Education Department

Teaching is one of the most satisfying and rewarding professions for those who enjoy working with young people. It is also one of the most important and challenging professions. Teachers carry a tremendous responsibility as they work to prepare students for their lives beyond P-12 classrooms.

Hamline has served the needs of new teachers since the 1850s. This legacy continues today as we work to prepare teachers who can meet the demands of the teaching profession in the 21st century. To that end, Hamline’s education department has adopted the theme of “developing reflective practice in an urban, multicultural context.” Emanating from the central theme is a four-tiered shared vision which acknowledges the importance of promoting equity in schools and society; building communities of teachers and learners; constructing knowledge; and practicing thoughtful inquiry and reflection. During the course of the program, students are placed in several different urban school settings where they develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential to effective teaching. The teacher education department believes that future teachers educated in this context will be better prepared to teach in a variety of settings. In this way, the teacher education program serves as a bridge to teaching in urban, rural, suburban, and global educational environments.

Effective fall 2011, Hamline students now have the option to earn a co-major in education or minor without licensure in education while also completing a full liberal arts major in the field of their choice. Completion of the professional education sequence, taken in addition to the major, leads to a Minnesota teaching license. Certain courses in the sequence also may be used for a minor or for specific requirements in the Hamline Plan. Students interested in school-based careers beyond classroom teaching (e.g. school counseling, school administration, media generalists) should be aware that these programs normally require an initial teaching license. Students must seek advanced study to prepare for these careers after completing a bachelor’s degree and all requirements for an initial teaching license.

Licensure Programs: All teaching candidates are advised that completion of the program within a four-year time frame requires careful planning. If you seek a license to teach, please seek early advising from the undergraduate teacher education department faculty to plan your program.

State of Minnesota Licensure Examination Requirements

As per the MTLE website: “Beginning in September 2010, the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations (MTLEs) will be the sole means of assessing the basic skills, pedagogical, and content-area knowledge of Minnesota K–12 teacher candidates. All candidates for an initial license will be required to pass the MTLE basic skills test as well as pedagogy and content-area tests.”

All candidates for licensure must successfully complete the MTLE Basic Skills Exam in reading, writing, and mathematics. All students are expected to take this exam prior to application for admission to the teacher education program. Completion of the exam is required before formal admission into the teacher education program is granted. Taking the exam during the sophomore year ensures the opportunity to retake some or all of the exam before applying for a license. No student will be recommended for licensure without passing this exam.

All candidates who are applying for a first-time Minnesota teaching license must also complete the appropriate content-area and pedagogical MTLEs. Information regarding registration procedures, fees, and exam dates may be obtained from a faculty advisor or staff member in the teacher education program, or from the MTLE website at: www.mtle.nesinc.com. No student may earn a full license without passing the appropriate exams.

Postbaccalaureate Students

Postbaccalaureate students seeking an initial teaching license from Hamline must possess a baccalaureate degree (B.A. or B.S.) from an accredited college with a minimum overall GPA of 2.50. An official transcript of previous coursework and other application materials will be reviewed to determine admission status. An assessment is completed with the postbaccalaureate coordinator after admission but prior to registration for coursework. Completion of the first licensure coursework ranges from 15 months to several years, dependent on the applicant’s prior coursework, professional experiences, and preferred pace of study. Postbaccalaureates are subject to the criteria for formal admission to the teacher education program and to Student teaching as outlined previously.

Examples of Unique Program Opportunities

English as a Second Language

Growing immigration to the United States has increased the need for English instruction for those who are learning English as a second language. In collaboration with the faculty of the Second Language Teaching and Learning program, the teacher education department offers a K-12 license in English as a second language to interested undergraduates with any major. In addition to the K-12 courses, eight courses in ESL are required. Because of this considerable amount of required coursework, it is likely that ESL licensure candidates will complete the outlined program as postgraduates. Careful planning is required. Please consult with a departmental advisor for the list of required ESL courses.

Hamline Overseas Student Teaching (HOST)

The HOST program is a combined winter-spring experience that provides a student teaching opportunity in another cultural and geographical setting. Students are first placed in a Twin Cities urban school where they student teach for eight weeks (January-February). Participants then student teach in an overseas school for ten weeks (March-May). HOST overseas placements are made in collaboration with EducatorsAbroad and Hamline’s Office of Off-Campus and Study Abroad Programs. HOST is available only to education students who have completed all required coursework and are eligible for a regular student teaching placement. Interested students should contact the department chair for specific details.

Faculty

Letitia Basford, assistant professor. BA 1995, University of Minnesota; MA 2000, San Francisco State University; PhD 2008, University of Minnesota.

Rachel Endo, department chair. BS, MPA, MA, University of Nebraska at Omaha; PhD 2009, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Sarah Hick, assistant professor. BA 1992, Grinnell College; MES 1996, Yale University; PhD 2008, University of Minnesota.

Steven Jongewaard, professor. BA 1969, University of Minnesota-Duluth; MEd 1971, PhD 1981, University of Minnesota.

Kim Koeppen, associate professor. BA 1984, Iowa State University; MSEd 1991, Northern Illinois University; PhD 1996, University of Iowa.

George L. Redman, professor. BAEd 1963, Hamline University; MA 1965, PhD 1975, University of Minnesota.

Jean Strait, associate professor, BA 1987, University of Pittsburgh; MS 1991, Moorhead State University; PhD 1995, University of Minnesota.