Trinity Christian College

EDUCATION AND SPECIAL EDUCATION PROGRAM INFORMATION

Elementary Education	Secondary Education
Special Program (K-12 certification)	Special Education (K-12 certification)
Special Education Minor	Double Major Certification
Education "Gates"	ESL/Bilingual Interdisciplinary

ELEMENTARY EDUCATION (K - 9 CERTIFICATION)

Many elementary education course requirements overlap with Trinity’s general graduation requirements.

The Elementary Education major consists of 78 hours:
Computer Science 109; Education 201, 203, 303, 310, 313, 335, 380, 450, 454; Special Education 216;

Required Cognates:
Biology 100; Communication Arts 101; English 312; Geology 101, 201; History 280; Mathematics 109, 110, 280; Physical Education 140; Physics 101; Political Science 201; Psychology 123; and Science 280.

The Education Department strongly recommends a double major in Special Education or a Minor in Special Education, math, science, or ESL/Bilingual. See requirements in each discipline. (18-22 hours.)

Middle Grades Endorsements:
A middle grades endorsement is a teaching subject listed on an Illinois teaching certifi cate that enables a graduate to teach that subject in the middle grades (5-8). To earn a middle grades endorsement, students complete 18 semester-hours of coursework in that subject area plus an additional six semester-hours in adolescent psychology and middle-grades schooling philosophy and methods. At Trinity, three of the six additional hours are met by taking Education 335. The remaining three hours are “embedded” in Psychology 123, Education 303, Education 310 or 311, and Education 380. Students who take any of these four courses at another institution must prove to the certifi cation offi cer that the transferred course(s) meet the requirements for a middle grades endorsement. Specifi c middle grades endorsement information can be found on the Education Unit Home site.

SECONDARY EDUCATION (6 - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students choose one of the following major areas:
Biology education, business education, chemistry education, english education, history education, or mathematics education

Secondary education students must fulfill all of the following general education, major, and minor courses:

General Education Courses (required courses as part of the College’s General Education
Curriculum), Communication Arts 101; Psychology 123.
Note: History Education majors must also complete Geology 201.

The Education minor consists of 33 hours:
Computer Science 109; Education, 203, 303, 311, 335, 380, 454, 455; Special Education 216
Note: English Education majors must also complete Education 310 as part of the education minor.

Middle Grades Endorsements: (see the above information)

Secondary Endorsements: Secondary endorsements can be added to any secondary or K-12
certificate. Secondary endorsements require at least 24 credit hours and a content area test or a second major of at least 32 credit hours. The social science and science designations have more specific requirements. Specific information can be found on the Education Unit Home site.

K-12 SPECIALIST (K - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students choose one of the following major areas:
Art education, music education (choral or instrumental emphasis), physical education, Spanish education. K-12 specialist students must fulfi ll all of the following general education, major, and minor courses:

General Education Courses (required courses as part of the College’s General Education
Curriculum Communication Arts 101; Psychology 123.)

The Education minor consists of 33 hours:
Computer Science 109; Education, 203, 303, 311, 335, 380, 454, 455; Special Education 216

Middle Grades Endorsements: (see information above)

Secondary Endorsements: (see information above)

SPECIAL EDUCATION (K - 12 CERTIFICATION)

Students receive a K-12 Learning Behavior Specialist I certifi cate to which they may add endorsements. The Education Department strongly recommends that students interested in special education double major in either Elementary, Secondary, or a K-12 specialist major area. Many special education major requirements overlap with Trinity’s general graduation requirements.

The Special Education major consists of 81 hours:
General Education Courses (required courses as part of the College’s General Education Curriculum) Biology 100; Communication Arts 101; Mathematics 109, 110; Physics 101; Psychology 123.

Special Education Major
Education 310, 311; Special Education 111, 217, 314, 315, 316, 317, 319, 330, 380, 420.

The Education Minor consists of 28 hours:
Computer Science 109; Education, 203, 303, 335, 454; Special Education 216, 450, 455.

Middle Grades Endorsements: (see information above)

Secondary Endorsements: (see information above)

A Special education minor consists of 24 hours:
Special Education 216, 217, 314, 316, 330, Special Education electives (6 hours); Psychology 123.

Double Major Certification —Special Education (K-12 certification) Learning Behavior Specialist I and Elementary (K-9) or Secondary/K-12 Specialist

The Education Department strongly recommends that students double major in special education. Students who double major student teach in two separate placements (five hours each).

The Special Education double major must complete the program requirements of both majors.

The ESL/Bilingual Interdisciplinary Minor

The ESL/Bilingual Interdisciplinary Minor consists of 21 hours. All ESL/BL minors take required courses together. However, students choose between a bilingual endorsement or an ESL endorsement by the type of Field Experience completed.

Education 107 (or 108), 225, 340/540, 341/541, 342/542, 345/545; English 211; Communication Arts 250 or Psychology 252.

Education Studies minor

The education studies minor is designed for students who are interested in the teaching and learning process, but do not want teacher certifi cation.. This minor may be of particular interest to Church and Ministry Leadership majors who may eventually be responsible for education programs, for Math, History, or English majors interested in teaching at the college level, and for Communication or Business majors pursuing careers that may some day involve training coworkers. Due to program overlap, students who major in Elementary Education or Special Education cannot minor in education studies.

Required courses:
Computer Science 109; Education 203, 303; Psychology 123; Special Education 216;
Two from: Education 310, 311, 335, 380;
One from: Communication Arts 250; Education 340; Psychology 252; Sociology 260; Theology 242.

Education “Gates”

Gate 1

Intent to Apply	Traditional	Adult Studies
1. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5	Semester of CPSC 109	End of 1st term
2. A grade point average of at least 2.5 in Professinal Education courses completed to date: (typically CPSC 109, but could also include EDUC 203, and/or SPED 216).	Semester of CPSC 109	End of 1st term
3. Evidence of having registered for or passed the Illinois Basic Skills Test	Freshman year	By program orientation
4. Criminal background check	Prior to field placement	Prior to field placement
5. Digital portfolio: CPSC/AEDU 109 requirements	In CPSC 109	In AEDU 109
6. Signed commitment to Professional Disposition	In CPSC 109	At program orientation

Gate 2

Application to the Teacher Education Program is normally completed during the second semester of the sophomore year (traditional) or at the end of the second term (adult studies).

Admission to the Teacher Education Program	Traditional	Adult Studies
1. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5	To date	To date
2. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 in the Professional Education courses completed to date: typically CPSC/AEDU 109, EDUC/AEDU 203, EDUC/AEDU 303, and SPED/AEDU 216 Students must achieve at least a C- in all Professional Education courses. Students may repeat a Professional Education course only once. Students may repeat only two Professional Education courses.	To date	To date
3. A grade point average of at least 2.5 in English 103-104	To date	To date
4. Passing score on the Illinois Basic Skills Test	At application	To date
5. Recommendation of the education faculty	At application with prior input from professional education faculty	At application with prior input from professional education faculty
6. Professional Dispositions Assessment a. From non-education faculty, and b. By the student applicant	a. At application b. With application	a. At application b. In AEDU 203
7. Digital portfolio: passing score on at least 2 uploaded artifacts with reflections	In CPSC 109 and EDUC 203 or SPED 216	In AEDU 303 and AEDU 109

Gate 3

Admission to the Internship	Traditional	Adult Studies
1. Admittance to the Teacher Education Program	1 year prior to internship	1 year prior to internship
2. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5	To date	To date
3. A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5 in the Professional Education courses completed to date: typically CPSC/AEDU 109, EDUC/AEDU 203, EDUC/AEDU 303, and SPED/AEDU 216 Students must achieve at least a C- in all Professional Education courses. Students may repeat a Professional Education course only once. Students may repeat only two Professional Education courses.	To date	To date
4. Methods courses completed	To date	To date
5. At least 200 clock hours of field experience	Prior to internship	95 hrs. required prior to 105 hr preclinical placement
6. A minimum of one full-time semester of course work (including at least one education course and one course in the candidate’s minor or specialization) at Trinity prior to student teaching	Prior to internship	In program
7. A grade point average of 2.7 in specialization for K-12 and Secondary students. A grade point average of 2.7 in Elementary core and minor for Elementary students.	To date	To date
8. Recommendation from the chair of the student’s area of minor for elementary education students or area of specialization for secondary and special (K-12) students	At application Name submitted by candidate	At application Name submitted by Director of Adult Studies Education program
9. Professional Dispositions Assessment from education faculty	At application with prior input from education faculty	At application with prior input from education faculty
10. Digital portfolio: passing score on at least 6 uploaded artifacts with reflections	CPSC 109, EDUC 203, SPED 216, EDUC 310/311, 380 (2)	AEDU 303, 203, 109, 310/311, 335, 380 (2)
11. Passing score on Illinois Subject Area test(s)	At least 6 months prior to internship	At least 6 months prior to internship

Gate 4A

Exit from the Internship	Traditional	Adult Studies
1. Successful completion of AEDU/EDUC 450/455	End of course via Cooperating Teacher & College Supervisor Evaluations	End of course via Cooperating Teacher & College Supervisor Evaluations
2. Successful completion of AEDU/EDUC 454	End of course via course grade	End of course via course grade

Gate 4B

Program Completion	Traditional	Adult Studies
1. Achieved a 2.5 or higher cumulative GPA	End of program	End of program
2. Successful completion of AEDU/EDUC 454	End of program	End of program
3. Achieved a 2.5 or higher English 103/104 GPA	End of program	End of program
4. Achieved a 2.5 or higher Professional Education courses GPA	End of program	End of program
5. Completed all coursework	End of program	End of program
6. Passed the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) Test and General Curricular Test (special education majors) and Oral Proficiency Exam (ACTFL for Spanish Education majors).	End of program	End of program
7. Completed digital portfolio requirements	End of program	End of program

Student Rights
The student who receives notice of denial at any gate may appeal that decision according to the following procedures:

1. Within two weeks, the appeal must be presented, in writing, to the director of teacher education. The appeal will be submitted to the teacher education committee.

2. The decision of the teacher education committee will be announced to the student in writing within 10 school days of receipt of the appeal.

3. Appeals beyond the teacher education committee must be directed to the chairperson of the education department and the Provost.

Please note that the student has the right to be assisted in his/her defense by an adviser, legal counsel, or representative from the campus community that he/she may choose. The student is asked to notify the director of teacher education in writing of the name and address of the party that will be serving as his/her representative.