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Secondary Education FAQ
The following is a list of the most
frequently asked questions of the Education Department. It is intended
primarily as a guide for undergraduate students in the College of Arts and
Sciences who are interested in being certified as secondary school teachers.
An Explanation of Secondary Certification
Applying to the Secondary Education Program
Secondary Education Program Specifics
Information on Secondary Teaching in Another State
Secondary Certification After Graduation
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT SECONDARY
EDUCATION
AN EXPLANATION OF SECONDARY CERTIFICATION
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- Elementary, secondary,
and K-12 are the three levels of teacher certification available at the
University of Michigan-Flint. The Michigan Secondary Provisional
Certificate is valid for six years from the year of issuance and
qualifies you to teach grades 6-12 in your teaching certificate major(s) and
minor (s). Majors in the fields of Art and Music allow you to teach those
subjects in all grades, K-12. The K-12 level is treated as a secondary
certification by the State of Michigan.
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- See
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- 1. Basic Skills Test.
All candidates for teacher certification in Michigan must pass a test in
basic skills (reading, writing, and mathematics). Candidates MUST
pass the MTTC Basic skills examination BEFORE admission into the
Education Department will be granted.
- 2. Subject Area Test.
The required subject-area tests are the tests that correspond to your major
and minor fields of study in the education program and in which you are
planning to seek certification in the state of Michigan. A candidate
planning to seek secondary certification MUST take subject-area tests
for BOTH the major and minor fields.
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- 1. There is no study
guide for the Basic Skills Test. Therefore, it is suggested that you
study the test objectives as listed in the MTTC Registration Bulletin. As is
stated in the bulletin, the most appropriate resources for studying may well
be basic textbooks. You may also wish to consult your class notes, state
core curriculum guidelines, and publications from local, state, and national
professional organizations.
- 2. Study guides for
the major/minor subject-area tests
are on reserve at the reference desk
in the Frances Willson Thompson Library. They may also be ordered online at
or
through , or using the order form in the
Michigan Test for Teacher Certification Registration Bulletin. In addition,
you may wish to consult the Michigan Curriculum Framework and Content
Standards (accessible at
for assistance in understanding the content covered by the test(s).
are available in the University of Michigan-Flint Thompson Library. Students
can also obtain study guides by
APPLYING TO THE SECONDARY EDUCATION
PROGRAM
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- You must complete a
written application and be admitted formally to a teacher certificate
program. The application deadline is January 15 for admission the following
fall semester. September 15 is the application deadline for admission the
following winter semester. Applications are available in the Education
Department. A student must be admitted to a teacher certificate program
before registering for
EDS 302, EDS 300, and EDS EDS 341 and for any course that has one of these courses as a
pre- or co-requisite.
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- Currently, anyone who
meets all admission requirements is admitted. However, admission may
be selective. Enrollment will be based upon student qualifications as well
as faculty and program resources.
- What are the
secondary education admission requirements?
- Applicants are admitted
twice per year, in the fall and winter semesters, and
students must meet the following requirements at the time of application.
- Admitted to the
University of Michigan-Flint
- Completion of at least
55 semester hours of course work
- Completion of PSY 100 with a grade of C or better
- A 2.75 overall
G.P.A.
- A 2.75 G.P.A. in
each major and minor subject area, with at least 18 hours completed
in the major and 12 hours completed in the minor
- Pass the (This test is administered four times each year at
different test sites throughout the state of Michigan for a current fee of
$49.00. Registration bulletins are available in the Education Department.
Students should request that the test results be sent to the University of
Michigan-Flint.)
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- Submit the following
materials:
- An application
(available in the Education Department in early September and January)
SECONDARY EDUCATION PROGRAM SPECIFICS
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- Secondary education
students are advised in the Academic Advising Center, 285 PAV, (810)
762-3085, until they have decided on a teaching certificate major. Once a
major has been chosen, secondary students are advised through their major
and minor departments in CAS. All education and pre-education students are
welcome to seek advising through the Education Department. Cheryl Godmar is
the Coordinator of Academic Advising in Education. Students with a
bachelor's degree are advised by Student Services personnel in the Education
Department.
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- There are a few
education courses open, on a space-available basis, to students who have not
been admitted to the Education Department, however, most of them are
not applicable to secondary certification. You should talk to your
advisor concerning the course prerequisites and the recommended education
course sequences.
- What is EDS EDS 341 for
secondary education students?
- EDS EDS 341, Education Field
Experience/Seminar, is the initial field placement in an elementary or
secondary school. It is accompanied by a seminar. Students must commit to at
least six hours of fieldwork per week that conform to public school
schedules. Your EDS EDS 341 instructor will make
the placement and notify you--please do not contact the Education
Department! EDS EDS 341 is a pre- or co-requisite for most other education
courses.
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- The early field
experience (EDS 360) will be in a critical need school district. A critical
need school district may have one or more of the following characteristics:
an urban setting, multicultural population, high level of poverty, low
standardized test scores and inadequate funding sources. Student teaching
may or may not occur in a critical need district. Although every effort will
be made to place students in their student teaching experience (EDS 469)
within a half- hour radius of their home, circumstances may necessitate
students being placed outside the half- hour target area, including in
critical need districts.
- What is student teaching
in the Secondary Education Program?
- Student teaching is the
capstone field experience to your professional preparation in the Education
Department. Student teaching is a full-time teaching internship in an
secondary classroom for 14 weeks under the joint supervision of a
University Supervisor and a Cooperating Teacher. During your student
teaching semester, you will also enroll in a seminar, EDS 499, in which
issues relevant to your teaching and career will be discussed.
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- Students should complete
their student teaching in the fall or winter semester of their last year.
All prerequisites must be met to be eligible. Refer to the on-line
for
further details. Student teaching and the seminar are taken for a total of
12 credits and may NOT be done in the spring or summer semester.
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- The application period
for students planning to student teach in the following fall semester is in
early January. The application period for students planning to student teach
in the following winter semester is in late April-early May. Applications
are completed on-line via the
. Reminders are sent to students through their
UM-F student email accounts.
INFORMATION ON SECONDARY TEACHING IN ANOTHER
STATE
- May I be a secondary
teacher in another state with a Michigan certificate?
- A certificate is valid
only in the state for which it is issued. If you are interested in teaching
in another state, you should contact the teacher certification office in
that state. Addresses of state offices are available in the Education
Department, 430 French Hall.
SECONDARY CERTIFICATION AFTER GRADUATION
- May I get certified
for secondary education after I graduate from the University of
Michigan-Flint?
- Yes. A student who has
completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Michigan-Flint or any
approved institution may meet state requirements for teacher certification
without earning a second degree. Students with bachelor's degrees should
contact the Education Department for information concerning a coursework
evaluation.
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- If you already have a
bachelor's degree and wish to become certified to teach, you may request an
evaluation of the coursework you have completed. Such an evaluation will
tell you what additional courses will be required in order to meet state
secondary certification requirements. In addition to the professional
education courses, prospective secondary teachers must also complete
coursework in one teaching major and one minor to be eligible for
certification. This coursework must conform to the UM-Flint major/minor
programs approved by the Michigan Department of Education. Coursework
evaluations are performed by Student Services personnel in the Education
Department and may take up to four weeks to complete. Call or visit the
Education Department for details.
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