SOE 4+ Year Checklist

The LEAD (Leadership, Education, and Development) Living-Learning Community (LLC) is a multidisciplinary residential learning community rooted in leadership development, academic growth, and service to others. Students of all majors are welcome. You can learn more at the website for the LEAD LLC.

Make friends, connect with the rich history and traditions of your new home, and explore how Baylor’s distinct Christian mission will animate your story, all before classes even start! Find the Orientation and Line Camp experience that best fits your interests and schedule at the New Student Programs Website.

At Orientation you will meet with your SOE academic advisor where you will draft out a four-year plan and register for your fall semester classes. If you are an education major, your advisor will be in the SOE, and you will meet with your advisor each semester before registering for classes.

• You can get a preview of the type of classes you will be taking by looking up your desired major in the Undergraduate Degree Planners.
• This is also a good time to being discussing possible study-abroad options. The SOE has several study abroad programs specifically for education majors, and those include experiences in the country you are visiting. Baylor University also offers study-abroad programs that might satisfy some of your general education requirements and also a variety of missions programs at different times of the year. Explore those programs on the website for Bears Abroad. 
• Your advisors can also help you navigate transfer credits brought in from high school or other colleges. You can get an idea of what classes will apply to your degree through Baylor's Course Equivalency Tool. Your advisor can help you navigate the Baylor requirements for transferring credit.

Welcome Week is the official beginning of your experience as a Baylor Bear. During this week, new students join together and participate in a host of events designed to build excitement and comradery around the year ahead. Check out the typical Welcome Week schedule. Baylor also hosts a Welcome Weekend for students beginning in the spring semester.

• Take the first novice-level teaching course, Introduction to Teaching (TED 1312), which will provide you with an overview of the field of education. You'll also get the opportunity to create lesson plans and assessments for students in a local school and teach for several weeks.
• Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 (cumulative and major).

• Introduce yourself to faculty and staff in the SOE. They are eager to come alongside you. Creating relationships with these individuals early in your college career is beneficial as it can lead to mentorship, research opportunities, and references in the future. Learn more about SOE faculty, as well as how to contact them on the Meet the Faculty site.
• Communicate & Connect with the Director and Coordinator of First-Year Experience. Together, they will work to connect you to the people and resources that will help you succeed in your academic and co-curricular pursuits.
• Ask your Peer Coach to hang out. As upper-level education students, they have tons of tips and tricks to share with you.
• The SOE puts on several socials and conversations each semester specifically for first-year students. These are great opportunities meet other education majors, and again, glean helpful tips and tricks for navigating your learning and teaching experiences.

• Join a student organization
• Passionate about the SOE? Consider joining our Student Advisory Council!
• Explore all of Baylor’s involvement opportunities and take advantage of everything the community has to offer. Find the group that is best for you by attending Late Night and/or exploring more options through Baylor Connect.

• Explore the Learning Resource Center (LRC). The LRC provides materials related to education subject fields. All resources are completely free for education students to check-out and use!
• Take your essay to the Writing Center. The University Writing Center (UWC) offers free personal consulting in all areas of writing and composing at any stage of the writing process. Whether you want a reader for a final draft, to brainstorm ideas, or to discuss an entire assignment, the UWC can help.
• Visit The Center for Academic Success and Engagement (CASE). Baylor’s Center for Academic Success and Engagement (CASE) seeks to promote academic excellence and vocational discernment of all students by offering a range of services from tutoring to academic mentoring. If you need help deciding on a major, gaining study skills, or getting ready for midterms or finals, the CASE can help! It's part of the Paul L. Foster Success Center, which has other resources that may be helpful to you.

• Create a Texas Education Agency (TEA) account. You will receive instructions via email from Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL) to complete Educator Profile in TEA system.
• Complete online Baylor application.
• Respond to emails from Office of Professional Practice (OPP) regarding formal acceptance. OPP will coordinate your fieldwork experiences as a junior and senior and guide you through the testing and certification process.

• Your advisor will help you stay on track, letting you know which education courses to take when.
• Information on our professional advisors, dedicated to SOE students, is available on the Meet the Advisors page.

Tips for TAs and Sophomore Socials are events designed to help second-year SOE students continue building community while also preparing them for their field work.

• Education majors must continue to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 (cumulative and major) and earn 60 credit hours to be formally admitted to the teacher-preparation program in the School of Education.

Your junior year is the start of the professional teacher education program. During this time you will have the opportunity to spend 3-4 weekday mornings teaching at a local school for one or two semesters, depending on your major, plus other experiences in local schools.

Begin preparing and practicing for your certification tests.

1. Complete required diagnostic certification testing. Refer to Teacher Education Handbook for the specific timeline of this. The expectation is that once a diagnostic test is completed, you will complete the corresponding official TExES certification exam.
2. Attempt one official TExES certification exam. Results must be posted by the testing company before beginning Internship your senior year. Refer to the Teacher Education Handbook, posted on the OPP site, for additional requirements, specific to your certification area and major.

• Complete Bio sheet to your email.
• Attend Part 1 Internship Orientation. This occurs in the Spring.
• Maintain all required time cards and logs in TK-20.
• Attend T-Tess and T-PESS overview.
• Do four TEA trainings.
• Check your email regularly for important updates and information from the Office of Professional Practice.

Complete all general education requirements and ensure your transcript is accurate prior to Internship. This includes any transfer work.

There are important academic benchmarks to progress through the SOE program:

• Earn a B (3.0) or better in all Teaching Associate courses each semester to progress to the next sequence of coursework.
• Maintain minimum GPA of 2.75, cumulative and major.

• Attend co-teaching and Educator Code of Ethics training.
• Prior to the start of Baylor’s fall semester, attend part 2 of Internship Orientation. 
• Maintain all required time cards and logs in TK-20.
• Attend all Intern seminars.

• If seeking any additional supplemental certification, take and pass the diagnostic test and official TExES certification exams before the start of 2nd semester internships.
• When directed, apply to Texas Education Agency (TEA) for your teacher certification.

• Update your resume with the Baylor Career Center.
• Attend the Education Career Fair. (usually in March)

Every Baylor education senior conducts "Action Research" in the classroom where they are student teaching. Learning the research process will help you throughout your career to assess classroom practices and consider how you might improve learning experiences for your students. All seniors share their findings with others at the Action Research Symposium.

• Earn a B (3.0) or better in each Internship course each semester in order to progress to the next sequence.
• Ask your advisor about the necessary forms and procedures for graduation.

• The average teacher will impact more than 3,000 students throughout their career!*
• More than 80% of students say a teacher helped them improve confidence and self-esteem.
• 75% of students see their teachers as role models and mentors.

*info from 240tutoring.com