Department of Teacher Preparation

Program Overview

The Cannon-Clary College of Education offers programs leading to the Bachelor of Arts in early childhood/special education integrated birth-kindergarten, elementary, middle-level and secondary education. Content areas include licensure in art , drama/speech , English , family and consumer sciences , French , kinesiology and health , mathematics , music education-instrumental , music education-vocal , chemistry , social science , Spanish , and theatre .

Arkansas Teacher Licensure

Students completing the Teacher Preparation Program (which includes - but is not limited to successfully meeting competencies for novice teachers, field experiences, internship, Arkansas cut-scores on appropriate Praxis assessments, and degree conferred) will be recommended for standard Arkansas Licensure for five years.

Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program

All students seeking licensure must apply for and be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program. Criteria for admission to and retention in the Teacher Preparation Program include emotional stability; ability to communicate effectively through speaking and writing; personal, social, moral, and ethical fitness; general intellectual ability; and field experiences.

For admission to the Teacher Preparation Program, a student must:

1. Be enrolled at Harding University.
2. File a formal application for admission into the program in the Teacher Preparation office.
   
   The following deadlines apply to applications for the Teacher Preparation Program:
   
      Fall semester: August 1*
      Spring semester: November 1
      Summer semester: April 1
   
   *Students should apply for admission to the Teacher Preparation Program by the end of the freshman year or upon declaration of education as a major. Transfer students should immediately apply for admission to the program.
3. Submit a curriculum plan showing a program of study approved by the academic advisor to the chair of Teacher Preparation in Thornton Education Center 130.
4. Have a 2.7 or higher GPA at the time of admission.
5. Demonstrate appropriate dispositions of an educator through the completion of a disposition instrument(s) and through faculty recommendations.
6. Demonstrate proficiency in English by completing ENG 1100  or ENG 1110  and ENG 2110  with a grade of C or higher.
7. Demonstrate proficiency in oral communication by completing COMM 1010  with a grade of C or higher.
8. Demonstrate proficiency in mathematics by completing MATH 1200  or higher with a grade of C or higher.
9. Complete EDFD 2020  and EDFD 2030  with a grade of C or higher.
10. Be free of mental or physical conditions inimical to effective teaching.
11. Meet acceptable standards of adjustment in the areas of personal, social, moral and ethical behavior. Personal interviews may be required to make evaluations in these areas.
12. Submit four completed faculty recommendation forms, at least two of which should be from faculty in the student’s major academic area.

The Initial Teacher Preparation Leadership Team may impose further standards not specified in this catalog or change present standards as the need arises in order to conform to the regulations of the Arkansas Department of Education for teacher licensure. Such changes become a part of the Teacher Preparation Program requirements at the time specified by the council or Arkansas Department of Education (ADE).

To be Retained in the Teacher Preparation Program

Continuation in the Teacher Preparation Program is based on maintaining the requirements for initial admission to the program. Failure to maintain these requirements will result in probation or suspension from the Teacher Preparation Program.

If there is an indication of inappropriate behavior, questionable personal characteristic or concern, the Admission and Retention committee will determine what action, if any, should be taken. Choice of actions may include one of the following:

1. Monitor specific behaviors or accomplishments.
2. Arrange an interview with a committee composed of representatives from the Admission and Retention committee, one student, one faculty member from the student’s academic major, and one faculty member from the College of Education.
3. Place student on probation with specific expected behavior, course of study, minimum GPA required, or other action to be completed in order to continue in the Teacher Preparation Program.
4. Drop student from the Teacher Preparation Program. This would also result in the student being unable to complete the internship semester.

Teacher Preparation Appeals Process

1. The Admission and Retention Committee will notify in writing the decision regarding a student’s admission, terms of probation for admission, or suspension from the Teacher Preparation Program or the internship semester.
2. Notice of probation or suspension may be appealed in writing within 24 hours to the chair of the Initial Teacher Preparation Leadership Team, or the student forfeits that right. Also, a student who fails to appear within 15 minutes of the arranged time and place of the appeals meeting will forfeit the right of appeal.
3. The chair of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education shall schedule a time and place for the appeals meeting with the student and members of the committee. The appeals meeting should take place as soon as possible, but not sooner than 24 hours after the appeal is made. A quorum shall consist of one-half plus one of the members of the committee. In every way, the appeal shall be conducted in a fair, orderly and reasonable manner.
4. The chair of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education shall conduct the meeting and shall vote only in case of ties.
5. A student who appeals shall be required to affirm the truth of his or her testimony.
6. A student is permitted a maximum of two witnesses. Witnesses shall be required to affirm the truth of their testimony. The committee may also call two witnesses.
7. The appeal shall be recorded. Students and witnesses will affirm that they understand that the session will be recorded.
8. Both parties shall have reasonable opportunity for questioning of witnesses.
9. Presentation of the appeal shall be as follows:
   1. The nature of the probation or suspension will be presented by the chair of the Admission and Retention Committee.
   2. The student states his or her reasons for making the appeal.
   3. Both student and chair may be questioned by the committee.
   4. After all questions have been asked, both student and chair will give brief closing remarks.
10. The meeting will be open to the appealing party, witnesses with relevant information to present, and members of the Administrative Council for Teacher Education. Neither legal counsel, guardian, nor parents of the student making the appeal shall be permitted to appear before this committee.
11. Following the appeal, the Administrative Council for Teacher Education will meet in closed session. The committee will inform the student of its decision in writing. This decision shall be final.

Admission to the Internship II Semester

Admission to the Teacher Preparation Program does not guarantee retention.

One semester before the supervised teaching semester, request for admission to supervised teaching must be made by filing the required application forms with the Office of Professional Field Experiences. The following deadlines apply: For supervised teaching during a fall semester, applications must be submitted by March 1. For supervised teaching during a spring semester, applications must be submitted by October 1. If the student does not student teach the semester of application, the student must reapply for Internship II.

To be admitted to and to complete the supervised teaching semester, students must:

1. Be admitted to the Teacher Preparation Program.
2. File a formal application for admission in the Teacher Preparation Office, Thornton Education Center 130, before the listed deadlines.
3. Have approval of the advisor in their major.
4. File a curriculum plan in the office of the chair of undergraduate Teacher Preparation showing a program of study which has the approval of their advisor.
5. Complete “Conditions of Supervision for the Internship I / Internship II Statement of Understanding” form.
6. Complete all cataloged prerequisites to the supervised teaching semester.
7. Complete Arkansas licensure and College of Education requirements in their academic major. Family and consumer sciences majors must have 32 hours of the family and consumer sciences requirements completed.
8. Have a 2.7 or higher GPA.
9. Have a 2.7 or higher GPA in the major and additional licensure area. For the elementary (K-6), middle level (4-8) and secondary education (P-12 or 7-12) majors, have a 2.7 or higher GPA in the professional, content and specialization courses required for the major.
10. Have a grade of C or higher in each required professional education course, including all field experiences.
11. File a request for degree with the registrar.
12. It is highly recommended that licensure exams be taken before student teaching.

Supervised Teaching Semester

During the supervised teaching semester, elementary education majors must enroll in SPED 4190 , ECED 4110 , and ELED 4410 . Middle level education majors must enroll in MLED 4420  and SEED 4510 . Secondary education majors must enroll in SEED 4510  or SEED 4610 , and SEED 4800 . Special Methods for Secondary Teachers, FLAN 4100  and FLAN 4200 , SEED 4200 , SEED 4230 , SEED 4240 , SEED 4250 , SEED 4260 , SEED 4270 , SEED 4280 , SEED 4290 , and SEED 4300  must be taken prior to or concurrent with the supervised teaching semester. Most of these courses are offered once during a calendar year. Courses required in the supervised teaching semester must be taken in residence at Harding unless otherwise approved by the dean of the College of Education. Candidate must earn a grade of C or higher in the above professional education and field experiences courses.

Program Examinations

By action of the Arkansas General Assembly, all appropriate licensure test scores, including appropriate specialty area tests, must be submitted to the Arkansas Department of Education in each area for which licensure is sought. Individual student’s score reports must be on file in the Office of Institutional Testing. Elementary K-6 must take the Pearson Foundations of Reading test. French and Spanish licensure candidates must take the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI).

Degree Completion Program

The Degree Completion in Education program provides an option to complete a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood/Special Education Integrated, K-6 Elementary, or 4-8 Middle Level from anywhere in the state of Arkansas through our online program. In order to cater to all lifestyles and career placements, classes are set up in 8-week cycles with a mix of asynchronous and synchronous classes offered in the evenings. Upon admission to Harding University and through our seamless transfer process, individualized degree plans are created for each student. Financial aid is also available. Students who have completed an associate degree and have completed all required coursework can enroll in the 2+2 program. Students who have not completed an associate degree must complete all required coursework and a minimum of 60 hours of college credit to enroll. For more information, email DCeducation@harding.edu.

Secondary Education

To receive licensure for K-12 or 7-12, the student must complete one of the appropriate academic majors which are listed within their home college.

For more information about the secondary education offerings, see the Secondary Education, (Licensure)  page

Faculty

Chair: Cheri Smith, Ed.D.

Professors:

Wendy Ellis, Ed.D.
     Director of Reading
Raymond “Donny” Lee, Ed.D.

Associate Professors:

Amy Adair, Ed.D.
Leeann Howard, Ed.D.
Cheri Smith, Ed.D.
     Chair of Teacher Preparation Program and Director of Elementary, Middle Level
Steve Warren, Ed.D.
     Director of Secondary Education

Assistant Professors:

Adam Baker, M.Ed.
Allen Henderson, Ed.D.
     Director of the Lewis “Tony” Finley STEM Center
Pam Voss, Ed.D.
     Director of the Northwest Arkansas Professional Center

Instructors:

Allison Parker, M.Ed.
     Director of Watson Center
Matthew Perring, M.S.E.

Programs

• Early Childhood/Special Education Integrated (B-K) Major (SEBK), BA
• Education Studies Major (Non-licensure) (EDNL), BA
• Elementary Education, K-6 Major (ELEM), BA
• Middle Level Education English/Language Arts/Math Major 4-8 (MLEM), BA
• Middle Level Education English/Language Arts/Science Major 4-8 (MLEL), BA
• Middle Level Education English/Language Arts/Social Sciences Major 4-8 (MLES), BA
• Middle Level Education Math/Science Major 4-8 (MLMS), BA
• Middle Level Education Science/Social Sciences Major 4-8 (MLSS), BA
• Middle Level Education Social Sciences/Math Major 4-8 (MLSM), BA

• Education Studies Minor