Requirements for licensure
Described below are the specific requirements for Massachusetts teacher licensure at the early childhood, elementary and secondary levels, as well as departmental requirements for the general minor. All students seeking licensure must take and pass the MTEL Communication and Literacy Test before entry into senior-year courses. In addition, early childhood and elementary education minors must pass the MTEL Foundations of Reading Test before the fall of senior year. During the senior year all education minors seeking licensure are expected to take the appropriate subject matter test or tests.
Students seeking licensure in either program must also undertake at least one January, spring or summer internship in an educational setting prior to student teaching. This internship should be at least 40 hours in duration and should be undertaken through the auspices of the Filene Center's Learning Outside the Classroom program. A record of this internship will go on the student's Work and Public Service Record at the Filene Center; a copy will go in his or her Education Department file.
Finally, students must have achieved a B- cumulative GPA, at least a B- in the curriculum courses, maintained overall "good standing" within the college, and obtained permission from the department in order to gain admission to the student-teaching practicum.
Early Childhood Education: Teachers of Students With or Without Disabilities (Pre-K - 2)
To qualify for licensure, a student must complete the major concentration and a minor program in early childhood education with appropriate course work. He or she must also pass the following three Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure: MTEL Communication and Literacy, MTEL Foundations of Reading and MTEL Early Childhood Subject Test.
Major requirements for early childhood education
A Wheaton student will complete a major concentration (usually equivalent to at least 36 semester hours of credit) in a liberal arts field relevant to early childhood education. Please consult the departmental coordinators to determine appropriate subjects for the major.
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Minor requirements in early childhood education
A student must complete the prepracticum and the practicum. The prepracticum consists of courses and experiences specifically designed to meet the licensure standards. The practicum involves full-time student teaching and practice in the role of a classroom teacher at cooperating schools. The following prepracticum courses are required: two of the three courses Educ 240, Educ 250 and Educ 260; Educ 251; Educ 375; Educ 385 and Educ 390. All of these, as well as required arts, sciences and humanities distribution course work, must be completed before the two practicum courses, Educ 396 and Educ 395. Also required are Eng 286, Math 133 or Math 101, Psy 203 and one of the following: first aid, lifesaving or CPR training. Field work training: A student must complete a minimum of 20 hours of classroom observation, tutoring and teacher assisting in each of two prepracticum courses. Licensure regulations are determined by the state of Massachusetts; thus, students must stay abreast of possible changes.
Practicum requirements
During the senior year, a student will complete a semester-long, two-and-one-half-credit student teaching practicum plus a one-credit seminar in teaching methods. While student teaching, Wheaton students will intern at the cooperating schools for the entire school day and will follow the public school calendar. Students may take only one additional Wheaton credit during the semester and this must be fulfilled after the regular school hours. A student must notify the department chair of any incomplete grade from the previous semester. An incomplete may disqualify the student from admission to the practicum. One hundred hours of practicum must be completed at the Pre-K through kindergarten level and 200 hours at the 1 - 2 level. One setting must be an inclusion classroom.
Arts, sciences and humanities distribution course work in the field of early childhood education
A student must also take approximately nine courses equivalent to 36 semester hours of credit in the following areas: psychological foundations, children's literature, the sciences, mathematics and the social sciences. These requirements are normally met by careful selection of liberal arts courses that fulfill Wheaton's general distribution requirements. Consult the departmental coordinators for a list of courses that are especially recommended. Specifically, students are also required to take Math 133 to fulfill their mathematics requirement, unless a waiver is granted by the Mathematics Department. Licensure regulations are determined by the state of Massachusetts; thus, students must stay abreast of possible changes.
Elementary Education (Grades 1 - 6)
To qualify for licensure, a student must complete the major concentration and a minor program in elementary education and take appropriate course work in the interdisciplinary field of elementary education. He or she must also pass the following three Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure: MTEL Communication and Literacy, MTEL Foundations of Reading and MTEL General Curriculum Test.
Major requirements for Elementary Education
A Wheaton student will complete a major concentration (usually equivalent to at least 36 semester hours of credit) in a liberal arts subject-matter field relevant to elementary education. Please consult the departmental coordinators to determine appropriate subjects for the major.
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Minor requirements in Elementary Education
A student must complete the prepracticum and the practicum. The prepracticum consists of courses and experiences specifically designed to meet the licensure standards. The practicum involves full-time student teaching and practice in the role of a classroom teacher at cooperating schools. The following prepracticum courses are required: two of the three courses Educ 240, Educ 250 and Educ 260; Educ 251; Educ 385 and Educ 390. All of these, as well as required arts, sciences and humanities distribution course work, must be completed before the two practicum courses, Educ 396 and Educ 395. Also required are Math 133 or Math 101, Psy 203 and one of the following: first aid, lifesaving or CPR training. Field work training: A student must complete a minimum of 20 hours of classroom observation, tutoring and teacher assisting in each of two prepracticum courses. Licensure regulations are determined by the state of Massachusetts; thus, students must stay abreast of possible changes.
Practicum requirements
During the senior year, a student will complete a semester-long, two-and-one-half-credit student teaching practicum plus a one-credit seminar in reflective teaching practices. While student teaching, Wheaton students will be at the cooperating school for the entire school day and will follow the public school calendar. They may take only one additional Wheaton credit during the semester and this must be fulfilled after the regular school hours. A student must notify the department chair of any incomplete grade from the previous semester. An incomplete may disqualify the student from admission to the practicum.
Arts, sciences and humanities distribution course work in the field of elementary education
A student must also take approximately nine semester courses equivalent to 36 semester hours of credit in the following areas: literature, the sciences, mathematics and the social sciences. These requirements are normally met by careful selection of liberal arts courses that fulfill Wheaton's general distribution requirements. Consult the Education Department faculty for a list of courses that are especially recommended. Specifically, students are also required to take Math 133 to fulfill their mathematics requirement, unless a waiver is granted by the Mathematics Department. Licensure regulations are determined by the state of Massachusetts; thus, students must stay abreast of possible changes.
Secondary education (grades 8 - 12) (Modern foreign languages: 5 - 12)
Students may prepare for Massachusetts teacher licensure in a secondary school in one of the following major concentrations: English, history, mathematics, biology and three modern foreign languages: French, German and Hispanic Studies. To qualify for licensure, a student must complete appropriate courses in the major and fulfill the course requirements leading to a minor in secondary education. He or she must also pass the appropriate sections of the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure.
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Major and minor requirements in secondary education
Massachusetts licensure standards require demonstration of subject-matter competence as well as teaching competence during the student teaching practicum. Each participating academic department has therefore developed a specific set of course requirements and other experiences in the major that fulfill the subject-matter standards. Before students undertake a secondary education program, they must consult with their major advisor and the secondary education program coordinator. At that time, the student and department advisor will plan a major program that meets the subject-matter requirements of the Massachusetts licensure standards, as well as the minor program to fulfill the student's minor concentration requirements in secondary school education.
A student must take the following prepracticum courses: two of the three courses Educ 240, Educ 250, and Educ 260; Educ 251, Educ 270 and Educ 391. All of these must be completed before the practicum courses, Educ 396 and Educ 395.
Field work training
A student must complete a minimum of 15 - 20 hours of classroom observation, tutoring and teacher assisting in at least two of the prepracticum courses.
Practicum requirements
During the senior year, a student will complete a semester-long, two-and-one-half-credit student teaching practicum plus a one-credit seminar in teaching methods. While student teaching, the Wheaton student will intern at the cooperating school for the entire school day and follow the public school calendar. The student may take only one additional Wheaton credit during this semester and this (full-credit or half-credit) course must meet after the close of school. Students must notify the department chair of any incomplete grade from the previous semester and this may prevent admission to the practicum.
General Minor in Education
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Upon application, a student may be admitted to a general minor in education. Normally this does not include preparation to teach, but rather provides an opportunity to study specific issues and related topics in education. Five courses are required, three of which must be education courses. The remaining two courses need not be within the department so long as they are appropriately related to the subject of study. One 300-level course is required. Permission of the Education Department faculty is necessary.