SYLLABUS FOR MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Term: Summer, 2006-1
Course Number: TE485H
Instructor: Joi F. Patterson, Ph.D.
Office: Room # 302
Office Phone: 473-4293
E-mail: jpatterson@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: Call For Appointment
All other times by appointment only
Course Time: Saturday, 8:00 – 4:00
Room:
Course Description:
This course explores learning styles instructional techniques and strategies for teaching math and science, classroom management, and planning. Education Reform and its impact on math and science are examined and discussed.
Clinical experiences required.
Prerequisites:
EDU 300, 311, 313, and 342
Textbooks: Math Kits
Resources: Nemirovsky, Ricardo and Rosebery, Ann; Everyday Matters in Science and Mathematics. Romberg, Thomas and Carpenter, Thomas; Understanding Mathematics and Science Matters. Rodriguez, Alberto and Kitchen, Richard; Preparing Mathematics and Science Teachers for Diverse Classrooms. Indiana Department of Education, Core 40, Indiana Roundtable.
Field Experiences:
- Math Tutoring (8 hours of clinical)
- Professional Development:
- Merrillville Planetarium
- Navy Pier
- Children’s Museum
- IMAX
Course Objectives:
Students should be able to do the following as a result of participating in this course:
- Examine education reform related to math and science matters
- Align multiple intelligence to learning styles to teaching methods
- Experience and practice a variety of methods for teaching math and science
- Critically examine how to increase math and science performance.
- Observe professionals teaching math and science to gain an understanding of central concepts, tools of inquiry, and the structures of disciplines he or she teaches to create learning experiences that make these aspects of the subject matter meaningful to students.
- Collaborate and share via Blackboard
- teacher will reflect on how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
- Develop Lesson Plans for Math
- Develop Lesson Plans for Science using a variety of instructional strategies that focus on meeting the needs of different learning styles.
- Develop Lesson Plans for Integrated Math and Science – Using an innovative approach – i.e. technology, visual aides …
- Present Lesson on Integrated Math and Science
Class Assignment/Assessment:
Class Dates |
Assignment/Project Due Date |
Due |
Points |
||
|
Week 1 |
Math Lesson Plan |
Teaching Math Lesson |
Week 2 |
100 |
100 |
|
Week 1 |
Field Trip Planning |
Permissions |
Week 2 |
50 |
50 |
|
Week 1 |
Science Lesson Plan |
Science Activity |
Week 2 |
50 |
50 |
|
Week 1 |
Science Project |
Week 3 |
200 |
||
|
Week 2 |
Field Experience Merrillville Planetarium IMAX Children’s Museum |
Attendance/Reflection |
Week 2 |
25 25 25 |
25 25 25 |
|
Week 1 |
Skills Chart Content |
Presentation |
Week 2 |
75 |
25 |
|
Week 2 - 5 |
Field Experience (8 hours of math clinical)
|
Week 6 |
100 50 50 |
||
|
Week 1-3 |
Disposition
|
On-going |
50 50 50 50 50 |
||
|
Week 2 -3 |
Blackboard Discussions:
|
|
50 50 |
||
|
Total |
|
|
1400 |
||
ASSIGNMENT DESCRIPTIONS
|
ASSIGNMENT |
INTASC # |
POSSIBLE POINTS |
ACTUAL POINTS |
DUE DATE |
|
|
|
|||
|
Field Experience |
|
50/50 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
Attend and participate in the professional development workshop designed to provide you information of how to plan a developmentally and content appropriate field trip aligned to the state standard. (25 points/each)
Submit a one-page reflection of experience: What information did you learn to assist you with the planning process of the field trip? How can you implement this into your classroom? (25points each)
1. Merrillville Planetarium Info: Pierce Middle School, Merrillville, September 9, 2006 at 8:15 71st and Catherine. (Broadway & 73rd ) Catherine is one block East of Broadway on 73rd
2. Children’s Museum at Navy Pier, September 9, 2006 at 11:00
3. IMAX Theatre at Navy Pier, September 9, 2006 at 1:00
|
|||
|
Field Trip Plan |
|
50/50 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
Considering the following: Gantt chart, state standards, developmental standards, and field trip workshops, design a realistic science field trip for your proposed grade level.
Request Form: Complete a request form according to guidelines. Provide contact information and resource material for the field trip. (50 points)
Permission Form: After request is approved, complete a permission form according to guidelines. (50 points) |
|||
|
Math Lesson |
|
100/100 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
Lesson Plan: Design a 6-day math lesson plan according to lesson plan guidelines at designated developmental/grade level with each day representing a different level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. (50 points)
Teaching: Using your math kit, teach a hands-on, interactive 15-minute math lesson to the class (at the designated grade level) using one of your lesson plans at the application, analysis or synthesis level (50 points) |
|||
|
Clinical Experience |
|
200 |
|
September 30 |
|
Description |
Combine experience of observing, assessment, strategies tutoring, assistance and team teaching off site at a designated school.
Each teacher candidate will be assigned a school/teacher(s) where you will be required to spend a specified amount of time with team teaching, tutoring, planning and conducting the day to day responsibilities in the areas of math and science.
Submit the following documents upon completing this experience:
The Experience itself will count as 100 points Field Experience reflection sheet (see blackboard) 50 points Clinical Experience evaluation (given w/ envelope) to be completed by clinical experience teacher. 50 points
|
|||
|
Science Lesson |
|
50/50 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
“Making Learning Visible” Lesson Plan – Prepare a one-day lesson plan for science at the designated grade level according to lesson plan guidelines.
Instruction: Provide a 5 minute overview of lesson where the students learn from creating something tangible. Bring finished product of tangible product (aligned to behavior objective) |
|||
|
Skills Chart |
|
75/25 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
This flip chart is used as a classroom management tool and resource for students in your classroom.
Create a student friendly, profession flip chart of one concept (5 - 10 pages of information) according to state standards explaining the concept and examples of a particular math or science concept. |
|||
|
Science Project |
|
200 |
|
September 16 |
|
Description |
See Rubric |
|||
Grading Scale:
A: 90 – 100%; B: 80 – 89%; C: 70 – 79%; D: 60 – 69%
Attendance Policy:
Intellectual growth and success in college is reinforced through interaction in the classroom. Students reach personal goals and course outcomes through regular and prompt attendance. The Education Department’s accelerated classes are intense and rigorous and demand student presence and participation. Therefore, if a student is absent from one Transition-to-Teaching class the student will be academically withdrawn by the instructor.
Portfolio:
As of the 1996-97 academic year, the Education Program of CCSJ is requiring teacher candidates to develop a professional portfolio prior to the student teaching course. This portfolio should contain examples of professional development from various courses and activities. Many of the projects connected with this course would make appropriate additions to such a portfolio.
Format for Written Assignments:
The professional Education and Psychology communities have adopted the standards delineated in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The current work is the Fourth Edition, 1994, available in the bookstore and the library. Plagiarism is a serious unprofessional practice. Please consult the CCSJ Student Handbook as well as the APA Publication Manual for a) a description of plagiarism and b) how to avoid it.
Interstate New Teacher Assessment and
Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles
The Ten INTASC principles are listed below. Specific standards for knowledges, dispositions, and performances accompany each principle, but space does not permit listing them below. For a complete copy of the INTASC standards, contact
Jean Miller, Director of INTASC, Suite 700, One Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001-1431.
Principle #1:
The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and the structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
Principle #2:
The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development.
Principle #3:
The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners.
Principle #4:
The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage students’ development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
Principle #5:
The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
Principal #6:
The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.
Principle #7:
The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, the community, and curriculum goals.
Principle #8:
The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.
Principle #9:
The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
Principle #10:
The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being.
Statement of Plagiarism:
If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances.
Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.). All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore. These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.
Withdrawal from Classes Policy:
See T2T Policy
Calumet College of St. Joseph
Conceptual Framework for the Education Unit
|
The Education Unit is deeply committed to the Calumet College of St. Joseph urban educational mission to prepare a diverse student body for professional careers and graduate education. Consistent with the mission of the College, this conceptual framework empowers teacher candidates to become effective educators, demonstrating the requisite knowledge, dispositions, and performances outlined in the guiding principles of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC). The Education Unit contributes to the building of a socially just society so that the inherent dignity and rights of the individual are respected and protected. Through quality education, teacher candidates are challenged to engage in the transformation of values and social structures within the community. The result is the flourishing of human dignity, freedom, responsibility, and creativity, fulfilling an essential tenet of the College mission: the formation of spiritual, moral, and ethical values in support of social justice and personal responsibility. The conceptual framework of the Education Unit offers three essential and inter-related pillars: professional preparation, continuous and critical reflection, and ongoing personal and professional transformation. The pillar of professional preparation provides teacher candidates with appropriate content knowledge and skills that reflect current research on effective teaching and best practices in the field. The pillar of continuous and critical reflection challenges teacher candidates with opportunities to evaluate best practices and research with a view towards appropriating the knowledge, performances, and dispositions that will foster effective teaching. The pillar of ongoing personal and professional transformation engages teacher candidates in the dual process of personal evaluation of the skills and dispositions of an effective teacher, leading to professional transformation, and the application of Catholic social justice values that lead to quality involvement in society. PreparationAn overarching focus of the Unit is to develop exemplary educators grounded in a liberal arts education. Candidates require relevant content knowledge in the academic disciplines in conjunction with critical knowledge of the field of education. Teachers must know both the subject matter and state mandated teaching standards for content areas to ensure that young people learn the subject matter of the various content disciplines and can apply their learning in a constructive manner. As Vito Perrone notes in his Letter to Teachers, education is a matter of facilitating the construction of new meanings for the ultimate purpose of creating a “more productive community-oriented life” (Perrone, 1991). Understanding the social context of schooling assists teachers in creating a bridge between the content of the school curriculum and the lives of their students. The Unit faculty prepares teacher candidates to use appropriate instructional approaches and authentic assessment procedures to ensure that all students meet Indiana’s state standards. Teacher candidates learn to appreciate the importance of cultural diversity and multiple learning styles. They develop the ability to address diversity through various instructional methodologies. Candidates understand learning theory, curriculum development and effective ways to incorporate educational technology in assisting P-12 students to achieve quality outcomes. In addition to acquiring a knowledge base for professional education, teacher candidates must have the professional dispositions (e.g., values, commitments) that help students learn to become fully effective as professional educators by understanding the affective nature of education. The dispositions of successful educators include enthusiasm for the discipline they teach, a commitment to lifelong learning, high achievement expectations for P-12 students, and an ability to develop productive, caring, and respectful relationships with families from diverse backgrounds. When candidates align content knowledge, pedagogical expertise and affective understanding, P-12 students benefit from an environment conducive to quality learning. According to Fenstermacher and Soltis (1998), the teacher’s manner can be “grouped under the heading of moral and intellectual virtues” (p. 42). Thus, manner is part of the instructional process, since while imparting content the teacher also demonstrates an approach to the content. A second component of teacher manner focuses on character traits that are taught largely through modeling rather than by direct instruction. Particular attention to the needs of the richly diverse population of students in Northwest Indiana requires that CCSJ teacher candidates be prepared with a variety of multicultural educational experiences. They must be able to appreciate and build upon the various forms of diversity in today’s schools, e.g. ethnicity, race, religion, class, gender, family, language and exceptionality, to facilitate learning and promote critical thinking and tolerance. It is essential that future educators be prepared to provide an equitable environment that enhances achievement for exceptional P-12 students and those who are non-native speakers of English. In addition, all teacher candidates must be prepared to address various learning styles throughout the curriculum, including those influenced by cultural factors. They must also utilize effective classroom management techniques to ensure that all P-12 students achieve at high levels. Teacher candidates must demonstrate a theoretical and functional understanding of how learning occurs (knowledge construction, skill acquisition, and habits of mind). Candidates utilize instructional strategies and assessments that promote student learning while aware of the multiple factors that impact a student’s social, emotional, moral and cognitive development. This requires that the Unit faculty prepare teacher candidates to know and apply developmentally appropriate practices and motivational principles to make accurate curricular and methodological decisions when planning lessons. Teacher candidates must also understand the uses, advantages, and limitations of various assessment procedures when selecting, constructing, and utilizing developmentally appropriate assessment strategies for the evaluation of learning outcomes.
The Unit faculty structures each course syllabus to provide measurable mechanisms for assessing teacher candidate progress in demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and dispositions requisite for the effective urban professional educator. Teacher candidates are provided with various experiences in designated courses throughout the program that encourage them to demonstrate competence in implementing Indiana State Developmental Standards and the INTASC principles. Reflection Reflective teachers are thoughtful practitioners who continuously evaluate their professional thinking and behavior to improve educational performance. Reflective practitioners engage in what Paolo Freire (1970) refers to as praxis, education that connects theory with reflection and action. These reflective teachers must be motivated to analyze educational situations in a critical manner, set goals, plan and monitor activities, analyze and evaluate results, and reflect on their professional thinking, behaviors, and values. Moreover, teacher candidates are expected to illustrate their knowledge of democratic and ethical principles as they consider the long-term social and ethical implications of daily decisions. In their mimetic role as teachers, candidates must reflect on the transformative nature of education and their importance as role models for students (Jackson, 1986). Therefore, the program engages teacher candidates in the development of the art of reflective thinking that enhances professional growth, provides an opportunity to reflect on ways to address the diversity of students, and increases the likelihood of success for all students. The Unit faculty provides multiple mechanisms for teacher candidates to develop the skills and attitudes needed to be reflective practitioners including participation in field experiences throughout the program and mentoring by experienced teachers. Using observation forms developed by the Unit, teacher candidates are required to observe classroom teaching throughout the program and interview experienced teachers. Written reflective assignments provide the students valuable opportunities to analyze, synthesize, and evaluate the effectiveness of educational practices. These reflective field experiences also provide the Unit with valuable data on the teacher candidates’ classroom experiences. All teacher candidates attend required professional development seminars several times each semester. The seminars provide an opportunity for students to reflect on current critical issues germane to the teaching profession. Unit faculty members extend these reflections into discussions and activities within their courses. Teacher candidates develop personal philosophies of education after analysis of major educational theories and philosophical approaches to education. These philosophies reflect the teacher candidates’ reasoned judgment concerning what is most important for learning and how children best achieve educational goals. Subsequent to the study of philosophers and theories, candidates analyze, reflect, and evaluate a practicing teacher’s philosophy after a classroom observation and interview. Recognizing that knowledge and reflection prompt transformation, teacher candidates revisit and revise these statements prior to student teaching so that a final philosophy of education accurately reflects praxis on the part of the candidate. Candidates document progress through an electronic portfolio, analyzing their ability to assess reflectively and critically their own performance and growth in matching their practices to state standards, developmental standards, and INTASC principles. The culminating reflective activity for teacher candidates occurs during the student teaching experience. Teacher candidates begin student teaching by observing the pedagogy of their cooperating teacher and writing daily reflections in their journal. Unit field supervisors and cooperating teachers model reflective skills through regular written observations throughout the duration of the candidate’s placement. In a collaborative effort, the combination of reflection and feedback through journals, video taped lessons and conferences create an ideal environment for professional development.
Transformation The transformation of teacher candidates into committed, caring, socially conscious, and effective teachers requires a lifelong commitment. This transformation begins with the initiation of the candidates into the Education Program of Calumet College of St. Joseph and develops throughout the teacher candidate’s student teaching experience and educational career. Recognizing this formational approach, the Unit faculty not only offers a curriculum of preparation to potential teacher candidates, but also regularly offers the wider community of professional educators the opportunity to participate in enriching courses. The transformation of teacher candidates is a foundational tenet of the Unit, influencing teacher candidates to transform through education the lives of the P-12 students who will be eventually under their care. The Unit faculty assists teacher candidates in their transformative efforts to acquire and apply to the professional world of education the knowledge, skills, and dispositions as clear indicators of effective teaching identified in the literature and professional educational organizations such as INTASC. In this manner, well-prepared, reflective teacher candidates from the Unit will transform the lives of P-12 students by positively and effectively facilitating the achievement of identified Indiana standards outcomes. These positive outcomes will serve the educational needs of the community in such a manner as to foster the achievement of “larger hopes” (Perrone, 1991). Such larger hopes would include the creation of classroom environments that, in the words of Piaget, prepare children to mature into “men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done – men and women who are creative, inventive, and discoverers ... who can be critical, can verify, and not accept everything they are offered” (quoted in Greene, 1978, p. 80). Furthermore, consonant with the larger mission of the College as both Catholic and committed to the principles of social justice in a predominantly urban environment, the Unit faculty seeks to transform the lives of teacher candidates by stimulating awareness of and appropriation of professional dispositions and ethical values. Education at its best has been described as both a moral and intellectual endeavor (Nelson, Polansky and McCarthy, 2000). The Unit advocates not only the valuing of education itself but also the enduring moral values that can serve as a foundation to help shape a just and caring society. Noddings (1992) has called for an “ethic of care” to shape the conditions of the classroom. She argues that “schools should be committed to a great moral purpose: to care for children so that they, too, will be prepared to care” (p. 65). For this reason, the Unit faculty addresses both character education and multicultural education and the need for schools to address the societal power structure that has historically subordinated groups and rationalized their school failure (Gay, 1997). Transformation of teacher candidates into educational advocates for the values of social justice is a particularly significant focus of the Unit. An ethic of social justice strives for an ideal where all students have equal access to a high quality education (Johnson, Dupuis, Musial, Hall & Gollnick, 2002). In their course of studies, teacher candidates are therefore exposed to and made aware of the inequalities present in society and in the current educational system, and encouraged to work towards the personal empowerment of their P-12 students and the social transformation of the schools in Northwest Indiana. Anyon (2001) has stressed the importance of high quality teaching in inner cities as a vital prerequisite to social change. She has found in her work with exemplary urban teachers that they are characterized by a belief in the capacity of their students to learn and to make a positive contribution to society. These exemplary teachers also demonstrate caring by showing a willingness to learn about their students’ languages, cultures and histories. The Unit faculty fosters these dispositions in teacher candidates as well by incorporating diverse perspectives in the curriculum through participatory, experiential activities. These mechanisms assist the teacher candidates in achieving not only professional transformation into more effective teachers but also into persons committed to valuing education as one means of achieving social justice in their communities.
ConclusionThe curricular design of teacher preparation seeks to transform well-prepared candidates into reflective, committed, and socially conscious professional educators. The student teaching experience guided by close and supportive Unit faculty and cooperating professionals, culminates in the transformation of teacher candidates into truly effective professional teachers. Personal and professional transformation requires an ongoing educational process that encompasses the development of knowledge, skills, dispositions, and performances requisite for effective teaching. This process of critical reflection on contemporary educational theory, principles and standards, as well as the values of social justice in service to the larger hopes of the richly pluralistic educational community of Northwest Indiana remains the foundational Unit goal. |