Educ 490: Special Methods in High School Subjects

Course InfoInstructor InfoOffice Hours

Room: TEC 1007Dr. Tracey KumarTEC 234F & TEC 239

M/W 9:30-12:/W 1:15-3:45 (Virtual)

T/R 9:30-10:45(985)549-2173/ (210)464-0957Tu/Th 11:15-1:45 (F2F)

Educ 490: Special Methods in High School Subjects

COURSE OVERVIEW

Course Description: Credit 6 hours. Prerequisites: Full SARTE status, EDUC 407 or its equivalent, EPSY 315, and completion of an introductory portfolio. This course must be taken prior to student teaching. Emphasis will be placed on the materials and methods in the student’s major field of certification. Lesson planning, alternative assessment, classroom management, and educational technologies are topics covered in this course. Field experience component required.

Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1.Demonstrate proficiency in constructing and implementing lesson and unit plans in his/her specific subject area (PS, KL, SM, CK).

2.Demonstrate knowledge of instructional goals currently emphasized by education professionals in the student’s area of concentration (PS, KL, CK).

3.Demonstrate knowledge of various learning styles and instructional techniques associated with each style (KL, SM).

4.Demonstrate knowledge of methods of discipline, motivation, instruction, and general classroom management that are required to accommodate the diverse backgrounds, learning styles, and special needs of students (SM, KL, CK, PS).

5.Describe the nature and dynamics of various approaches to classroom management (SM, KL).

6.Describe the various roles and responsibilities of a professional teacher in a school district (PS).

7.Identify professional journals, organizations, and Internet sites that are concerned with secondary teaching methods (SM).

MATERIALS & RESOURCES

Textbook: Carjuzaa, J. & Kellough, R. (2013). Teaching in the Middle and Secondary Schools(10th ed.).

Reflection Journal: Small binder or folder with three rings/brads—to hold notebook paper and handouts.

Curriculum Standards: A copy of the curriculum standards for your content area and grade/level.

Articles & Links: Other reading materials, such as journal articles and web links, are provided on Moodle.

Technology: Access to and proficiency with Moodle, Passport, desktop publishing, and other Web tools.

ASSIGNMENTS & GRADING

Instructional Planning: (40%)

Assessment Plan (10%): In conjunction with your field-based practicum, you will be asked to create and implement an assessment plan. As part of the assessment plan, you will be asked to design a pre- and post-assessment, and several formative assessments. You will also be asked to collect data, analyze the data, and draw conclusions based on your findings. Detailed instructions concerning the assessment plan are available on Moodle under “major assignments.” The assessment plan may be completed during the first, second, or third week of your field-based practicum. However, it must be uploaded to Passport and submitted to me for evaluation by the deadline indicated on the Passport site. Deadline: TBA*

Lesson Plans(20%): At the culmination of your field-based practicum, you will be asked to revise and re-submit three of your lesson plans. The lesson plans must adhere to the template required for this course and satisfy the criteria set forth in the LCET evaluation form. The purpose of this assignment is to allow you to demonstrate proficiency in planning a variety of learning experiences for students in secondary classrooms. Consequently, each of the three lesson plans must represent a different type of lesson or learning experience. For additional information about this assignment, please see the instructions, rubric, and supporting documents which are available on Moodle under “major assignments.” Deadline: May 9th at 11:55 p.m.*

Final Presentation (10%): As the culminating activity for this course, you will be asked to make a final presentation related to some aspect of instructional planning. The content and specifications of the presentation will be determined at the end of the semester, according to your needs, interests, and concerns. Detailed instructions regarding the final presentation will be uploaded to Moodle no later than the last official day of classes, and presentations will be made during the exam period. Deadline: May 14th at 10:15 a.m.*

*In the event of a serious emergency or illness and with appropriate documentation, you will not be penalized for work that is submitted late. Otherwise, major assignments will be penalized 10% per day.

Reflective Practice:(30% of course grade)

Field Experience: (10%):As a requirement for this course, you will be expected to spend two hours per week in an assigned field-based classroom. Before beginning your field experience, you must submit an insurance form (to me) and attend a mandatory orientation session. For your field experience, you will be asked not only to conduct numerous field-based observations, but also to teach a total of fifteen lessons (i.e. three weeks). Additionally, you will be expected to write a full-length lesson plan for each day of instruction, submit the lesson plans to me for review, and then submit your revised lesson plans to your mentor teacher no later than the Friday before your practicum week.

Your field-based teaching will also involve several instances of formative and summative evaluation. The formative evaluations, which will become part of your reflective journal, will involve written feedback regarding your strengths and weaknesses with respect to teaching. The summative evaluations will consist of one LCET observation done by your mentor teacher, and one LCET observation done by me. The LCET evaluation done by your mentor teacher must be uploaded to Moodle upon completion of the practicum. However, the LCET done by me will serve as the Capstone LCET for your developing portfolio. As such, you will be expected to upload the lesson plan which corresponds to my observation and submit it to me for evaluation by the deadline indicated on the Passport site. Since this evaluation will serve as your Capstone LCET, you must earn a minimum score of “3” on nearly all measures. Otherwise, your Capstone LCET will be marked “unmet,” and you will need to retake this course before advancing to student teaching. In addition to your Capstone LCET, you will also need to log all field experience hours in Passport. Deadlines: TBA*

Teaching Demonstrations (10%): You will be asked to do three “mock teaching experiences” over the course of the semester. Two of the three experiences will be conducted in class, with fellow Teacher Candidates serving as students and evaluators. The remaining experience will be conducted outside of class, using the Avatar program. For this experience, Avatars will serve as students within a virtual classroom setting, and both peers and instructors will serve as evaluators. The purpose of these experiences is to provide you with an opportunity to practice teaching skills that are vital to becoming a successful educator. These experiences will be scheduled throughout the semester, and can only be rescheduled in the event of a serious emergency or illness and with appropriate documentation. Deadlines: TBA

Reflective Journal (10%): You will be asked to keep a reflective journal related to your field-based practicum and other teaching experiences. For that purpose, you will need a small binder or folder that can accommodate notebook paper and hole-punched handouts. Your complete journal should contain written feedback from your mentor teacher, your instructor, and your peers. It should also contain your responses to evaluative feedback, entries on several teaching-related topics, and a final meta-reflection. Detailed information about this assignment is available on Moodle under “major assignments.” Deadlines: TBA*

Scholarly Engagement: (30% of course grade)

Pre-Assignments (10%): Prior to most class meetings, you will be asked to complete a short writing assignment pertaining to that day’s topic. The purpose of these pre-assignments is to not only help you prepare for class, but also to provide you with a variety of writing-to-learn strategies that can be utilized in your own teaching. Each pre-assignment will be made available on Moodle at least 48 hours prior to the due date. To receive credit for each pre-assignment, you must turn it in at the beginning of the class period on the date that it is due. Pre-assignments will only be accepted late in the event of an emergency or illness and with appropriate documentation. For deadlines, please view the course schedule, which is available on Moodle near the top of the home page. Deadlines: Daily

In-Class Assignments (10%): During most class meetings, you will also be asked to complete a short activity, either alone, in pairs, or in small groups. The purpose of these assignments is not only to provide you with the opportunity to engage in collaborative learning experiences, but also to model instructional strategies and activities that you can incorporate into your own teaching. To receive credit, you must complete each assignment and turn it in by the end of class on that day. In-class assignments can only be made up in the event of an emergency or illness and with appropriate documentation. Deadlines: Daily

Participation(10%): During each class meeting, you will be expected to participate fully in all lessons, discussions, and activities. To that end, please complete your assigned readings prior to attending class, and refrain from engaging in unrelated activities, such as texting, surfing the Internet, etc. Since engaging in unrelated activities is detrimental to the learning environment, it will result in a reduced participation grade. Additionally, since it is impossible to participate when you are absent, absences will also result in a reduced participation grade. Given the serious nature of this course, it is expected that you will attend every class meeting. However, in the event of an emergency or illness and with appropriate documentation, you will not be penalized for absences accrued in this course. To that end, please bring documentation that illustrates a “just cause” for your absence upon your return to class.

Grading scale

A = 93-100 B = 85-92C = 78-84D = 70-77F = 0-69

DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Conceptual Framework: In order to successfully plan, develop, and implement curricula to meet the needs of diverse learners in today’s world and to prepare candidates for the future, the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) has identified four critical components of The Effective Educator: Professional Standards (PS), Knowledge of Learner (KL), Strategies and Methods (SM), and Content Knowledge (CK). The Conceptual Framework provides direction for the development of effective professionals. Diversity is an integral part of each component, and Technology is emphasized throughout all programs in the educational unit (diversity) (technology).

Passport: To advance to student teaching and begin your final portfolio, you will first need to complete your developing portfolio. For information regarding the contents of the developing portfolio, please visit the website at

Teacher Development: Teacher Candidates who exhibit difficulties in areas such as planning, teaching, and classroom management may be referred to Teacher Development for counsel and assistance. One of the many purposes of the Teacher Development program is to provide Teacher Candidates with a course of action that can help them achieve their goal of becoming competent and effective educators. The Teacher Development also consists of a lab (TEC 239), which houses Praxis study materials and a variety of pedagogical resources. Please stop by TEC 239 to meet the staff and check out the Teacher Development lab’s fantastic offerings!

UNIVERSITY POLICIES

Withdrawal: During the current semester, the last day to officially withdraw from the university is March 14th. Please note that if you wish to withdraw from the course for any reason, it is your responsibility to do so.

Classroom Conduct: As noted in the Provost’s Message, “Free discussion, inquiry, and creative expression are encouraged at SELU. However, any classroom behavior that interferes with either (a) the instructor’s ability to conduct the class, or (b) the ability of students to benefit from the instruction, is not acceptable and will not be allowed. Specific examples of disruptive classroom behavior may include: routinely being late to class, departing early, use of beepers, cellular telephones, or other electronic devices that disrupt the general learning of others, repeatedly talking in class without being recognized, or talking when others are speaking, arguing in a way that demonstrates a lack of respect (e.g., for other class members, or the instructor in the learning environment) or arguing in a way that is perceived as ‘crossing the civility line’.”

Academic Integrity:Students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. Behavior that violates these standards is not acceptable. Examples are the use of unauthorized material, communication with fellow students during an examination, attempting to benefit from the work of another student and similar behavior that defeats the intent of an examination or other class work. Unless work is done in conjunction with a group project, it must be the exclusive work of individual students. If students use any words or ideas that do not represent their own original words or ideas, they must cite all relevant sources. The Publications Manual of the APA (8th ed.) is the guide for formatting of citations and references. Cheating on examinations, plagiarism [i.e. to use and pass off as one’s own (the ideas or writings of another)], improper acknowledgement of sources in essays, and the use of a single essay or paper in more than one course without permission are considered very serious offenses and shall be grounds for disciplinary action as outlined in the current General Catalogue.

Use of e-mail for official correspondence with students: Beginning January 1, 2003, e-mail will be considered one of the official forms of communication at the University. A new University policy ensures that all students will have access to a University e-mail account, outlines the student’s responsibilities in having such an account, and establishes expectations for communication between faculty and students for educational purposes and between the University and students for university business purposes. You should read and be familiar with this policy found on-line. Students are expected to check their e-mail accounts on a frequent and consistent basis in order to receive University communications in a timely manner. The University recommends checking e-mail several times per week, preferably once a day. It is the student’s responsibility to report any problems with e-mail accounts or access to e-mail to the Help Desk. I frequently use e-mail as a source of communication. When sending e-mails please be sure to send from your SLU account. I will not respond to messages sent from other accounts. Also, please remember to identify yourself in your e-mail correspondence.

Self-Identification: If you are a qualified student with a disability seeking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you are required to self identify with the Office of Disability Services, Mims Hall Room 117. No accommodation will be granted without documentation from the Office of Disability Services.

Children: According to university policy, the classroom is not a place for children or other family members, and students are not allowed to bring their children or family members to class.

RESOURCES

Alvermann, D. E. & Hagood, M. C. (2000). Critical media literacy: Research, theory, and practice in ‘new times’. Journal of Educational Research, 93 (3), 193-205.

Barkley, E. F. (2010). Student engagement techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Barkley, E. F., Cross, K. P., & Major, C. H. (2005). Collaborative learning techniques: A handbook for college faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Charles, C. M. (2014). Buildingclassroom discipline (11th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good teaching: The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34 (3), 159-165.

Duncan-Andrade, J. R. (2004). Your best friend or your worst enemy: Youth popular culture, pedagogy, and curriculum in urban classrooms. Review of Education, Pedagogy and Cultural Studies, 26, 313-337.

Hill, M. L. (2006). Using Jay-Z to reflect on post-9/11 race relations. EnglishJournal, 96 (2), 23-27.

Hoffman, J. (2007). The western canon in today’s high schools. Minnesota English Journal, 43 (1), 140-151.

Kumashiro, K. K. (2004). Against common sense: Teaching and learning toward social justice. New York: Routledge.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32 (3), 465-491.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2009a). Just what is Critical Race Theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education? (pp. 17-36). In E. Taylor, D. Gillborn, & G. Ladson-Billings (Eds.).Foundations of Critical Race Theory in education. New York: Routledge.

Ladson-Billings, G. (2009b). The dream-keepers: Successful teachers of African-American children (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Lynch, T. L. (2007). Illuminating Chaucer through poetry, manuscript illustrations, and a critical rap album. EnglishJournal, 96 (6), 43-49.

Austin, TX: University of Texas Press.

Moore, J. R. (2007). Popular music helps students focus on important social issues. Middle School Journal, 37 (3), 21-29.

Moran, J. (2002). Interdisciplinarity. London: Routledge.

Oakes, J. & Lipton, M. (2007) Teaching to change the world (3rd ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill.