MAT 502: Foundations of Education
Term: MAT/Transition to Teaching – Fall<=
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style=3D'mso-bidi-font-weight:bold'>, 2010
Course Number: MAT 502
Instructor: John M. Shields, Ph.D.
Office Phone: (219) 473-4262
Email Address: jshields@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment
Instructor’s Background:
Educational: Ph.D. in Constructive Theology at Loyola University of Chicago (2004); M.A. in Theol= ogy from the University of Notre Dame (1999); Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision from Loyola University of Chicago (1987 and = 1976 respectively); B.A. in Philosophy from Tolentine College (1972).
Professional: Serve =
as Associate
Professor at
Course Time and Location: Saturdays -
Course Description:
When one engages in the art and sci= ence which teaching is, one does so from within the context of a history and a culture. This is inevitable since all human beings belong to a community steeped in a history in which ideas, values, and beliefs are shared, transmitted, challenged, and transformed over time. Thus, what we teach, wh= y we teach, and how we teach are always informed, either implicitly or explicitly (and for better or for worse), by the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations which serve as the underpinnings for our professional actions as educators. This course will, therefore, serve to facilitate a clearer, and thus more explicit, understanding of those foundations.
Our goal then is twofold: t= o come to a greater understanding of the philosophical, historical, and legal foundations of American education, and to come to evaluate those foundations with a view towards developing our own personal professional se= lf-reflective philosophy of education. Thus, while this course will offer the student the opportunity to appropriate the relevant historical, philosophical, and legal facts/concepts available in a “foundations” course in American education, the primary goal of this course is to facilitate the critically reflective development of a coherent philosophy of education.
Textbook: T=
he
American Teacher: Foundations of Education by Parkerson and Parkerson, (
Learning Outcomes/Competencies:
The students in this course= will:
&nbs= p; Come to understand the key philosophical stances over time that have come to influence what, why, and how American educators have come to teach and to demonstrate that understanding by the development of teaching strategies wh= ich reflect those various stances.
&nbs= p; Come to understand the major factors and themes that have and continue to inform= the historical project which American education is and to make a critical evaluative judgment of those themes.
&nbs= p; Come to understand the legal nature of the project of American education. This w= ill require understanding the key facts/concepts inherent in a legal understand= ing of the American educational system(s).
&nbs= p; Come to synthesize and critically appropriate foundational understandings into a personal philosophy of education that demonstrates a disposition of commitm= ent to the education profession.
Understanding, making criti= cal evaluative judgments, and synthesizing those understandings and judgments i= nto a clear and coherent professional philosophy of education require that teac= her candidates become “reflective practitioners.” Thus, INTACS Principle #9 applies to this course, as does NBPTS Core proposition # 4, wherein teachers “think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.”
Learning Strategies:
&nbs= p; As one may note from above, the overarching goal of the course is to explore – in a communal, sharing fashion – those facts, concepts, theme= s, ideas, etc. which have and continue to influence our educational decisions concerning what, why, and how we teach. In the very fact that we ask the &#= 8220;what,” “why,” and “how” questions, we are asking “foundational” questions, questions which demand the articulati= on of a philosophy of education. Thus, the facts and concepts that we will unc= over – via lectures, presentations, observations, an interview field experience, and evaluative discussions – will all, hopefully, ser= ve to support our final outcome: the development of a personal philosophy of education. Given my own belief that adults learn best in dialogue, in conversation that can be informative, challenging, and potentially transformative, I encourage active participation in the class. Moreover, gi= ven the highly compacted nature of the Transition to Teaching classes, I greatly discourage absence from class except in the case of dire emergency.
Assessment:
&nbs= p; 1. 20% of Grade = - &= nbsp; Field Experience / Written Report
&nbs= p; 2. 20% of Grade = - &= nbsp; Synthesis Paper – Philosophical Foundations
&nbs= p; 3. 20% of Grade = - &= nbsp; Synthesis Paper – Historical Foundations
&nbs= p; 4. 20% of Grade = - &= nbsp; Synthesis Paper – Legal Foundations
&nbs= p; 5. 20% of Grade &= nbsp; - &= nbsp; Submission of One’s Philosophy of Education
Please note that all written assignments are due exactly on the days identified below or as announced in class. Also, please note that all written assignments are to be typed and double spaced – properly checked in advance for any grammatical and spelling errors. Teachers must be models of the exemplary use of the English language!
Grading will be according to the standard scale:
&nbs= p; A: 90-100 &= nbsp; B: 80-89 &n= bsp; C: 70-79 &n= bsp; D: 60-69 &n= bsp; F: 59 and below.
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Calendar:
Day One &nb= sp; = Introduction: Goals and Tasks
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Video Presentation: Dead Poets’ Society
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Introduction to Philosophies of Education – Sample Handouts
Summary o= f Major Philosophical Schools
Synthesis Paper – Philosophical Foundations Due Succeeding Saturda= y
Day Two &nb= sp; = Introduction to the History of American Education
Videos of School: The Story of American Public Education, 1, 2, &= ; 3 and processing thereof
Synthesis Paper –
Historical Foundations Due Succeeding Saturday
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Field Experience Report Due Succeeding Saturday
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p;
Day Three &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Introduction to Legal Foundations of Education
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Process Handout on Government Roles
&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; Key Supreme Court Cases and Federal Legislation
Closing Video: Jonathan
Kozol’s Hearts of Children and Obligation of the Nations’
Schools
Synthesis Paper –=
Legal
Foundations Due Succeeding Saturday
Written Personal Philos=
ophy of
Education Due Succeeding Saturday
&= nbsp; As you know, an essential component of the Transition to Teaching Program is t= he utilization of Blackboard software on a weekly basis in order to enh= ance your educational experience. You have all been enrolled in my Foundation= s in Education course on Blackboard. As part of your Blackboard assignment, you will be asked to share (post) mini-research reports on famous historical figures in education and famous court cases having legal implications for schools today. Also, the Blackboard site will be used to sh= are questions concerning your personal Philosophies of Education. This will all= be done through the Discussion Board.
&nbs= p; A note about the Field Experience: You are asked to accomplish two things in = the course of that experience: first you are asked to interview an experienced = (3 years or more) public or private school teacher or administrator in order to discover her/his own philosophy of education; secondly, you are to conduct = an “observation” of that teacher’s classroom (or that principal’s school) in order to determine what “educational philosophy” is revealed through your observations. Very often, our educational philosophies are implicit; yet the artifacts of our educational environment may reveal those philosophies ever so subtly.
Statement Regarding Plagiarism:
If an instructor or other C= alumet College of St. Joseph personnel finds 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 the CCSJ Handbook which addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner).
Withdrawal From Class Po= licy:
After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), a student may withdraw from a co= urse in which she/he is registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the f= inal examination dates specified in the Catalogue. Written requests may be maile= d to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number, 219-473-4259. Students ar= e to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request= is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accep= t or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indic= ate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.
An official withdrawal is r= ecorded as a “W” grade on the student’s transcripts. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an “F” g= rade for the course (see Refund Schedule).
Education Pro=
gram
Attendance Policy:
Intellectual growth and suc= cess 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 academi= cally withdrawn by the instructor.
Disability Services
&= nbsp;
The Student Support Services Office is the primary off= ice to guide, counsel and assist students with disabilities. If you have reasonable accommodation needs (e.g., extended time needed for tests, note taking assistance, special testing arrangements, etc.) because of a disabil= ity, contact the Student Support Services Office at 219-473-4388. Student Support Services staff will require documentation pertinent to your disabil= ity. If you already receive services through the Student Support Services Office and require accommodations for this class, make an appointment as so= on as possible to discuss your needs. Calumet College of St. Joseph will hold any information you share in the strictest confidence unless you reque= st that it be shared.
Tutoring Center Information:
The