Progression for Initial Certification
Prior to full-time student teaching, it is required by New York State Education Department that the candidate spend 100 hours observing and participating in classroom experiences in a field setting. At least 20 of these hours must be spent in a "High-Needs" area. Candidates must register for the program specific section of Apprentice Field Experience Phase I and also submit the Application to Apprentice Experience Form to the Field Placement Office. Candidates may not begin field observations until contacted by their field advisor and scheduled for two seminars. A reflective format is required. Arrangements for the initial 40 hours of observation time are coordinated through the Director of Field Placements. Candidates may observe in an elementary, secondary or middle school of their choice or may be placed by the Molloy University School of Education. Successful completion of the Apprentice Field Experience is required for progression to the Pre-Student Teaching phase.
Candidates must register for Pre-Student Reaching and also submit the Pre-Student Teaching Field Placement Application to the Field Placement Office. Seventy additional hours of observation/participation are necessary prior to student teaching. Candidates are supervised by a Molloy University faculty member during these hours of observation/participation in a field school experience. Successful completion of the observation/participation phase is required prior to admittance to student teaching. Requests for all phases of field experience must be submitted to the Field Placement Office according to the following schedule:
- March 1 for Fall Placement, October 1 for Spring Placement.
- Failure to meet this deadline may result in lack of placement until the following semester. Any candidate who does not demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary for successful student teaching, may be required to withdraw from the Program or to repeat the Pre-Student Teaching Experience. This determination is made by the Graduate Program faculty with input from the field supervisors and co-operating teacher and approved by the Director of Field Placements and the Director of the Graduate Education Program. If field experience needs to be extended because the candidate has failed to successfully demonstrate the knowledge, skills and dispositions required, this will negatively affect the candidate's final grade.
Candidates will student teach for one semester in the grade levels and area(s) that are required by their program. Applications for student teaching must be submitted to the Field Placement Office ( see due dates above). In addition, candidates must register with their advisor for student teaching. The Field Placement Office will secure placements and assign a field supervisor. Student teachers are also required to attend a weekly seminar.
Pedagogical and content knowledge is a prerequisite for student teaching. It is expected, therefore, that candidates will have successfully completed the Educating All Students (EAS), and Content Specialty Tests (CST) prior to student teaching. Candidates preparing for Dual Certification need to successfully complete the Content Specialty Test (CST) in both areas.
When taking NYSED examinations, candidates are required to list Molloy University as a recipient of their scores. Candidates also are required to provide their advisor with printed evidence of their scores immediately upon accessing them via the internet.
Candidates for initial teaching certification are required by mandate of New York State Education Department to have placement experience in a high needs district.
Teacher candidates who are already teaching without NYSED Certification are required to register for all field experiences including student teaching. These candidates will fulfill their field experiences and student teaching and will be observed in the classroom in which they are teaching. These experiences must be in the area and grade(s) of the certification to be attained. In the event that only one of these required levels (1-3, 7-9) and (4-6, 10-12) can be observed in the candidate's position, the candidate and Molloy University Field Placement Office will arrange for the additional experience in order to fulfill NYSED requirements for Teacher Certification.