Applications for Program Selections
Accepted June 1, 2009 - February 1, 2010
Application Deadline - February 1, 2010

Project Overview

The Teacher Academy Project (TAP) is designed to prepare individuals as certified secondary education teachers. Candidates for TAP must hold an undergraduate degree in a major related to a secondary (grades 7-12) content area such as mathematics, science, or foreign language, etc.

TAP candidates complete certification coursework while interning in a participating Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium (MOEC) school district. The graduate work completed during this program may be applied toward completion of a Masters degree in secondary education. Project participants will be enrolled as full time students, which will allow for the completion of the certification requirements in one academic year. This program is offered once each year.

The MOEC School districts are listed below:
Bellevue Public Schools
Bennington Public Schools
Council Bluffs Community Schools
Douglas County West Community Schools
Elkhorn Public Schools
Gretna Public Schools
Millard Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools
Papillion/LaVista Public Schools
Ralston Public Schools
South Sarpy School District #46
Westside Community Schools

The Teacher Academy Project Offers:

Experience

• A practical education experience in a MOEC school working with students, faculty, and administrators in an internship role
• Immersion in the culture of an urban school with an opportunity to observe the modeling of effective teaching techniques and strategies followed by opportunities for immediate application
• Priority consideration for employment upon successful completion of the program

Education

• Graduate studies for each TAP Cohort group will begin the first session of summer school
• Graduate studies focus on the coursework required for teacher certification and can be applied to a Master’s degree in secondary education
• Academic coursework is completed in an area of secondary endorsement

Support Team

• Each intern is assigned a trained support team to provide professional and educational leadership in the school environment
• The TAP support team includes Project Coordinator, individual building leadership member, master teacher, and university faculty

Goals

• To provide a quality alternative certification option that leads to secondary teacher certification by providing instruction and experiences on various teaching techniques, academic competencies and instructional strategies
• To provide TAP candidates with professional development opportunities while completing the certification requirements under the direct mentorship of the TAP support team
• To provide support for individual TAP candidate with mentoring by a master teacher, building level administrator and university faculty

Program Requirements/Application Procedures

• B.S. or B.A. with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 with major in a content area of secondary endorsement
• Passing scores on the Pre-Professional Skills Test
• Be available for full time enrollment and internship experience
• Graduate admission
• Completion of TAP application
• Interview and selection by a MOEC school district

Coursework

The sequence of coursework for the TAP program begins in the summer sessions. These classes address initial education content which prepares candidates to begin working in classroom settings in the fall while they continue with additional courses. The spring semester completes the professional education requirements with student teaching as the capstone experience.

Summer Session

• 12 semester hours required professional education coursework (Course topics include human growth and development, educational foundations, special education and learning theory)

Fall Semester

• 10-16 hours of required professional coursework (Course topics include content methods, human relations, technology, reading/writing in the content areas and content courses if needed)
• 3-6 hours of academic coursework* (if needed)
• 4 clock hours per day ( internship site)

Spring Semester

• Student Teaching (internship site)

for further information:
Download a brochure (.pdf) about the program
Download an information sheet (.pdf) about the program
Download Rule 20/21(.pdf) for the program
Download Professional Dispositions Statement (.pdf) for the program
Download an application (.pdf) for the program
Click to see additional information regarding the PPST

or contact:

Lawrence Heck Project Coordinator College of Education, Kayser Hall 522 University of Nebraska at Omaha 6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0163 Phone: (402) 554-2733

Janie Herrick College of Education, Kayser Hall 522 University of Nebraska at Omaha 6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0163 Phone: (402) 554-3512

URL:http://coe.unomaha.edu/tap/
Revised 03/10/2009

 

The University of Nebraska is an affirmative action/equal opportunity institution.