College of Education & Human Development Department of Teaching, Learning, and Culture New Student Conferences Freshman Fall 2015

We’re your Academic Advisors! Justin Smith, Asst. Director of Advising 115D Heaton Hall Jennifer Lopez, Academic Advisor 115E Heaton Hall Missy Mathews, Academic Advisor 115C Heaton Hall Charles Otto, Academic Advisor 115A Heaton Hall

TLAC Advising Office Suite 115 Heaton Hall Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm Appointments: Monday-Thursday Walk-ins on Fridays Come and visit us!

How do Academic Advisors help? Advisors are: –Knowledgeable about your degree programs; –Familiar with rules and regulations; –Experienced with designing balanced course loads; –Help with your Degree Planner (need to keep updated every semester and submit each Fall semester) –Here to listen to students’ concerns and respect individual student values and choices; –Experts in helping students create educational and professional objectives that suit the students’ demonstrated abilities and interests.

Academic Advising ALLMUSTALL TLAC students MUST attend a mandatory advising session with an advisor once per semester. Students are blocked from registering for subsequent semesters until they have been advised. Your first appointment will take place within the first two months of the Fall semester!

What happens in Mandatory Advising Sessions? Plan the next three semesters at a minimum, or through graduation! *this will help when you’re creating your Degree Planner *Degree Planner must be updated before each advising session!! Inform students to take certain classes in the correct sequence order. Address questions or concerns about grades and classes Discuss catalog and degree plan requirements and any adjustments. Want to change your major? Check in about transition to Texas A&M.

Fall 2015 Mandatory Advising Schedule: ALL CLASSES Aug. 31 st – Sept. 4 th (Add/Drop Week) Seniors (90+ hours)Sept.7 th – Sept. 25 th Juniors (60-89 hours)Sept. 28 th – Oct. 9 th Sophomores (30-59 hours)Oct. 12 th – Oct. 23 rd Freshmen (0-29 hours)Oct. 26 th – Nov. 6 th All classes Nov. 9 th –After *Spring 2016 pre-registration starts on Nov. 12 th *Check TAMU – TLAC Newsletter will remind you each month!

Student Expectations Professionalism, attendance & ethics; Effort and commitment; Check your TAMU daily; Attend a mandatory advising session each semester Keep degree planner updated each semester Take courses on your degree plan and make progress toward graduation; Complete all degree plan courses with a grade of C or better; and Maintain a 2.75 cumulative GPR.

TLAC Communications All TLAC communication goes through your OFFICIAL TAMU address. Students are responsible for checking this address daily. –DO NOT forward this to Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. –Your TAMU address is: NetID(at) (dot)tamu(dot)edu –Please make sure your address is professional! Your professors and mentor teachers will use this to contact you, so please no

TLAC Communications monthly newsletters The Advising Office sends out monthly newsletters (via departmental listserv), as well as concerning course announcements, professional development, and other opportunities. –If it says it’s from Jennifer Lopez or Missy Mathews- READ it –If it says it’s from Jennifer Lopez or Missy Mathews- READ it! You may miss important information if you don’t. Information is also posted on the TLAC Website,

Degree Plans certification optionsTLAC offers three teacher certification options: –EC-6 Generalist ** –4-8 Language Arts/Social Studies ** –4-8 Math/Science ** B.S. in Interdisciplinary StudiesAll three certification options meet requirements for a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies ESL Supplemental Certification.**These options include ESL Supplemental Certification.

Professional Phase Admission to the professional phase of Teacher Education (or “upper level”) is contingent upon completion of: –MATH 141 and 142 (or equivalents) –8 hours of laboratory science courses –ENGL 104 –TEFB 273 or INST 210 (or equivalents.) –Minimum of 60 hours of coursework –Minimum 2.75 GPR No upper level coursework until prerequisites are complete! Delays in completing these requirements will delay admission to the professional phase and could affect graduation. No upper level coursework until prerequisites are complete!

Field Based Experiences One reason Aggie Teachers are in high demand- extensive field preparation. –Junior Methods: –Junior Methods: associated with TEFB 371 and EDCI 354 (6 credit hours with 8 field based hours) *All coursework needs to be completed before Senior Methods/Student Teaching* –Senior Methods: –Senior Methods: two days per week for 12 weeks; associated with Sr. Methods block of coursework (12 credit hours with 16 field based hours) –Student Teaching: –Student Teaching: five days per week for 12 weeks, with four weeks of full responsibility; associated with TEFB 426, MEFB 497, or TEED 425 (6-12 credit hours with 40 field based hours) Field placement office will make placement assignments. Complete Criminal History Background Check paperwork each semester for field placement.

Grades & Academic Progress You must maintain a GPR of 2.75 or better at TAMU to continue as a TLAC student. –All courses must be completed with a grade of C or better; no grades of D or F allowed. WILL be dismissed –If this requirement is not met, you WILL be dismissed from TLAC and be asked to change your major. –(Freshman)You must have this requirement met by the end of your first year at TAMU.

Q-Drop & Withdrawal November 20 th at 5:00pmQ-Drop/Withdrawal Deadline is November 20 th at 5:00pm. See an advisor if you are thinking of Q- Dropping or Withdrawing- one of these may help you save your GPR so that you can remain in TLAC.

Success at Texas A&M Byrne Student Success Center –116 Heaton Hall –Dr. Shailen Singh, Director –FREE Tutoring, workshops Academic Success Center –Rudder Tower, 9 th Floor –Academic Coaching, success plans, workshops

Get Involved! Professional Development –Texas State Teachers Association, Student Program –Association for Childhood Education International, Bluebonnet Chapter –AECT Chapter Service –Aggie School Volunteers –HOSTS Social –Aggie Storytelling Association 800+ student organizations on campus!

Advice for your transition… Ask for help. When in doubt, talk it out with your academic advisor. Get to know your professors. Seek opportunity to get involved on campus and in the community. Study abroad. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. This is YOUR education, take charge! It may get difficult at times, but you can do it! Go to class!

myCEHD Resources Scholarship information Study Abroad Information Advising Information CEHD Student Handbook Byrne Student Success Center College events/information

Computer Resources Open access labs across campus Discounted software, Help Desk Central, –provides hardware and connectivity services for current students, and active or retired faculty and staff. Suggested: Laptop (for mobility, utility, and accessibility in the field) Classroom of the Future –an on-going project to bring the latest classroom technologies to our future teacher's fingertips in order to prepare them for the digital future. TLAC Students have access to premiere technologies related to software and hardware that will be prominent in tomorrow's school room Make sure you activate your computer resources- the SCC is open to do this!

Stay Connected with TLAC Advising: Advising information: –Get information from our office! –Network with other current and former students and Aggie Teachers! -Facebook Fan Page: Future Aggie Teachers -Twitter account: TLAC_UGAdvising