On this page, Education students at Thiel College will find helpful information regarding assessments, the Praxis Series, certification, clearances, lesson plans, and more! You'll also find links to several ePortfolios to help guide you through the process of building your own.
Pennsylvania requires assessment of candidates in basic skills, general knowledge, professional knowledge and subject area knowledge before a certificate may be issued. Three documents are recommended reading:
Fee waivers may be available for college students who meet certain eligibility criteria. You may receive only one fee waiver per year, and there is a limited number of waivers available per test date and institution. Requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
To be eligible for a PECT or Praxis fee waiver, you must meet the following conditions:
PECT Waiver:
To apply for a fee waiver, submit a completed Fee Waiver Request Form before registering to test.
Praxis Waiver:
If you qualify for a Praxis fee waiver, the test fees for up to three Praxis® Core tests, or one Praxis® Subject Assessment may be waived. If you are requesting a fee waiver for all three Praxis Core tests, the voucher issued to you will be for the combined test code (5752).
To apply for the fee waiver, complete/obtain the following documents and either email them as attachments (scanned if necessary) to PraxisFeeWaiver@ets.org OR mail them to ETS - PRAXIS, P.O. Box 6051, Princeton, NJ 08541-6051:
Pennsylvania Department of Education requires teacher candidates to apply for their teacher certification online on the Teacher Information Management System (TIMS). The online certification system is a one-stop shop for educators to submit a certification application and update your contact information, among other services.
For more information about testing requirements, please visit the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Certification Testing webpage.
Pennsylvania School Law, requires that all applicants for employment in public and private schools, employees of independent contractors seeking business with public and private schools, and student teacher candidates undergo background checks if they will have direct contact with students.
The following three background checks are required. Please follow each of the links for more information about obtaining each of the required clearances.
Pennsylvania Department of Education/Clearances webpage:
Education majors are required to complete at least 190 hours of field experience before student teaching. This is done through your coursework. You are also highly encouraged to seek out other opportunities through community service and/or internships.
Disclaimer: We cannot endorse, supervise or monitor your involvement in any of these activities. Good judgment is required.
Possible internships include:
All Education majors are required to complete an ePortfolio as part of the EDUC 220/ECE 420 - Integrated Instructional Systems course. Students use this requirement to market his/her skills upon graduation. Questions or comments can be directed to Kara Schreckenghost at kschreckenghost@thiel.edu.
Examples of an effective e-Portfolio: