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2024-25 Academic Catalog

Preliminary Teaching License-only Program

Purpose

The Preliminary Teaching License-only program is designed to prepare candidates holding an undergraduate BA or BS degree or a Master’s degree in a field other than education with the content and methods necessary to be an effective teacher.  Thematic strands such as critical thinking, curriculum, assessment, classroom management, cultural proficiency, and technology are integrated throughout the curriculum.  The themes add qualities to the overall cohesiveness of the program and are integrated throughout the curriculum.

The Teacher Licensure program may be completed through a program of study in two semesters part-time, plus one semester full-time.

The program is available to individuals who have completed an undergraduate BA or BS degree or Master’s degree in a field other than education.

Program Outcomes

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Build on their knowledge of subject matter as they develop pedagogical skills and research methodologies
  • Gain knowledge about the psychological, sociological, historical, and philosophical foundations of education
  • Apply these understandings in early childhood, elementary, middle and secondary classrooms
  • Successfully meet the challenges of classroom teaching

Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Meet the federal government's guidelines for a Teacher Performance Assessment
  • Receive an Oregon Preliminary Teaching License upon completion of the program and passing scores on the appropriate standardized measures (NES Content Specific Examination for single subject licensure, ORELA for multiple subjects authorization, Protecting Students and Civil Rights exam and the State Assessment)

The Preliminary Teaching License provides for adding endorsements in the following areas: advanced mathematics, art, basic mathematics*, biology, business, chemistry*, health education, integrated science*, language arts, marketing, music, physical education, physics, social studies, and Spanish.

* These subjects may be added to another endorsement for high school (single-subject) applicants

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the Preliminary Teaching License-only Program must hold a four-year Baccalaureate degree program from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the last two years of course work or an accredited Master’s with a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the equivalency of the final 30 semester credits of graduate coursework.  In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:
  • Teacher Licensure application and application fee
  • Submit one official transcript from each college/university attended
  • Completion of the character reference statement required by Oregon TSPC
  • Three recommendations
  • A group assessment with the Teacher Licensure Admission Committee

If accepted into the program, a $200 tuition deposit is required. Deadline for application is March 1st.   Preference will be given to those candidates who have had experience in schools working with students in their desired authorization level as well as to those candidates who have passed the appropriate ORELA exam.

Prior to full-time student teaching, students must have taken and passed the appropriate ORELA exam.  If a student has not completed this requirement, the student may apply for an exception; however, if an exception is granted and the student does not pass the required exams prior to graduation, the director will not sign any official documents recommending the student as a candidate for licensure in Oregon or any other state.

Transfer Credit

No transfer credit is allowed toward the Preliminary Teaching License-only program.  Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution.

Residence Requirements

All 29 semester credits must be taken in resident study at George Fox University.  Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Review & Retention Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements.

Course Requirements

The Preliminary Teaching License-only Program is generally 13 months in length with 29 semester credits of course work required as a minimum for completion.  Of those credits, 14 are in prescribed core education courses, 9 in area of specialization, and 6 practicum credits.

Other Program Requirements

The program structure will be characterized by:

Cohort Model

Students will work in cohorts of 12 to 18 students. Cohorts will include elementary and secondary levels. Cohorts are both blended- and authorization-specific.  Although they are separate cohorts, they will be blended together for certain experiences and courses.

Theory-Into-Practice Links

Practicum experiences will be a large component of the program.  The involvement in a semester-long practicum experience will provide preservice teachers with opportunities to apply learning from course work.  University faculty, cooperating teachers, and administrators from local districts will be involved in collaborative efforts to plan links between course work and application in classrooms.

Thematic Strands

Major strands, such as cultural proficiency, differentiation, assessment, action research, and decision-making, will be incorporated throughout the professional courses.  Other topics such as classroom management and technology will also be integrated in several of the professional courses.

Study of the Subject Matter Knowledge and Structure

Students will research and discuss the nature and structure of the subject areas while concentrating on their major subject.  They will engage in interdisciplinary discussions that will allow them to discern relationships between the subject areas.

Reflection

The ability to reflect on learning about teaching and on the practice of teaching will be developed in small- and large-group discussions, in journal entries, in papers, and in conferences with supervisors and cooperating teachers.

Program Completion Requirements

In order to complete the Preliminary Teaching License-only Program students must:

  • Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 29 semester credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above
  • Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).

Pass appropriate exams to be recommended for licensure.

Curriculum Plan

This course focuses on professionalism, purpose of education, educational law, policy, ethics and the place of technology in the field. The course includes instruction on mandatory reporting. Reflection upon professional identity and dispositional development will be facilitated.
This course provides a framework grounded in cultural humility for approaching diverse students and communities. Issues surrounding race, ethnicity, culture, and the qualities needed for cultural competency, and inclusion are explored. IEP’s and 504 information as well as EL foundations and supports are addressed (introduced) in this course. Specific skills for facilitating learning for all students from an asset based perspective are explored.
This course prepares candidates to meet the curricular and instructional needs of all students including exceptional learners. Candidates learn lesson design and instructional planning. Differentiated curriculum and instructional strategies are explored. Accommodations and modifications are made operational in unit and lesson design. This course also incorporates and reinforces best practices in assessment design and implementation. Candidates focus on creating and using assessments that measure growth toward standard-based outcomes. Using student data as appropriate, candidates develop plans for differentiation and intervention.
This course continues to prepare candidates to meet the curricular and instructional needs of all students including exceptional learners. Candidates learn lesson design and instructional planning. Differentiated curriculum and instructional strategies are explored. Accommodations and modifications are made operational in unit and lesson design. This course also incorporates and reinforces best practices in assessment design and implementation. Candidates focus on creating and using assessments that measure growth toward standard-based outcomes. Using student data as appropriate, candidates develop plans for differentiation and intervention.
This course examines human development from an intellectual, social, emotional and physical perspective. Foundations in developmental and learning theory and their connections to development are explored. Foundational knowledge of exceptionalities is reinforced. Foundational knowledge necessary to understanding exceptionalities of all kinds is built.
This course studies positive learning environment strategies including procedures, routines, and clear expectations that allow educators to shape context with students in the clinical practice. Problem solving simulations are grounded in both observations and educational theory.

Complete the following:

This practicum will be completed at either multiple subject or single subjects endorsement area. Candidate demonstrates success in multiple performance and dispositional assessments. Additional course fee required.
Choose one of the following:
Single Subject
A study of instructional strategies and the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum for content-specific secondary classrooms. The pattern of course topics presented includes the nature of content knowledge, general pedagogical methods, subject-specific pedagogical methods, and integrated pedagogical methods. Inclusion emphasis. For single subject endorsement candidates, this course offers an intensive exploration of pedagogical practices within the content area.
A study of instructional strategies and the design, implementation, and evaluation of curriculum for content-specific secondary classrooms. The pattern of course topics presented includes the nature of content knowledge, general pedagogical methods, subject-specific pedagogical methods, and integrated pedagogical methods. Inclusion emphasis. For single subject endorsement candidates, this course offers an intensive exploration of pedagogical practices within the content area.
This course is designed to introduce the concepts of literacy as defined by the integrated processes of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and interacting with oneself and others within the content area. An emphasis on ELL, language acquisition, assessment, RTI, and Sped with emphasis on high incidence disabilities in language development are reinforced as integral to the content.
Note: Secondary/Mid-Level Authorization students will enroll in MATG 555 Secondary Content Pedagogy according to their specific content area: art, biology, business, chemistry, family and consumer science, mathematics, music, integrated science, physics, social studies, technology education, German, Japanese, or Russian.
Multiple Subjects
This course focuses on research-based, best practices of science and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education at the early childhood/elementary and middle school (EC/EL/MS) levels. In this course, teacher candidates develop pedagogical knowledge and skills around the three-dimensional, inquiry-based learning aspect of the Next Generation Science Standards and integrative STEAM curriculum and assessments that foster student centered and inclusive STEAM learning experiences and honors the diversity of all learners.
This course seeks to integrate effective mathematics teaching and learning pedagogies within the framework of the common core state standards. The development of personal understanding of mathematical concepts and processes is emphasized; this process requires the student to expand his/her own learning beyond the course assignments to examine the relationships between mathematical concepts and the real world. Teaching mathematics effectively to diverse learners is emphasized. The course is interactive and dependent upon student participation.
This course is designed to focus on the foundations and pedagogical methods of literacy including reading, writing, speaking and listening. In the context of teaching diverse populations, course topics encompass instructional strategies, pedagogical methods, research, engagement, literacy curriculum, implementation, and assessment. An emphasis is placed on inclusion, Dyslexia, ELL, language acquisition, and RTI.