Pre-register
for, and attend, an information
session
with UW's College of Education's Teacher
Education Program.
Talk with an English
undergraduate adviser, located in A-2-B Padelford
Hall (contact 206/543-2634 or engladv@u.washington.edu).
Become familiar with the Teacher
Education Program prerequisites for UW for secondary education as
well as for other
approved teacher certification programs at other schools to
which
you plan
to apply. Be sure that those schools offer certification in secondary education;
some schools have an elementary education program only.
Become familiar with the English/Language Arts Endorsement requirements for secondary (6-12) teachers, and plan to complete them while you are still pursuing your BA degree. The endorsement requirements do not lead to a BA in English; however, they can be coordinated with English BA requirements. You should speak with an English adviser about planning.
Get substantive
experience observing and participating in middle- or high-school school
classroom. You can arrange these experiences on your own, work with the UW
Pipeline Project,
or become involved by participating in the Community
Literacy Program,
coordinated by UW English faculty member Elizabeth
Simmons-O'Neill. This
is an eight-credit combination of linked courses consisting of an ENGL
course (198 or 298 or 498) along with EDUC 401 (Practicum in
Community
Service) in which you'll work with school children in high-needs schools
as well as engaging in academic reading, research, presentation and
writing related to your
work
in the
schools. Now in its 19th year, the Community Literacy Program is part
of the "elementary education strand" for students planning to
enter the Teacher
Education Program in the University of Washington's College of Education.
This program is available in Winter and Spring quarters.
There are other ways to enrich your undergraduate education with classroom and volunteer experiences:
UW Inner Pipeline Seminars provide opportunities for tutoring and teaching
The Dream
Project is
a student-initiated school outreach program
Completing a minor in Education,
Learning, and Society provides
background in areas such as child development, schooling and society, and
how environment and culture shape learning.
Once you are
in your final stages of completing your BA
in English, satisfying
the English/Language Arts Secondary
Teaching Endorsement requirements,
and completing all other
required prerequisites
for the teacher certification master's or post baccalaureate programs in
which you're interested ,
you'll be ready to apply to a teacher education program and earn your certification
for secondary education.
Most graduate programs accept applications just once per year. Be sure to check the application deadlines for each school to which you plan to apply.
See our page called The Basics for more information.
Speak with an English adviser and plan to attend an information session at the UW College of Education's Teacher Education Program.
For
official information about Residency Certification and Professional Certification
see the website for the Superintendent of
Public Instruction.
No, you can pursue teacher certification through any OSPI-approved undergraduate,
post baccalaureate, or master's program -- however, the University
of Washington Seattle College of Education Teacher Education Program
(TEP) offers
only a master's in teaching (MIT) program for teacher certification;
there are no undergraduate options. Click
here for OSPI's list of other institutions in Washington that offer approved
teacher certification
programs.
According to the Washington Administrative Code, an endorsement
means “a
specification placed on a certificate to indicate the subject area, grade
level and/or specialization for which the individual is prepared to teach.” Teachers
certified in elementary education have an elementary 'endorsement' (qualification
to teach K-8 level reading, math, science, social studies, etc.), whereas
teachers certified in secondary education have one or more subject-area endorsements,
such as English Language Arts, Biology, History, etc. For more information
about endorsements, visit UW's College of Education's Teacher
Education Program site.
The purpose of endorsement requirements is
(1) “To align requirements for endorsements with the state’s
learning goals and the essential academic learning requirements;**
(2) “To maintain rigorous standards for obtaining endorsements; and
(3) “To provide school districts with teachers who are able to demonstrate
a positive impact on student learning.”
** For information about the Essential Academic Learning Requirements (EALRs),
see the Washington State Commission on Student Learning Web site: http://www.k12.wa.us
The credit you receive in your undergraduate studies is applied to the endorsement subject area/s you want to teach (pending approval when you enter a teacher education program). According to the Washington Administrative Code, “course work used to meet endorsement requirements must be completed through a regionally accredited college/university” and “only course work in which an individual received a grade of C (2.0) or higher or a grade of pass on a pass-fail system of grading shall be counted toward the course work required for the approved endorsement program.” The teacher certification program in which you prepare for your initial teaching certificate recommends your endorsement(s) to the state. Again, endorsement course work, in general, must be completed before you enter your teacher certification program. For information on the English Language Arts teaching endorsement for the UW Seattle, click here.
In general, yes: the UW Seattle's Teacher Education Program is a full-time, cohort program. Consult the UW Seattle Teacher Education Program at edinfo@u.washington.edu for questions or for additional information.
The Elementary education endorsement covers grade levels K-8; the Secondary Level endorsements (subject specific) cover grade levels 6–12. Those who wish to teach middle school can do so with either an elementary certificate (K-8) or a secondary certificate (6-12). Speak with staff in the UW Teacher Education Program if you are interested in middle-school teaching and are not sure which type of certificate would be best for you.
for prospective teachers