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Cover Sheet
for
Theatre Program Review
(Please complete one cover sheet for each endorsement area.)
Name of Institution: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Address: 300 War Memorial Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Person Completing: Kathleen M. Carico
Phone, Fax, E-mail: 540-231-8328; 540-231-9075; kcarico@vt.edu
Primary Institutional Contact (If different from person completing the cover sheet.) ____
_______________________________________________________________________
Endorsement Program: Theatre
Specific Program Information
1. Check Classification:
_____ PreK-3
_____ PreK-6
_____Mid.Grades 6-8
Administration/Supervision
_____ PreK-12
___X__ Grades 6-12
_____ Vocational
_____ Special Education
_____
_____ Support Services
Check Levels Offered: _____ Baccalaureate
_____ Post-Baccalaureate Licensure Only
___X__ Masters
_____ Post-Masters Licensure Only
_____ Doctorate
_____ Other (explain) ______________________________
2. List or attach the course of studies that candidates complete for this endorsement
area. Clearly mark required courses. List or attach the course of studies in
professional education.
a.
b.
Students must complete the requirements for the master’s degree in
English Education. See
http://www.tandl.vt.edu/english/EngProgram/Checklist.html.
Students must take the specific courses to receive endorsement. See
attached matrix, “Virginia Department of Education Program Status
Matrix: Theatre Arts.”
3. Attach a list of faculty members with primary assignments in this program and
indicate the area of preparation. (Do not submit faculty vitae.)
Dr. Kathleen Carico (advisor for English Education and Theatre Arts add-on)
Dr. Don Drapeau (advisor for Theatre Arts students)
4. Indicate the number who have completed this program (at the various levels) in the
past five years. Include Praxis II assessment results, if applicable.
One student.
5. List admission criteria, including criteria used to admit candidates to postbaccalaureate programs to determine content competency.
To be eligible, students must have a minimum 3.0 QCA and a B.A. in English or its
equivalent (36 semester hours beyond freshman English). Interested students should
submit an application for Graduate School as well as an English Education Licensure
Program Application during the first semester of their senior year. Once applications are
received, students will be contacted for an interview with English Education faculty.
English majors at Virginia Tech may enroll in the program as dual status students during
the second semester of their senior year.
Transcript reviews of students with English degrees from other colleges should provide
evidence that the programs meet these requirements; otherwise, students take additional
course work as part of the licensure program.
Once in the program, students must submit passing Praxis I scores and a positive
recommendation from the field experience cooperating teacher (EDCI 5964 Field Studies
in Education) prior to being placed in student teaching.
6. List program exit requirements.
a.
Students must complete 5754 Internship in Education with a
recommendation from the cooperating teacher, the University supervisor,
and the Program Advisor.
b.
Students must complete all coursework as stated in the Program
Requirements and must maintain a 3.0 grade point average.
c.
Students must attain a minimum “Basic” score on the Electronic Portfolio
Evaluation.”
http://www.tandl.vt.edu/english/EngProgram/Eng_Ed_Port_Eval.html
d.
Electronic portfolio evidence to show practical experience in the area of
theatre arts in an educational setting, e.g. the early field experience, the student
teaching internship, or both.
7. Briefly describe the purpose of the program; include the expected learning outcomes
and how the outcomes are assessed. Include a brief statement of how the courses,
experiences, and assessments required in the program have been aligned with the
SOL and the licensure competencies. Attach a description of field experiences and
student teaching or internships. Include the amount of time required in each, the
method of supervision, and the process for evaluating the experiences.
Purposes of the English Education Program
1.
To identify and recruit talented prospective teachers from a diversity of backgrounds.
2.
To use principles of exemplary practice, reflection and educational research to help
prospective teachers develop a repertoire of effective teaching strategies.
3.
To provide multiple opportunities for prospective teachers to learn, practice, reflect
upon, and evaluate issues in the profession of teaching.
4.
To assist prospective teachers in differentiating and adapting their teaching so that all
students have the opportunity to be successful.
Expected Learning Outcomes/Assessment
1) Evidence of content area knowledge as defined by the state of Virginia, NCTE
Standards, and INTASC Standards
Assessment: Electronic Portfolio elements, Satisfactory student teaching evaluation,
Praxis II scores
2) Evidence of skill in the area of teaching language arts on the secondary level as
defined by the Virginia, NCTE Standards, and INTASC Standards
Assessment: Electronic Portfolio elements, Lesson Plan Checklist (See
http://www.tandl.vt.edu/english/EngProgram/Eng_Ed_Port_Req.html for links); and
Internship evaluation elements (See http://www.tandl.vt.edu/TESH/Stu_teacheval_rub.htm).
Alignment with VA SOLs and licensure competencies: Standards of learning and
licensure components are incorporated into course syllabi and lesson plan
requirements for internships. Seminars on the SOLs are conducted during the
internship.
Field Experience Information:
Early Field Experience: The early field experience is designed to provide
prospective students in teacher preparation programs with a practicum in schools during
the fall semester. Graduate students serve as interns for one full day (weeks 1-5) and two
full days per week (weeks 6-13). Undergraduates serve two half-days per week (weeks
6-13). The field experience is coordinated with the first content-specific methods
course. This approach provides students the opportunity to plan activities and
assignments that support teacher inquiry in the schools and gives students a baseline
understanding of pedagogical issues and practices. Examples of activities include (1)
shadow study of diverse learner; (2) prior knowledge interviews; and (3) lesson planning
and assessment. Students are assigned in an appropriate school setting with a
cooperating teacher for a total of 150 hours of observation, student aiding, assisting with
planning and instruction, grading, and teaching.
Internship: As part of a professional licensure requirement, the internship program is
designed to provide student teachers with the opportunity to learn the principles of
exemplary practice in classroom settings by developing a repertoire of effective teaching
strategies in collaboration with cooperating teachers. The internship is coordinated with
the second content-specific methods course which provides students with support in unit
and lesson planning, classroom management, assisting prospective teachers in meeting
the needs of diverse learners, and reflecting on classroom teaching and learning.
Students are assigned with a cooperating teacher for 4 weeks of observation, assisting
with planning and instruction, and assimilating into the school culture two days a week
For 10 weeks, students are assigned to the school full time and assume the teaching of
three classes/two block periods per day. Students spend 300 hours in the school during
this 10-week period and accumulate at least 150 hours in direct instruction.
Supervision of the Early Field Experience and Student Teaching Internship is the
responsibility of either a Ph.D. candidate in English Education, through a graduate
assistantship, or a member of the English Education faculty. The instructor of the
methods course associated with the respective field experience is the director of the field
experience, works with the supervisor, and has final responsibility for assigning grades.
Students are evaluated using the TESH Internship Evaluation Form. See
http://www.tandl.vt.edu/TESH/field_experience_evaluation.htm
Supervisors are in weekly contact with students during the field experiences. In
the fall experience, contact will include several individual conferences and
observations at the schools, combined mid-term and final conferences with
cooperating teacher and student, and required weekly seminars, held at participating
schools. In the spring internship, supervisors contact students weekly, primarily
through individual observation and conferencing, and occasionally through “faculty
meetings” on site or on campus. Supervisors are required to conduct five formal
observations throughout the ten-week internship; other visits may be drop-in or
scheduled in advance. Required weekly seminars are conducted by the model
director. Students are evaluated using the TESH Internship Evaluation Form. (See
http://www.tandl.vt.edu/TESH/Stu_teach-eval_rub.htm.)
8. Additional information such as employer satisfaction with beginning teachers in this
endorsement area, student satisfaction with the academic major (knowledge of the
field needed to teach well), and indications from the major areas that the program was
changed based on the feedback may be included.