The Conference of Presidents recognizes that teachers in Lutheran early childhood settings come from a wide variety of backgrounds, possess a range of skills or degrees, and teach in varying settings. Teaching ministry certification for early childhood teachers reflects that variety by providing options from which candidates can create a program to best match their needs. The emphasis is on basic Bible understanding and developmentally appropriate application in the Lutheran early childhood setting.
What is it?
- 18 credits plus 5-week professional experience in a WELS school
- Trains teachers to meet ministry needs and to proclaim the Word of God faithfully
- Offered online or face-to-face at your location
Who should enroll?
- Called early childhood teachers who are not ministry certified
- Licensed early childhood teachers who want to prepare to teach in a WELS School
Guidelines for Ministry Certification
WELS Early Childhood Teaching Ministry Certification is intended for early childhood teachers only. It does not certify early childhood directors or elementary and secondary teachers.
WELS Early Childhood Teaching Ministry Certification is intended for early childhood teachers only. It does not certify early childhood directors or elementary and secondary teachers.
The synod’s preference is that men and women qualify themselves as early childhood teachers by graduating from Martin Luther College (MLC). However, because not all ECE teachers are graduates of MLC, these certification guidelines developed by the Conference of Presidents (COP) of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod seek to establish an adequate standard of teacher training that will ensure proficiency in carrying out the aims and objectives of WELS early childhood programs. In addition, these guidelines make it possible to carry out an orderly program of inservice training for early childhood teachers who are rendering a needful and valuable service in our schools but who have not yet fulfilled baccalaureate or certification requirements.
I. Definitions
- Early Childhood Program An early childhood program has a planned curriculum which is designed to meet the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical needs of young children in a developmentally appropriate manner. In the WELS and for the purpose of these guidelines, this program includes preschool (birth to age five).
- Certified Teacher Graduates of Martin Luther College (MLC) become certified teachers upon recommendation for a regular call into the teaching ministry. Others who have met minimum requirements for certification as outlined in these guidelines are certified by action of the COP.
- Registered ECE Teachers Teachers who are not ministry certified, but meet the minimum requirements for ECE teachers in their state.
- Regular Call A call which is extended to a ministry certified teacher.
- Provisional Call A call which is subject to annual renewal and is extended to a teacher who qualifies for admission into the early childhood teaching ministry certification program. Evidence of satisfactory progress toward certification is required for renewal.
- Minister of the Gospel Status conferred to called directors who are ministry-certified.
- Local Call A call issued by a local congregation to someone within the congregation who has early childhood teacher ministry certification and a state’s minimum requirements for an early childhood teacher. This teacher is not eligible for use on call lists to other congregations.
- Satisfactory Progress Completing three credits of coursework in 24 months.
Requirements for Certification
1. Eligibility for Entrance
This certification program shall be open to and encouraged for all persons who
- are early childhood teachers, regardless of called or hired status, and
- are in fellowship with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
2. Courses
Graduates of schools other than Martin Luther College (Studies in Educational Ministry) and Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary who wish to become certified shall have the requisite academic training and shall meet the certification requirements outlined below. The courses shall be determined by the director of teaching ministry certification. Substitution of courses requires prior approval. Graduates from other colleges are required to complete a minimum of three credits of coursework through MLC. These three credits could be taken on the MLC campus, at off-campus sites, or online.
- Religion 7 semester credits in the following prescribed courses or approved substitutes.
- THE9105 Old Testament Bible Lessons 2 cr
- THE9106 New Testament Bible Lessons 2 cr
- THE9534 Grounded in Scripture 3 cr
- Ministry Education 5 semester credits in the following prescribed courses.
- EDU8103 Developing Home and School Relationships 1 cr
- EDU8114 Roles & Responsibilities of the Lutheran Early Childhood Educator 1cr
- EDU9109 Bible Storytelling in Early Childhood 1 cr
- MUS8101 Music and Worship in the ECE 1cr
- EDU8112 The Role of ECE in Mission Outreach 1 cr
- Early Childhood Professional Education 6 credits needed (may be transferred in)
- EDU8101 Intellectual, Social, and Emotional Development 1 cr
- EDU8102 Operation and Management of ECE 1 cr
- EDU8105 Encouraging Literacy Development 1 cr
- EDU8108 Preprimary Curriculum Essentials I 1cr
- EDU8109 Preprimary Curriculum Essentials II 1 cf
- EDU8112 Health & Safety in Early Childhood 1 cr
- EDU8113 Assessment of Young Children 2 cr
- PED8101 Physical and Motor Development for Pre-primary 1 cr
- Professional Experience A five-week student teaching experience in a WELS early childhood school to be arranged on an individual basis. This experience should be pre-approved by the director of teaching ministry certification. It may take place in the teacher’s own classroom. Those currently serving in a WELS school fulfill this requirement with a summative teaching evaluation.
Congregations are encouraged to assume the cost of credits for certification of their teachers.
Procedures for Obtaining Certified Status
1. Enrollment into the Program
- Application for admission into the program shall be made to the ministry certification office, which shall be responsible for acceptance of applicants into the program.
- For those currently called to teach:
- A completed application.
- Official transcripts from WLC, BLC, or Early Childhood Coursework. No other transcripts are needed.
- For those not currently called to teach:
- A completed application.
- A pastor’s recommendation.
- All official college and university transcripts.
- A recent Teaching Evaluation.
- For those currently called to teach:
2. Pursuing the Program
- Courses for certification credit may be taken through MLC’s online courses, on-location, or on-campus courses.
- Candidates must remain active by taking at least one course within 24 months.
- Those who are currently called will maintain their minister of the gospel status by completing a minimum of three credits of coursework every two years. Failure to make progress within a 2-year period will result in removal of the applicant from the teaching ministry certification program and a loss of minister of the gospel status.
- Neither acceptance into the certification program nor successful completion of the requirements assures one of a call into the teaching ministry. The credentials of all such persons are given to those WELS officials who are responsible for providing congregations with lists of qualified candidates from which to call a teacher for an existing vacancy.
3. Eligibility for Certification
- A minimum grade point average of 2.00 for the three Theology courses.
- A minimum grade point average of 2.00 for the Christian and professional education courses).
- Early childhood teachers who receive ministry certification are not eligible for a call as an early childhood teacher in a WELS elementary or secondary classroom regardless of their professional qualifications. They must meet the additional certification requirements for the K-16 certification to qualify for calls in those classrooms.
- Upon an enrollee’s successful completion of this program, a recommendation for certification shall be made by MLC to the COP. If an enrollee is serving with a provisional call at the time of completion, the enrollee’s pastor and principal must concur with the recommendation; in other cases, the enrollee’s pastor must concur.
- A candidate who obtains early childhood ministry certification and holds the minimum professional state requirements for a lead teacher may be locally called for a lead teacher may be locally called by one’s own congregation. They are not available for use on call lists to other congregations.
- A candidate who obtains early childhood ministry certification and has an early childhood degree or license can be used on call lists for all congregations.
Responsibility for Certification
The COP shall act on all recommendations for certification and shall notify all concerned of its decisions.
