FAQs About CU Teach
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How do I start the CU Teach Program?
- I don't plan on teaching in Colorado after I graduate, is CU Teach right for me?
- I am really interested in taking the Step 1 course; however, the classes are already full. What should I do?
- What is after the Step 2 class?
- How many education credits are required after the Step 1 and Step 2 courses?
- Can I take the Step courses without committing to the rest of the CU Teach Program?
- I have not applied to the School of Education yet because I don't have the 25 hours of Youth Experience admission requirement satisfied. Would Step 1 help me get these hours?
- How can I meet with an advisor in the School of Education?
What is the CU Teach program? Is it a class?
CU Teach is a new teacher education program of the School of Education. It is a collaborative program between the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Education. It focuses on middle and high school math and science teaching through a four-year undergraduate program that leads to a degree in a mathematics or sciences major and a secondary mathematics or sciences Colorado teaching license. A sequence of Education and Arts and Sciences classes make up the CU Teach program, starting with the 1-credit Step 1 course EDUC 2020: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching. The School of Education also offers teaching licenses in K-12 Music, Elementary Education and Secondary English, Social Studies and the Foreign Languages: French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Russian and Spanish, though they have their own series of courses distinct from the CU Teach sequence.
How do I start the CU Teach program?
The starting point for CU-Teach is Step 1: Inquiry Approaches to Teaching (EDUC 2020). This course is open to all undergraduates (though priority enrollment is given to freshmen and sophomore math, science, and open option majors). This course offers undergraduates an opportunity to try out teaching with real students in local elementary schools. The Step 1 course allows you to fulfill the youth experience requirement for the current secondary math and science teacher education programs. The next step is Step 2: Inquiry-based Lesson Design (EDUC 2030). Here you build off the experiences of Step 1 to develop your instructional practices, now at the middle school level. Step 1 is a prerequisite to Step 2. The major goal of both Step 1 and 2 is to offer students experiences that help them decide whether teaching science or mathematics is a career path they want to pursue.
I don't plan on teaching in Colorado after I graduate. Is CU Teach right for me?
Earning a teaching license through CU Teach is an excellent way to start your teaching career, no matter what state you choose to work in after you graduate. Once you earn a Colorado teaching license, you take it with you, whether you stay in Colorado or move to another state. If you do move to another state after you earn a Colorado teaching license, you will need to check with that state's department of education to find out what additional requirements, if any, you would have to complete to attain a license from that state. Generally, the licensing requirements are similar from state-to-state. However, there could be differences between Colorado's requirements and those for the specific state that you are planning to teach in after you graduate (e.g., taking an additional class or passing a state licensing exam). Talk with your School of Education advisor about your future plans.
I am currently a student at CU Boulder and am very interested in receiving more information about the CU Teach program. Are there any particular classes that I should be enrolled in to help me with my goals to become a teacher?
There are several classes you can take to help you with your goals of becoming a teacher. EDUC 3013 School and Society is a good class to consider, and is required for every licensure candidates, and it meets the A&S Cultural and Gender Diversity OR Contemporary Societies core requirement. EDUC 2020: Step 1, Inquiry Approaches to Teaching is also a good class to get hands-on teaching experience. It is required for all students interested in becoming a math or science teacher who began as a freshman at CU Boulder in Fall 2008 or later. Check out the following website to find out more about the different licensure programs that CU offers.
http://www.colorado.edu/education/prospective/undergrad.html
Go to the "Click for more information" links.
I've always been interested in teaching, but not exclusively in math or science. I'm more interested in English, Spanish, or maybe history. Would CU Teach still be a good program for me?
While CU Teach is specifically focused on increasing the numbers of secondary math or science teachers, any student at CU can take the program’s first two courses...Step 1 and Step 2. Any undergraduate student exploring whether teaching is right for them should consider taking EDUC 2020: Step 1. This 1-credit course is a good starting point for anyone thinking about becoming a K-12 teacher (of any content area). However, priority registration is given to math, science, and open-option majors, since the courses are not required for students considering the English, social studies or foreign language secondary teaching licensure program. Those interested in elementary education should consider EDUC 4411 Education Psychology for the Elementary Teacher. Those interested in secondary education should consider EDUC 4112 Education Psychology and Adolescent Development.
http://www.colorado.edu/education/prospective/undergrad.html
Go to the "Click for more information" links.
I am currently a sophomore (entered as a freshman Fall 2007). Is it possible to complete the program by the time I would normally graduate?
The CU Teach program is a new program that is folding into the current Teacher Education Program at CU. The new courses that make up the four-year sequence will be rolling out over the next several years. However, the “older” program is still on-going. Students who want to earn a teaching license during the years that CU Teach is coming on board can do so under the older program. You can take any of the new CU Teach classes as they come on board, and they will satisfy the older program requirements.
Certainly, as a sophomore, you will have good opportunities to complete many of your teacher education requirements prior to graduation (possibly all of them, depending on your individual situation). You should make an appointment with an advisor in the School of Education. An advisor can look at your course you've taken and graduation requirements. Then the advisor will help you map out what it would take for you to earn a teaching license while you're at CU.
I'm a freshman this year and an MCDB major. I've been told the program isn't available for MCDB majors. Is this true?
Currently, the MCDB is not an approved major for undergraduates who want to earn a science teaching license. However, that approved list is continually being revised. There are options for a MCDB major to earn a science teaching license. We encourage you to make an appointment with an advisor in the Office of Student Services in Education room 155 as soon as possible.
I am really interested in taking the Step 1 course; however, the classes are already full. What should I do?
We strongly recommend that you put yourself on the waitlist for one of the current sections. It is the best way for us to know that you are interested in the program. We will give waitlisted students priority registration for the next semester’s Step 1 course.
What is after the Step 2 class?
After Step 2, students can apply to the School of Education’s Licensure program in either secondary mathematics or secondary science. Once admitted to the School of Education, students continue their major and core graduation requirements, as well as math/science specific education courses. If you start CU Teach earlyenough in your college career, you can graduate CU with a bachelor’s degree and a Colorado teaching licensure.
How many education credits are required after the Step 1 and Step 2 courses?
For both math and science licensure programs, there are 32 credits, which involves six courses in Education beyond Step 1 and Step 2, followed by students teaching for a full semester. You can take multiple licensure classes in the same semester, as long as you look out for prerequisites.
Can I take the Step courses without committing to the rest of the CU Teach Program?
Yes. You can take both Step courses to explore the idea of teaching and to learn more about math and science education without having to commit to the whole CU Teach program.
I haven't applied to the School of Education yet because I don't have the 25 hours of Youth Experience admission requirement satisfied. Would Step 1 help me get these hours?
Yes. By completing the Step 1 course, you will satisfy the 25-hour youth experience requirement for your application to the Teacher Licensure Program in the School of Education.
How can I meet with an advisor in the School of Education?
You can contact them to make an appointment through the Office of Student Services
Phone: 303-492-6555
Email: edadvise@colorado.edu
Education Room 151
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