Here is the roadmap to your success
Program Entry
- Have a desire to teach.
- Register for Pre requisite courses to apply into teacher certification preparation program in spring of sophomore year.
Early Field: Stage 1&2 Field
- Submit your Background Checks
- Have a 3.0 GPA
- Have completed all Pre-requisite courses
- Apply to Teacher Certification Preparation Program.
- Begin Professional Portfolio/PDE Data eBinder.
Pre Student Teaching: Stage 3 Field
- Hurray! You’re now admitted.
- Renew your Background checks.
- Schedule your interview with Office of Field Experiences and Outreach
- Purchase liability insurance.
- Complete your Pre-student teaching experience
Student Teaching: Stage 4 Field
- Great job! You’re moving right along!
- Renew your liability insurance.
- Complete your student teaching experience
- Complete your Professional Portfolio/PDE Data eBinder.
- Register and pass your required certification area exams.
Exit/Program Completion
- You’re now down to the homestretch!
- Complete your certification program exit survey
- You are a program completer and ready to apply to PA Department of Education
- Complete your TIMS application
- Gather recommendations
- Update your resume to include student teaching experience
- Attend job fairs
Your education coursework will be enhanced with multiple fieldwork assignments. The certification program culminates in an academic semester-long student teaching experience, during which you will instruct a class at an area school supported by a cooperating teacher and Arcadia faculty. These are the four stages of field experiences and include student teaching.
Stage 1&2 Field Experiences: Embedded
Stage 1 and Stage 2 field experiences are a student’s initial pre-clinical field experiences and consist of several hours of observations which are embedded in courses. For many candidates who desire a teaching certificate, the early stage field experiences may be their first opportunity to be in a school setting in a capacity other than as a student. Field Experiences stages 1 and 2 allows the teacher candidate to observe and to participate in the teaching process while considering their next steps in the teaching profession. During the early field experiences, students will reflect on each of the identified field competencies.
Undergraduate Stage 1 & Stage 2 field courses: ED110, ED226, ED219L, ED 220
Stage 3 Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience
The Stage 3 field experience provides the teacher candidate with opportunities work in school settings in order to interact with children and teachers and to participate in all aspects of the classroom program. This Pre-Student Teaching field experience placement takes place in the junior year. Students are generally placed in a school. Students are assigned a cooperating teacher, an Arcadia University supervisor who serves as an instructional coach and liaison from the university. This Stage 3 field experience is crafted to prepare the pre-service teacher candidate for Student Teaching. During the Stage 3 field experiences, students will reflect on each of the identified field competencies.
Students submit an online application to the Office of Field Experiences and Outreach the semester prior to pre-student teaching.
Undergraduate Stage 3 courses by certification program: ED387(PK-4), ED387S(Special Education PK-12), AE300/308, (Art), ED412 A-D (Secondary Content Areas)
Stage 4 Student Teaching Field Experience
Student Teaching is a time to practice and refine the skills needed to teach in today’s workforce. Teacher candidates are thoughtfully placed in schools and carefully matched with highly qualified mentor/host teachers for fourteen weeks. It is our expectation that teacher candidates follow the schedule of their mentor/host teachers and are expected to be in the classroom full time.
The cooperating teacher, with the Arcadia University supervisor, supports and monitors the teacher candidate to gradually assume full teaching responsibilities for two weeks or to fully engage in the co-teaching model of teaching. The co-teaching pathway is generally elected during the first meeting with the cooperating teacher, teacher candidate and the university supervisor. Candidates are evaluated based on Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) competencies using the PDE 430.
Candidates that meet PDE competencies and have passed the certification tests required for their certification area upon graduation may apply for Pennsylvania teacher certification through the TIMS process. During student teaching, teacher candidates engage in final reflection on the field competencies.
The student teaching course designation depends on your area of certification. Online applications must be submitted by the beginning of the semester one year in advance of the academic year desired for a student teaching assignment.
Undergraduate: ED416 (PreK-4), ED459 (Special Education PK-12) ED417 (Secondary Content Areas), ED419 (Art)
