The Educator Preparation Institute is a this state-approved accelerated Alternative Certification Program that assists individuals who are non-education majors that hold a temporary teaching certificate obtain Florida teacher certification. National Board Certified Teachers are the instructors and mentors. Classes meet twice a month from 8:00am – 1:00pm and the remainder is on the Internet. Participants can complete the program and required FTCE test in less than a year.
Participants will receive at program completion:
EPI Certificate
that is submitted to the state for State Certification
Equivalent of 120 ESOL Inservice Hours
(60 ESOL Inservice
hours for Empowerment and 60 ESOL Inservice
hours for Cross Cultural Communication at the completion of the program)
Reading Competency 2 Endorsement
Kagan Strategies/structure ideas to be implemented in their classrooms
Course
Descriptions
Module 1 - The Instructional Process
This module prepares you to set up a classroom, establish classroom
policies and procedures, create objective-based lesson plans,
utilize various styles on presentations, employ varied teaching
strategies, develop and administer various forms of assessment,
integrate Sunshine State Standards into lesson development, establish
and maintain cooperative relations with parents, research professional
literature to seek best practices and to hone the craft of effective
instruction. A major focus of this module is the ethical and legal
obligations of the teaching profession. You will develop a developmental,
assessment and professional portfolio demonstrating mastery of
competencies. (160 hours)
Module 2 - Reading Fundamentals
This module provides substantive knowledge of language structure
and function, cognition of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension. Further, it provides knowledge
of the integration of reading components. Instruction in this
module is grounded in scientifically-based reading research as
a mechanism to affect instructional practice.
Segment A: Foundations of Research-Based Practices in Reading (45 hours)
Participants completing this segment will receive Competency 2 Reading Endorsement
Evidence about Learning to Read
Introduction to Phonemes, Morphemes, Inflection and Derivations
Strategies for Teaching Basic Decoding
Building Vocabulary
Techniques for Building Fluency
Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension
The Reading and Writing Connection
Reading in Content Area
Module 3 - The Teaching Profession
This module provides the foundation for becoming a productive
member of the teaching profession. The participants will gain
an understanding of the organization and administration of the
public school, the laws governing teachers, the Code of Ethics,
and the purpose of schools. This module develops a professional
perspective and creates a sense of grounding in the profession
of teaching.
Segment A: Professional Foundations (30 hours)
History
Philosophy
School Governance
School Finance
School Law
Ethics and Excellence
Purpose of Schools
Continuing Professional Development
Module 4 - Diversity in the Classroom
This module provides you with an understanding of the variety
of backgrounds and cultures that may be found in a typical classroom.
Field experiences give a broader view of the social aspects of
diversity and encourage you to reevaluate personal beliefs and
prejudices that may adversely affect the learning process.
Segment A: Diversity (30 hours)
Social Class
Religious
Language
Gender Differences
Culture and Ethnicity
Physical Differences
Prejudice
Multicultural teaching