Education

The Education Department aims at preparing teacher candidates to work with diverse populations through the development of a strong professional commitment and a disposition that all students can learn. The department believes that becoming a teacher is a life-long journey of learning and caring.

Faculty

Chair: M. Smith; Program Coordinator: R. McMahon; Professors Emeriti: D. Albanese, P. Antonacci, D. McIllmurray; Associate Professors: A. Ciardiello, M. Leipold, M. Smith, E. Wolfson; Assistant Professors: C. Hardigree, A. Howerton-Fox, K. Naidoo; Clinical Faculty: D. Gunn, CFC, R. McMahon Fieldwork Coordinators: E. Small, W. Zimmerman.

Objectives

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 (NCATE), 2010 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202) 466-7496. This accreditation covers initial teacher preparation programs and advanced education preparation programs. NCATE 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.

The Education Department offers the following programs that lead to partial fulfillment of requirements for New York State Initial Teaching Certificate:

• Childhood Education (Grades 1 - 6) (HEGIS 0802)
• Dual: Early Childhood/Childhood: (Birth to Grade 6) (HEGIS 0802)
• Adolescence Education: Biology (7-12) (HEGIS 0401)
• Adolescence Education: English (7-12) (HEGIS 1501)
• Adolescence Education: Mathematics (7-12) (HEGIS 1701)
• Adolescence Education: Social Studies (7-12) (HEGIS 2201)
• Adolescence Education: Spanish (7-12) (HEGIS 1105)

Additional requirements to obtain a New York State Initial Teaching Certificate:

1. Passing of the following New York State Teacher Certification Exams:
   • edTeacher Peformance Assessment (edTPA)
   • Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST)
   • Educating All Students Test (EAS)
   • Content Specialty Test
2. Completion of Child Abuse Detection and Reporting, SAVE, and Dignity for All Students Act Workshops
3. 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 receive updates regarding certification requirements.

New York State Teacher Certification Examination (NTSYCE)

Iona College Pass Rates:

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

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

Admission to the Program

Candidates seeking admission to the approved teacher certification program must:

1. Submit the official “Request for Admissions” form.
2. Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the time of admission.
3. Have a “B” grade or better in courses in English composition, speech communications, and one mathematics course. A satisfactory score on the verbal section of ALST may be substituted for the required grade in English composition. Use of appropriate speech in the admission interview may be substituted for the required grade in speech communications.
4. Submit three letters of recommendation.
5. Have acceptable SAT or ACT scores submitted to the department.
6. Provide a well-written autobiography.
7. Be interviewed by a faculty member of the department.
8. Sign a “Dispositional Commitment Form.”
9. Provide fingerprinting documentation.

The Education Department’s Admissions Committee will evaluate all requests for admission to the program and monitor each candidate’s performance throughout the program and their professional dispositions.

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 ‘C’ or higher in at least 30 credits of their content area.

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. Any failure to uphold the dispositions for effective teaching and the ethical standards for educators in the profession will result in dismissal from the department.

Enrollment in any education course at the junior level or senior level is open to students who are fully declared as a major in an education degree program.

Admission to the Five Year Program

Candidates seeking admission to the BS/MST Adolescent Education: Chemistry Program begin in the fall semester of their junior year in fulfilling required criteria. At the end of the spring semester of the candidates’ junior year, they are required to have completed the Declaration of Major Form that includes meeting all of the admission requirements including meeting the goals and the performance outcomes attached to the key assessments in their junior year. General admission requirements may be found in the Undergraduate Catalog and include the following:

• Submit the official “Request for Admissions” form
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 at the time of admission (spring semester of the junior year)
• Have a minimum grade of “B” in English composition, speech communication, and one mathematics course.
• Submit three letters of recommendation, one submitted by Education Faculty, one from the Chemistry Department, and one submitted by Faculty outside the Education/Chemistry Departments
• Provide a well-written autobiography
• Have a successful interview with Education Faculty
• Submit a signed “Professional Commitments and Dispositions” form
• Complete a “Declaration of Major” form
• Meet all of the goals and performance outcomes addressed by key assessments in Phase I of the Program.
• Provide fingerprinting documentation
• Provide successful completion of standardized tests approved by NY State.

Continuation in the Program

Any education or content area course, including student teaching, in which a student earns less that a ‘C’ grade must be repeated.

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 of 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.

Required Subject Area Courses

Consult individual departments for courses required for each major.

BS in Adolescence Education: Biology
BS in Adolescence Education: Mathematics
BA in Adolescence Education: English
BA in Adolescence Education: Mathematics
BA in Adolescence Education: Social Studies
BA in Adolescence Education: Spanish

Programs

• Adolescence Education (Grades 7-12), BS
• Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), BS (0802)
• Early Childhood/Childhood Education (Dual) (Birth to Grade 6), BS (0802)

• Five Year, BS/Adolescent Education (Chemistry), MST