Weber State University

1

• Weber State University
• Teacher Preparation Program

Levels, Field Experiences, and Assessments
2
Licensure Programs

• The WSU Department of Teacher Education offers
  several licensure programs as authorized by the
  Utah State Office of Education
• Elementary Education
• Early Childhood Education
• Secondary Education
• Special Education (mild/moderate)

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Professional Core

• The Teacher Education Professional Core is
  presented in blocks of courses that are mutually
  reinforcing. Courses are developmental in
  nature. That is, Level 2 builds on Level 1, and
  Level 3 builds on Level 2.
• A student must complete one level before moving
  to the next.
• Candidates are involved in public school field
  experiences of increasing complexity with each
  level.

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Program Levels
Focus of Level Early Childhood/ Elementary Majors Secondary Majors
Foundational Level 1 Level 1
Methods and Diversity Levels 2 and 3 Level 2
Clinical Practice Level 4 Level 3
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Professional Core Philosophy

• Candidates move from working with individuals, to
  small groups, to whole classes
• Candidates learn to work with diverse student
  needs within regular classroom structures
• Six educational strands articulated with the
  INTASC standards are woven throughout the levels
  Exceptionality, Diversity, Classroom Management,
  Technology, Developmentally Appropriate Practice,
  Interpersonal Skills.

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Field Experiences

• Fieldwork provides teacher candidates
  opportunities to make connections, see
  relationships, and apply principles being studied
  in their university classes.
• The experience places teacher candidates in a
  public school environment actively engaged and
  working with a diverse population of public
  school students.
• A primary purpose for candidates to see best
  practices modeled by exemplary teachers.

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Level 1 Elementary and Secondary

• Provides candidates with research supported
  theoretical base.
• Includes principles of developmental, learning
  and motivational theories interpersonal skills
  and classroom management the fundamentals of
  curriculum, instruction, and assessment and
  educational applications of technology.
• Candidates work with the instructional design and
  assessment elements of the Teacher Work Sample
  model

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Level 1 Courses

• Educ 3100 Instructional Planning and Assessment
  (3)
• Educ 3140 Educational Psychology, Interpersonal
  Skills and Classroom Management (3)
• Educ 3110 Instructional Technology (1)

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Level 1 Field Experience

• Candidates observe classroom situations and
  assist with instructional activities as directed
  by collaborating teacher.
• Candidates are in the classroom for a minimum of
  12 sessions.

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Level 2 Secondary

• Builds on essential learning from Level 1 by
  addressing needs of English Language Learners
  (ELLs) and exceptional students.
• Introduces candidates to the diversity of
  learners in todays society
• Provides pedagogical skills in the critical area
  of secondary literacy education
• Provides strategies to foster interdisciplinary
  learning
• The courses in Level 2 supplement teaching
  methods courses that candidates take in their
  particular content areas.

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Level 2 Secondary Courses

• Educ DV3200 Foundations of Diversity
  Culturally, Linguistically Responsive Teaching
  (3)
• Educ DV3260 The Exceptional Student (3)
• Educ 3760 Teaching Reading Writing in the
  Content Areas (3)
• Educ 3780 Interdisciplinary Strategies in Diverse
  Classroom (3)

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Level 2 Secondary Field Experience

• Candidates observe and plan with the
  collaborating teacher a unit of instruction in
  either content major or minor disciplines teach
  the unit assess student progress and evaluate
  the effectiveness of the unit.
• Candidates plan lessons that accommodate students
  from diverse backgrounds and exceptionalities,
  using the principles of universal design and
  differentiated instruction.
• The final product is a Teacher Work Sample.
• Occurs in a two week block at the end of the
  semester

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Level 2 Elementary

• Builds on essential learning from Level 1 by
  addressing needs of English Language Learners
  (ELLs) and exceptional students.
• Provides the knowledge and skills necessary to
  design classroom reading and social studies
  instruction that meet the needs of diverse
  students.
• Candidates create a literature-based integrated
  thematic unit following the Teacher Work Sample
  model.

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Level 2 Elementary Courses

• Educ DV3200 Foundations of Diversity
  Culturally/Linguistically Responsive Teaching
• Educ 3240 Foundations, Methods, and Assessments
  of Elementary Reading
• Educ DV3260 The Exceptional Student
• Educ 3280 Elementary Social Studies Methods

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Level 2 Elementary Field Experience

• Candidates observe in the classroom and complete
  various preparatory assignments prior to the
  two-week assignment.
• Candidates develops and teaches four lessons
  based on the context of the assigned classroom
  using the TWS format.
• Occurs in a two-week block during the latter part
  of the semester.

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Level 3 Elementary

• Introduces candidates to strategies and
  methodologies for teaching ALL students in
  mathematics, art and music, science and language
  arts.
• Candidates develop, organize, and implement a
  complete Teacher Work Sample (TWS).
• Candidates use the TWS to reflect on
  instructional practice and student learning.

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Level 3 Elementary Courses

• Educ 4300 Elementary Mathematics Methods
• Educ 4320 Elementary Language Arts Methods
• Educ 4330 Elementary Science Methods
• Educ 4340 Elementary Art/Music Methods

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Level 3 Elementary Field Experience

• Candidates teach a minimum of one (1) lesson for
  each content area from their TWS in their
  assigned grade level.
• Candidates design all lesson around the state
  core curriculum.
• Occurs for a two week period after each content
  course rotation.

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Clinical Practice

• Candidates must complete at least ten weeks of
  full-time student teaching in an assigned school
  under the direction of a collaborating teacher(s)
  and university supervisor(s).
• Candidates complete and teach required TWS/s
• Candidates complete an approved service project
  and report on it in the Senior Synthesis Seminar
• Candidates complete a portfolio that provides
  evidence of knowledge, skills, and dispositions
  based upon INTASC standards

20
Clinical Practice

• Secondary candidates must teach in both their
  major and minor content areas.
• Early Childhood/Elementary candidates must teach
  in both kindergarten and upper elementary
  settings.
• Candidates completing additional endorsements
  will do clinical practice in their specific area
  for a minimum of five weeks.
• Clinical practice assignments are determined
  according to the license requirements and the
  resources available at the university and the
  district schools.