Teacher Certification Hints

This page contains useful information, hints, and advice about the program offered by students, working teachers, and faculty.  This material is not intended to replace regular advising, but you may find some of the answers to your questions here.

Where to Get Help

Department of History:
226 Garinger Building, Tel. 704-687-4633, email: history@uncc.edu

College of Education:

Frequently Asked Questions

Recommended Curriculum

Based on our understanding of the material you will teach in high school and what you will be tested on in PRAXIS II.  The Department of History recommends that you consider the following curriculum.  These are recommendations not requirements.   Your individual circumstances and your interests may well dictate different choices, but in an ideal world, you might consider taking the following courses:

History Classes

Surveys:

• History 1121 (Europe since 1660, REQUIRED)
• History 1160 (US to 1865)
• History 1161 (US since 1865)

Although you can only count 9 hours at the 1000 level towards the major you should also consider taking the following history classes towards your general education goals.

• LBST 2101-HIST
• LBST 2102-HIST

Non  Western:

• Take two different areas to maximize your exposure to different cultures--cross cultural and world history is increasingly important in high school social studies.

2100, Upper Level Electives, 4000/01/02

• History 3310: Teaching History: this is a discipline specific hands-on skills seminar for traditional and lateral entry pre-service teachers.
• History 3300: World History for Teachers
• History 3000: US History for Teachers
• Choose topics which cover periods of history you have not had in your survey courses. For example if you did not take 1160 (US to 1865) take a 2100 that covers Colonial History, and a course on the Old South, or take the first half of US women’s history. If you didn’t take History 1120 (Europe to 1660) take an ancient history course and a medieval or Renaissance/Reformation course. If you didn’t take 1161 (US since 1865) take a Civil War and Reconstruction topic as your 4000 seminar and the US since 1932 class. You get the drift...
• All other things being equal, choose courses which cover a relatively broad time period over more specialized topics.  When you take Praxis II or have to prepare a lesson plan, your notes from 20th Century Europe (HIST 3116) are more likely to be useful than those from a History of Ireland class or a WWII in Europe class.
• If you are going to teach in North Carolina, North Carolina History might be useful.

Social Studies

Do not bother with Sociology or Anthropology they are relevant to less than 10% of your overall grade on the PRAXIS test.  In an ideal world you would take the following.

• Political Science : 1110 Intro to American Politics, and a choice of 1130: Intro to Comparative Politics or 1150: Intro to International Politics
• LBST 2102-GEOG or GEOG 1101 World Regional Geography
• Economics: ECON 1101: Econ for non-majors

Of these disciplines, ECONOMICS by far and away the most important.  This is because unlike the concepts and information associated with the other disciplines, most people do not naturally pick up much about Economics in their daily lives or college careers.  So when it comes to either teaching high school freshmen in an introductory ELP  (economics, law, and politics) class or taking the Economics section of the Praxis II test, you can't get by with what you have picked up.  Experience proves this, for  students w/o any Economics tended not to do well on the Praxis test.

Finally, all things being equal, we recommend that you take Psychology as one of your science classes.

What Our Graduates Say

In order to provide you with the best information possible, we have conducted a number of interviews with graduates of UNC Charlotte's teacher certification program in history and social studies.  We asked these teachers about what classes they took; how they fared on Praxis II; and what they would do, knowing what they know now, if they were in the program now.  The full results of the survey are given on a separate page teacher survey, but the main points they made are as follows:

• Most of the teachers currently a mixture of world history, U.S. history, and social studies (esp. government and economics)

• Some reported that they would have taken more US and World history classes and more government and economics and/or wished they would have taken better notes in those classes because they find the information they got in college courses useful.

• Most (some strongly) recommend that you take economics in college--the ones who didn't regretted it. (And they also thought it was useful for getting through Praxis.)

• Most did ok on Praxis in the end, but strongly recommend  that you take the test very seriously and prepare yourself for it as much as possible.

What Our Students Say

The following comments are offered by Jon Kinman a senior in the program in 1998-99.   Although they represent the opinions of only one student, they offer a different perspective from the ones given above.  We would welcome suggestions from students about additions and alterations for this part of the page or simply a confirmation that Jon has got it about right.  Please see the FEEDBACK page for ways of doing this.  

Advising Advice:

One of the most important people in your academic career will be your advisor. Get to know them well, you will need recommendations once you graduate and your advisor will give you support and advice throughout your years.

Once you declare History as your major you will be assigned an advisor. This advisor will probably be one of the full time faculty. After you are accepted by the Department of Secondary/Middle Grades Education, the Chair of the History Department will become your advisor and the Education Department will give you an advisor too. It is wise to meet with the Chair before you decide to become a History Education major. The Chair will clearly explain the courses you will need to take for Social Studies/History certification.

After you are accepted by the College of Education you will be given another advisor. The advisor the Education Department assigns you will help you with your Education Certification needs. This advisor may help you in education class selections, but the Chair of the History Department is your overall advisor. The History Department will help you determine your general education requirements, your History major requirements, and your Social Studies concentration requirements. Your advisor in the Education Department will help with education related troubles. All other troubles will be dealt with by the History Department. The History Department is your best place to get questions answered.

Advising Trouble Shooting and Timeline:

As a general rule; see your advisor before every semester. Your advisor will post a schedule for advising weeks before registration. Sign up early. If problems arise during the semester, visit the History Department. See your advisor during office hours or make an appointment. The departmental secretaries can answer many of your general questions, but it is not their job or responsibility to do so. See your advisor when troubles develop, do not assume a problem will go away on its own.

You must see your advisor before you can enroll in HIST 2100 or HIST 4000. You must see your advisor before you can apply to the Education Department and before Student Teaching. You need to see your advisor before every semester.

Class Selection Recommendations:

As a general rule History classes become more demanding the higher the course number. With this in mind the following is a timeline for class times. History 1121, 2100, and 4000 are required classes. History 2100 and History 4000 both are offered during fall and spring semesters. 2100 and 4000 both require the student to write papers in the History Department’s approved style and format. History 2100 and History 4000 both range in topics covered, take classes you think will help you when teaching. The style and type of writing that is required for History 2100 and History 4000 will be different from any other type of writing a student will have encountered thus far in their academic career, so do not take other classes these two semesters that also require lots of papers. The student will be overloaded. In an ideal setting a student can schedule classes in such a way so that they complete student teaching their second semester of their senior year, this is difficult to accomplish. Consider taking some Summer classes. Take a majority of your Education classes your last semesters and during your semesters when you take 2100 and 4000. Education classes tend to require shorter papers and classroom activities thus allowing you to spend time outside class researching your History topics.

Suggested timeline for taking classes:

• Freshmen Year: Take 1121, 1160, 1161 or 1120 and COGE goals

• Sophomore Year: Take at least one non-Western, probably two, one elective, and possibly 2100.

• Junior Year: Take 2100 one semester (load up on Education Classes this Semester), the other semester take two 2000 or 3000 level history courses.

• Senior Year: Take History 4000 first semester. This course requires an extensive research paper (20-25 pages) so do not try to take lots of History classes this semester. Second semester of this year STUDENT TEACHING.

***When selecting classes try to cover a wide range of topics and issues. When you are teaching you will probably teach both World and US History at some point. Do not take classes concentrating on one continent or time period. The wider range in topics you take will only help prepare you to become a better informed teacher. Take as many different types of history classes as you can. Do not take a narrow focus in classes and time periods.

Overall Advice from a Senior*:

*The Advice contained herein is not necessarily supported by the UNCC History Department or Faculty. The advice compiled is advice given by a graduating History/SS Secondary Education Major.

Some inalienable facts that students can be assured of; mistakes will happen, papers will be misplaced, and schedules will conflict. During a student’s four (plus) years in college many frustrating events will happen. Often the greatest source of frustration comes from the forms and special requests that must be filled out during these years. Remember; just because you did not file the papers or even if the papers you filled out were lost, these events do not constitute an emergency for anyone but yourself. Paperwork takes time and many bureaucratic eyes scan your papers before the required signature is applied. Frustration and anger on your part simply make the bureaucratic eyes read slower. Be patient. When the class you need is scheduled at the same time as the other required class, be patient. When you are sitting at your graduation thinking of your past four (plus) years of college that; mistakes will happen, papers will be misplaced, and schedules will conflict.

Your advisor is often your best link to your future, be it academic or professional employment. So get to know this individual. You never know when you will need a signature, advice, or a recommendation. Be assured your advisor does have your best interest at heart even though it may seem as if you are the furthest thing from their mind. Your advisor has seen hundreds of students before you and will see countless masses after you, so if by some chance they forget your name, know they have your best interests at heart. If you know them, they will always remember your face. So listen to their advice, they are there to help you and remember they are your best link to a new future.

College is fun and in it you will have some of the greatest times of your life, but do not lose sight of the fact you are in college. It is four years of fun and studies. Some classes are easy, some professors are old ogres, yet the simple fact remains- you will get back from college exactly what you put into it. So if your classes are hard, your professors impossible remember those who have gone before you and took the same classes, had the same professors, and succeeded! Your classes may be easy, some professors may be old ogres. But college is the greatest time in your life so enjoy it, remember your troubles are never as bad as you first think, and hey have some fun!

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