Education

Faculty:

Chair: M. Smith; Program Coordinator: M. Leipold; Professors Emeriti: D. Albanese, P. Antonacci, D. McIllmurray; Associate Professors: A. Ciardiello, M. Leipold, M. Smith, J. Stillwagon, E. Wolfson; Assistant Professors: G. Goldberg, S. Wexler-Robock; Fieldwork Coordinators: E. Small, W. Zimmerman.

The Education Department aims to prepare teacher candidates to work with diverse populations through the development of a strong professional commitment and a disposition that all students can learn. We believe that becoming a teacher is a lifelong journey of learning and caring.

Goals for all teacher candidates in education:

The competent teacher candidate is:

knowledgeable of the content that is being taught;
an instructional guide;
a mediator of learning;
a critical thinker and problem solver;
a reflective practitioner;
an effective communicator;
committed to the teaching profession; and
committed to diversity.

The Education Department at Iona College is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education/Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (NCATE/CAEP). This accreditation applies to initial teacher preparation programs and advanced education preparation programs. NCATE/CAEP is recognized by the US Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to accredit programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional school personnel.

Graduate programs in education at Iona College prepare individuals for professional service in schools by offering a variety of degree options. Programs are available for those interested in changing careers or embarking on a career in education, as well as for teachers and school administrators who desire career advancement through provisional or permanent certification. Because of the complex nature of teacher education and state certification, students are required to sign a program plan early in their course of studies; a plan must be developed and approved prior to matriculation. Consultation for program planning is available from the graduate coordinator of the Education Department and the specialization chairperson.

All programs are approved by the New York State Education Department and satisfy the academic requirements for the New York State Teaching Certificate for specific areas

Admission

Non-Matriculated Status:

See “Academic Information - Non Matriculated ” in this catalog for requirements to be met in addition to the following:

All programs:

Applicants with a GPA of 2.6 to 2.9 may be admitted provided they present a satisfactory score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). An official copy of all college transcripts must be submitted.

For Master of Science in Teaching Programs:

Achievement of a grade of B or better in an undergraduate course in English composition, and one mathematics course. Those completing an advanced mathematics course must achieve a grade of C or better. An official copy of the transcript must be submitted. A satisfactory score on the verbal section of Praxis I or the GRE may be substituted for the required grade in English composition. A satisfactory score on the mathematics or quantitative section of Praxis I or the GRE may be substituted for the required grade in mathematics. Use of appropriate speech in the admission interview may be substituted for the required grade in Speech Communication.

For Master of Science in Education programs:

Possession of a New York State Provisional or Initial Teaching certificate.
Evidence of a Minimum of three years of full-time, paid, approved teaching and/or supervisory and/or administrative and/or pupil personnel service. Substitute positions will not be credited.

For Master of Science in Educational Leadership program:

Possession of a New York State Provisional or Initial Teaching certificate.
Evidence of a minimum of three years of full time, paid, approved teaching and/or supervisory and/or administrative and/or pupil personnel service. Substitute positions will not be credited.

Matriculated Status:

See “Academic Information - Matriculated ” in this catalog for requirements to be met, in addition to the following:

All programs:

A brief, typewritten autobiography, speaking to the candidate’s family background, educational background, work experiences and the reasons for choosing teaching as a profession.
An interview with a member of the education department.
A program plan of study signed by the adviser, and, in the case of adolescence or secondary education programs, also signed by the chair of the subject area department.
Sign a Dispositional Commitment Form.

For Master of Science in Teaching programs:

Courses in:

Art (3 credits in Art, Music, Drama or Dance-either performance or history/appreciation)
Communication (3 credits in writing)
History and Social Studies (6 credits)
Humanities (6 credits)
Foreign Language (6 credits)(May be met through CLEP or other examination programs)
Scientific and Mathematical processes (6 credits in Mathematics, 6 credits in Science or Science and Technology)

For Master of Science in Teaching, Childhood Education:

A concentration of 30 credits (including credits in the college core) in one of the liberal arts or sciences, or an interdisciplinary set of courses (to be determined).

For Master of Science in Teaching, Adolescence Education:

Completion of 21 undergraduate or graduate credits in the subject area in which certification is sought. These 21 credits are in addition to the subject area credits earned in the MST, Adolescence Education program. Based on transcript examination, evaluation of currency in the field, and other measures deemed appropriate by the subject area department, the adviser may require the student to take additional subject area courses, at the undergraduate or graduate level, which will not be credited toward the MST requirements. For biology, applicants must have 24 credits in biology and a passing grade in the following courses: General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Physics. For Social Studies, these credits must include Economics, Political Science, and at least 21 credits of United States and World History and Geography.

For Master of Science in Education programs:

Possession of the New York State Provisional or Initial Teaching Certificate

Note: The English Department usually requires up to six (6) credits of English in non-matriculated status before considering an application for matriculation in the MST program, and up to nine (9) credits for matriculation in the MS in Education program.

Continuation in the Program

Any education course, including student teaching, in which a student earns less than a ‘C’ grade must be repeated. Students enrolled in the Adolescent Education programs must earn a grade of ‘C’ or higher in their content major courses.

Throughout the program, teacher candidates are required to demonstrate the dispositions for effective teachers that are stated in the department’s Conceptual Framework. Candidates are also required to meet the ethical and professional standards expected of all educators that are found in the Code of Ethics and in the department’s statement on Plagiarism. Any failure to uphold the dispositions for effective teaching and the ethical standards for educators in the profession will result in dismissal from the program.

New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE)

Iona College Pass Rates:
Program Year: 2011-2012
LAST (Liberal Arts and Science Test): 100%
ATS-W (Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written): 100%

Statewide: 2011-2012
LAST (Liberal Arts and Science Test): 99%
ATS-W (Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written): 99%

The New York State Education Department is in the process of changing regulations and certification exams for teacher certification. Education students are required to meet regularly with their advisor to receive updates on certification requirements.

Advanced Professional Programs

The revised New York State Standards for Teacher Education Programs include a change in the title of teacher certification from provisional certificate to Initial certificate. Those holding a provisional certificate must meet the requirements indicated for that certification, and those holding an Initial certificate, issued by the revised standards, must meet the program requirements for that certification.

Continuation in a Program

All programs:

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Any education course in which a student earns less than a “B” grade, including student teaching, must be repeated.

Graduation

All programs:

Completion of all program requirements.
A minimum GPA of 3.0.
All requirements must be completed within five years from the date of admission.

New York State Teacher Certification

Passing of the Following New York State Certification Exams:

edTeached Performance Assessment (edTPA)
Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST)
Educating All Students Test (EAS)
Content Specialty Test

Completion of Child Abuse Workshop and the SAFE Workshop
Fingerprinting

The New York State Education Department is in the process of changing regulations for teacher certification. Education majors are required to meet with their advisors regularly to recieve updates regarding certification requirements

Programs

Master of Science in Education

Master of Science in Teaching