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Teacher Development Center

Technical Standards for Admission

As a University of Texas at Dallas student for Texas Teacher Certification in the Teacher Development Center (TDC), it is necessary to possess certain physical, mental and emotional abilities and skills to function effectively and efficiently in the role of a K-12 teacher. A student must also demonstrate a set of abilities and skills referred to as “technical standards” which include the following 7 categories: observation, communication, motor, intellectual, behavioral, social/emotional intelligence and environment.

Reasonable accommodations for TDC students with documented disabilities will be considered on an individual basis, but a student must be able to perform in an independent manner. Such accommodations will be provided in accordance with the University of Texas at Dallas, AccessAbility Resource Center.

Abilities and Skills Necessary for the Profession:

  • Physical and mental proficiency
  • Energy to fulfill responsibilities of the role
  • Visual acuity (with corrective devices as needed)
  • Color vision, depth perception, peripheral vision
  • Auditory acuity (with corrective devices as needed)
  • Speech which can be understood by all persons across the lifespan
  • Tactile ability
  • Manual dexterity in all limbs
  • Strength to push, pull and lift
  • Strength / ability to carry, stoop, squat, and bend

Ability to:

  • Reach above shoulder height
  • Stand / walk for long periods of time
  • Organize and effectively manage time to meet deadlines
  • Perform neat and accurate work
  • Respond to increasing pressure, emergencies, and workloads
  • Set priorities
  • Communicate effectively with the health care team and consumer of health care services, both verbally and nonverbally
  • Document completely and legible, using acceptable professional terminology
  • Computer literacy
  • Technical Standards of the Profession

Observation: 

Students must possess sufficient sensory capacity to observe and participate in all settings with PK-12 students such as, but not limited to the classroom and/or the laboratory. Functional vision, hearing, olfactory and tactile sensation must be adequate to accurately observe or assess children’s growth, development, and learning in all environments with students.

Communication: 

Students must be able to communicate effectively in all settings with students such as, but not limited to the classroom and/or laboratory with children, families, mentor teachers, staff, and college faculty. Students must demonstrate evidence of effective written and verbal communication skills, and technological literacy.

Motor: 

Students must have sufficient motor function to participate in basic education procedures providing effective, quality care to children and adolescents. Motor function includes both gross and fine motor skills, strength and coordination, physical stamina, and should be sufficient to allow the student to endure long periods of sitting, standing, walking, bending, lifting, twisting, and crouching and moving about in classroom environments.

Intellectual: 

To complete any coursework in the TDC program, the student must be able to demonstrate mastery in reading and comprehension using them together to demonstrate critical thinking and reasoning when working with children/adolescents in the K-12 setting. Students must be able to adhere to professional ethics and demonstrate a professional manner and insight in the communication process.

Behavior and Social: 

Students must possess the emotional health required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and prompt completion of all academic and classroom responsibilities. The development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with school children/adolescents, families and early childhood professionals is essential. The classroom teacher’s role requires flexibility, compassion, integrity, motivation.

Emotional Intelligence:

Students must possess and continually develop emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence encompasses knowledge and management of one’s own emotional life and the skills to process various situations that may arise when working with children and their families, in strained work environments or in coworker relationships. Responses to giving and receiving feedback both positive and negative are also a part of emotional intelligence.

Environment: 

Students must be able to manage multiple roles, tasks, and decisions simultaneously. Working with school children/adolescents requires high moral and ethical standards. Students will be required to “clear” criminal history background checks by school districts before being allowed on any district campus when fulfilling mandatory practicums.

Risks for Education Professionals

The TDC student must be aware of potential risks related to teaching/caring for children which may include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Exposure to communicable and infectious diseases
  • Exposure to blood and body fluids
  • Environmental hazards (e.g., slippery floors, various levels of lighting, various room and outdoor temperatures, exposure to sunlight, poor outdoor air quality, rain, and other weather-related elements, etc.)
  • Lifting young children, moveable furnishings, materials and equipment
  • Legal, moral & ethical dilemmas
  • Liability Issues

UTD Teacher Development Program Practicum/Fieldwork requirements:

Students may be full time or part time in the program, however if a student is working in the field, they may or may not be able to complete this experience in the program/school where they are working or in their actual classroom.  It is the students’ responsibility to discuss such work issues with appropriate TDC staff prior to registering for classes with embedded practicum/fieldwork requirements and clinical teaching so they can prepare in advance for these required experiences.

Criminal History:

Students will be required to “clear” criminal history background checks by school districts before being allowed on any district campus when fulfilling mandatory practicums.

Physical Health and Emotional Health:

Students should be in good physical and emotional health. For example: students may have to lift children, get down on floor level or sit in low-level chairs when interacting with young children. Students must also be able to move around the classroom easily, work with children and families of various abilities and backgrounds, deal with stressful situations, etc. Practicum/fieldwork requirements may also include these components. Employment in the field may require TB, drug tests and physician examinations.