Teaching, Learning, and Schooling Paper & Presentation

Questions and Product

What is learning?    What is teaching?    What is the relationship between teaching and learning in school?

Throughout the first quarter we closely examined the question: What is learning? Many of you have also begun to give attention to the question: What is teaching?   This quarter you will continue this exploration by ultimately examining all three of the above questions.

You will submit 2 drafts of your TLS paper in which you (i) summarize the essential points about the nature of learning from your first paper, and (ii) develop your exploration of the rest of the questions. This paper will be 10-15 pages long. You will ultimately develop a powerpoint presentation that synthesizes and summarizes your TLS paper. You will present this work during evaluation week to program members and invited guests.

Everyone is expected to attend all the presentations. Your presentation will be 10 minutes long with 5 minutes for questions. Facultys' experiences with the last cohort was that the presentations were very interesting and individual - there was something to be learned from each and every talk!

Due dates:

• Draft -- Friday, February 3rd
• Final draft -- Friday, March 3rd
• Power point presentation -- Evaluation week.

Prior to submitting your paper to your seminar leader:

• Evaluate your writing using the writing rubric and staple that evaluation to your paper for submission.
• Organize feedback sessions from your colleagues and visits to the writing center

Note: The webcrossing site is already set up for you to use as you choose.

Format -- use APA published format (5^th edition – yes, this means you J).

Remember the purpose of this paper

Within the maze of schools, textbooks, kids, assessments, schedules – sometimes basic questions like “how do people learn,” and “what is a teacher’s role in student learning” get lost. Student learning is your central goal. Teaching in a way that supports student learning is your task!  The paper is intended to help you figure this out.

Ultimately you will produce a condensed version of TLS Paper

After you present your PowerPoint talks, you have one more step to complete. You will sift your paper for key points that you feel are essential to your understanding of teaching, learning, and schooling. Then you will write a statement about who you are as a teacher, what you believe about teaching and learning, and what your approach to classroom management is. This statement can be NO LONGER than 2 pages, double-spaced. Your audiences are possible interview panels and your future students and their parents. This statement will be due on the first Friday of the Spring Quarter.

Note: If you need to clarify your explanations about the process of learning, keep working on this and checking in with your seminar leader. If your thesis and supporting argument need work, seek assistance at the Writing Center. We expect you to continue to refine your knowledge and explanations so that your TLS PowerPoint presentation is clear, accurate, and concise. We reserve the right to require additional submissions of your TLS paper for our additional feedback. 

We wish you great success and learning!