Teaching the Child in Front of You

in a Changing World

 

Master in Teaching Program

Spring 2007

 

faculty	office	phone	e-mail
Scott Coleman	Lab I 3010	867-6130	colemans
Masao Sugiyama	Sem II A3112	867-6512	Sugiyama
Gery Gerst	Sem II A3104	867-5209	gerstg
Jacque Ensign	Sem II A3110	867-6619	ensignj
Magda Costantino	SemII E3137	867-6388	magdacos

Office Hours: by appointment

 

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Focus Description from the MIT Program catalog for 2006-08:

                  Each of us has a picture of what it means to be a teacher based on our own experience in schools. We've perhaps changed those pictures to accommodate our growing understanding of the complexities that have always been part of the "teacher" role. We may also have considered that as powerful political, economic, social and demographic forces bring change to schools it is certain that for us, as teachers, the experiences of our future students will be much different than our own.

We must reexamine our current beliefs about teaching and learning if we are to be effective advocates for our students in this time of change. We expect our students in this program to become educators who are willing to accept the challenge of discovering what it means to be a critically reflective practitioner; who will strive to deepen their own understanding of schooling and education in a democratic society; and who are willing to question and challenge existing educational structures that systematically leave some groups of children behind. We look forward to building a community of learners intent on preparing themselves to teach all the children who will be in front of them.

The year 2006 marks the twenty-year anniversary of "Evergreen style" teacher education - in 1986, the prototype for Evergreen's Master in Teaching Program, the Teacher Education Program, admitted its first students. Then, as now, Evergreen's approach to teacher preparation emphasized building a community of learners, developing a strong theoretical foundation, and learning to apply theory through extensive opportunities for practice. The inaugural 1986 cycle was also informed and inspired by the idea of "development in education", and in particular by the question "what does it mean to take development as the aim of education?"

For the 2006-08 cycle we will thoroughly revisit the theme of development, recognizing its continuing value in helping us challenge and deepen our understanding of what it means to teach effectively and meaningfully - especially in a time of change.

Among the questions that will energize our study and practice are:

* What are the stated and implicit goals of education today and historically in US public schools, and across the world? Can the variety of perspectives about educational goals be placed on a developmental continuum? What are the benefits of considering development as the overarching aim of education?

* What does it mean to know our learners? Along which dimensions (e.g., developmental levels, learning style, personality, interest) is it most important to know our learners? How can we as teachers further develop within ourselves the emotional and intellectual attributes needed to effectively understand our future students?

* How do children learn? Is learning developmental? Are there universal learning principles that work for all children? How does the learning process differ at different ages and for children with varying levels of language development?

* What do teachers need to know about the subjects they teach? How can teachers present content appropriately, given the variety of learning styles and developmental levels of their learners?

* How can we learn to plan instruction and set up learning environments that support the ideal of democracy? How can we plan our instruction so as to simultaneously take into account state and federal requirements, societal needs and parental expectations while not forgetting that we are preparing our students to be citizens in a democracy?

* Which teaching strategies are most needed in today's diverse schools? How might our own cultural encapsulation and other life experiences affect our ability to use a particular teaching strategy effectively? How can educational technologies be appropriately used to further the all-around development of our students?

* How can assessment be used to continually improve the education environment at the individual, classroom, and school levels? How can teachers prepare students for high-stakes testing without compromising the depth and breadth of the students' educational experience? Can we model effective assessment in our own teacher education program?

 

 

Regular Meeting Times & Locations

 

Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
9:00am – 12:00 noon Elem: SEM 2A 3109 Sec: SEM 2A 3107 1-3:00 p.m. Seminars: Masao SEM2A 3109 Jacque SEM2A 3107 Gery SEM2A 3105	9:00am-12:00 noon All program: Currculum Design SEM 2A 1105	K-12 schools: start and end in accordance with teacher’s work day	9:00am- 12:00 noon All program SEM 2A1105   afternoons: ELL (usually online)

 

·       See week-by-week schedule for exceptions to this schedule

 

II. REQUIRED READINGS

NOTE: TEXTS MARKED WITH AN ASTERISK (*) INDICATE THAT THIS READING WILL BE ASSIGNED IN OTHER QUARTERS IN THE PROGRAM IN ADDITION TO SPRING QUARTER 2007

 

FOR EACH READING, THE EXACT EDITION LISTED HERE IS EXPECTED AS WE NEED TO HAVE THE SAME PAGES TO REFERENCE IN SEMINARS.

Books new for Spring Quarter

*Banks, James A. & Cherry. (2006). Multicultural Education: Issues and Perspectives 6th Edition Wiley. ISBN: 978-0-471-78047-2

Daniels, Harvey & Bizar, Marilyn. (2004). Teaching the Best Practice Way: Methods that Matter K-12. Stenhouse. ISBN 1-5-7110-405-4

Fletcher, Ralph. (2006). Boy Writers: Reclaiming their Voices. Stenhouse. ISBN13: 978-1571104250

Hill, Kathleen & Flynn, Jane. (2006). Classroom Instruction that Works with English Language Learners. ASCD. ISBN: 1416603905

Klug, Beverly J. & Whitfield, Patricia. (2003). Widening the Circle: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy for American Indian Children. New York: Routledge Falmer. ISBN 0415935113

Kohl, Herb. (1994). “I Won’t Learn from You”: And Other Thoughts on Creative Maladjustment. New York: New Press. ISBN 1565840968 1999 ISBN 0788160338

Landau, Barbara McEwan. (2004). The Art of Classroom Management: Building Equitable Learning Communities. Pearson Education. ISBN 0130990779

Lipkin, Arthur. (2004). Beyond Diversity Day: A Q&A on Gay and Lesbian Issues in Schools. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 074252034-X

Olsen, Sylvia with Morris, Rita & Sam, Ann. (2002). No Time to Say Goodbye: Children’s Stories of Kuper Island Residential School. ISBN: 0613784499

Sobel, David. (2006). Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms & Communities 2^nd Edition (Nature Literacy Series Vol. 4) (New Patriotism Series 4), Orion Society. ISBN 091309854X

Tutwiler, Sandra J. Winn. Teachers as Collaborative Partners: Working with Diverse Families and Communities. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers, 2005. 255 pp. ISBN 0805839003

Rethinking Schools, a quarterly magazine [to be distributed in class]

ESOL Instructional Strategies hybrid-online course: casenex.org (no cost- you will be given registration information in class)

 

Publications from previous quarters students will need:

*American Psychological Association’s documentation and format style:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_apa.html

(from winter07) Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Addressing the Achievement Gap: A Challenge for Washington State Educators, November 2002, Olympia

(from fall & winter)*Rogoff, Barbara. (2003). The Cultural Nature of Human Development. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0195131339.

(from winter07) *Trentacosta, Janet (ed). (1997). Multicultural and Gender Equity in the Mathematics Classroom: The Gift of Diversity (1997 Yearbook). Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. ISBN 0-87353-432-8 (on gender ch.11, 23, 27 on parents:25)

(from winter07) *Wiggins, Grant and McTighe, Jay. (2005 revised ed). Understanding by Design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD. ISBN: 978-1-4166-0035-0

(from fall06) Cohen, Elizabeth G. Designing Groupwork: Strategies for the Heterogeneous Classroom, 2^nd Edition, 1994, Teachers College Press, Columbia University, ISBN 0807733318 (paper)

from fall06) *Wolfe, Patricia. (2001). Brain Matters: Translating Research into Classroom Practice. Reston, VA: Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. ISBN 0871205173

 

 

III. REQUIREMENTS AND ASSIGNMENTS

1. Meeting expectations of the MIT program covenant

           See Student Guide to Policies, Procedures, and Resources.

 

2. Attendance & Participation

As a prospective teacher, habits of punctuality and completion of assignments on time are critical for your success in your career. Students are expected to attend and participate in all program activities, arrive on time and leave when class ends. If a student must be absent due to a valid reason, he/she will need to negotiate the absence by contacting his/her seminar faculty in advance of the absence. Every absence will require make-up work and unexcused absences may result in loss of credit. If you have a legitimate excuse, you still must e-mail your completed assignment to your seminar faculty as Word attachment by the due date & time.

 

3. Autoethnographic Research into the Formation of Your Teacher Identity

            Throughout the program you will be given written prompts in order to investigate the social construction or formation of your teacher identity based on your own life experiences. These assignments are to be typed and submitted to your seminar faculty.

Due: Tuesday, April 24, Entry #6 on Democratic Practices and Identity

Due: Tuesday, May 8, Entry #7 on Gender & Sexual Orientation/Preference Identity

 

4. Seminar/Workshop Preparation Papers

For each scheduled seminar on an assigned reading, you are required to arrive to seminar with (a) your copy of the assigned reading, having read the entire assigned reading and (b) a 2-page, single-spaced, typed paper. The paper’s primary purpose is to help you be prepared to raise ideas and stimulate seminar discussion. Because these are not formal papers, they can be in the form of notes with quotes, page numbers, and your accompanying commentary based on your understanding of the reading.

Use the following criteria to determine if your paper is complete:

(1) Use of specific page numbers so that your seminar members and faculty can access the pages from where your information/concept was drawn.

(2) An accompanying comment for each item of referenced information/concept that explains why it is significant in relation to program themes and/or your overall understanding of the author’s intent.

For workshops, follow directions given for each as preparation varies.

Due: Each assignment is due at the beginning of your seminar/workshop. One copy of your preparation paper is emailed to your seminar faculty; bring one to seminar & keep for your portfolio with your handwritten notes added during seminar.

 

 

5 Integration Papers

      During the quarter you will write variants of formal “integration” papers based on your readings, lectures, workshops, and other program experiences. The purpose of these short papers (approximately 6 pages each) is for you to develop your ability to analyze and synthesize program materials into a coherent formal paper that integrates and makes connections with what you are learning.

Due: Friday, May 18,FamilyCommuntiySchoolProfile & Action Plan (directions in calendar)

Due: Friday, May 25, Democratic Management Plan (follow handout directions)

 

6. Conference Paper

During Spring Quarter you will complete your paper.

Due: Tuesday, April 10, “Recommendations for Practice”

Due, Friday, May 11, Final publication-ready version of Conference Paper

 

Note: In order to be eligible for student teaching, you must be in “good academic standing.” This includes having your faculty reader approve the final version of your conference paper in accordance with the paper rubric and convenant expectations for graduate level writing.

 

7. Curriculum Design Project

You will join a group of 3-5 program colleagues to complete a comprehensive curriculum design project in one of your endorsement areas. You will teach one lesson from the project to the cohort during the last weeks of the quarter. Detailed expectations will be provided early in spring quarter.

Due: Friday, June 1 in portfolio, complete curriculum design project paper

 

8. School/Community Field Notes

            During Week 1 you will receive further instructions in regards to expectations for your field experience. As part of fieldwork, you will teach at least one 3-day try-out teaching and preferably twice.

 

9. EARLs Self-Assessment

            During Spring Quarter you are to complete your Winter EALRs project by responding to all EARLs in your endorsement(s) in the same format as you did Winter Quarter.

Due: Friday, June 1 in portfolio.

 

10. Program Portfolio Format and Contents: Advancement to Student Teaching Portfolio

Your portfolio materials must be kept in a 3-ring binder with dividers based on the assignment categories listed above. All materials in the portfolio should be typed except for some aspects of your field notes if your handwriting is legible. Your name needs to appear both on the outside of your portfolio and on the first page of your portfolio.

Contents: All assignments. You will be given a checklist for required contents, which exceed those listed in this syllabus.

Due: Friday, June 1, 9am, Complete portfolio

 

 

 

Award of Credit:

See Fall syllabus & Student Guide to Policies, Procedures, and Resources.

 

V. WEEKLY SCHEDULE

 

Week 1 (April 3-6): Introduction to Curriculum Development

 

	Tues., April 3	Wed., April 4	Thurs., April 5	Friday, April 6
Topics/Activities	9:00—noon 1. Welcome to Scott   2. Best Practice Workshop – Masao   3. Spring Teaching – Gery     1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon   Curriculum Design - Magda       3-5 pm (location TBA) “Preparing Primarily White Teachers for Diverse Clsssrooms,” conference paper presentations from Simon Fraizier Univ. (with informal chat afterwards optional)	K-12 Field Experiences	9-Noon Place-Based Education- Jean McGregor & Jacque     1-3 pm ELL –computer lab
Readings Due	Teaching the Best Practice Way No Time to Say Goodbye (Who Speaks for Wolf?- will be read during seminar)	Widening the Circle 1-94: 108-147		Place-based Education BrainMatters ch.8
Assignments Due	1. Come to workshop with worksheet completed for Teaching the Best Practice Way 2. Seminar preparation paper on No Time to Say Goodbye	due to sem. leader: 2 page single-spaced essay: Why we should widen the circle. Use evidence from the reading		1. due to sem. leader by 9am for workshop: graphic organizers on both readings also: concept map for place based education (ideally done BEFORE readings) & 3 questions 2.Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes

do Google search for how to do concept map

Week 2 (April 10-13): Introduction to Classroom Management

 

	Tuesday, April 10	Wed., April 11	Thur, April 12	Friday, April 13
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands writing- elementary - Jacque -secondary - Gery     1-3:00 Seminar   Distribute autoethnographic assignment #6: democratic practices - Jacque	9:00—noon   Curriculum Design - Magda	K-12 Field Experiences	9- Noon Introduction to Classroom Management - Gery Creating Transformative Lessons- Jacque
Readings Due	Widening the Circle 148-216	Wiggins & McTighe ch. 9-11		Landau ch. 1 Banks ch. 10
Assignments Due	Conference Paper “Recommendations for Practice” to Faculty Reader by 9am   instead of SPP: 2 page single-spaced essay on how we can widen the circle. Use evidence from the reading.	graphic summary of each chapter to later use in your curriculum design process (bring to workshop & include in portfolio)		by 9am: graphic summary of each chapter   ELL Week 2 assignments due online by midnight   Field Experience Notes

Events, Resources and Notes

 

Week 3 (April 17-20): “Identity & Difference: Gender & Sexuality”

 

	Tuesday, April 17	Wed., April 18	Thur., April 19	Friday, April 20
Topics/Activities	11-1 Diversity Speaker- Lara Evans, “E-Racing”: When Race and Gender are Missing from Education”   1-3:00 Seminar with bag lunch   Pick up Conference Paper “Recommendations for Practice” feedback from Faculty Reader after seminar if not returned by email	9:00—noon   Curriculum Design - Magda	K-12 Field Experiences	9- Noon Classroom Management: rules, power, democratic consequences, highly visible & invisible students -       Gery   Distribute democratic management plan- Jacque   Distribute autoethnographic assignment #7: Gender and Sexual Orientation/Preference Identity- Jacque
Readings Due	sem: Rogoff 181-193 Banks ch. 6, 7 “A Girl Like Me” http://www.understandingrace.org/lived/video/index.html	peruse: http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/ Alaskan Native Knowledge Network		Landau ch.1, 3-6
Assignments Due	seminar preparation paper on all readings & URL			by 9am: autoethnographic assignment #6: democratic practices   bring to workshop: graphic organizer for each chapter in Landau   ELL Week 3 assignments due online by midnight   Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes

Frances Moore Lappé, Democracy’s Edge -- How to take back the America we love, Tuesday, April 17, 2007 at 8:00 p.m. in the Longhouse. Free.

Week 4 (April 24-27): Identity & Difference: Gender & Sexuality (continued)

	Tuesday, April 24	Wed., April 25	Thursday, April 26	Friday, April 27
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands writing- elementary - Jacque -secondary - Gery   1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon Curriculum Design Groups-check in with faculty advisor   check your lessons to be sure you are in line with Cohen- include note within lessons what you used of Cohen	K-12 Field Experience	9- Noon Classroom Management: Safe Schools – Gery & speakers   Possible Films: “The War on Boys” “Oliver Button is a Star” “Both of My Moms’ Names are Judy”
Readings Due	Lipkin - all			Landau ch 2   “Dealing with Legal Matters Surrounding Students’ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” published by the National School Boards Association http://www.nsba.org/site/docs/34600/34527.pdf   “If you’ve been kissed, who[m] do you tell? Notice of sexual harassment under a Title IX claim [Baynard v. Malone, 268 F.3d 228 (4th Cir. 2001)] “http://washburnlaw.edu/wlj/42-1/articles/carlson-robin.pdf
Assignments Due	seminar preparation paper			Due to your seminar leader by 9am: summary of all 3 readings, with details from each reading that you need to remember as a teacher   ELL Week 4 assignments due online by midnight   Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes “The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN, is working to ensure safe and effective schools for all students.” See http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/home.html

Week 5 (May 1-4): Finishing Conference Paper & Try-out Teaching

 

	Tuesday, May 1	Wed., May 2	Thursday, May 3	Friday, May 4
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands writing- elementary - Jacque -secondary - Gery 1-3:00 Seminar	no class   Curriculum Design Groups meet on your own this week to allow you to do 3-day teaching in schools	K-12 Field Experiences	no class
Readings Due	Trentacosta ch.11, 23, 27 Fletcher- all	check your lessons to be sure you are in line with Wolfe ch. 8-10 include note within lessons what you have used of Wolfe
Assignments Due	Seminar Prep Paper on all readings			ELL Week 5 assignments due online by midnight

 

 

Events, Resources and Notes

 

Week 6: Working with Families

 

	Tuesday, May 8	Wed., May 9	Thursday, May 10	Friday, May 11
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands science- elementary – Masao & Richard   -secondary - Gery   1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon   Curriculum Design Groups: check in with faculty advisor	K-12 Field Experiences	9- Noon classroom management: parent/guardian panel- Masao
Readings Due	Tutwiler ch 3-7 Klug, Widening the Circle ch. 7	check your lessons to be sure you have noted how you are teaching to assure ELL students can learn well		Landau ch. 9 (SPP due May 22)
Assignments Due	Seminar Preparation Paper on both readings   by 9am: Autoethnographic assignment #7: Gender and Sexual Orientation/ Preference Identity			due by 9am: final entire conference paper, including your abstract, in copy-ready format for publication   ELL Week 6 assignments due online by midnight   2.Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes

Week 7: Working with Families

 

	Tuesday, May 15	Wed. May 16	Thursday, May 17	Friday, May 18
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands science- elementary – Masao & Richard -secondary - Gery   1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon   Curriculum Design Groups: check in with faculty advisor	K-12 Field Experiences	9- Noon classroom management: Advice from principals & teachers:– Gery
Readings Due	Tutwiler- ch 8-10 Trentacosta ch.25			Landau ch. 7. 8
Assignments Due	3 page seminar preparation paper on all chapters			by 9am: completed FamilyCommunitySchool Profile summary including action plan that addresses WA expectations (see Tutwiler ch. 10 & WA handout)   ELL Week 7 assignments due online by midnight   2.Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes

Monday, May 14, 12-1, PLATO lecture series, Genevieve Orr on arts, technology and multimedia

Week 8: Family Involvement; Try-out Teaching

 

	Tuesday, May 22	Wed., May 23	Thursday, May 24	Friday, May 25
Topics/Activities	9- noon Gradebands science- elementary – Masao & Richard -secondary - Gery   1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon no class   Curriculum Design Groups meet on your own this week to allow you to do 3-day teaching in schools	K-12 Field Experiences	9- Noon no class
Readings Due	Banks ch. 17 Landau ch. 9
Assignments Due	2 separate seminar preparation papers (2 pages each) – one per assigned reading			Democratic Management Plan by email to your seminar leader by 9am

 

 

Events, Resources and Notes

Monday, May 21, 4-6pm (location TBA) informal conversations with Year 2 students

Monday, May 21, 12-1, PLATO lecture series, Eric Hanson, virtual worlds for visualizing scientific data

Week 9: Curriculum Project Presentations & School Law

 

	Tuesday, May 29	Wed., May 30	Thurs, May 31	Friday, June 1
Topics/Activities	9:00—noon Presentations: lessons from curriculum design & using Pedagogy Assessment Tool & Evergreen Student Teaching Rubric   Distribute law “open book” take home quiz to be completed by Friday   1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon Presentations: lessons from curriculum design & using Pedagogy Assessment Tool & Evergreen Student Teaching Rubric	K-12 Field Experiences	9:00-noon “Legal Issues for Students and Teachers” GUEST PANEL –WEA & ACLU REPS?- Gery   (for further info, this will be available: Film: “Making a CPS [Child Protective Services] Referral: A Guide for Mandated Reporters”)
Readings Due	Kohl			Code of Professional Conduct http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=181-87&full=true Teachers’ Responsibilities http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=180-44&full=true   peruse: The National School Boards Assoc. School Law Issues http://www.nsba.org/site/page_nestedcats.asp?TRACKID=&CID=381&DID=8622
Assignments Due	seminar preparation paper			To Seminar Faculty by 2pm: Spring Quarter Portfolio (see checklist)   2.Field Experience Notes

 

Events, Resources and Notes

 

Week 10: Curriculum Project Presentations

 

	Tuesday, June 5	Wednesday, June 6	Thursday, June 7	Friday, June 8
Topics/Activities	9:00—noon Presentations: lessons from curriculum design & using Pedagogy Assessment Tool & Evergreen Student Teaching Rubric     1-3:00 Seminar	9:00—noon Presentations: lessons from curriculum design & using Pedagogy Assessment Tool & Evergreen Student Teaching Rubric	K-12 Field Experiences	9:00 a.m. – noon 1. Summative presentations: Integrating what we learned this quarter- Gery   2. “Looking Toward Student Teaching” – Gery, Loren, & Maggie   3. End-of-year Celebration Potluck
Readings Due	review Best Practice Rethinking Schools
Assignments Due	come prepared to discuss both readings (no SPP required)			potluck dish

 

Events, Resources and Notes

·       Friday, June 8, end-of-quarter potluck – bring dish to share

 

 

 

Individual Evaluation Conferences

DUE: (a) Student Self-Evaluation of Academic Learning and (b) Student Evaluation of Faculty (things you might include descriptions of how faculty led seminars, taught content areas, taught whole-class sessions, advised, and responded to major written assignments throughout all 3 quarters -review all syllabi for who did what). Give specifics.

 

ADVANCE NOTICE!!!!

·       Friday, August 24, 9-1:00 p.m. SEM 2 E1107: Student Teaching Orientation

·       Saturday, September 29, all day location TBA: workshop with Rethinking Schools author