Office of Teacher Education

A:  First, download or pick up a student teaching packet from the Office of Teacher Education (OTE). Follow the checklist on the front page of the packet in order to obtain a CLEARANCE LETTER. You must take a tuberculosis test, get fingerprinted, register online with the New York City Dept. of Ed, take the child abuse workshop and take the violence prevention workshop  in order to obtain a clearance letter and start student teaching. A student teaching handbook is available online or at Zankel 411 with guidelines for the placement. A general orientation to student teaching is offered during the New Student Experience at the start of fall semester. (A full list of workshops and events is available on this website.) Special note: If you have taken or will take the HBSS 4116 Health course, there is no need to take the two workshops.

A:  No, STATE LAW requires all persons to take a tuberculin (TB/PPD) test before entering the classroom.

A:  Columbia University Health Services offers a test to insured students for free and for a fee of $60 for non-insured students. (Click here for link) OR you may go to your own personal physician. A TB Test is offered at no cost to all student teachers on TB Test Day at TC on July 23, 2012.

A:  All students who will be student teaching need to be fingerprinted unless the school is located outside of New York or if they are an international student.

A:  There are 2 methods to obtain fingerprint clearance:

1)    Visit the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) at 65 Court Street in Brooklyn.  You will have to complete an OSPRA 104 Form to give consent to NYCDOE to release your fingerprint clearance status to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Clearance takes 24-48 hours.

OR

A:  We recommend that you take/pass the LAST as early as possible.  We recommend that you take/pass the ATS-W and CST once you have teaching or student teaching experience. You should have taken/passed all exams at least 4-6 weeks prior to your graduation date. Please note that exams are NOT given on a monthly basis. To register online or for more information, go to the NYSTCE website at:  www.nystce.nesinc.com.

A:  The Assessment of Teaching Skills-Written (ATS-W) has two levels: Elementary and secondary.  If you are not sure of which assessment to take, visit the NYSED Search Certification Requirements.

A:  Yes, NYSTCE exams are given in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington D.C. Please check the bulletin for current dates. Out-of-State test sites are only available once a year during the spring.

A:  LAST, ATS-W and several CST preparation guides are available in our Resource Center in Zankel 411. Guides are also available online.

A:  Certification makes you eligible to teach, but it does not supersede your visa status. You also need an appropriate work authorization to teach in the schools. One option for F-1 students is Optional Practical Training (OPT) which provides an employment authorization for a maximum of 12 months. See "F-1 Employment and Training" information at www.tc.columbia.edu/~international.

For information on work authorization sponsored by the NYC Dept. of Ed, contact the International Recruitment Office. Phone: (718) 935-5854.

A: There are several ways to satisfy this requirement:

• Completion of a college course in a language other than English, as indicated on the college transcript. The course may be for any number of semester hours of credit.
• Satisfactory performance on a College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test in Spanish, French, or German.
• Passing performance on a proficiency exam offered by an institution of higher education’s foreign language department (verification required).
• Waiver by a higher education institution of its language requirement, based on high school study, etc., as indicated on the college transcript or letter from the college registrar.
• Graduation from a higher education institution with a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent, in which the language of instruction was other than English.

A: Students enrolled in an approved teacher preparation programs (list is available by clicking on the “Certification and Licensing” link on the left side) who have never taught before usually obtain initial certification via institutional recommendation. Others (except Childhood Ed (1-6) and School Building Leaders) may choose to follow the individual pathway. Please see the next question for more details.

A: Institutional recommendation pathway is obtained when a student completes an approved teacher preparation program.  If leading to initial teaching certification, it MUST include the student teaching component.

Individual transcript evaluation pathway is obtained if/when a student has taught at a private school but is not NYS-certified (initial/professional) and just needs to finish course requirements without having to student teach.  Be mindful that when applying via the individual transcript evaluation, the student deals directly with the NYSED and that most likely the NYSED, when evaluating, will find deficiency(ies).  Most importantly, when applying via the individual pathway there will be no institutional recommendation.  

A: INITIAL Certificate:  The entry-level certificate for classroom teachers, issued in specific subject/grade titles, and the entry-level certificate for School Building Leader (SBL). The initial certificate is valid for 5 years and leads to professional certification.

Professional Certificate:  The advanced-level certificate for classroom teachers (issued in specific subject/grade titles) and School Building Leaders. The professional certificate is continuously valid with completion of required professional development hours on a five-year professional development cycle.

A: New York State has reciprocity with over 40 other states. The other states may or may not require teacher certification examination(s). It is the responsibility of the student to check all requirements with that state’s department of education.  You must also file an application at that state for the teaching certificate/license/credential.  When requesting institutional support, most state department of education will have a form on their website requiring institutional verification/support of the approved teacher preparation program completed.  Please be mindful that the certification reciprocity and institutional support ONLY applies to the coursework completed under the approved teacher preparation program. 

A: Please call OTE at 212.678.4057/3466 or email us at ote@tc.edu with questions. Feel free to visit our office in Zankel, Room 411.