Program in Teacher Preparation
Director
John B. Webb
Associate Director
Todd W. Kent
Executive Committee
Marguerite A. Browning, Council of the Humanities, Linguistics
Miguel A. Centeno, Sociology, Woodrow Wilson School
Joel Cooper, Psychology
Joan S. Girgus, Psychology
Stanley N. Katz, Woodrow Wilson School
Michael S. Mahoney, History
Daniel I. Rubenstein, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Program Administrator
Anne N. Catena
Michael D. Hannon
Jason R. Klugman
Helen H. Martinson
Torey T. Wilson
The Program in Teacher Preparation is an interdepartmental course of study for undergraduates composed of a unique mix of course work, seminars, laboratory experience, field work, and practice teaching. The program, approved by the New Jersey State Department of Education, allows students to explore teaching as a career option and to become fully prepared and certified to teach successfully at the elementary or the secondary level within the regular framework of a Princeton A.B. or B.S.E. degree. Participants can earn certification in art, music, English, mathematics, sciences, social sciences, world languages, and elementary education with or without middle school endorsements.
Upon completion of the program, students receive a certificate in teacher preparation from the University and may apply for a Certificate of Eligibility with Advanced Standing for teaching in public schools. That certificate is transferable to other states through reciprocity agreements. Independent schools, as a rule, do not require certification in order to secure a teaching position. However, independent school heads have become increasingly interested in teacher candidates who are fully prepared and certified within a liberal arts curriculum.
In accordance with Title II Federal Regulations for reporting pass rates in teacher licensing examinations, the Program in Teacher Preparation reported a 100 percent pass rate in the 2006–07 cohort.
Admission to the Program
Students are encouraged to apply during the freshman or sophomore year to allow adequate time for scheduling required courses, but applications also are accepted from upperclassmen and alumni. Admission is based on academic standing and evidence of interest in and aptitude for teaching.
Requirements
General Education. The New Jersey State Department of Education requires that students preparing to teach take courses in a variety of academic disciplines within the liberal arts curriculum. A course is required in each of the following areas: arts, humanities, mathematics, science, technology, and social science. Courses taken to fulfill the University distribution requirements will cover most, if not all, of these areas.
Teaching Area Requirements. Teaching area requirements normally correspond to departmental concentration requirements. Eight courses in, or related to, the teaching field are required. With careful choice of elective courses it is possible to be certified in one field while concentrating in another. Students preparing for elementary certification are required to concentrate in one of the liberal arts departments, but the State Department of Education does not stipulate a particular discipline.
Professional Education Requirements. In addition to the general education and teaching area requirements, the professional education sequence includes the following:
Introductory
Practicum. A six-hour observation in a school and participation in
two seminar sessions. Two brief written assignments and selected readings are
also required.
Educational Psychology (PSY 307) or an approved alternate, usually completed during the year prior to practice teaching.
Seminar on Learning and Teaching (TPP 301). TPP 301 is usually completed the semester prior to practice teaching.
Site-Based Field Experience. A 30-hour observation in a school and the preparation of two lessons done in cooperation with a classroom teacher. (The field experience is completed concurrently with PSY 307 or alternate, and TPP 301.)
Seminar on Education (TPP 401).
Practice Teaching (TPP 402).
Program Options
The Reduced
Course Load Option. Students in the program have the option of reducing
by one the number of courses taken in the term of the senior year in which they
are enrolled in TPP 401 and TPP 402. This option requires that an extra course
be taken in a term prior to the senior year. The arrangement does not alter
distribution, departmental, or language requirements, nor does it reduce the
total number of courses required for graduation. Students wishing to select
this option must secure the approval of a program staff member and the appropriate
academic dean. Forms for this purpose are available in the Office of the Dean
of the College.
The Practice Teaching Option (PTO). Program participants who find that they are unable to schedule TPP 401 and TPP 402 into a semester of their senior year can take those courses in a term during a one-year leave of absence between junior and senior year or in a term after graduating. All students who choose the Practice Teaching Option will be required to complete a full 12 weeks of practice teaching (TPP 402) in accordance with New Jersey licensing code. There is a modest tuition charge for the extra semester, and students are responsible for their own room and board. Students considering this option should discuss their plans with a member of the program staff, since special arrangements are required. A limited amount of financial aid is available to eligible students.
Preparation
for Independent School Teaching. Students not enrolled in the program
who are seeking preparation for teaching in independent schools may enroll in
PSY 307 or TPP 301 provided space is available. The selection of individual
courses must be done in consultation with program staff, and students
considering this option should contact the program office and schedule an
appointment with a staff member prior to registration.
Placement
The program also provides placement services to all Princeton students and alumni seeking teaching and administrative positions in elementary and secondary schools, both public and private.
Courses
TPP 301 Seminar on Learning and Teaching — Fall, Spring SA
A study of essential dimensions of learning and teaching, including learner characteristics and needs, organization and structure of educational institutions, development of curriculum and instructional goals, preparation of evaluation and assessment, and design of subject/level- specific methodologies and classroom management techniques. Required course work includes 18 hours of site-based field experience and an evening laboratory session. T. Kent
TPP 401 Seminar on Education — Fall, Spring
Students investigate the processes of curriculum development and implementation, develop learning goals and rubrics for assessment, study national and local issues in education and their impact on schools, examine current philosophies and effective practices, reflect on their work and evaluate their performance as practice teachers, and conduct action research relevant to the teaching/learning process. Prerequisite: program director’s permission. J. Klugman, H. Martinson
TPP 402 Practice Teaching — Fall, Spring
Supervised practice teaching (a minimum of 10 weeks for seniors, and 12 weeks for PTO and graduate students) in secondary or elementary school. Teaching is done under the supervision of a master teacher and a program staff member who regularly observe and discuss the student’s practice teaching. Students gain firsthand experience in developing teaching strategies, planning and differentiating instruction, assessing student learning, and classroom management. Must be taken concurrently with 401. H. Martinson, T. Wilson, J. Klugman