1600 Teacher Preparation

pef.gsu.edu/

The university offers a wide range of educator preparation programs for students who wish to become public school teachers. Some of these programs are administered within the College of Arts and Sciences and some are administered within the College of Education. All undergraduate educator preparation programs are overseen by the Professional Education Faculty, which has membership from both colleges and is advised by Atlanta-area schools. The undergraduate programs and college of enrollment are listed below:

Initial certification programs in behavior/learning disabilities, communications disorders (speech-language pathology), early childhood education, educational leadership, English education, mathematics education, middle level education, multiple and severe disabilities, reading specialist, school counseling, school psychology, science education, social studies education, special education, and teaching English as a second language are offered at the graduate level.

Educator preparation programs at Georgia State University are field-based; that is, much of the coursework requires structured participation in school settings. Therefore, students must be available for coursework that will be scheduled during elementary, middle, and secondary school hours, typically 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Students will find it necessary to be free of other obligations during the term of student teaching and will find it highly desirable to have few other commitments during the term in which blocks of coursework must be taken. Blocks are comprised of 6 or 12 hours of coursework, which are taken in the same academic term (i.e., fall semester only) and are field-based. Exit requirements for teacher education are satisfied by successful completion of student teaching. Additional requirements exist for specific programs.

Preparation for Prospective Teachers at the Middle Level (4-8) or Secondary Level (6-12) or of ESOL Students (P-12)

Students interested in applying to a Master of Arts in Teaching program in the Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology or who wish to explore the possibility of teaching in a content area (gr. 4-8 or 6-12) or in English as a Second Language classrooms (ESOL, preschool -12) are encouraged to take pre-education courses such as the following as part of their undergraduate preparation: EDCI 3250 Introduction to Teaching in the Secondary School; EDLA 3200 Topics in Middle Grades Language Arts; EDLA 3230 Special Topics in the Middle Level Literature Curriculum; EDLA 3240 Special Topics in the Middle Level Composition Curriculum; EDMT 3350 Topics in Middle Grades Math; EDMT 3420 Special Topics in the Middle Level Mathematics Curriculum; EDSC 3250 Topics in Middle Grades Science; EDSS 3400 Topics in Middle Grades Social Science and History; EXC 4020 Characteristics and Instructional Strategies for Students with Disabilities; or IT 3210 Teaching, Learning, and Technology Integration.

General information for preparing to teach in these areas can be found below. For more information on specific program admission requirements for the various M.A.T. programs in the Department of Middle-Secondary Education and Instructional Technology, see those program descriptions in the GSU Graduate Catalog.

English as a Second Language Education (P-12)

Prospective teachers of ESOL students in Georgia may choose any major but should complete at least two sequential semesters of a foreign language. Courses in applied linguistics and English grammar are also encouraged. Upon completion of an undergraduate degree, students should apply for the M.A.T. in Reading, Language, and Literacy Education which leads to certification as an ESOL teacher (P-12) and a reading endorsement.

Middle Level Education (4-8)

Prospective teachers of middle level education (MLE) level should focus on two content areas, either Language Arts/Social Studies or Math/Science, as part of their undergraduate preparation.

• For MLE language arts and social studies, students should major in either English or history and take at least 12 hours of upper division coursework in the second area. Within their undergraduate program, students should address the following areas: children's literature, grammar, composition, literature or folklore, geography, world history, Georgia history, and US history.
• For MLE mathematics and science, students should take at least 12 hours of mathematics and 12 hours of science as part of the undergraduate preparation. Within the undergraduate program, students should address the following areas: life science, earth science, physical science, geometry, algebra, number theory, and probability/statistics.
• Upon completion of an undergraduate degree, students should apply for the M.A.T in Middle Level Education which leads to certification in grades 4-8 in two areas of concentration (either Language Arts/Social Studies or Math/Science.)
• Students who do not follow the suggested preparation for Middle Level Education may be able to enroll in the M.A.T program, but additional coursework will be necessary prior to completion of the program and recommendation for certification.

Secondary Education (6-12)

Students interested in teaching English, Mathematics, Science, or Social Studies (history, political science, economics, or geography) at the middle and secondary level should major in Arts and Sciences in the concentration in which they would like to teach. Upon completion of an undergraduate degree, students should then apply to the appropriate Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) program in the College of Education.