To obtain teacher certification, each aggieTEACH-Arts & Sciences student must be admitted to an Educator Preparation Program (EPP), complete a content specific degree, and complete other coursework required by the Texas Administrative Code Chapter 228 Section 30. These required courses have been grouped together to form the Secondary Education (SEED)** minor offered through the Teaching Learning and Culture (TLAC) Department in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Students select a teacher certification that aligns with their major degree.
Prerequisite Course for aggieTEACH-Arts & Sciences Admission
ARSC 201 – 1 hour (Formerly SCEN 201)
Self-Directed Experiences with Adolescents. (1-3). Credit 1. Study of adolescents in diverse school and community settings; issues in physical, mental, social and emotional development; issues related to racism, sexism, and cultural diversity; development, presentation, and defense of portfolio required. Attendance at all seminars and scheduled observations required. This course also serves as the screening instrument deemed necessary by TAC Rule§227.10.8 for admission to an Educator Preparation Program (aggieTEACH-Arts & Sciences) and to help one determine if they have the aptitude for secondary mathematics or science certification.
**Students must be formally admitted to aggieTEACH-Arts & Sciences program before they can take TEFB 322, TEFB 324, and the specific Senor Methods course related to the desired certification.
Six Education Courses for minor in Secondary Education – SEED
1) INST 210 (3 hours)
Understanding Special Populations. (3-0). Credit 3. Referral, assessment and categorization of special populations including physical, cognitive and affective characteristics; cultural, ethnic, economic and linguistic differences; giftedness; special education and compensatory programs; awareness of legislative history that results in rights for special populations. Prerequisite: Sophomore classification or above.
2) INST 222 (3 hours)
Foundations of Education in a Multicultural Society. (3-0). Credit 3. Historical, philosophical and cultural foundations of education emphasizing education for a multicultural society.
3) Choose one of the following (3 hours)
- RDNG 465 – Reading in the Middle and Secondary Grades. (3-0). Credit 3. Reading needs of middle and secondary school students with emphasis upon curriculum organization for reading development and assessment of student progress in content area reading.
- RDNG 372 – Reading and Writing across the Middle Grades Curriculum. (3-0). Credit 3. Acquaints middle-grade educators to reading and writing instruction in content area education; focuses on development of grade-appropriate reading/writing competencies and educational techniques appropriate to student development in various subjects. Prerequisite: Junior classification.
- English Certification (ELAR 7-12) requires the following course:
- RDNG 371 – Multicultural & Interdisciplinary Literature in Middle Grades (3-0). Credit 3. Focuses on multicultural and interdisciplinary literature appropriate for middle grades students; implements and evaluates effective multicultural, interdisciplinary instruction through selection, use and development of literature in middle grades classroom.
Note: Students must be admitted to the aggieTEACH program to take the three required TEFB courses listed below:
See Educational Coursework Timeline for the semester planning of the three TEFB courses.
4) Clinical 1: TEFB 322 (3 hours) (For Math/Science/History/Social Studies Certifications ONLY)
Teaching and Schooling in Modern Society. (3-4). Credit 3. Development, structure, management and finance of secondary schools; historical, philosophical, ethical and moral dimensions of teaching; role of school in a democratic society; teaching as a profession. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification.
**Students seeking English Language Arts and Reading Certification will NOT take TEFB 322. Instead, there are two courses required during the Clinical 3 semester (see below).
5) Clinical 2: TEFB 324 (3 hours)
Teaching Skills II. (3-4). Credit 3. Study and development of teaching skills necessary for applying instructional strategies; teaching general strategies, assessing student learning, and analyzing and synthesizing
multiple source data; emphasis given to adolescent development and cultures and to teacher and child cultures. Prerequisites: Successful completion or concurrent enrollment in TEFB 322; junior or senior classification; formal admission to aggieTEACH-Arts & Sciences prior to taking this course.
6) Clinical 3: Choose the specific Senior Methods coursework that is correlated with desired area of certification. This course must be taken the semester immediately before clinical teaching.
- MEFB 450 (History and Social Studies Cert) – Social Studies in the Middle Grades. Credit 3. Trends and issues related to middle grades curriculum development and instruction in social studies and humanities; integration of content, planning, teaching-learning experiences; evaluation of teaching and learning in social studies. Prerequisites: MEFB 352; admission to teacher education; senior classification.
- English Certification (ELAR 7-12) requires two concurrent courses:
- RDNG 470 – Reading/Language Arts Methods in Middle Grades Education. Credit 3. Investigate current trends and issues in teaching listening, oral language, process writing, spelling, grammar and handwriting; explores relationships among the development of various language arts and the development of reading strategies and communicational competencies of middle school learners; application of best instructional practices informed by research. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification; admission to teacher education; concurrent enrollment in MEFB 450, MEFB 452, and RDNG 490.
- RDNG 490 – Assessment in Reading Instruction in Middle Grades. Credit 3. Evaluation of middle grades students reading performance; selection, understanding, and implementation of formal and informal evaluation procedures in classroom reading assessment, diagnosis, and instruction. Prerequisite: Admission to teacher education; junior or senior classification; concurrent enrollment with RDNG 470, MEFB 450, and MEFB 452.
- TEFB 406 (Science Cert)– Science in the Middle and Secondary School. (3-4). Credit 3. Methods course for the prospective secondary teacher in the physical and biological sciences; implementation of contemporary curricula. Phase IV, Practicum I. Prerequisites: Completion of Phases I, II and III of the secondary program; admission to teacher education; enrollment in science-related teaching field.
- TEFB 407 (Math Cert) – Mathematics in the Middle and Senior School. (3-4). Credit 3. Design and teach selected topics from middle and secondary school mathematics. Content, materials and methodology. Phase IV, Practicum I. Prerequisites: Completion of Phases I, II and III secondary program; admission to teacher education; enrollment
in mathematics teaching field.
Clinical 4: Clinical Teaching (also known as Student Teaching)
Clinical Teaching. Choose one of the three options. This course must be taken the semester immediately following the last semester of coursework.
Per Texas Administrative Code Chapter 228 Section 35, all students seeking Texas Teacher Certification must successfully complete a 14-week clinical teaching experience. For aggieTEACH-Science students, this requirement is fulfilled by taking one of MEFB 497, TEFB 429, or TEED 425. Supervised Clinical Teaching Students can sign up for the 6 hr, 9 hr, or 12 hr course. The number of hours in which the student registers depends upon the number of hours needed to reach the 120 hour degree requirement.
- MEFB 497 – Residency in Middle Grades Education. Credit 6. Observation and participation in an accredited public school middle grades classroom; techniques of teaching student’s teaching fields; appropriate instructional strategies for assigned student population. May be taken two times. Prerequisites: Completion of methods courses; admission to teacher education; senior classification.
- TEFB 429 – Supervised Clinical Teaching. Credit 9. Observation and participation in an accredited public school classroom; techniques of teaching student’s teaching fields, and appropriate instructional strategies for assigned student population in fulfillment of endorsement requirements. May be repeated for credit. Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisites: Admission to teacher education program and to clinical teaching.
- TEED 425 – Supervised Clinical Teaching. Credit 12. Culmination of secondary teacher education program taking place at school sites. Students begin with observation and move to full responsibility. Special emphasis is given to demonstrating an ability to organize and present concepts and skills in meaningful ways, to incorporate technology effectively, and to work with students from diverse backgrounds. Must be taken on a satisfactory/unsatisfactory basis. Prerequisites: Completion of Phases I, II and III and Practicum I, Phase IV of the secondary program; admission to teacher education program and to clinical teaching.
The Field Placement office in the College of Education and Human Development has partnerships with school districts all over Texas, so students have many options to consider for the clinical teaching placement.