Department of Education

Dean: Kathrine Kramer
Office: Education Hall 101
Telephone: 262-650-4917
Fax: 262-524-7571
E-mail: kkramer@carrollu.edu

Department Faculty

Undergraduate Program in Education

The Teacher Education Program (TEP) at Carroll University develops professional educators who use their knowledge, skills, and dispositions to serve diverse communities of learners. Our program fosters in candidates a commitment to the understanding that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, and we further encourage our candidates to dedicate themselves to be advocates for learning. Using developmentally appropriate and educationally effective approaches and guided by state and national standards, our candidates create environments that prepare learners to contribute to a democratic and equitable society in an increasingly interdependent and global world.

Throughout the Teacher Education Program, candidates develop the essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions as described in the Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) Model Core Teaching Standards (CCSSO, 2011). These standards are used as a resource when reflecting upon teaching practice, professional growth, and when constructing program assessments. Students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in the following teaching standards:

• Learner development
• Learning differences
• Learning environments
• Content knowledge
• Application of content
• Assessment
• Planning for instruction
• Instructional strategies
• Professional learning and ethical practice
• Leadership and collaboration

Furthermore, the School of Education and Human Services at Carroll University strives to model and facilitate the development of core values that will help candidates transform from their previous role as students in yesterday’s classrooms to tomorrow’s educational leaders. Four core values that are integral to preparing candidates to be excellent educators and collaborative colleagues include: Constructivist Perspective; Critical Consciousness; Educational Advocacy; and, Professional Integrity.

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) approves the Teacher Education Program at Carroll. Because the DPI may revise its requirements for teacher licensing at any time, the Teacher Education Programs are subject to change. Students must maintain contact with their education advisor/mentor to learn about changes related to licensure requirements.

Admission and Retention in the Teacher Education Program (TEP)¹

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction requires all teacher education candidates in the state of Wisconsin to meet certain standards to be admitted and retained in a teacher education program (TEP) and to be admitted to a student teaching semester. Admission to the Carroll University TEP requires formal application by all students seeking licensure. Full-time Carroll undergraduate students are encouraged to apply in the spring of their sophomore year. All other students should apply as soon as they have completed 40 credits, including at least 12 credits in Carroll University courses. An appointment should be made with an Education advisor/mentor to obtain information regarding policies, procedures, and timelines for the application process. Students are cautioned that careful planning is necessary to avoid additional semesters or summer course work to finish the program.

 ¹ Admission, retention and student teaching requirements are summarized here. The Teacher Education Handbook, available from the Undergraduate Education Program Canvas page or the Education Office, contains all specific requirements.

Program Admission

To be eligible for program admission students need to have the following:

• Completed at least 40 undergraduate credits (with at least 12 taken at Carroll) with a minimum grade point average of 2.75. 
• Successful completion ofEDU 202 .
• Successful completion or concurrent enrollment in EDU 210 .
• A grade of C or better in ENG 170  and all education major and minor courses. 
• Completion of 150 hours of documented contact time with children. Experiences may include teaching, coaching, tutoring, or other forms of educational service to children or to schools. Volunteer work that is done to benefit children is also considered evidence of existing commitment.
• Successful completion of Phase I Assessment.
• Approval of the program plan by the student’s education advisor.
• Completed Teacher Education program application.

Students are admitted to the TEP before enrolling in upper-level 300-level education courses. Students who leave the University for one year or more are required to reapply for admission to the TEP. The criteria for re-admission will be those in effect at the time of reapplication. Application deadlines are September 25 or January 25 each year.

Students not admitted to the Teacher Education Program on their first attempt are eligible to reapply. If students are denied on their second application, however, they may not reapply to the Teacher Education Program. Students who are unsuccessful in admission to, or continuation in, any part of the TEP have the right of appeal, using the grade appeal procedure contained in the Student Handbook. All students who are unsuccessful in the TEP have access to alternative career counseling through their Education advisor/mentor and through Career Services.

Program Guidelines

Students who plan to enter and complete the TEP are expected to demonstrate appropriate ethical and professional behavior throughout their university years, and particularly during their course work, fieldwork, and other professional experiences in education. A pattern of ethical lapses may affect admission to or retention in the TEP in respective stages. In their Phase I assessment, submitted upon application to enter the TEP, students are asked to demonstrate evidence of their existing commitments to the field of education. This is accomplished, in part, by documenting high school and/or university experiences with children prior to entering the TEP. 

All students are expected to:

• Engage in formal or informal experiences, service work with children or in schools prior to applying to the TEP
• Present all required program application materials by established deadlines
• Submit satisfactory Phase I, Phase II and Phase III assessments, each with a maximum of one revision
• Successfully complete EDU 210  and EDU 311  or EDU 312  or EDU 353 . Students may only retake EDU 311  or EDU 312  or EDU 353  once.
• Undergo a background and criminal history check prior to being placed in fieldwork and student teaching courses
• Demonstrate punctuality, dependability, and professional integrity in the completion of courses and course assignments, and in all field placements
• Follow university rules pertaining to social conduct, classroom conduct, and academic integrity
• Maintain ethical, professional, and respectful behavior in all contacts with school children, school personnel, university peers and faculty, and professional colleagues

Program Retention

The TEP requires that students demonstrate knowledge, skills and dispositions toward teaching. All Elementary Education major and Secondary Education major course work must be completed with a grade of C or better. In addition to a minimum overall GPA of 2.75, students must demonstrate professional behavior throughout their university years. Reference to these criteria can be found in the Teacher Education Handbook. The Education Department reserves the right to counsel students out of the program when appropriate.

Due to the complexities of both university and state requirements, students need to meet with an Education advisor/mentor consistently throughout their university programs in order to develop a workable program plan of coursework. Carroll University coursework for the Teacher Education Program may be completed in four years only with very careful and early planning. Winter and/or summer attendance may be necessary. Because education students engage in significant amounts of fieldwork in conjunction with the coursework in education, the planning process is also extremely important to permit scheduling of fieldwork. Students need to maintain continual contact with an Education advisor and mentor in order to update their plans and to ensure that any changes in the DPI requirements are incorporated into the student’s program.

Student Teaching Admission

Admission to the student teaching semester requires a grade of C or better in all Education major and minor courses and a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. Candidates must demonstrate their content knowledge by earning a GPA of 3.0 in coursework related to licensure area(s) or successfully complete the required Praxis II test(s) in the appropriate licensure area(s). Language candidates must successfully complete ACTFL to demonstrate oral proficiency. A list of major courses required for the 3.0 GPA (including designated support courses related to the major) can be found on the Undergraduate Education Program Information Canvas page. Students applying for student teaching must submit their Phase II assessment. Application deadlines are November 15 or April 15 each year. Those students who are not accepted into student teaching have the option to complete a degree in Educational Studies; no teaching license is granted with this major.

The student teaching semester is a full-time, 18-20 week semester-length experience, which follows the semester calendar used by the school in which the student is placed. School calendars are frequently very different from the university calendar. Fall student teachers may begin as early as mid-August, and finish their placement in late January. These students will receive their degrees when student teaching is completed and participate in the commencement ceremony in May following the student teaching semester. Students who complete their student teaching during the spring semester are required to begin mid-January and teach into June to be endorsed for a Wisconsin teaching license. These students will participate in the commencement ceremony in May and receive their degrees when student teaching is completed.

One K-12 semester in the senior year must be reserved solely for student teaching. All required coursework for the major and minor must be completed prior to student teaching. No other courses may be taken during any part of the student teaching semester, unless approved by the Director of Undergraduate Programs. The Education Program Coordinator arranges student teaching assignments in schools within approximately a 30 mile radius of the campus. Students must provide their own transportation to the placement site(s). During the student teaching semester, candidates will complete the Phase III performance based assessment required for licensure in the state of Wisconsin.

To obtain a Wisconsin teaching license, students must meet all applicable DPI requirements, including any new requirements, which may be introduced by the DPI while the student is enrolled in a Carroll University program. Any substitutions of courses or variations in a student’s program must be approved by the Registrar and by the Department Chair to assure eligibility for a teaching license. Students must complete all TEP requirements and all university degree requirements to receive any teaching license.