Courses of Study - William Jewell College

Courses of Study – Education
Students must submit the Application for Student
Teaching form by the second Friday in January for
the following fall and the second Friday in September
for the following spring. The student teaching
application process includes an FBI background
check for which there is a fee. This fee and completed
form with fingerprints must be submitted
with the application for student teaching, unless
instructed otherwise by the department.
The criteria for admission to student teaching are stated
in the Handbook. Student teaching application
forms are available in the Education Department
office. A nonrefundable placement fee must accompany
the application and will be applied toward the student
teaching fee.
Transfer students seeking teacher certification in
secondary education and who have completed their
major at an institution other than WJC must pass
the Praxis II (a national teacher exam) before they
will be considered for student teaching.
A student must be approved for student teaching
before enrolling in EDU 401, 410, 423, 424
and/or 425.
Students must successfully complete a professional
portfolio before receiving a grade in student teaching.
Application for Missouri
Teacher Certification
Upon completion of a teacher education program,
students must complete the official Application for
Missouri Teachers Certificate form (available in the
Education Department office) during the last semester
of their teacher education program. Students
must also provide official transcripts from all colleges
that they have attended, and evidence of a passing
score on the required teaching specialty test of the
Praxis II (a national teacher examination) appropriate
to their teaching field. In addition the State of
Missouri requires an FBI background check. One of
these screenings will be done prior to student teaching,
but since they are only valid for six months, the
student may have to submit another background
check at application for teacher certification.
Test Information:
C-BASE and Praxis II
The CBASE is an entry test required for all entering
undergraduate teacher education students. PRAXIS II
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is a series of exit tests for teacher candidates required
by the State of Missouri. Information regarding test
scheduling, test titles, and minimum passing scores
is available from the Teacher Certification Officer or
on the Missouri Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education web site at
http://www.dese.state.mo.us/divteachqual/teached/assessment.htm
Alternative Certification Program and
Post-baccalaureate Teacher Certification
The Alternative Certification Program allows those
persons who already possess a baccalaureate degree
from an accredited college or university in a secondary
teaching field to complete the education course
work required for teacher certification in as little as
one calendar year. Applicants to the alternative certification
program must have already passed the
PRAXIS in their field, have a qualifying GPA and
have a contracted teaching position. If admitted,
alternative teacher certification students will complete
up to 23 hours of coursework in the summer,
fall, and spring sessions. At the same time, the student
will teach in a paid, full-time position for up to
two years under provisional certification as granted
by the State of Missouri. Upon completion of the
program, professional certification will be recommended
to the Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education of the state of Missouri. The
post-baccalaureate teacher certification is available
to persons who have the same qualifications but are
not presently under contract to teach. Post-baccalaureate
candidates meet the same requirements
and do the same course work but also complete student
teaching and the companion EDU 401 student
teaching seminar.
Applicants to either program must submit an application
with $50 fee to the evening division; submit
certified transcripts from all post-secondary institutions
attended; document a 3.0 overall and major
(teaching field) GPA; submit a qualifying PRAXIS
score in the appropriate field and grade level; submit
two written references; present a clear criminal
background check; and successfully participate in
an on campus interview. In addition applicants to
the Alternative Certification Program must provide
evidence of employment as a teacher with a school
district. The admission committee will inform the
applicant of its decision after all materials have
been submitted.