DECISION POINTS
There are four decision points that all Ball State University teaching majors must pass through in order to graduate with a teaching major and be licensed to teach in the state of Indiana.
The following outline describes the requirements that must be satisfied by teaching majors in mathematics in order to pass through each of the four decision points. Additional information about these requirements will be available from the department, in particular the dates and times for which presentations can be scheduled and the dates when portfolios are due.
Decision Point #1: Normally students pass through Decision Point #1 during their first year as a teaching major in mathematics. All requirements for Decision Point #1 will be completed during MATHS 150.
Decision Point 1 Professional Education Requirements
1. Complete and earn grade of C or better in MATHS 150.
Decision Point 1 Portfolio Requirements
1. Dated written reflections on all ten INTASC principles.
2. Reflective Artifact from MATHS 150 Presentation. Includes the following: (1) an outline of your mathematical presentation and (2) an accompanying paper. The paper (approximately 300 words) should include a discussion of what you learned about mathematics and teaching mathematics from the experience of preparing and delivering the presentation. The reflective artifact (the outline and the paper) should be attached to INTASC Principle #1 with an accompanying Rationale (one or two paragraphs) that describes what the artifact demonstrates about your knowledge and abilities in relation to INTASC Principle #1. The Rationale should be clearly labeled “DP1.”
Portfolio Assessment at Decision Point 1. Initial assessment of a student’s portfolio will be conducted by the MATHS 150 instructor.
Decision Point #2: Normally students pass through Decision Point #2 during the second year as a teaching major in mathematics. After students have passed through Decision Point #2 they are admitted to the Professional Education Curriculum and may register for 300-400 level professional education courses.
Decision Point 2 Professional Education Requirements
1. Earn grades of C or better in 100 and 200-level professional education courses.
2. Complete 45 credit hours with a GPA ³ 2.5.
3. Grade of C or better in COMM 210.
4. Achieve state acceptable scores on the Praxis I: PPST. Registration information for this examination is available at Office of Teacher Education Services, TC 915, or at www.ets.org/praxis.
5. Complete Phase 1 of Professional Growth Plan. Information is available at http://www.bsu.edu/web/pgpbsu/.
6. Complete application for professional education and receive approval of application. Obtain application in EDMUL 205 or the Office of Educational Studies (TC 829).
Decision Point 2 Mathematics Content Requirements
1. Complete and achieve grades of C- or better in at least three of the following: MATHS 165, 166, 215, and 217.
2. Earn a GPA ³ 2.0 in mathematics courses applied to the teaching major.
3. Secondary Mathematics Teaching majors give a Calculus Presentation and Middle School Mathematics teaching majors give an Algebra Presentation (to be completed as soon as Mathematics Content Requirements #1 and #2 have been satisfied). Each student prepares and delivers a 10-15 minute presentation on a topic selected from an approved list to three faculty members in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. A reflective artifact from the presentation should be included in the digital portfolio (see Portfolio Requirements). Additional information about the content of this presentation and how to schedule a presentation is available on the department website.
4. Meet with mathematics department advisor to review progress.
Decision Point 2 Portfolio Requirements
1. A revised set of dated written reflections on all ten INTASC principles. (Do NOT delete the original reflections.)
2. Reflective Artifact: A list of the mathematics courses taken so far, including the core courses (MATHS 165, 166, 215, and 217) with an accompanying paper. The paper (approximately 300 words) should include a discussion of what the student has learned so far about mathematics, focusing on important themes across the courses. The student should also describe the value of acquiring a depth and breadth of mathematical knowledge beyond the level at which he/she will teach in middle school or high school. The paper should also discuss how the experience of being a learner in these classes has influenced the student’s thoughts about becoming a teacher. The reflective artifact (the list of courses and the written reflection) should be attached to INTASC Principle #1 with an accompanying Rationale (one or two paragraphs) that describes what the artifact demonstrates about the student’s knowledge and abilities in relation to INTASC Principle #1 (see scoring rubric for digital portfolio at Decision Point 2). The Rationale for this artifact should be clearly labeled “DP2.”
3. One artifact from EDPSY 251 and an accompanying Rationale attached to INTASC Principle #2. The Rationale for this artifact should be clearly labeled “DP2.”
4. One artifact from EDMUL 205 and an accompanying Rationale attached to INTASC Principle #3. The Rationale for this artifact should be clearly labeled “DP2.”
Portfolio Assessment at Decision Point #2. A student’s mathematics department advisor is responsible for conducting the Decision Point #2 portfolio review for evidence of successful progress.
Decision Point #3: Students must pass through Decision Point 3 prior to student teaching. After passing this decision point, students are admitted to student teaching.
Decision Point 3 Professional Education Requirements
1. Earn grades of C or better in 300 and 400-level professional education courses.
2. Complete 93 credit hours with a GPA ³ 2.5.
3. Earn GPA ³ 2.5 in professional education courses
4. Complete Phase 2 of Professional Growth Plan.
5. Maintain clearance from the Office of Student Affairs.
6. Complete application for student teaching and receive approval of application. Students should apply for student teaching in October of the year prior to that in which they expect to student teach. Instructions for application to student teaching are available in the Office of Educational Field Experience, TC 915.
7. Pass the Ball State University writing competency test. Register for this test at the start of your junior year in the BSU Assessment Office, WQ 200.
Decision Point 3 Mathematics Content Requirements
1. Be within 9 hours of completing all required mathematics content courses with a grade of C- or better in each course.
2. Earn a GPA ³ 2.5 in mathematics courses applied to the teaching major.
3. Meet with mathematics department advisor to review progress.
Decision Point 3 Portfolio Requirements
1. A revised set of dated written reflections on all ten INTASC principles. (Do NOT delete the first two sets of reflections.)
2. Reflective Artifact: An outline from the Calculus Presentation (or Algebra Presentation) with an accompanying paper. The paper (approximately 300 words) should include a discussion of what the student learned about mathematics and teaching mathematics from the experience of preparing and delivering the presentation. The paper should also include a response to the faculty’s evaluation of the presentation. The reflective artifact (the outline and the written reflection) should be attached to INTASC Principle #1 with an accompanying Rationale (one or two paragraphs) that describes what the artifact demonstrates about the student’s knowledge and abilities in relation to INTASC Principle #1 (see scoring rubric for digital portfolio at Decision Point 2). The Rationale for this artifact should be clearly labeled “DP2.”
3. One new artifact for each of seven of the ten INTASC principles, each with an accompanying Rationale clearly labeled “DP3.”
Portfolio Assessment at Decision Point 3. Portfolio review at Decision Point 3 will be conducted by the student’s MATHS 395 instructor and by the student’s EDJHM 385/EDSEC 380 instructor.
Decision Point #4: Passing through Decision Point #4 results in graduation and recommendation for licensure in the state of IN to teach middle and high school mathematics.
Decision Point 4 Professional Education Requirements
1. Complete all requirements for graduation with an overall GPA ³ 2.5.
2. Earn a GPA ³ 2.5 in professional education courses.
3. Complete Phase 3 of Professional Growth Plan.
4. Maintain clearance from the Office of Student Affairs.
5. Achieve state acceptable scores on the Praxis II test. Registration information for this examination is available at Office of Teacher Education Services, TC 915, or at www.ets.org/praxis.
Decision Point 4 Mathematics Content Requirements
1. Earn a GPA ³ 2.5 in all mathematics courses applied to the major.
Decision Point 4 Portfolio Requirements
1. Written reflections on all ten INTASC principles along with artifacts addressing all ten principles.
2. Successful completion of the student teaching portfolio.
Portfolio Assessment at Decision Point 4. The Decision Point 4 portfolio review will be conducted at a meeting near the completion of student teaching. The student teacher’s cooperating teacher, university supervisor, and a faculty member from the mathematics department (when possible) will be responsible for the portfolio review.