Required Readings and Learning

Required Readings and Learning

Required Reading: Parkay, F. & Stanford, B. (2010). Becoming a Teacher (9h Ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.

Selected readings/assignments provided in class. Signature assignments will be posted on TaskStream.

The University of Idaho is committed to providing equal and integrated access for individuals with disabilities to all the academic, social, cultural, and recreational programs it offers. This commitment is consistent with legal requirements, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and embodies the university’s historic determination to ensure the inclusion of all members of its communities. If you are a student requesting accommodations for this course, please contact your professor at the beginning of the semester and Disability Support Services, Idaho Commons, Room 306, phone: (208) 885-6307

Our Vision

The College of Education envisions being a leading, diverse, nationally recognized educational community that

prepares professionals through integrated programs grounded in research;
generates and evaluates knowledge through disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship;
informs professional practice and community life through the exchange and utilization of knowledge.

The college community achieves this vision through a culture of openness, innovation, and collaboration.

Course Description: This course is part of planned program of studies in the College of Education at the University of Idaho. This course has the following course description: Introduction to the philosophical, social, cultural, historical, legal and political contexts of schooling. Develops an understanding of the sources of curriculum, standards and assessments. Explores what it means to become a successful teacher committed to student success through the development of observation and analysis skills. Requires additional 20 hours of service learning.

Course Goals and Expectations

By the end of the semester the student will be able to:

Describe the role and purpose of schools in the United States and the world.
Understand the impact and influence that the history of education has had on education today.
Examine the legal and ethical rights and responsibilities of teachers, and sources of curriculum standards and assessments.
Explain the major philosophies of education.
Explain the theories related to student learning and identify different learning styles and modalities.
Examine the benefits and challenges to teachers presented by diverse learners.
Identify and understand current issues, such as No Child Left Behind Act, Common Core and Content Standards, merit pay, vouchers, etc., as they relate to education in the U.S.
Conduct 20 hours of Service Learning.

Learning Outcomes

During this course students will be expected to accomplish the following learning objectives(based on the State of Idaho Teacher Preparation Standards):

1. Describe the role and purpose of schools in the United States and the world.

Standards 9 and 10

Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, family, other professionals and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues and other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth and to advance the profession.

Signature Assignment: Students will conduct 20 hours of service learning in the community.This may be in public schools, charter schools, private schools, or various community agencies. Students will reflect on their learning experiences and post their projects on TaskStream.

2. Understand the impact and influence that the history of education has had on education today.

Standard 1

Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences.

Signature Assignment: The students will be responsible for identifying the politicians, teachers, researchers, psychologists, theorists, and philosophers who influenced education throughout the history of education. The students will be required to identify and describe all of the major people listed above, on both the midterm and final exam. Students will produce a research paper on one or more of the major philosophies and its/their impact on education policy and/or practice, to be posted on TaskStream.

3. Examine the legal and ethical rights and responsibilities of teachers, and sources of curriculum standards and assessments.

Standard 9

ProfessionalLearningandEthicalPractice.Theteacherengagesinongoing professionallearningandusesevidencetocontinuallyevaluatehis/herpractice,particularly theeffectsofhis/herchoicesandactionsonothers(learners,families,otherprofessionals, and the community), and adapts practiceto meet theneeds of eachlearner.

Signature Assignment: Students work in groups and role play the various scenarios that can occur in the area of ethics and legal responsibilities in schools. They have to determine the correct way to solve the problems and come up with a viable plan to resolve the issue. The scenes are acted out in class and the resolution is also discussed in the whole group. Students will demonstrate their understanding of such responsibilities on the final exam.

4. Explain the major philosophies of education.

Standard 1 and 9

ProfessionalLearningandEthicalPractice.Theteacherengagesinongoing professionallearningandusesevidencetocontinuallyevaluatehis/herpractice,particularly theeffectsofhis/herchoicesandactionsonothers(learners,families,otherprofessionals, and the community), and adapts practiceto meet theneeds of eachlearner.

Signature Assignment: Students will be asked to study the major philosophies that have influenced education. Students will produce a research paper on one or more of the major philosophies and its/their impact on education policy and/or practice, to be posted on TaskStream. Students will also identify the major philosophies on the midterm exam.

5. Explain the theories related to student learning and identify different learning styles and modalities.

Standard 1, 2, and 9

LearningDifferences.Theteacherusesunderstandingofindividualdifferences anddiverseculturesandcommunitiestoensureinclusivelearningenvironmentsthatenable eachlearner to meet highstandards.

Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, family, other professionals and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Signature Assignments: Assignments may include personal surveys, written responses, discussion and role playing. Midterm and final exams also assess learning.

6. Examine the benefits and challenges to teachers presented by diverse learners.

Standards 2 and 3

LearningDifferences.Theteacherusesunderstandingofindividualdifferences anddiverseculturesandcommunitiestoensureinclusivelearningenvironmentsthatenable eachlearner to meet highstandards.

LearningEnvironments.Theteacherworkswithotherstocreateenvironments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement inlearning, and self-motivation.

7. Identify and understand current issues, such as ESEA, Common Core Standards, teacher evaluation, merit pay, vouchers, etc., as they relate to education in the U.S.

Standard 9

Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, family, other professionals and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Signature Assignment: Assignments may include personal surveys, written responses, discussion, and role playing. Midterm and final exams also assess learning.

Students will conduct 20 hours of service learning.
Standards 9 and 10

Professional Learning and Ethical Practice. The teacher engages in ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners, family, other professionals and the community), and adapts practice to meet the needs of each learner.

Leadership and Collaboration. The teacher seeks appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues and other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth and to advance the profession..

Signature Assignment: Students will conduct 20 hours of service learning in the community and write a reflectionfor their final thoughts regarding the exercise on TaskStream. They will present a PowerPoint presentation in class describing their experiences in the community and what the activity has to do with teaching.

NCTQ Standards introduced with material and assignments in EDCI 201:

Standard 11: Lesson Planning.

11.1 Identifying technology applications that will boost instruction and how they will do so.

11.2 Anchoring instruction in the state’s K-12 learning standards.

11.3 Addressing the needs of English language learners.

11.4 Accommodating students with special needs.

11.5 Extending instruction for students who have demonstrated proficiency in relevant standards.

Standard 12: Assessment and Data.

12.1 The instructional role of standardized tests, particularly the program state’s standardized tests, is reviewed by

teacher candidates.

College of Education Assessment Process
State of Idaho Teacher Preparation Standards: (*stars indicate those addressed in EDCI 201*)

Learner Development. The teacher understands how learners grow and develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning experiences. *

LearningDifferences.Theteacherusesunderstandingofindividualdifferences anddiverseculturesandcommunitiestoensureinclusivelearningenvironmentsthatenable eachlearner to meet highstandards.*

LearningEnvironments.Theteacherworkswithotherstocreateenvironments that support individual and collaborative learning, and that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement inlearning, and self-motivation.*

ContentKnowledge.Theteacherunderstandsthecentralconcepts,toolsof inquiry,andstructuresofthediscipline(s)heorsheteachesandcreateslearningexperiences thatmakethedisciplineaccessibleandmeaningfulforlearnerstoassuremasteryofthe content.

ApplicationofContent.Theteacherunderstandshowtoconnectconceptsand usedifferingperspectivestoengagelearnersincriticalthinking,creativity,andcollaborative problemsolving related to authenticlocal and global issues.

Assessment.Theteacherunderstandsandusesmultiplemethodsofassessment to engage learners intheir owngrowth, tomonitor learner progress, and to guide theteacher’s and learner’s decisionmaking.

PlanningforInstruction.Theteacherplansinstructionthatsupportsevery studentinmeetingrigorouslearninggoalsbydrawinguponknowledgeofcontentareas, curriculum,cross-disciplinaryskills,andpedagogy,aswellasknowledgeoflearnersandthe community context.

Instructional Strategies. Theteacher understandsand uses a varietyof instructionalstrategiestoencouragelearnerstodevelopdeepunderstandingofcontentareas and their connections, and to build skills to applyknowledgeinmeaningful ways.

ProfessionalLearningandEthicalPractice.Theteacherengagesinongoing professionallearningandusesevidencetocontinuallyevaluatehis/herpractice,particularly theeffectsofhis/herchoicesandactionsonothers(learners,families,otherprofessionals, and the community), and adapts practiceto meet theneeds of eachlearner. *

LeadershipandCollaboration.Theteacherseeksappropriateleadershiproles andopportunitiestotakeresponsibilityforstudentlearning,tocollaboratewithlearners, families,colleagues,otherschoolprofessionals,andcommunitymemberstoensurelearner growth, andto advancetheprofession.*

College of Education Teacher Education Dispositions:

Attends regularly.

Meets timeline commitments.

Dress/Appearance is appropriate and professional.

Maintains appropriate relationships with peers.

Scholar-practitioner demonstrates adequate content knowledge that is current.

Engaged, full participation and takes initiative.

Maintains confidentiality and is ethical.

Maintains appropriate relationships with students.

Committed to and facilitates student's learning in a safe climate.

Maintains appropriate relationships with teachers, administration, parents, and community members

Respects and advocates for diversity.

Responds appropriately to feedback and is flexible.

Written work communicates clearly and accurately, and is in standard English.

Verbal communication is clear, accurate, appropriate to the situation, and conventions used are standard for speaking situations.

Standards and Dispositions and How they are Assessed:
There is more to being a teacher than making good grades while being a teacher candidate. Faculty in the College of Education observe that while some candidates perform well academically, they may not demonstrate some of the other essential characteristics of an effective teacher. That is, it is critical that the teacher preparation programs at University of Idaho focus on knowledge, dispositions, and performance in our pre-service teachers. The desired outcome is for our pre-service teachers to possess the content, pedagogy, and professional dispositions to be effective teachers.
The dispositions focus on the extent to which pre-service teachers recognize and demonstrate appropriate dispositions commensurate with the teaching profession. A process for evaluating appropriate dispositions and professional dispositions has been formally implemented in each designated teacher education course, ranging from selected dispositions in some courses to all dispositions in courses such as the internship, since Fall, 2004.

Process

The process is a structured system to flag these dispositions well in advance of candidates entering their professional year. These dispositions are identified throughout the professional education core courses (EDCI 201, 301, 302 and EDSP 300) and subject methods courses within the teacher preparation programs. The system is accessed through the URL:
1. The instructor of each course will evaluate candidates when needed during the semester and two weeks before the end of the semester. Instructors are encouraged to flag dispositions of concern as soon as possible during the course so that the candidate can develop steps towards remediation and improvement. For each disposition you will be able to select an assessment (met dispositions for course, remediate to met, emerging, remediate to emerging, and not met), select any specific criteria for items that are assessed as not met, and add comments. The assessment for each disposition is defaulted to ‘Emerging’ for the mid-term assessment and ‘Met’ for the end of semester assessment. Thus, the instructor identifies only those candidates with whom there is a concern and flags the disposition as ‘Not met’; or when the concern is resolved the assessment is changed to ‘Remediated to met’ or ‘Remediated to emerging’. An assessment of ‘Emerging’ is not considered an area of concern and does not need flagging.
2. Once a disposition has been flagged and submitted as an assessment, an email message will be sent to the candidate identifying this assessment and reminding the candidate to meet with the instructor and/or advisor to develop a plan for remediation and improvement (see attached plan format below). This email message will serve as the start of a probationary period and warning that the candidate is in danger of being dismissed from the teacher preparation program if a second flagging occurs in a subsequent semester. Flags include ANY disposition(s) ‘Not met’, or ‘Remediated to met’ or ‘Remediated to emerging’ across two semesters..
3. It is the responsibility of the candidate to develop a plan with the instructor and advisor, and submit a written record of the plan to the instructor and advisor for his/her file. If the concern becomes resolved during the semester, the instructor must change the assessment to ‘Remediated to met’ or ‘Remediated to emerging’. It is the responsibility of the advisor to review candidates for flags and their remediation plans.
4. Instructors, advisors and candidates can access a candidate’s assessments for the course identified at any time. Instructors and advisors are encouraged to screen these assessments each semester, and particularly those of candidates who are on a probationary status. Instructors and advisors are expected to be available to candidates as they develop remediation and improvement plans.
5. When a candidate has been flagged in two semesters, whether in relation to different dispositions, or on the same disposition, he/she will be dismissed from the teacher preparation program for the following semester. A letter will be sent to the candidate indicating his/her dismissal from the program within 30 days of the end of the semester in which the second flag was determined.
6. The candidate may appeal his/her dismissal within 30 days of receiving notice of dismissal by providing evidence and making his/her case before the Chair of his/her Division. The Chair will either uphold the dismissal decision, elect for the candidate to continue in the program, or elect for the candidate to continue by meeting certain expectations and conditions. The candidate can continue the appeal with the Admission, Petition and Retention committee of the College of Education who will resolve the issue in a similar fashion. Finally, the candidate can appeal the decision with the Dean of the College of Education.

Learning Activities and Assignments

Course Assignments:

Various short assignments and quizzes

Philosophy Paper
PowerPoint Presentation and reflections on Service Learning
Exam #1
Exam #2
Introduction, mid-term and final dispositions

filled out on Taskstream

Service Learning Hours

Service Learning

Service learning is a hands-on educational approach linked to real community projects, businesses, and organizations. Students will be exposed to professional learning environments through field experience and exercises. Service learning provides opportunities to apply and integrate theory with practice. This course includes a 20 hour service learning experience that may include being a member of a group of students that will set and carry service learning experiences. This experience is is a pass/no pass activity. This activity will be examined further in the first few class sessions, please refer to the course activities section for a schedule of discussion of this course activity.

Grading Policy

There are a series of assignments, exams, and service learning activity assignments that must be submitted in person. Please be sure you make all assignment deadlines. The instructor reserves the right not to accept late work, unless of course, the student has a documented illness or has made prior arrangements. The student must seek the instructor’s approval for submitting work after the due date or points will be taken off of your assignment.