Oct 13, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Teacher Preparation Program

Location(s): Campus


The School of Education’s Christ-centered mission is to develop and empower dedicated professional educators committed to student learning in a global society. The teacher preparation program is firmly established, guided by, and assessed using the School of Education (SOE) Model for Effective Teaching (see graph). The core and central component of the model is the University’s Concept and the integration of faith in all learning experiences. The six foundational domains and four professional elements ensure that every teacher candidate is knowledgeable, skilled, and effectively prepared for success as a professional educator. Assessment processes are reasonable and consistent and data from those processes informs decisions concerning all aspects of the educator preparation program.

Teacher Education Accreditation

The Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) recognizes the School of Education at Spring Arbor University as a fully accredited educator preparation program. The next CAEP accreditation visit will occur in spring 2025.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) requires that all educator preparation programs receive national accreditation status. Upon successfully completing the chosen program of study, candidates participating in the Spring Arbor University School of Education accredited program are eligible to become recognized “certified teachers” by the MDE.

Teacher Certification

The teacher preparation program at SAU is approved by the MDE for teacher certification in Michigan. Students desiring Michigan teacher certification are responsible for meeting all certification requirements of the MDE, whether or not they are explicitly stated in this catalog. Candidates for certification as an elementary educator must pass the appropriate grade level Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC). Candidates for certification as a secondary educator must pass the MTTC in their content major.

Elementary certification covers PK-3, 3-6, or PK-6 all subjects. Secondary certification covers grade 6 through 12 in the candidate’s major and minor disciplines. K-12 endorsements for elementary candidates are English as a Second Language and Special Education: Learning Disabilities. K-12 endorsements for secondary candidates is Special Education: Learning Disabilities.

School of Education Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures for the SOE are located in the Handbook, which is revised annually and provided to students in EDU 140 - Exploring Critical Skills for the Professional Educator . In order to complete the teacher education program, a student must successfully meet the program requirements in effect at the time of the student’s first semester of enrollment at SAU.

Disclaimers:

  1. MDE Administrative Rules, state laws, and changes in requirements of accreditation bodies may supersede any requirements printed in the catalog or SOE handbook.
  2. The state of Michigan is in the process of modifying the structure of teacher certification from elementary or secondary to grade bands. This will affect every teacher education student in Michigan.

Elementary Education Requirements


Three concentrations leading to Michigan teaching certification are available: Grades PK-3 Concentration leads to Lower Elementary Education PK-3 (ZO) endorsement; Grades 3-6 Concentration leads to Upper Elementary Education 3-6 (ZP) endorsement; Grades PK-3 and 3-6 Concentration leads to both Lower Elementary Education (ZO) and Upper Elementary Education (ZP) endorsements. Students in elementary education major will be required to fulfill program requirements listed in the program listing.

Note:


* EDU 336  should be taken as one of the methods courses if the combination of the major and minor would put the student in the same methods course. Example: chemistry major and biology minor should register for EDU 343  and EDU 336 . It is strongly recommended that all secondary candidates take EDU 336  before the student teaching internship.

Post-baccalaureate Education Programs


Initial Teacher Certification

Students with no previous teacher certification who hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution may take courses to be eligible for initial certification in Michigan. Contact the academic advisor in the School of Education for information.

A Post-Bachelor’s Accelerated Certification to Teach (PACT) non-degree program leading to K-5 elementary certification is available online and consists of the following courses:

Speech General Education Requirement Option


Students who successfully complete the interpersonal and presentation portions of EDU 140L  upon the recommendation of the School of Education faculty will fulfill the speech requirement for General Education. No credit hours will be earned for fulfillment of this requirement through EDU 140L .

Subsequent Teaching Endorsements


Students with previous teacher certification may add teaching endorsements listed below, which require 50 clinical clock hours under the direction of a teacher who holds the endorsement sought.

  • Secondary endorsement onto an elementary certificate (grades 6-12 in the major and minor fields appropriate to secondary certification.)
  • Additional subject area endorsements (see listing of majors and minors on previous pages)