PIEDMONT COLLEGE

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Syllabus for Specialist Degree

Strand I

Advance Study of School Reform and School Improvement

EDUC 811

Mastering the art of teaching: Preparing proactive educators to improve the lives of children

1. COURSE INFORMATION:

EDUC 811: Advance Study of School Reform and School Improvement

Prerequisite: None

Credit: Three semester hours

Period: Saturday’s *- March 5, March 19, April 2, April 16 (online)

II. INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION:

Name: Dr. Julie Palmour

Office Location: L-126, Demorest Campus

Phone Numbers: (706)778-3000 X1230 (Office)

(706)839-6337 (Home)

E-mail: jpalmour@piedmont.edu or jpalmour@hemc.net

Fax number: (706)776-0135

Office Hours: As posted or by appointment

III. TIME AND PLACE:

Time: Saturday’s *- March 5, March 19, April 2, April 16 (online)

Place: Athens Center

IV. TEXT AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS

Schlechty, Phillip C. (2001) Shaking Up the Schoolhouse. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass

( Access to) American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (4^th ed.). Washington, D. C.: author.

Other supplemental readings as assigned

V. PIEDMONT MISSION:

Piedmont College Mission:

Piedmont College educates students to become successful and responsible citizens through rigorous academic instruction in the liberal arts and professional disciplines. Learning opportunities are provided through undergraduate and graduate programs offered at various locations. The institution emphasizes high ethical standards and respect for diversity.

School of Education Mission:

The theme of the School of Education is “Mastering the art of teaching: Preparing proactive educators to improve the lives of children.” The School of Education strives to prepare reflective, scholarly, proactive educators. These practitioners effectively educate their own students to become knowledgeable, inquisitive, and collaborative learners in diverse, democratic learning communities.

Specific ideals under-gird our conceptual framework. We advocate the democratic ideals of: equal rights and opportunities; individual freedom and responsibility; responsibility for the greater good; respect for diversity; openness to possibilities; and open, informed discourse.

We endorse the following processes as a means of striving for our democratic ideals: engaging in participatory decision-making; collaborating in teaching and learning; collecting information from all constituencies; examining options and projecting consequences; nurturing open discourse; providing for field experiences; assessing processes as well as products; modeling democratic ideals in the classroom; forming communities of learners; and constantly revising the curriculum to reflect new insights and understandings. Further, we endorse the development of a sense of personal integrity and of strong habits of mind (e.g., reflectiveness, persistence, clarity, accuracy, and responsiveness to feedback).

Specialist Degree Program Goal(s);

The program goal of the Specialist Program in Instruction is designed to develop distinguished contributing teachers as leaders, mentors, and models across schools and systems. The primary purpose of schooling is instruction; therefore, all teachers, staff and administrators must focus through habits of mind on the ultimate goal of providing students with the best and most appropriate education possible through continuing school improvement. Regular classroom teachers, teachers in pull-out areas, lead teachers, department heads, building level administrators, as well as staff and administrators at the district level need to view themselves as instructional leaders and through proactive, scholarly and reflective professional and pedagogical development provide instructional expertise and leadership to students and peers both formally and informally.

The specialist program in instruction offers components that address the qualities necessary for preparing distinguished teaching and leadership. The program will provide a rigorous and scholarly pragmatic approach that will meet the needs of candidates in various geographic and educational contexts. To that end, participants are required to specialize in the four program strand themes:

1. Foundations of education,

2. Field based research that examines and leads to improved student achievement,

3. Personal and professional philosophy and pedagogy, and

4. Developing expertise in content inquiry style involving classroom practices and
management.

These four strands form a holistic approach to the one year, 30 hour, program of study as continuous themes and curricula to guide, instruct, and develop the professional educator to attain distinguished levels of both theory and practice and become contributing members in the professional discourse of improving schooling.

VI. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE:

This course will address school reform and school improvement efforts across the nation. With a strong focus on educational change today, both in the media and in the school community, and with the discussion of restructuring in education, it is important to be aware of action across the nation and attempt to relate the action to current needs in order to be informed professional decision-makers. An examination of the media, professional journals, recommendations from various sources, (think tanks, foundations, colleges, school systems) will be the basis of the study. By relating experiences of others to the setting in which the class candidates are working, there will be realistic opportunities to consider and synthesize old and new knowledge of practices that will assist the candidate in becoming a more effective teacher and a more effective leader of other teachers.

VII. SCHOOL OF EDUCATION OUTCOMES:

Core Candidate Learning Outcomes :

The following outcomes, adapted from the 1994 INTASC standards (Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium), are addressed in this course.

1) Learning Environment: The proactive teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation to create a caring learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, self regulation and collaboration. The teacher additionally fosters the ideals of a democratic classroom by treating students fairly and justly, providing intellectual challenge, and supporting students as they pursue knowledge and understanding.

2) Subject Matter: The scholarly teacher understands and can model the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

3) Student Learning: The reflective teacher understands how students develop and learn and can provide well-managed learning opportunities that support students’ intellectual, social, and personal growth.

4) Diversity: The teacher committed to the ideals of the democratic classroom understands that learners are the products of their innate talents/disabilities, preferred learning styles, and cultural experiences and can adapt instruction to meet diverse needs.

5) Instructional Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to proactively encourage the development of student critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.

6) Assessment Strategies: The teacher understands and uses a variety of assessment strategies to encourage the continual intellectual, social, and personal growth of students to become knowledgeable, inquisitive learners.

7) Communication and Technology: The proactive teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, non-verbal, and media communication techniques and technologies to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

8) Planning Instruction: The reflective, scholarly, and knowledgeable teacher plans and manages instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter/pedagogy, students, the community, and curriculum goals.

9) Reflection and Professional Development: The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of her/his choices and actions upon others, and who proactively seeks opportunities for the continual development of a personal pedagogy.

10) Collaboration and Relationships: The proactive teacher communicates and interacts through democratic processes with other educators, parents/families, and the community to support student learning and well being

National Board Professional Teacher Standards:

Five core propositions:

1. Teachers are committed to students and their learning.

2. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach

those subjects to students.

3. Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring

student learning.

4. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn

from experience.

5. Teachers are members of learning communities

Specialist Program Candidate Outcomes

11) Specialist Candidates will demonstrate proactive knowledge of techniques that bring about positive change in schools, schooling and practices.

12) Specialist Candidates will be use assessment of characteristics and needs of student learners .

13) Specialist Candidates (through reflection) will conduct self-assessment.

14) Specialist Candidates will reflect and improve on student learning.

15) Specialist Candidates will integrate technology to enhance learning.

16) Specialist Candidates will model, develop, and deliver content expertise.

17) Specialist Candidates will generate and use proactive and scholarly research to improve schooling.

18) Specialist Candidates will create learning communities.

19) Specialist Candidates will provide leadership for creating democratic learning.

20) Specialist Candidates will contribute to professional growth of their profession.

21) Specialist Candidates will demonstrate ethical dimensions of teaching.

VIII. COURSE OUTCOMES (CO):

Upon successful completion of this course, the candidate will be able to:

1. identify and analyze school reform and school improvement activities related to schools and the education process, including those related to the candidates in this class; CCLO 16, 17, 19

2. identify knowledgeable professionals in the field and explore, question, and synthesize old and new knowledge of school reform and school improvement issues; CCLO 17, 20

3. state a position on an school reform and school improvement in writing and /or orally and defend that position in a factual and logical manner, using current research; CCLO 11, 15, 16

4. critically analyze the reports of the media and professional journals, including the policies and actions from the local, state and federal levels; CCLO 7, 17, 20

5. make valid conclusions relative to the future of the schools; CCLO 5, 10, 11

6. analyze the issues and trends related to the A+ Education Reform Act of 2000 in Georgia. CCLO 8, 11, 17

7. provide scholarly information to inform others of school reform and school improvement. CCLO 11, 15, 17, 21

IX. COURSE POLICIES:

1. Class Attendance & Participation:

Attendance, timeliness, and participation are required and part of your grade. The School of Education policy states that more than the allotted number of excused absences for any reason will result in failure of the course. The allotted number of absences for this course is four class hours. In order to effectively complete the course requirements attendance in all classes is mandatory. Only those absences due to emergencies will be excused Work missed due to an excused absence may be made up. It is your responsibility to inform professor in writing how you make up the work. Any candidate who misses a class will be asked to drop the course or will receive an F at the end of the semester. Also understand that notes cannot easily duplicate many of the experiences of the course.

Active participation means that you prepare for classes by reading the text and/or other assigned readings and that you take active part in discussions and activities conducted during class.

2. Written Work:

Use APA style (4th ed.). All papers for the course are to be typed using size 12 point and one of the following fonts: Bookman, Times New Roman, Geneva or similar font. Papers should be double-spaced, error-free, and grammatically correct (including punctuation, spelling, capitalization, etc.). Make good use of writing references such as dictionaries, writing handbooks, and computer spelling and grammar checks. Each paper should have a cover sheet with your name, course number and name, assignment, and date clearly typed on the front. For example (double spaced and centered), Your name; EDUC 638.1: Advanced Assessment and Instruction in Reading , Learning Log #1: Essay Questions for Chapters 1 and 2, Date.

Quality is important! All work submitted should reflect your professionalism and graduate level work. Your writings and reflections will be assessed according to the depth, breadth, clarity and accuracy they convey.

Be sure to keep a duplicate copy of all submitted work for your own records.

3. Academic Integrity:

By accepting admission to Piedmont College, each candidate makes a commitment to understand, support, and abide by the "Academic Integrity Policy" without compromise or exception (See the Piedmont College Catalog and the Student Handbook for details of the policy). This class will be conducted in strict observance of the policy. The College imposes strict penalties for academic dishonesty (cheating, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, and plagiarism) as defined in the Catalog and Handbook.

Some suggestions for helping you abide by the policy include:

Ø All work submitted must be your original work created in and for this course.

Ø Cite and reference work properly using the current APA guidelines.

o Cite all quotes or paraphrased material. It is better to over cite than not give credit to the author of a work or source that you are using in your paper or project.

§ Any time you use the exact words of researcher, author, or source, you must place the words in quotation marks when your quote is less than 40 words. If more than 40 words, place the quote in an indented block omitting quotation marks. (See the APA Manual for specific guidelines).

§ You must also give credit to an author or source when you paraphrase.

§ When referring to information from your course text, be sure you cite and reference the source and/or authors.

§ Follow the protocol in the current APA manual for citing and referencing all electronic sources.

Ø Double dipping is not permitted. For example: