Reflective Teaching, ED 110E

Spring 2015

Thursdays, 4:00-6:00p.m.

Judith S. Kelly ()

The main purposes of this course are

1)to create a safe, reflective space in which you to can begin to see the larger issues in teaching that frame your particular day-to-day experiences, and

2)to instill the habit of reflection, which is essential for teacher effectiveness, improvement, and long-term survival in the field.

At each meeting, a relevant topic will be presented, with ample chance for discussion. Following the formal topics each week, we will make as much time as possible for discussion of issues emerging in your current teaching practices. These discussions will sometimes follow a “Critical Friends Group” (“CFG”) protocol, a process currently in use in many professional learning communities (and which you will be able to note on resumes that you have had training in, now). Often, these topics will be framed by the instructor, who will discern overall patterns in your teaching lives (via the logs, see below), but there will also be room for students to present individual “case studies,” or particular challenges in their classrooms on which they would like the class’ feedback.

Grades in this course will be determined by successful completion of:

  • A log of your teaching experiences, posted the Friday before class meetings
  • Thoughtful speaking and supportive listening in class.
  • Sharing your teaching issues in class meetings and participating in discussions.
  • Completion of Readings:
  • Kathleen Cotton article on “Classroom Questioning”
  • I Read It, But I Don’t Get It (Cris Tovani)
  • Misc. other short readings
  • The final project will be the e-portfolio. Details of this assignment will be provided.

Logs

A log consists of a roughly 500-1000 word reflection (approximately1-2 pages) in which you discuss a decision or moment of particular interest in your current teaching experience. The most useful entries will be ones in which you write because you genuinely don’t know what to do or to think, and you use the log to write your way through the issues at hand. You may use the logs to reflect on anything relevant in your practice: incorporating new pedagogy or approaches, reflections on particular students, etc.

Aside from using logs to process your thoughts, you can write about how you look at student work and reflect on what you observe. This kind of observational reflection is recommended at regular intervals for any teacher, any time, but especially as you are getting to know a group of students and then later as you are assessing if students are mastering important information.

The logs are due on Gmail to the instructor on Mondaysbefore class meetings in order to give your instructor time to read them and discern patterns which merit whole-class discussions. Timeliness is important. The logs will also serve as a way for your instructor to offer you individual assistance and counsel, as needed.

A few notes:

  • Please do not write your logs ahead of time; they are meant to be real-time reflective exercises, intended to start and keep you in the habit of regular reflection on your teaching practice.
  • Some weeks, there are specific prompts, but please also log on any issues in your teaching that need processing.
  • Please also note if you would like to share your current reflection in a discussion during class.

The logs are confidential, to the degree that all teacher-student relationships are confidential; if you do share something in your log that indicates you are or someone else is in trouble in a serious way, please have confidence that your instructor will use the information responsibly, to get you the assistance you may need.

Please see the final page for a schedule of topics, meetings, and assignments.

Course Grades

The goal of this course is to help you develop the tools (writing, group processing), courage, and camaraderie required for critical reflection and growth as a teacher. The extent to which you exhibit real reflection will be hard to measure, but this is how we will attempt to do so:

A = You’ve exceeded the standard

In several respects, you show that you have made the work of this course your own. You use the course for your own purposes as a new/developing teacher; the logs and your colleagues here become a resource for you that improve the quality of your teaching.

Ways a person might demonstrate this:

  • Extra logging – you use the logs as you think and plan your units, evaluate student work, plan classes, process your days
  • Volunteering to bring an issue in teaching or an assignment to the class to be processed by the whole
  • Making yourself available to your colleagues to help them
  • Exceptionally thoughtful participation

B = You’ve met the standard.

  • Your logs are done regularly, on time (and thus available to be read by the instructor before class)
  • In your logs,
  • you make clear observations of your teaching
  • you ask good questions
  • you attempt to look at the questions from many angles
  • you don’t settle for easy answers
  • you show that you listen to what others (including students) say
  • you clearly use the logs to improve your teaching
  • You participate successfully in class
  • you are able to abide by the norms the group sets up
  • you listen respectfully
  • you ask good questions
  • you take risks

C = You are struggling to meet the standard.

  • This would probably look like a person doing everything under “B” but being late with logs or missing class regularly.

D/F = You are not meeting the standard.

  • Not completing logs
  • Not participating
  • Not attending

Academic Accommodations --

If you are a student who needs academic accommodations because of a documented

disability, please contact me and present your letter of accommodation as soon as possible. If you have questions about documenting a disability or requesting academic accommodations, you should contact Beth Rodgers-Kay in Academic Services (x63470 or ). Letters of accommodation should be presented at the start of the semester to ensure provision of accommodations. Accommodations cannot be granted retroactively.

.

Academic Integrity --

Academic integrity is central to the mission of Brandeis University. As stated in the Rights and Responsibilities, "Every member of the University community is expected to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. Astudent shall not receive credit for work that is not the product of the student's own effort." Examples of penalties fora student found responsible for an infringement of academic honesty are: no credit for the work in question, failurein the course, and the traditional range of conduct sanctions from disciplinary warning through permanent dismissal from the University.

It is one of the chief obligations of each member of Brandeis's academic community to understand the University's policies regarding academic honesty and to uphold those standards.

Allegations of academic dishonesty by undergraduate or graduate students are reported to the Office of Student Development and Conduct for adjudication within the Student Judicial System.

Also see

Reflective TeachingInstructor: Judith S. Kelly

Thursdays 4:00-6:00 p.m.

Updated Syllabus January 2015

Date / Topic / Assignments
January 15
Class 1 / Course introduction
Critical friends protocol– training
E-portfolio components
Discuss basic rudiments of good teaching / For e-portfolios: due Jan 29
  • Write your philosophy of teaching statement and post an updated resume

January 22
Class 2 / Roles and responsibilities of a teacher
Meeting the needs of all students- differentiating instruction and assessing
Videotape yourself twice this semester teaching for 10-15 minutes. / Log #1 due Jan 29- Write about your initial feelings about being the lead teacher. How do you feel and what do believe the students are thinking of you?
January 29
Class 3 / Classroom management
How to deal with disruptive children
Setting up your classroom so all students are respectful. / Bring philosophy of education and resumes to class for discussion
February 5
Class 4 / Special education accommodations and modifications
IEPs
Parent meetings and parent communication
Use of the Internet for communication / Due Feb 26- Continue work on
e-portfolios:
Post a unit plan
Read Kathleen Cotton’s Classroom Questioning for Feb. 12 and underline key points.
February 12
Class 5 / Teaching Inquiry- the art of questioning
Teacher as coach and student as teacher
Socratic seminars …
“Save the Last Word for Me” / Log #2due 2/12: Focus your log on observing how you/your cooperating teacher ask questions in the classroom.
February 26
Class 6 / Legalities: Your roles and responsibilities as a teacher including but not limited to:
CORI checks
IEPs
504s
51As / Log #3 due 3/5
e-portfolios: post student work without any student names or identifying features- one high, middle, and low - with your corrections showing in a different color
March 5
Class 7 / Teaching literacy across the disciplines
Common core and MA frameworks / Log #4 due 3/12:
a 2-page reflection on Chris Tovani’s I Read It But I Don’t Get It
March 12
Class 8 / Teaching strategies that work!
ThinkQuiry Approaches and more / Log #5 due 3/19 Write about any experience you have had and wish to share.
e-portfolio: post references and ensure you have spoken to these individuals and received permission
March 19
Class 9 / Group work, pairs work, cooperative learning, work stations, carousels…and more strategies
Review of e-portfolios and necessary components. / Log #6due 3/26
A reflection on setting up group work to differentiate learning
March 26
Class 10 / Assessments: from rubrics to projects
Formative and summative assessments
Warm-ups and wrap-ups
Observations and student-self assessments / Log #7due 4/2
e-portfolios: design the front page of your e-portfolio that catches the employer’s attention and defines you as a teacher
April 2
Class 11 / Looking at student work to inform instruction / Log #8due 4/9:
What can a teacher learn from looking at student work?
April 9
Class 12 / Emerging issues: Technology in the classroom, Interdisciplinary lessons, and more! / Log #9 due 4/30
Work on e-portfolio:
Keys to good teaching- revisit your philosophy of education and revamp it.
April 23
Class 13 / The interview process
Self-evaluation reflections
Being a continuous learner
Strengths and areas that need to grow / Log #10: due 4/30Log #10-a
1 page - Self evaluation (refer to grading scheme set out in this syllabus). What do you believe have you earned in this class and why? Pass in your entire log.
DueApril 30: Completed
e-portfolios on-line