University of Hawai‘i - West O‘ahu

Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

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Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)
Area of Concentration:  Elementary Education, K-6

The Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), with a concentration in Elementary Education (K-6), prepares highly qualified teachers with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that support standards-based education, student-centered teaching and learning, and an orientation to social justice. A minimum 125 hour program of study encompasses an innovative, field-based teacher preparation program, as well as public service activities, in support of the continuing development of West O‘ahu communities. Graduates are recommended by the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu for Elementary Education (K-6) teaching licensure by the State of Hawai‘i.

Requirements for the Teacher Education Pre-Professional and Professional Series Course work:


General Education and Focus Requirements: Bachelor of Education students fulfill the UH West O‘ahu General Education and Focus (graduation) requirements. The Elementary Education concentration specifies certain categories of courses that will fulfill General Education requirements and meet accreditation standards for teacher licensing in the State of Hawai‘i. Please consult your Faculty Advisor, Student Services Advisor, or your Community College counselor for a complete list of recommended courses. Course work includes but is not limited to: 
  • History (other than Asian/Pacific)
  • Geography (world regional)
  • Art or Music appreciation
  • Children’s Literature
  • Math for Elementary School Teachers I and II
  • Survey of Psychology 
  • a restricted elective in the Social Sciences
  • Oral Communication (O Focus)
  • Hawaiian, Asian or Pacific (H Focus)
  • Professional Semester Seminar (E Focus embedded within the course work)
  • nine credits of Writing-Intensive (WI Focus) coursework at the upper-division level, with a maximum of three credits from the Student Teaching capstone course.

 

Pre-professional Teacher Education


Students interested in becoming Elementary Education teachers may declare Elementary Education as their major upon admission to the UH West O‘ahu. An official declaration of a major in Education is required for registration into 200- and 300-level EDEE courses. Prior to an elementary school placement in the early field experience (EDEE 200), students must undergo fingerprinting and security clearance, arranged through the State of Hawai‘i Department of Education. Additionally, fifteen credits of Restricted Electives are also required and may be completed at any time during the student’s program of study. Restricted Electives are a block of coursework from a single discipline or an approved set of inter-disciplinary courses. Please consult your Faculty Advisor, Student Services Advisor, or your Community College counselor for appropriate coursework in this category.

Professional Teacher Education


Education majors will be granted admission to the professional component of the program (400-level EDEE courses), upon completion of the following requirements:
  • Praxis I (Pre-professional Skills Test or the PPST) Passing scores: Reading (172), Math (173), and Writing (171) or a Composite Score of 170;
  • 2.5 overall grade point average (GPA); and
  • A grade of “C” or higher in each of the following courses:

             ENG 100    Composition I;
             HUM 310    Writing Skills or equivalent;
             MATH 103    College Algebra;
             MATH 220    Math for Elementary School Teachers or equivalent;

          a course in Oral Communication;
             EDEE 200    Early Field Experience;
             EDEE 201    Introduction to Teaching as a Career

The Professional Student Teaching Semester


An Application for Student Teaching must be filed with the Student Services Office by the first day of the semester preceding enrollment into student teaching.  The following requirements must be met prior to enrolling in student teaching:
  • Completion of all EDEE foundations, methods, and field experience courses;
  • 2.75 overall or higher GPA for the Methods Blocks courses (400-level series); and
  • 2.5 or higher GPA, with no grade lower than a “C” for all EDEE courses.


15-week Student Teaching semester includes 10 credits of student teaching and a two-credit seminar in ethics for the profession (E Focus). Student teaching must be completed in the State of Hawai‘i, at a designated Professional Development School that is in partnership with UH West O‘ahu. Preservice teacher candidates are advised that the full-time nature of the student teaching semester precludes being able to work full- or part-time at another job.

Licensure


Earning the B.Ed. does not guarantee an elementary school teaching license. The State of Hawai‘i teacher licensure process requires the Praxis Exam: Principles of Learning and Teaching (PLT, K-6: Passing Score: 163). Teacher candidates are advised to take the exam during the Professional Student Teaching semester or the semester in which they will graduate. UH West O‘ahu is committed to helping students successfully pass all Praxis exams required for teacher licensure by the Hawai‘i Teachers Standards Board (HTSB). Students are encouraged to contact the Student Services Office for more information.

Learning Outcomes


The University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu seeks to assure educational quality and curricular coherence by describing institutional learning outcomes for all students. Student Learning outcomes for Education majors are fully aligned with the standards of the teaching profession, as required by the Hawai‘i Teacher Standards Board (HTSB) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Graduates of the Bachelor of Education degree with a concentration in Elementary Education should be able to:
  • Write for and communicate with a range of child, adolescent, and adult (e.g. parents) audiences, using a variety of genre.
  • Write a personal Philosophy of Teaching and Learning.
  • Write detailed, standards-based lesson plans, using a research-based, model lesson plan format.
  • Write a position paper on a topic of relevance in Education.
  • Engage in oral and written reflections on theory and research into practice, as experienced through field-based coursework across the curriculum.
  • Deliver clear, effective lessons to children and adolescents.
  • Analyze the pros and cons of an issue in education, using citations in support of arguments and conclusions.
  • Observe and reflect upon the impact of assessment (e.g., grades; standardized test scores) on the children and adolescents with whom they work.
  • Participate in an “Action Research” project, resulting in a written report that adheres to American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual.
  • Practice ethical use of university libraries and Internet education resources.
  • Analyze and describe the diversity present within practicum and student teaching classroom settings.
  • Utilize the TaskStream Electronic Portfolio system to collect and organize all Signature Assignments required throughout the B.Ed. program of study.