Steps to Becoming a Teacher

Step 1: Getting Started

Students don't enter the Teacher Education Program right away. First, students must take the education foundation courses: EDUC 101 Education and Society, EDUC 105 Characteristics of Exceptional Children, and/or EDUC 201 Educational Psychology and Assessment.

Students must also take Western Heritage I and II during their freshman year. These seminars are considered part of the initial program entry requirements.

Students interested in seeking a career in teaching should register for, take, and pass all parts of the basic skills Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) in their freshman year. Information about the PPST is available in the Education Office.

During the education foundation coursework, beginning with EDUC 101 Education and Society, students begin preparing their portfolios. Students will learn more about this process in EDUC 222 Methods and Materials: Portfolio Development.

Please refer to the Carthage publication Steps to Becoming a Teacher for the department's policy on learning disability and standardized testing. 

Steps to Becoming a Teacher

• Program Checklist
• Step 1: Getting Started
• Developing Your Portfolio
• Step 2: Teacher Education Program
• Sample Schedules
• Clinical Experiences
• Step 3: Student Teaching
• Step 4: Certification Applications

Student Voices

"The experience I am getting in the field is far beyond what I had expected. When I am finished with my courses, I know I will feel well-equipped to student-teach because of the experiences Carthage has provided for me."

— Katie Crimmins, '12, Arlington Heights, Ill.

Hear what students have to say about studying education at Carthage.