Undergraduate Teacher Education
One of the distinctives of Seattle Pacific's undergraduate teacher education program is its academic rigor. Another, is that you can complete a bachelor's degree and the teacher certification process in four years.
Whether you want to be certified with an endorsement to teach pre-school, elementary school, secondary, or pre-kindergarten through secondary, you will complete the requirements for the Residency Teacher Certification in the School of Education while completing a bachelor's degree at SPU. Your chosen academic major will match your teaching endorsement.
Earning a Residency Teacher Certificate at SPU identifies you as someone of significant academic achievement.
Residency Teacher Certification Program
The professional program leading to a Residency Teacher Certificate at Seattle Pacific consists of four stages of study:
- Education Foundations
- Endorsement Content
- Methods
- Professional Year
Each of these stages builds upon the preceding stage, supporting a developmental approach to teacher preparation.
Education Foundations
You will gain a broad base of knowledge in the first stage of the Residency Teacher Certification Program. In Education Foundations courses, you will be introduced to the theory and background of teaching, and you will observe this theory being applied by completing field experience in some of your first courses in the program.
As a teacher candidate, you will also be required to reflect on the application of educational theory through discussion and writing. During the Education Foundations stage, you will meet with the certification office to plan your certification program and discuss the application process to the Residency Teacher Certification Program.
Endorsement Content
Your academic major will prepare you with the required content for your endorsement area. You may choose to pursue Residency Teacher Certification with an endorsement in elementary education, early childhood education, a secondary content area(s), music or art. For a full list of which academic majors correlate with endorsement areas, please contact the Certification Office.
Methods
During the Methods stage, you will begin to apply the content knowledge that you have gained for your intended endorsement by completing Methods coursework and spending time in a school setting. This provides an opportunity to synthesize your knowledge of educational foundations, subject matter, methodology, classroom management, assessment, and student development.
Professional Year
In the Professional Year, students will complete a year-long internship that provides practical, real-world teaching experience and serves as a bridge between academic coursework and becoming a certified teacher.
Academic Majors and Certification
SPU students who desire to become teachers major in a discipline that corresponds with an endorsement. Once you declare your major, a faculty advisor in your major area will assist you in developing an academic plan of study to complete your major.
Certification With Elementary Education Endorsement
If you plan to pursue Residency Teacher Certification with an endorsement in Elementary Education so you can teach at the elementary school level, you must select Elementary Education as your major. Students can pursue a standalone Elementary Education (K–8 Certification) major, or they can select one of the following dual-endorsement routes:
- Elementary Education & Reading Endorsement
- Elementary Education & English Language Learners Endorsement
Students in these majors must also successfully complete all Residency Teacher Certification requirements.
Certification With Secondary Endorsement
If you plan to pursue Residency Teacher Certification with an endorsement that will allow you to teach at the middle and high school levels, you should select a major in your desired endorsement area. SPU offers the following secondary endorsements: Biology, English Language Arts, and Mathematics. You will need to work closely with the certification officer to make sure you meet all the endorsement requirements. Like other teacher candidates, students in secondary endorsement majors are also required to successfully complete all Residency Teacher Certification requirements.
Certification With P–12 Endorsement
Certification in a P–12 endorsement area allows a teacher to teach all grades from pre-kindergarten to grade 12 in that specific endorsement area. Endorsements available to undergraduate SPU students are Visual Arts and Special Education. Like other teacher candidates, students in P-12 majors are also required to successfully complete all Residency Teacher Certification requirements.
Certification With Early Childhood Education Endorsement
To gain certification with a P–3 endorsement in Early Childhood Education, you will major in Early Childhood Education. Like other teacher candidates, Early Childhood Education majors are also required to successfully complete all Residency Teacher Certification requirements.
Teaching Internship
The Teaching Internship is the highlight of the Residency Teacher Certification Program at SPU, and its final phase. This is an opportunity for you to put into action the skills you've learned in class and field work. It is a time for polishing skills, refining your philosophy of managing a classroom, and demonstrating subject-matter knowledge necessary to successfully teach the Washington State Learning Standards.
The internship is based on a co-teaching model, where you will collaborate with a mentor teacher to deliver instruction to students. You will be assigned to an experienced mentor teacher, with whom you will work collaboratively in planning, teaching, and assessing your students. There are specific co-teaching strategies that will be learned and practiced, including an opportunity to "solo" and assume complete responsibility for the instructional program for a period of time.
Washington Educator Skills Tests
There are tests that you will be required to take during the Residency Teacher Certification Program.
First, you must demonstrate proficiency in Basic Skills by providing scores from the Washington Educator Skills Test — Basic (WEST-B), SAT exam or ACT exam. Candidates not achieving passing score in one or more basic skill areas may use the petition process in their application process.
Second, you must complete the Washington Educator Skills Test — Endorsements (West-E) or the National Evaluation Series Test (NES) in your intended endorsement area(s). The WEST-E or NES must be passed prior to beginning the Professional Year.
Your Residency Teacher Certificate
When you have successfully completed the requirements of SPU's Residency Teacher Certification Program and the requirements for a bachelor's degree, the School of Education will recommend you to the state of Washington for Residency Teacher Certification. Although Seattle Pacific makes recommendations to the state, the state of Washington issues the certificate, not the SPU School of Education.
As a teacher candidate, you are subject to Washington requirements for the Residency Teacher Certificate. These requirements may be changed by the state and override anything stated here or in the SPU Undergraduate Catalog. You can find updates on state requirements in the School of Education office.
The Residency Teacher Certificate is your initial certification. Check the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the most current information on certificate renewal and second-tier requirements.
Seattle Pacific offers a wide variety of clock hour and credit options for teachers pursuing professional development or the renewal of a teaching certificate. As the largest provider of continuing education credits for teachers in Washington State, The Center for Professional Education offers courses that will equip you to make a positive impact in your school or district — and in the lives of your students!