The following list of courses will provide you with the material and opportunity to demonstrate that you understand and meet all of the Illinois and NSTA Professional Teaching Standards. An important part of the demonstration will be the development of an electronic portfolio (download an example here) that will document the perfecting of your teaching abilities.

Along the outer edge of the NIU Conceptual Framework are the expressions "life-long learning" and "scholarship."An important way of embodying these concepts is to join and participate in professional organizations. In being a professional, it is necessary to keep abreast of advancements in your field and to interact with your peers. Most professional organizations offer student memberships at significantly reduced rates. Membership typically gives access to professional journals and other publications, meetings, and listservs. All of these resources are valuable resources to assist you in your professional growth and advancement. Journals and newsletters are a source of research into current knowledge of teaching and learning in your content area, of case studies documenting what other teachers have done and how well it succeeded, and of information on major issues in the profession.  Such journals publicize professional meetings that are both an educational opportunity and a chance to "network" with others in the profession.  These organizations run online listservs that provide access to a large group of fellow teachers who are a rich source of information and experience. While not an exhaustive list, the following organizations are ones to which an earth science teacher should belong.

Electronic Portfolio

Objectives

In order to show that teacher candidates have met all professional teaching standards, the Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences requires all students entering one of its initial teacher certification programs to develop an electronic portfolio. There are a number of purposes for the electronic portfolio: To help you reflect on your role and development as a teacher To summarize your knowledge as a teacher, i.e., to help you "put it all together" To demonstrate to others that you have met the requirements of the certification program. To provide evidence of the quality of your preparation. To serve as the nucleus of your future professional development plan as required by the State of Illinois. To demonstrate that you have met education standards. To serve as an electronic resumé. To assist in the evaluation of the certification program.

Portfolio Content Requirements

In general, teacher candidates must include:

at least two pieces of evidence to demonstrate that he or she has met each of the standards such as video clips and photographs of teaching or teaching materials lesson plans sample tests sample demonstrations syllabi copies of reflective writing papers completed during the clinical courses copies of responses to the Methods course assignments clinical and student teaching self, cooperating teacher and University supervisor evaluations resource lists sections from observation journals resume transcripts reference list with contact information list of endorsements

Portfolio Technology Requirements

Students begin constructing their electronic portfolios in GEOL 201. However, evidence of content competency may come from content courses taken at any time. The electronic portfolio must be done in a format open to users of all major operating systems and should fit on one cd-rom.  Therefore, it is suggested that they use an html browser-based system. Here is an example.  File types that are acceptable include: .rft, .txt, .doc, .ppt, .xls, .pdf, .jpg, .mov, .mpeg and .mp3.

Portfolio Review

Starting at the end of GEOL 201 and at the end of each subsequent semester, the contents of the portfolio will be examined and reviewed by the Department Certification Coordinator. If the progress is deemed unsatisfactory, then the teacher candidate will be notified and given the opportunity for remediation as described under the assessment section below. If the teacher candidate feels this evaluation is in error, he or she may request a portfolio review by the Science Coordinators Committee also described below. If the teacher candidate does not complete fully and satisfactorily their remediation plan, he or she may be dismissed from the program.

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• Candidates will demonstrate integrity, be responsive to the welfare of their students, and foster a positive classroom climate based on trust, respect, and mutual responsibility.

2. Life-Long Learning and Scholarship

• Candidates will employ the most effective pedagogical methods available in the field, to deliver instruction.
• Candidates will understand that knowledge is dynamic and by example and effective pedagogy, convey to students that knowledge requires a commitment to life-long learning.
• Candidates will demonstrate the ability to stimulate student curiosity in learning endeavors.
• Candidates will engage in professional development activities based upon reflection of personal performance.
• Candidates will engage in activities to understand current research related to pedagogical practices and new knowledge in their instructional content areas.

3. Creative & Critical Thinking

• Candidates will demonstrate the ability to identify the elements of problems, prioritize, and propose appropriate solutions.
• Candidates will design an instructional environment that encourages and challenges students to analyze and develop creative solutions to problems.
• Candidates will demonstrate the ability to present and model multiple perspectives of issues.

4. Collaboration

• Candidates will demonstrate the interpersonal skills, professionalism, and interest in working cooperatively with peers, parents, school leaders, and the community.

5. Diversity

• Candidates will demonstrate through their classroom and clinical performance, their belief that all students are capable of learning.
• Candidates will be able to assess individual student needs and apply effective instructional strategies.
• Candidates will exhibit sensitivity to and respect for the multiple socio-cultural realities of their students.
• Candidates will understand, respect and attach value to the diverse patterns of learning and accommodate them within the classroom environment.
• Candidates will engage in efforts to promote educational equity for all students.

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