As you begin your journey as an education major at Boise State, you will encounter some terms that you may not be familiar with. Below are some key Teacher Education terms and definitions to help you along your way.
- Teacher Education – Teacher Education refers to the program that leads to your teaching certification. You will formally apply to the Teacher Education program after you complete your program’s lower-division coursework and University Foundations courses.
- Boise State Teacher Education – This refers to the university faculty and staff dedicated to supporting your success as you go through the Teacher Education program. They work closely with the State Department of Education and Board of Education to ensure that you meet all state requirements to be certified to teach in Idaho. They process application materials, make your clinical placements, conduct your advising appointments, and process your certification paperwork.
- Professional Year – Professional Year refers to your final year in the Teacher Education program. For most programs, this involves one semester of Internship and one semester of Student Teaching, however, some programs do not follow this exact timeline and some only have you do one semester of Student Teaching. You will formally apply to the Professional Year or Student Teaching after you complete everything required of your program aside from the final year/semester’s course work.
- Internship – The first semester of Professional Year is referred to as an Internship. The Internship semester involves two to four days per week working with a mentor teacher in a local classroom.
- Student Teaching – This is the culminating experience for students in Teacher Education programs. Students will be working full-time with a mentor teacher in a local classroom all semester long.
- Placement – Placement refers to the school where an Intern or Student Teacher completes their field experience. During your placement, you will be assigned a mentor teacher and university liaison to support your work with students. Every student seeking teaching certification is required to do field experience in a local classroom. The placement process is different for each program, and every student is placed by Boise State Teacher Education.
- Praxis – The Praxis refers to the test or tests needed for state teaching certification. Required tests vary by major and endorsement area, and more information on what is needed for each major can be found on the ETS website.
- Idaho Comprehensive Literacy Assessments (ICLA) – The ICLA tests assess pre-service teachers’ knowledge of literacy instruction in up to five areas, depending on program. Courses you take throughout your program will provide instruction in these areas. These tests are required for all students seeking teaching certification.
- Teaching Methods – Every student seeking teaching certification needs a Teaching Methods course for each subject they are planning to teach. Methods courses ensure that you learn how to teach your subject area(s) of certification effectively. These courses are incorporated into your degree’s curriculum.
- Seminars – When you enter your Professional Year, you will be required to attend one day-long seminar per month for the duration of your Internship and Student Teaching semesters. These will be Professional Development opportunities, and a great way to interact with all of your peers and discuss your experiences in your particular classroom. These seminars help you document your ability to meet the Idaho Core Teaching Standards required for certification.
- Application to Graduation – All students must apply to graduate from Boise State. The deadline for application is always by the first Friday of the semester you intend to graduate in.
- Finishing Foundations (FF) – Every student at Boise State is required to take an FF course. This course is your culminating capstone to showcase all you have learned in your degree as you prepare to graduate. This course varies by program, and is incorporated into your degree plan.
- Application for Certification – Once you graduate from a Teacher Education program at Boise State, you must apply for Idaho teaching certification. This process will be explained more thoroughly as you continue in the program.
- Teacher Candidates – Students going through the Teacher Education program will be referred to as Teacher Candidates throughout their time at Boise State. This is to prepare you for becoming a Teacher at the end!
- Endorsement – An endorsement is any subject area that a student is seeking certification in. Some teacher candidates may seek an endorsement in more than one area. Contact your advisor for more information.