What is the High School Field-Based Certification program?
The High School Field-Based Certification program is offered in the College of Education to English, Spanish, Life Science, Science, Mathematics and Social Studies majors who want to obtain a teaching certificate in any one of the areas mentioned and teach grade levels from eight to twelfth grade. Please visit the State Board for Educator Certification web site to download the content and pedagogy test frameworks
Who is the High School Program coordinator? Maria Elena Reyes, Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Curriculum & Instruction
College of Education, Rm. 2.658
The University of Texas Pan American
1201 West University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541-2999
Phone: 956-380-8768
Fax: 956-381-2434
Email: mereyes2@utpa.edu
How do I get program advice?
Call or email either Dr. Reyes and make an appointment for advisement. Please note that you will need to bring your transcript, degree plan, and college of education application if you are entering the program for the first time. If you have already completed block I then you do not need to bring the extra documentation.
The High School Field-Based Program is a three-block program aligned to the 8-12 Pedagogy Professional Responsibilities standards (http://www.excet.nesinc.com/PDFs/TE_FacManAppendixC_fld130.pdf).
Block I prepares students for ethical, legal issues, professional development and knowledge about human development and learning theories to plan for classroom instruction and assessment. Block II focuses in the implementation of instruction and assessment as well as classroom management procedures. Student teaching takes place during Block III.
Block I, Block II, Block III courses name, sequence, and schedule is as follows:
The High School Field-Based Program is a three-block program. Block I is composed of three courses: EDHS 4301, EDHS 4302 and READ 4351. Block II has two courses: EDHS 4303 and EDHS 3305. These courses are offered Monday and Wednesday from 7:45 AM to 11:50 AM. This allows students to take additional courses on their degree plan that they need to complete late in the afternoon and-or Tuesday and Thursday. It is important to know that these courses are field-based and it means that students will go the field (i.e., a designated middle school 8th grade and/or high school 9th-12th grade) six to seven days (Wednesdays) during the semester. Typically, field-based visits start the 4th week of the semester and will run up to the 10th week. Students will observe the dressing professional code required of the public schools.
Block III is equivalent to Internship II or Student Teaching. The Block includes a seminar (EDHS 4398) to facilitate the intern’s integration of the supervised internship experience and the program’s professional curriculum for high school teacher certification. This seminar is scheduled to take place one day a week in the evening from 4:30 – 7:00 pm and must be taken concurrently with EDHS 4399 (Supervised Internship II: High School 8-12). During Block III, the Intern is placed in a state-accredited public school all day under the guidance of an experienced classroom teacher (mentor) and a university supervisor for a minimum of twelve (12) weeks.
What is field observation?
During Block I, students will complete 6 days of field observation. Thus, if class is scheduled on M/W during field students will come to class on Monday and go out to a school to observe an actual teacher on Wednesday from 7:30 – 1:00 PM instead of coming to class. The Office of Field Experience will arrange field experience placements for all students and each class section will be assigned to a particular school. An orientation to the school will take place the first day of field observation. Please note that all students must obtain a TB test before they can begin field observations. Prior to the beginning field observation, all students must provide the professor coordinating the field observation with the results of a TB test.
You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. UTPA offers Bachelor’s degrees with teacher certification. Every student who intends to be a teacher in the State of Texas must have a degree with an academic major, as well as a pedagogical certification course sequence. The only exemption from the degree requirement is for individuals seeking Career and Technology certification to teach certain courses, such as welding or computer-aided drafting
You must go through an approved program. These programs are offered through colleges and universities, school districts, regional service centers, community colleges, and other entities. UTPA prides itself in providing future teachers with quality Education courses that integrate instructional technology and constructivist pedagogical practices for optimal knowledge and skills for K-12 students.
You must successfully complete the appropriate teacher certification tests for the subject and grade level you wish to teach.For a list of the certification tests and information on which tests are required.
The TExES exam is the exam you have to take to become a certified teacher in Texas. You must pass both the content area exam and the Pedagogy and Professional Responsibilities (PPR) exam to be certified.
Texas Administrative Code §230.5(b) requires every person seeking educator certification to perform satisfactorily on comprehensive examinations. The purpose of these examinations is to ensure that each educator has the prerequisite content and professional knowledge necessary for an entry-level position in Texas public schools.
The Texas Examinations of Educator Standards is a criterion-referenced examinations designed to measure a candidate’s knowledge in relation to an established criterion rather than to the performance of other candidates.
TExES test results are reported using a total test scaled score as follows:
Your results for each TExES test are reported as a score in the range of 100–300, with a total test scaled score of 240 as the minimum passing score.
Scaled scores are used to allow for comparison of scores on the same content-area test taken on different administration dates. Scaled scores also allow for comparison across test fields. The minimum passing score represents the minimum level of competency required to be an entry-level educator in Texas public schools in the field in which you tested.
To learn more about the TExES exam go to: http://www.excet.nesinc. com/TE_viewSG_opener.asp.
You will find preparation manuals for any test you need to take. Each manual describes how the test was designed, what types of questions you will need to answer and sample tests which are very helpful in preparing for the exam.
Dr. Maria Elena Reyes, Coordinator
Professor
Department of Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education, Rm. 2.658
1201 W. University Drive
Edinburg, Texas 78541
