Praxis Requirements
Students in the licensure program must earn Hawaii qualifying scores for the PRAXIS I (Core Academic Skills) or Pre-Professional Skills Test (PPST) in reading, writing, and math (PPST must be taken on or before June 30, 2015) before enrolling in methods courses.
Elementary, secondary, and special education students must take and pass the Praxis II Licensure Field Content Verification exam prior to the application deadline for fall and spring student teaching. Per HTSB requirements, students who do not take and pass the Praxis II exam before student teaching will not be allowed to student teach.
Observation & Participation
Various methods courses require an observation and participation (O&P) practicum in an approved educational setting. These field experiences are arranged through the field services director. For students holding teaching positions, O&P may be completed in the classroom under the observation of a colleague. See the course descriptions for O&P courses.
Student Teaching
Student teaching is offered twice a year (July/August-December or January-May) and is a minimum of 15 weeks, not including breaks and intercessions. Student teaching is full-time, unpaid work completed under the supervision of a cooperating teacher and a university supervisor in a public or private school. Eligibility to student teach is dependent on the quality of coursework and student disposition over the duration of the program. Students are not allowed to work or take additional classes during the 15 weeks of student teaching. Student teaching requirements include:
- Completion of all licensure courses, including required hours of observation and participation field experiences
- Excellent O&P evaluations from each of the methods courses
- Excellent student disposition evaluations by all course instructors
- At least a B in all courses
- Submittal of the following documents by designated due dates (refer to the Student Teaching Memorandum for specific deadline dates)
– Submittal of the Student Teaching Application
– Verification and receipt of passing PRAXIS I (Core)/PPST and PRAXIS II scores
– Three faculty recommendations
– Fingerprinting clearance
– Proof of TB (tuberculosis) clearance
– Active SNEA membership
– Submission of graduation clearance form - Orientation
Students who are currently employed as full-time classroom teachers in a public or private school may submit a request for validation. To be considered, students must have been teaching in their concentration area for at least one entire semester (six months) and have approval from the school principal and Chaminade University.
Portfolio
During the student teaching seminar, students will finalize a portfolio that documents achievement of specific skill competencies aligned with Hawaii State Teacher Performance and Licensing Standards, and Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) standards in the case of special education licensure. Successful completion of student teaching is contingent upon successful completion of the seminar and review of the portfolio.
Praxis Exams
The Praxis exams are required for licensure programs only: elementary, secondary, special education. Students in the licensure programs are required to take and pass the following before full acceptance into the program:
- Praxis I PPST (Pre-Professional Skills Tests on or before June 30, 2015) or Praxis I (Core Academic Skills)
- Reading
- Writing
- Math
The following must be passed before full acceptance into student teaching. Refer to the Field Experiences Teaching Memorandum for specific deadline dates of PRAXIS scores and other student teaching requirements:
- Praxis II Content Knowledge*
- Secondary- choose according to your area of concentration- science, math, English or social studies
- Special education- special ed: mild/moderate
- Elementary- elementary ed: content knowledge
*PRAXIS exam requirements and codes are subject to change, so please contact field services at [email protected] or check the ETS Praxis and/or Hawaii Teacher Standards Board website for more information on the specific exam/code that align with your program requirements.
Recipient Codes
Recipient codes ensure that official test scores are sent to the institution. Chaminade University and the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board do not accept copies of your PRAXIS exam scores so please be sure to indicate both institutions as recipients.
Chaminade University Recipient Code: 4105
Hawaii Teacher Standards Board Recipient Code: 8620