Teacher_Education_Handbook

Introduction The Northern State University Millicent Atkins School of Education prepares undergraduates and graduates for a diverse set of educational atmospheres. This document has been prepared with the teacher candidate in mind, and is meant to guide all teacher certification programs through definition of policy and procedures. The Educator Preparation Program (EPP) at Northern State University is the Millicent Atkins School of Education. The School of Education (SOE) performs the key leadership role in governance and management of curriculum, instruction, and resources for the preparation of professional educators. The SOE maintains responsibility for the quality of all candidates prepared at NSU. The SOE has designed, established, and maintained a committee structure and advisory governance system known as the Teacher Education Council (TEC). This council combines faculty, staff, and administrators from the School of Education, School of Fine Arts and the College of Arts and Sciences. The processes and assessment measures are data-driven, and the SOE has developed and implemented an integral assessment system that includes the gathering and use of candidate performance data to ensure candidates meet INTASC, CAEP, SPA, and SOE disposition standards. The SOE monitors all student data, including applicant qualifications, candidate proficiencies, competence of graduates, unit operations, and program quality. The policies and related procedures that follow in this manual have evolved over time and have been developed with the input of faculty, administrators, the TEC, teacher candidates, and P-12 school personnel. It is a “working” document, and will continue to reflect change and revisions will be continuous. No policy or procedure herein shall supersede Northern State University policies or procedures. It must be noted that the handbook is not necessarily all-inclusive of every possible scenario, and when issues arise, they will be considered by the SOE Chair of the Teacher Education Program. Teacher Education Mission Statement The Teacher Education Program seeks to develop the wisdom and imagination of its students for the purpose of instructing, involving, challenging, and caring for all learners. InTASC Standards The Learner and Learning: Teaching begins with the learner. To ensure that each student learns new knowledge and skills, teachers must understand that learning and developmental patterns vary among individuals, that learners bring unique individual differences to the learning process, and that learners need supportive and safe learning environments to thrive. Effective teachers have high expectations for each and every learner and implement developmentally appropriate, challenging learning experiences within a variety of learning environments that help all learners meet high standards and reach their full potential. Teachers do this by combining a base of professional knowledge,