secondary education
Become an effective middle and high school educator who understands the challenges of today's classrooms. You will be prepared to teach all content subjects in grades 6 through 12, leading to a license in secondary education. You also have the opportunity to focus your interest with one of nine approved content majors.
UW-Parkside offers you coursework leading to a license in Secondary Education (early adolescence-adolescence, grades 6-12). A Secondary Education license enables future teachers to teach specific content in grades 6-12. Secondary Education majors must choose from one of nine approved content majors for a double major:
- Biological Science
- Chemistry
- English/Language Arts
- Geography
- Geosciences
- History
- Mathematics
- Political Science
- Sociology
You will develop a knowledge base in the content major, including methods for teaching in the content major, participate in co-teaching clinical placements, conduct action research, become familiar with a variety of educational technology, and gain firsthand teaching experience in secondary classrooms. This program maintains separate GPA and admission requirements and requires a background check. This program culminates in a semester-long, full-time, school-based residency experience.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
CO-TEACHING MODEL
The Teacher Education program has adopted a collaborative model called co-teaching to support your development as a future teacher. From the first semester to the last, you, as a teacher candidate, will work with a mentor teacher to support student learning in an area PK-12 classroom. The goal of the co-teaching partnership model is to support you, as a teacher candidate, attain a high level of success during your clinical placements and in your first job.
Teacher Candidates collaborate with school professions and are actively involved and engaged with PK-12 students to improve student outcomes.
Mentor Teachers commit to supporting and developing a teacher candidate’s knowledge, skills, and dispositions about what it means to be both a teacher and a learner.
University Faculty cooperate with both the mentor teacher and teacher candidate through communication and observation to support the co-teaching partnership model.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the clinical hours work?
Teacher candidates (you) work alongside a professional educator (a teacher) to support student learning at area schools. Depending upon your major, you will serve clinical hours at different developmental or grade levels. UW-Parkside currently has two license areas: Secondary Education for grades 6-12 (middle and high school) and Elementary Education for grades 1-8. Initial EDU courses require 20 clinical hours per course, which comes out to about two hours a week that you’ll be spending time in a classroom.
What does the clinical placement involve?
Our Clinical Placement Coordinator, Tracy Hribar, will set up a time within the first weeks of the semester for what we call “Pairs Training," where you will meet the teacher you’re going to spend time with for the semester. This meeting is a chance for you to share times you’re available and discuss expectations for you in their classroom. You’ll confirm the days and times you’ll be in their classroom during this meeting as well.
How will I fit 20 hours into my semester schedule?
By learning and utilizing time management skills, you will be able to work these hours into your semester schedule. On average, 20 hours a semester works out to be about two hours per week in the classroom. This doesn’t include your travel time to and from your clinical placement. IPED recommends keeping one or two mornings a week open so you have this time to go to your school placement to help you complete the required clinical hours. The IPED advisor is available to work with you to learn time management skills.
What if I don’t end up liking teaching?
Don’t worry, exploring is very important to help you learn what you like or dislike about any degree program. EDU100 is a good class to introduce IPED students to the classroom experience. Working with the IPED advisor, you will find it is very easy to change your major or continue exploring your options.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
Coursework in this program can lead to a license in Secondary Education. Teachers with a secondary license are qualified to work as classroom teachers in a specific content area in grades 6-12. Further education at the graduate level can lead to such careers as school principal, counselor, educational specialist, or instructional program coordinator.
OTHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
Education Programs
Elementary Education Major
Special Education Major
English as a Second Language Minor
Bilingual Education Certification
Licensure Opportunities
Elementary Education
Secondary Education
PreK-12
Technology + Pre-engineering
English as a Second Language Minor
Bilingual Education Certification
PROGRAM CONTACT INFO
Mary Henderson | 262-595-2180 | hendersm@uwp.edu
Faculty Highlights
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Dr. Gregory Cramer
Assistant Professor
cramer@uwp.eduDr. Gregory Cramer taught ESL and Bilingual Social Studies—World History, U.S. History, World Geography, and Civics—for 15 years in Milwaukee Public Schools. He also taught drama and music and led student plays and musical groups. His areas of research interest are bilingualism and biliteracy, graphic novels for bilingual/ESL students, and immigrant students in U.S. schools.
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Dr. Dana Ryan
Director of Advanced Professional Development
ryand@uwp.edu | 262-585-2309As the Director of Advanced Professional Development, Dr. Ryan partners with local school districts to create engaging and timely workshops, courses, and programs for educator professional growth. She has spent over ten years in higher education preparing educators at the undergraduate and graduate levels and teaches educator preparation seminars and courses in literacy methods and assessment at UW-Parkside. Her research interests include children’s independent book choice and the development and maintenance of classroom libraries.
