PIEDMONT COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Mastering the art of
teaching: Preparing proactive educators to improve the lives of all children
I. COURSE
INFORMATION:
SPED 499, EDUC 499 Undergraduate Student Teaching Experiences
EDEC 742 Graduate Student
Teaching Experience
Prerequisites: See
Undergraduate or Graduate catalog
II. INSTRUCTOR
INFORMATION:
Name: Gene Pease, Ed. D.
Office Location: L120
Phone Numbers: 706 778 8500 ext 1279 Home:
E-mail: gpease@piedmont.edu
Fax Number: 706 778 9608
Office Hours: By appointment and as posted at my office
door
III. TIME AND PLACE
CAMPUS: Demorest
SEMESTER: Spring DATE:
2005
Time: & Place: As
arranged
IV. TEXT
AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS:
American Psychological Association.
(2001). Publication manual of the
American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, D. C.: Author.
Supplemental readings
will be required as needed throughout the course. These
readings will include research, professional documents, and personal
reading. Also, copying some materials
to share with the class may be required.
V. PIEDMONT
MISSION:
Piedmont College Mission:
Inspired by the liberal arts tradition and a historical
association with the Congregational Christian Churches, Piedmont College
cultivates a diverse, challenging and caring intellectual environment to
encourage academic success and spiritual development.
To accomplish this mission, the college offers a
number of major fields of study that are informed by the liberal arts,
including specialized professional programs and selected graduate
programs. Instructional opportunities
are also provided at distant locations to meet student needs.
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 all
children.” The School of Education
strives to prepare reflective, scholarly, proactive educators in a caring environment
with challenging and meaningful learning experiences. 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).
Graduate MA and MAT Program Goals: (Graduate Courses Only)
The goal of the Master of Arts (MA) and Master of
Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs at Piedmont College is to provide the graduate
candidate knowledge in the social and educational development of students. Through an individualized program of study
based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and professional
goals, the programs seek to:
¨
provide
the candidate with the ability to
communicate and teach effectively using an interdisciplinary knowledge base and
understanding of multidimensional classrooms;
¨
use
and facilitate critical thinking skills;
¨
enhance
candidates’ content knowledge, integrating it with instructional technology;
¨
enable
candidates to interpret and assess educational research, and conduct their own
classroom-based research; and to
¨
provide
experiences that enable candidates to assume roles as scholarly practitioners
and develop their skills and abilities as professional teachers.
MAT Program Goals
Through an individualized program
of study based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and
professional goals, the MAT program seeks to:
¨ build the candidate’s knowledge
base and understanding of P-5 students’ characteristics, knowledge, skills,
experience, interest, approaches to learning, special needs, and cultural
heritage;
¨ prepare candidates who have
knowledge and understanding about multicultural and global issues and
perspectives as well as to plan and implement instruction based on these
perspectives;
¨ build the candidate’s knowledge and
understanding of content, pedagogy, record keeping and a wide variety of
diagnostic and assessment techniques and strategies;
¨ develop the candidate’s
understanding and use of educational technology including the use of computer
and other technologies in instruction, assessment, and productivity;
¨ build candidate’s ability to create
classroom environments that include: respect, rapport, a culture for learning,
effective management of classroom procedures, appropriate management of student
behavior, and efficient organization of physical space;
¨ inform candidates of resources
available for teachers and students to support and enhance student learning;
¨ develop the candidate’s repertoire
of strategies for effective teaching;
¨ enable candidates to plan and
implement instruction based on acquired knowledge of subject matter, students,
and the community;
¨ provide candidates with concrete
field experiences across grades P-5 that help them link theory and practice
through observation and participation;
¨ develop the candidate’s
understanding and use of effective interactions with parents or guardians for
supporting students learning and well-being;
¨ develop the candidate’s ability to
use research, research methods, and knowledge about issues and trends to
conduct research on an educational topic of interest;
¨ help candidates grow and develop
professionally toward becoming proactive, scholarly, reflective practitioners,
and lifelong learners who improve the lives of children.
MA Program Goals
Through an individualized program
of study based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and
professional goals, the MA program seeks to:
¨ enable candidates to critique their
planning and teaching strategies so they can more effectively plan instruction
based on extended knowledge of subject matter, students, and the community;
¨ broaden the candidates’ knowledge
of developmentally appropriate content and resources needed for teaching and
interacting with their students;
¨ expand the candidate’s repertoire
of strategies for effective teaching and communication with parents;
¨ enhance and expand the candidate’s
knowledge and understanding about multicultural and global issues and
perspectives as well as ways to plan and implement instruction based on these
perspectives;
¨ expand the candidate’s understanding
and use of educational technology including the use of computer and other
technologies in instruction, assessment, and productivity;
¨ diversify field experiences for
candidates to strengthen their understanding of the link between theory and
practice;
¨ develop the candidate’s ability to
use research, research methods, and knowledge about issues and trends to
improve practice in schools and classrooms;
¨ develop the candidate’s ability to
assume roles as leaders and mentors in the profession;
¨ establish procedures that
candidates can use to continually keep up-to-date on changes in the field;
¨ help candidates become more
independent in their professional development as scholarly, reflective,
practitioners and lifelong learners who improve the lives of children;
¨ encourage candidates’ involvement
in professional activities and endeavors; encourage candidates to present at
local, state, and national conferences.
VI. COURSE
DESCRIPTION AND PURPOSE:
See
current Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching Handbook
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) and
updated Fall 2003, are addressed in this course.
1) Learning Environment: The proactive teacher uses an
understanding of individual and group motivation to create a caring, democratic
learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active
engagement in learning, self regulation, and collaboration. The proactive
teacher 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, national standards, 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 provides well-managed learning
opportunities that support students’ intellectual, social, and personal growth.
The teacher documents student achievements and contributes to systems of
accountability designed to improve schooling.
4) Diversity: By understanding that all learners
are products of their innate abilities, preferred learning styles, and cultural
experiences, the democratic teacher modifies instruction and
assessments to meet diverse needs of all students.
5) Instructional Strategies: The proactive teacher
understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage the
development of all students’ creative talents, critical thinking, problem
solving, and performance skills.
6) Assessment Strategies: The scholarly, reflective,
proactive teacher designs a variety of assessments including
alternative assessment strategies, which (a) assess the acquisition of
knowledge, skills, and dispositions expected in the subject, (b) offset the
negative effects of high-stakes testing, and (c) encourage the continual
intellectual, social, and personal growth of all 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 scholarly, reflective,
proactive teacher plans and manages instruction based upon knowledge of
content, pedagogy, students, the community, and curriculum goals.
9) Reflection and Professional
Development: The scholarly
teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates
the effects of her/his choices and actions upon others, institutes research
aimed at improving instruction, attends to the development of policies
affecting education at the state and national levels, proactively seeks
opportunities for the continual development of a personal pedagogy.
10) Collaboration and
Relationships: The
scholarly, reflective, proactive teacher communicates and collaborates
with other educators, parents/families, agencies and the community through democratic
processes to support student learning and well being.
Early Childhood Graduate Candidate Learning Outcomes:
11) Constructivist Practices: The scholarly, reflective,
proactive teacher models and provides opportunities for constructivist
practices. CO:
12) Informed Teachers: The scholarly, reflective, proactive teacher
is an informed professional. CO:
13) Scholarly Work: The reflective, proactive teacher actively engages
in scholarly work. CO:
14) Action Research: The scholarly, reflective, proactive teacher
participates in action research. CO:
Dispositions for All Candidates:
In addition to the common core
learning outcomes, all candidates are expected to be familiar with the
dispositions expected of professionals.
Their work with students, families, and communities reflects the
following dispositions as defined by the School of Education faculty:
Scholarly:
Inquiring; creative; seeks solutions; thinks critically about theory and
method; keeps current in discipline (conferences, journals, classes); pursues
lifelong learning.
Reflective:
Bases daily decisions on in depth reflection, done frequently and
honestly; considers many possibilities for problem solutions; stays open to
constructive criticism.
Proactive:
Anticipates problems in management; anticipates problems and difficulties
in instruction; addresses pertinent issues of school and community to support
student learning; encourages students’ critical thinking, problem solving, and
creativity; plans for important student learning; fosters visionary thinking
and action; promotes mindful leadership to improve schools.
Democratic:
Facilitator; views others as capable to deal with problems and able to
make decisions; promotes equitable treatment for all students; has high
expectations for all students; seeks best interest of students they serve;
open-minded; able to view other perspectives; accommodates individual
differences; culturally sensitive in areas of communications, learning,
assessment, and cultural norms; collaborates well with others; works for the
good of the community.
Responsible:
Patience, professional temperament; aims to be the best he/she can be;
good work ethic; punctual; recognizes when their own dispositions may need to
be adjusted and are able to develop plans to do so.
VIII. COURSE OUTCOMES (CO):
See current Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching
Handbook
IX. COURSE POLICIES & PROCEDURES:
See current
Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching Handbook
X.
STUDENT EXPECTATIONS AND
COURSE OUTLINE:
The following are
expectations for arranging meetings and observations for both Undergraduate and
Graduate candidates. The actual
expectations for the student teaching experience can be found in the
Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching Handbook.
1. Within one week of our first meeting,
provide the following information to me by e-mail:
A. 5 possible dates
for me to visit you. I will confirm
them or offer alternatives. If I do not
respond to an email within 2 days, call me!
Please choose dates for my visits with the following
requests in mind: Look at your
schedule, with your Classroom Supervisor. Consider time for your Classroom
Supervisor and I to visit. Consider
your own need for verbal feedback. I
will not need to meet with you every time I visit. Frequently that will not be possible. I want to see you teach in a variety of situations, subjects and
times of the day and week.
Our last visit will require a minimum of one hour for
private discussion. This is when we
will provide final feedback to each other.
No one else will be present.
B. Copy of the daily schedule in your classroom
C. Copy of the School calendar
D. School
phone number, website address, directions to the school and the Principal’s
name.
E. Dates, if
any, that you know you will be absent from your duties.
F. Tentative
Plan for the remainder of the semester.
Discuss the Student Teaching Handbook and your desires for Student
Teaching with your Classroom Supervisor.
Plan a tentative schedule of observing, transitioning and solo
teaching. Rest assured, we all
recognize this may change by the hour!
2. Each time
I visit, have the following items out and easily accessible. Place them on the table where you want me to
sit while I am there. Feel free to put
anything else there that you would like me to look at.
A. Lesson plans,
past, present and future. Keep all of
your lesson plans in one place. I will
refer to them every time I visit.
While you are observing, you should have an outline of what
you plan to observe and where you will be observing. If you were not planning to teach, but ended up doing so in any
way, note that in your lesson plan and discuss it in your journal.
When you begin to teach, even for 1 lesson, the plan should
be complete with learner characteristics, objectives, materials, introduction,
development, closure, etc. You must use
the Piedmont Lesson Plan Guide for all lessons until my first visit. At that point we will discuss other options.
B. Journal of your experiences and thoughts as well
as your evaluation of your own teaching. Write every day in your journal. Do not just list events. Include feelings, frustrations, specific
situations of interest to you, ideas and questions. Include also your critique of your own teaching. What did you do well? Not so well? What would you change?
3. Sometime during
your student teaching:
A. Find and skim
the faculty handbook. Make comments in
your journal.
B. Find and skim
the student handbook. Make comments in
your journal.
C. Make available
to me a few materials that you have created for student use, some student work
after you have graded it, and at least one assessment you created and
administered..
4. Your portfolio,
in rough draft form, will probably be due approximately 1 month before the end
of your student teaching. I will review
it and make suggestions. You will
adjust it as you believe appropriate.
The final portfolio will be due approximately 2 weeks before the end of
the semester. You may pick it up from
the reviewer the day you come to Piedmont for the Certification Seminar.
XI. RESOURCES:
1. Bibliography
Piedmont
College Undergraduate Student Teaching Handbook
Piedmont
College Graduate Student Teaching Handbook
2. Relevant Web Sites:
Piedmont College’s Web Page: www.piedmont.edu
Library:
http://library.piedmont.edu
Galileo:
http://www.galileo.usg.edu/
Bookstore:
http://www.piedmont.bkstr.com/
Georgia
Professional Standards Commission: www.gapsc.com
Georgia
Department of Education: http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/
QCC
objectives/GPS: http://www.glc.k12.ga.us
US
Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov/
Education
World: http://www.education-world.com/
Internet
Public Library: http://www.ipl.org/
Education Website Clearinghouse: http://library.ucf.edu/internet/Education/webed.htm
Educational Software Institute: http://www.edsoft.com/
National Council of Teachers of
English: http://www.ncte.org
Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence
(CREDE): http://www.crede.ucsc.edu
Center on English Learning and Achievement (CELA): http://cela.albany.edu
Better Teaching: Tips and Techniques to Improve Student
Learning: http://www.teacher-institute.com
2.
Praxis
Information:
All students seeking initial certification in the
state of Georgia must pass Praxis I in order to be admitted to student
teaching. Students may exempt this
requirement by providing either SAT, ACT, GRE, CBEST, CLAST, or FTCE scores
which meet the following criteria:
SAT: minimum required score – 1000 (w/ no minimum verbal score or
math score required) The composite
score is obtained by adding the verbal and the math scores. Candidates must take both the verbal and the
math sections of the test.
ACT: minimum score – 43 (w/ no minimum English score or math score
required)
The
composite score is obtained by adding the verbal and quantitative scores. Candidates must take both the English and
the math sections of the test.
GRE: 1030 minimum score (w/ no minimum verbal score or quantitative
score required)
The
composite score is obtained by adding the verbal and quantitative scores. Candidates must take both the verbal and
quantitative sections of the test.
CBEST: Passing Scores indicated on score report –
Used in California and Oregon http://www.ctc.ca.gov/profserv/examinfo/cbest.html
CLAST: Passing Scores indicated on report – Used in Florida
http://www.firn.edu/doe/sas/clast/clstpscr.htm
FTCE: General Knowledge – Passing Scores indicated on
score report – Used in Florida http://www.cefe.usf.edu/TestDescGK.aspx
Teacher
candidates who are seeking initial certification must also pass Praxis II in
the appropriate content area in order to be recommended for certification. Candidates who are currently certified and
are adding a new field must also pass the appropriate content exam. Information on Praxis I & II may be
found at www.ets.org/teachingandlearning/index.html
XII. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION
See
current Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching Handbook
XIII. TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
See
current Undergraduate or Graduate Student Teaching Handbook