School of Education
School of Education Unit Philosophy
The School of Education at Southern Nazarene University is committed to the development of the whole person. To that end, we seek to develop character, emphasizing values such as honesty and integrity; culture, with an eye toward relevance in today's society; and, a Christian worldview, with a deep commitment to the Christian faith.
Mission Statement for Teacher Education
The general
purpose of professional Teacher Education at Southern Nazarene University is to
orient the teacher candidates to the teaching profession within a framework of
Christian principles and to assist them in becoming competent decision-makers in
a democratic society.
School of Education Departmental Objectives
The general purpose of professional Teacher Education at Southern Nazarene University is to orient students to the teaching profession and to assist them in becoming competent teachers in a democratic society. Toward the realization of this objective, a sequential program of instruction and experience has been organized to assist students in the attainment of the following goals:
To promote positive interpersonal relationships that build the learning-teaching process
To promote understanding of basic social, philosophical, psychological, legal and economic foundations of education
To become acquainted with mental, emotional, physical, psychological, legal and economic foundations of education
To assist in forming a base for understanding the nature of equal education opportunity
To promote awareness and understanding of the diverse nature of learners including the multicultural dimension and the mainstreaming dimension of education and its demands for teachers and implications for society
To assist in the development of a positive self-concept
To promote mastery of learning processes
To develop basic skills in diagnosing learners (including the mainstreamed student) needs and making decisions relative to meeting these needs with appropriate information, methods, and media
To develop knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the cultural social and scientific achievements of individuals in their environment
To develop a personal philosophy of life and of education within a framework of Christian principles
To encourage development of an attitude that will lead to continued professional growth.
SNU Teacher Candidate Characteristics
The teacher
understands diverse populations.
The teacher understands the legal aspects
in education.
The teacher understands developmental characteristics of the
learner and appropriate instructional strategies.
The teacher integrates
technology into the learning environment.
The teacher possesses the ability
to maintain positive classroom management.
The teacher possesses the
ability to provide effective assessment and evaluation of student learning.
The teacher possesses the ability to provide effective instruction for
individual differences.
The teacher is able to design and implement
effective strategies for instruction (including critical thinking and problem
solving techniques).
The teacher is able to reflect on instructional
practices and experiences, based on the OK Core curriculum.
The teacher
possesses and utilizes effective written and verbal communication skills
The teacher possesses professionalism through: a) demeanor-collegiality, b)
scholarship, c) connection to professionalism, and d) data driven
decision-making.
The teacher understands and appreciates
community/home/school relationships.
The teacher possesses the ability to
make professional decisions based on Christian principles.
Conceptual Framework
The rationale and organizing principles
that guide the development of the curriculum for professional education at
Southern Nazarene University includes:
1. The belief that teachers of
the future must be professional, competent "decision-makers".
2. The
belief that teachers of the future must have a strong liberal arts background
joined with an understanding of developmental learning theory.
3. The
belief that learning-teaching is a systematic process which is dynamic,
interactive, and transactive.
4. The belief that a cognitive learning
theory based on the works of Jerome Bruner, David Ausubel and Jean Piaget,
overlaid on a behavioral foundation, is the best avenue for developing competent
teachers for the future.
Teacher Education at SNU
Teacher Education is one of the major undergraduate programs at Southern Nazarene University. All Teacher Education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and approved by the State Board of Education for the State of Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation (OCTP).
SNU offers programs for certificates at the following levels and areas:
Early Childhood (Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 3)
Elementary
Education (Grades 1-8)
Secondary Education (Grades 6-12)
All
Levels (Pre-Kindergarten through grade 12) including:
PE, Health,
Safety
Spanish
Music: Instrumental/General
Music: Vocal/General
Secondary (Grades 6 through 12) including:
English
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Detailed academic requirements for these
certificate programs are listed in the Teacher
Education Handbook.
Admission to the Teacher Education Program
All teacher candidates who wish to prepare to teach and to meet certification
requirements are required to apply and be admitted to Teacher Education. This
admission process must be completed preceding enrollment in upper division
professional education courses. Applications may be made any time after
completion of Twenty-four (24) semester hours. However, all applilcations should
be completed before the beginning of the junior year.
Admission Requirements
The Admission process is designed to recruit persons with a strong commitment
to teaching. Early application assists in helping the teacher candidate develop
skills and abilities. Criteria for admission follows: (Detailed check sheets are
available in the Office of Teacher Education)
1. Full admission to
Southern Nazarene University
2. Completion of Introduction to Education
(ED 2111) including (12) observation hours + *background check
clearance
3. Successful completion of a minimum of twenty-four semester hours of
coursework(24)
4. Enrollment in Foundations of Education (ED 2162)
5. Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5
6. Pass the OGET (Oklahoma General Education Test)
7. A grade of C or better in a basic Speech Communication course
8. An interview with the Admissions Committee
9. Complete English Comp I with a passing grade
10. Complete English Comp II with a passing grade
11. Complete a Math course with a passing grade
12. Satisfactory completion of an interview with the admissions committee
13. Demonstration of a positive interest in teaching by prior experiences and activities as shown on the Interview Guide and the Evaluation by Cooperating Teacher of Field Observation
*Note: Teacher Education Candidates must also submit to and be cleared by criminal background check
Admission to Professional Semester
All teacher candidates who are preparing to teach are required to take the
all-day professional semester program. This program is an entire semester
devoted to intensive course work and related laboratory experiences in the
professional area, including student teaching. The teacher candidate must plan
and expect to devote the full school day, Monday through Friday, to course work
and laboratory experiences and additional time to co-curricular activities.
During the off-campus period, the teacher candidate is expected to devote full
time to professional responsiblities as does the teacher on the job. Application
for the professional semester should be made during the year preceding the year
in which the teacher candidate plans to take the professional sequence of course
work. This application is separate from the application for admission to Teacher
Education and approval is dependent upon the applicant meeting the following
criteria:
1. Admission to the Teacher Education program prior to application for the
professional semester
2. A cumulative GPA of 2.50 in the specialization and overall
3. Completion of at least one-half of the total specialization
4. Recommendation by the student's major department and two faculty members
5. An approved certificate program on file
6. Good standing (not on disciplinary probation)
7. Completion of a minimum of 90 semester hours
8. Completion of one semester in residence at SNU
9. Professional liablity insurance coverage
10. Completion of background check
This candidate's status is
reviewed periodically as the teacher candidate progresses through the program.
Final recommendation by the department is needed before student teaching is
done. The Teacher Education Council is responsible for the implementation of the
above criteria.
Degree Checklist
Any teacher candidate expecting to teach should confer with the Teacher
Education advisor in the subject area in which the teacher candidate desires to
teach. The requirements outlined for general education, professional education,
and specialization, fit into the degree requirements of the University. The
certificate progams are outlined in terms of areas and levels of teaching rather
than college departments of instruction. By careful planning, the teacher
candidate can meet the minimum requirements outlined for a certificate and the
additional requirements for a degree with a major in a chosen department within
the normal hours required for graduation. NOTE: The degree
checklist is a tool whereby the Teacher Candidate and his/her advisor can
communicate and track progress through the Teacher Education degree
program.
Approved Certificate Programs
To secure a license or a standard certificate to teach in most states, five
general requirements must be met:
1. Completion of an approved certificate program in an institution approved
for Teacher Education.
2. Graduation from an accredited college with a bachelor's degree.
3. Passing the state teacher certification tests: Oklahoma General Education
Test (OGET), Oklahoma Subject Area Test (OSAT), and Oklahoma Professional
Teaching Examination (OPTE).
4. Recommendation for licensure by the Director of Teacher Education of the
college attended or review and acceptance of a student's file by the state
office for teacher certification.
5. Many states require special credits in the history of government of their
state as well as other requirements particular to that state. If a prospective
teacher has an interest in teaching in a state other than Oklahoma, it is the
prospective teacher's responsibility to familiarize themselves with that
particular state's specific requirements. Teacher's licenses/certificates
are issued by the State Board of Education upon application by the prospective
teacher and recommendation of the University. The curricular requirements for
the certificate programs are divided into three (3) areas: General Education,
Professional Education, and Specialization.
Additionally, it should be
noted that Oklahoma requires the establishment of Foreign Language Proficiency
for teacher certification. Click HERE for Foreign
Language Proficiency Requirements.
General Education
The General Education requirement is essentially the same in all
Teacher Education programs. In some certificate programs, a limited number of
hours credit in General Education may be counted in the area of specialization
when approved by the Teacher Education Committee. Detailed outlines of the
General Education requirements for all degrees are given in the section of the
catalog devoted to degree requirements. Students in Teacher Education programs
are required by state certification requirements to have transcript credit for
U.S. History and Survey of the Exceptional Child.
Professional Education and specialization requirements are printed in
the Teacher
Education Handbook.