2008 Woodie Awards
Preparing For The Praxis
Kean requires all Education majors to pass the PRAXIS.
By Jennifer Rubino
Issue date: 1/22/07 Section: Campus News
As most education students already know, a passing score on the PRAXIS exam is required to receive a teaching license in the State of New Jersey. Undergraduates are required to take the exam no earlier than their senior year, but at to Kean University students must take the exam sooner due to a rule instituted in November 2005 by the College of Education.
The College of Education requires that all education majors pass the PRAXIS exam before they can enroll in their senior field, however Kean is not the only school in New Jersey to adopt this rule. Most students are aware of this requirement, because it is posted on the College of Education website and bulletin board. However, it can pose a problem to students that do not pass the test because of the possibility of it interfering with their graduation date. If students are unable to enroll in senior field until they pass the PRAXIS, their graduation date may have to be delayed for another semester.
To the benefit of the students, this requirement will allow all education majors the opportunity to teach as soon as they step out of the classroom. Our students, who will now be ahead of others, can breathe a sigh of relief, because they know for sure that they are fully prepared for their career as an educator, even though some students plan to attend graduate school and teach later.
So why is Kean in such a rush for education majors to pass? Well, most education majors that get a job after completing their undergraduate studies will more likely be offered money to attend graduate school, because educators are encouraged to receive as much education as possible. Also, it is best for students to take the test with the information fresh in their minds. Or maybe perhaps Kean is just looking out for the best interest students, so that when Education majors graduate not only will they be qualified to teach, but they are also certified. "Taking and passing the PRAXIS prior to the internship will allow students to be certified by the State of New Jersey when the internship is completed satisfactorily," said Director of The Teaching Performance Center, Dr. Martha Mobley.
The College of Education requires that all education majors pass the PRAXIS exam before they can enroll in their senior field, however Kean is not the only school in New Jersey to adopt this rule. Most students are aware of this requirement, because it is posted on the College of Education website and bulletin board. However, it can pose a problem to students that do not pass the test because of the possibility of it interfering with their graduation date. If students are unable to enroll in senior field until they pass the PRAXIS, their graduation date may have to be delayed for another semester.
To the benefit of the students, this requirement will allow all education majors the opportunity to teach as soon as they step out of the classroom. Our students, who will now be ahead of others, can breathe a sigh of relief, because they know for sure that they are fully prepared for their career as an educator, even though some students plan to attend graduate school and teach later.
So why is Kean in such a rush for education majors to pass? Well, most education majors that get a job after completing their undergraduate studies will more likely be offered money to attend graduate school, because educators are encouraged to receive as much education as possible. Also, it is best for students to take the test with the information fresh in their minds. Or maybe perhaps Kean is just looking out for the best interest students, so that when Education majors graduate not only will they be qualified to teach, but they are also certified. "Taking and passing the PRAXIS prior to the internship will allow students to be certified by the State of New Jersey when the internship is completed satisfactorily," said Director of The Teaching Performance Center, Dr. Martha Mobley.