Health Education Teacher Education: National Recognition Application Preparation Workshop: Part II

Speaker: Elaine Auld MPH, MCHES®, Dr. Susan F. Goekler PhD, RMCHES®, Dr. Donna Bernert PhD, LSHE and Dr. Deitra Wengert, PhD, MCHES®

In 2020, SOPHE was recognized by the Council on Accreditation in Educator Preparation (CAEP) as the Specialized Professional Association (SPA) for Teacher Preparation in School Health Education in Teacher Preparation. This recognition included SOPHE’s standards for the professional preparation of school teachers in health education. Under CAEP recognition as a SPA, SOPHE has authority to review professional preparation programs seeking their initial health education teaching credential, whether at the bachelor’s or master’s level, and thus serve as an important quality assurance mechanism for the field. Professional preparation programs in health education, offered by providers seeking CAEP accreditation, can apply for SOPHE SPA review and national recognition starting fall 2021. This workshop will provide guidance on developing a portfolio for submission, including SOPHE’s six teacher education Standards to guide needed transformation and redevelopment of curricula, to provide states with resources for establishing their own health education teacher standards, and to provide input into practices regarding health education teacher performance and assessment.

Professional preparation programs will need guidance on these new Standards, which are based on the Health Education Specialist Practice Analysis II, 2020, the latest in our field. The dawn of the 21st century reveals a new and challenging landscape for teachers — a landscape requiring new knowledge and skills for effective practice. SOPHE Standards require beginning health education teachers to possess a deep content knowledge, an understanding of pedagogical skills including digital learning, the ability to use data to guide planning, instruction, and feedback, and emphasize evidence-based practice and expect practice-based teacher education.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the two-session workshop, participant teams will be able to:
1) Align their course of study with SOPHE’s Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards.
2) Create appropriate rubrics for selected assignments that demonstrate candidates’ mastery of SOPHE’s standards
3) Access and complete the CAEP application form.