
• Efficacy in creating and maintaining effective learning climates within classrooms and schools;
• Collaboration with colleagues and parents of students;
• Effective and meaningful implementation of technology;
• Commitment to the profession and to students and families by creating supportive and constructive learning communities;
• An appreciation for diversity and a belief that all students can learn;
• High moral and ethical standards: respect for others; strong sense of justice, fairness, empathy, and integrity; and
• Reflection and evaluation of teaching and learning: practical reflection of teaching and learning; critical reflection of teaching and learning.

TEACHING CERTIFICATION AREAS

For all certification areas, consult the Teacher Education Handbook and your Education advisor for further details.

CERTIFICATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (P-5)

For Elementary School certification, the candidate completes a major in Elementary Education and a minor that satisfies Georgetown College graduation requirements. To be recommended for certification as a teacher, a candidate must complete all requirements for the Kentucky Provisional Certificate, complete all Teacher Education Program Checkpoint requirements (1,2, and 3), and successfully complete the appropriate PRAXIS examinations.

CERTIFICATION IN MIDDLE SCHOOL (5-9)

For Middle Grades certification, a candidate obtains a major in a certifiable content field and in an additional teaching area, both chosen from: English and Communications, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies. In addition, the candidate satisfies certification requirements by completing the Corollary Major in Education - Middle Grades Track. Specific content course requirements include the following:

• English/Communication: Requires thirty semester hours in English and Communications including ENG211, 213, 352, 356, 343, 345, COMM200 and 308, and THE220.
• Mathematics: Requires eighteen hours including MAT125, 203, 204, 225, 325, 301, 335, and 6 additional hours above 225.
• Science: Thirty-one semester hours are required, 14 of which must be in biology. In addition, students must take 3 additional hours from either chemistry, physics, or earth science. The final 14 hours must be taken from the remaining two disciplines. All four areas must include a laboratory experience.
• Social Studies: Twenty-seven semester hours are required including HIS111, 113, 223, 225, Political Science (3 hours), Economics (3 hours), Sociology (6 hours), and Psychology (3 hours).

See both your content and Education advisors for planning how to satisfy content area expectations. To be recommended for certification as a teacher, a candidate must complete all requirements for the Kentucky Provisional Certificate, complete all Teacher Education Program Checkpoint requirements (1,2, and 3), and successfully complete the appropriate PRAXIS examinations.

CERTIFICATION FOR ELEMENTARY/MIDDLE/SECONDARY SCHOOL (P-12)

For P-12 certification, a candidate obtains a major in either Spanish or Art and satisfies certification requirements by also completing the Corollary Major in Education—Secondary Track. Since the coursework for the teaching major certification sometimes differs from the graduation major, the candidate should confer with the department chair in the major to verify specific requirements. To be recommended for certification as a teacher, a student must complete all requirements for the Kentucky Provisional Certificate, complete all Teacher Education Program Checkpoint requirements (1,2, and 3), and successfully complete appropriate PRAXIS examinations.

CRITERIA FOR ADMISSION INTO TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM, ADMISSION TO STUDENT TEACHING, AND EXIT FROM THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM.

The Teacher Education Program Admission, Student Teaching, and Exit processes are conducted through three Checkpoints: Checkpoint 1 (Admission to the Teacher Education Program), Checkpoint 2 (Admission to Student Teaching), and Checkpoint 3 (Exit from the Teacher Education Program).

Meetings take place at the beginning of every semester in the Education Department detailing requirements for each Checkpoint. Candidates should watch for signs and announcements for these meetings. All candidates must use LiveText for each of these admissions checkpoints. Detailed information about the requirements for each Checkpoint is in the Teacher Education Handbook available in the Education Department office.

Additional Notes:

• Candidates may make application to the Teacher Education Program once completing at least 5 hours of education classes including EDU131- Current Issues in Education, and EDU233 - Student Behavior, Development and Learning. October 1 is the deadline for submitting application materials and portfolios for consideration for admission (Checkpoint1) during the fall semester; February 15 is the deadline for spring semester consideration. Post-baccalaureate candidates must adhere to the same schedule as traditional candidates. In addition, post-baccalaureate candidates must complete the Application for Admission into Student Teaching concurrently. Applications and LiveText portfolios must be fully completed and on time in order to be considered for admission into the department by the Education Advisory Committee.
• Candidates making application to Student Teaching (Checkpoint 2) must be seniors in standing and have been admitted to the Teacher Education Program. LiveText portfolios and all application materials must be submitted by September 15 for spring student teaching and February 1 for fall student teaching.
• Candidates completing (exiting from) the Teacher Education Program (Checkpoint 3) will also complete LiveText portfolios, which must be fully completed and on time in order to be exited from the Program after Student Teaching and completion of all program requirements.

Special Notes on Education:

All students must receive passing scores on the appropriate PRAXIS Tests (see https://www.ets.org/praxis/ky/requirements/) to receive certification. Before registering for the test(s), please refer to the Education Professional Standards Board website at www.kyepsb.net for current requirements. Candidates will be informed of required PRAXIS Tests throughout the program. Teacher certification requirements are subject to change.

Course Permissions: Courses above EDU131, 233, 307, and 309 in the Education Department require prior acceptance into the Teacher Education Program before registering for the classes. For more information, contact your Education Advisor or the Education Department Office.

Georgetown College student teachers will be placed in a public school setting within a 25-mile radius of campus and in a school with which Georgetown College holds a contractual agreement. Therefore, any candidate making a request to student teach beyond the 25-mile radius must petition the Dean of Education for approval. Included in the petition would be an explanation as to reasons that would warrant an alternative placement.

Each student teacher candidate will complete two grade-level assignments (three if the candidate is an elementary education major who is certifying up to middle grades) within their student teaching experience. It is expected that student teacher candidates will live the life of a teacher during their student teaching experience, arriving at the school when the host teacher does and remaining until the end of the school day. Any student teacher candidate who requests a leave from student teaching is required to complete the “Request for Released Time from Student Teaching” form. Only extenuating circumstances will be considered, and requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Disposition Concerns

All candidates enrolled in the Education program must demonstrate the professional dispositions expected of teacher candidates as outlined in the program’s dispositions rubric. Candidates’ dispositions are assessed upon program entrance and throughout the program during each course. If a disposition concern occurs outside of a course experience, the department chair may submit a disposition rubric to document the concern.

When a candidate’s dispositions are inconsistent with the criteria outlined in the dispositions rubric, faculty score the candidate either a Developing (2) or a Novice (1). Candidates who receive two ‘Developing’ scores or one ‘Novice’ score are required to meet with their department chair to develop an action plan and address all areas of concern. A ‘Dispositions Record of Concern’ form will be completed, signed by the candidate and the department chair, and filed in the candidate’s electronic record. If the disposition is not resolved by the agreed upon due date or, if appropriate, by the next checkpoint, the candidate will not be able to continue to be enrolled in the program until the disposition issue is resolved. If any additional disposition concerns are reported, or if the disposition is not resolved by the deadline, the department chair, department full-time faculty, and the Dean of Education will review the matter and, if deemed appropriate, will refer the concern to a faculty subcommittee of the Education Advisory Committee (EAC) for additional action, which could include additional sanctions or removal from the program. The candidate may appeal EAC decisions to the Provost for final determination.

Graduate Enrollment Option

Undergraduate students who hold a senior classification may be permitted to enroll as a special student in Georgetown College’s Graduate Education program, provided the academic schedule does not exceed 16 total semester hours in a Fall or Spring semester with no more than 6 hours of graduate courses per semester.

Undergraduate students may not take more than a total of 12 graduate credit hours under this policy. Only students who demonstrate outstanding scholastic ability will be considered. Undergraduates who want to request permission to take graduate courses under these circumstances should contact the Dean of Education.

Degree Type: Bachelor of Science (BS)

Program Contact: Interim Dean of Education Kim Walters-Parker