How to become a teacher through the Educator Preparation Program at Hanover College...

This is where your journey as an educator begins!

We are excited that you are considering the demanding but rewarding career in Education! At Hanover College, students wishing to explore becoming a teacher should begin by taking EDU 221: Education and the American Culture in their first year on campus if at all possible. It is offered both Fall and Winter terms each academic year to accommodate all interested students and is a prerequisite for admission to the Program. We do not accept transfers of a similar course - it is important for all students to obtain the same pre-program preparation.

The Hanover College Education Departments offers three majors: Elementary Education (Grades K-6), Secondary Education (Grades 5-12) which must be paired with a content area major, and the NEW Education Studies major. The Education Studies Major does NOT lead to certification or licensing so does not require program admission. We also offer an Education Studies minor. Please see the Hanover College course catalog for more information!

Prior to formal admission, students may also take the following:
EDU 172: Exploring the Arts (required only for Elementary Education)
EDU 226: Educational Technology (required for Secondary Education major and recommended as an elective for all)
EDU 231: Education Law and Ethics (required for both Elementary and Secondary Education)
EDU 240: Children's Literature (recommended for Elementary Education and English majors seeking certification.

Students may also take the Special Education courses at any time and in any order. These are:
EDU 206: Assessment in Literacy
EDU 207 Assessment in Mathematics
(This 206/207 combination of courses replaces EDU 253 from past years)
EDU 252: Professional Collaboration
EDU 254: Special Education Law and Policy
EDU 255: Classroom Management and Positive Behavioral Interventions Support (PBIS)
EDU 256: Learning Environments and Transitions

It is highly recommended that all Education students take as many of the special education courses that they can fit into their schedule, even if not interested in the dual certification.

APPLYING TO THE EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM

Decision Point One (Program admission)

Students apply for admission to the Educator Preparation Program in Standard for Success and therefore must have an active subscription in order to apply. Information about Standard for Success is available on our RESOURCES AND DOCUMENTS tab.

The fall application deadline is on October 1 for sophomores and above.

Additionally, the Educator Preparation Program is accepting sophomore and first year applications to apply for early admission by Monday, March 6, 2023. If admitted, these new candidates will be able to update their Fall 23 course schedules to include 300 level Methods courses and declare their Education majors.

Requirements for admission are:

EDU 221
Applicants must complete the course with C or above with good feedback from field experience.

GPA
Applicants are required to have an overall GPA of 2.67 or higher for admission to the Educator Preparation Program. For early admission, this will be confirmed after Winter grades are posted.
(Please note that a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required in the major in order to meet Decision Point 2 at the end of the Junior year)

Faculty Recommendations
Applicants specify two faculty members who have taught them in a class to recommend them to the Program. Applicants should ask for permission from the professor. EDU professors and those who serve on TEC are ineligible to recommend students to the EPP.

Application Essay
The essay is written as an assignment in EDU 221 and must have received at least a C grade. This essay is to be uploaded into Standard for Success as part of the application and will be reviewed by TEC members. Keep in mind that liking kids or wanting to coach is NOT a philosophy of education.

Interviews
Applicants go through two different interviews as part of the application process: members of the Teacher Education Committee (TEC) will interview the applicant based on their essay content and our Clinical Educator Teacher Panelists will complete an interview pertaining to professional teacher dispositions. Both interviews are scored by a rubric in Standard for Success.

Letter of Admission
Formal letters of Admission are sent from the Chair of the Teacher Education Committee of Hanover College. This is part of your official student record and is to be uploaded into Standard for Success to embark on Decision Point 2, the details of which are outlined under ADMITTED TEACHER CANDIDATES tab at the top of this page.

A Candidate Induction Ceremony is held each fall term for students admitted the previous academic year.

Congratulations to our newly admitted candidates shown after their ceremony in September 2022!

More details on the requirements and the entrance exams can be fount under the FAQ tab and the APPLYING tab at the top left. The Education Department faculty and staff are available to help with any questions students have!

Just click on the name below:
Dr. Dustin Bailey, Department Chair and Associate Professor Education

Dr. Debbie Hanson, Professor Education

Mrs. Cheryl Torline, Licensing Advisor and Educator Preparation Program Student Services Coordinator

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