EDUC 101 Introduction to Education - Cincinnati …internal.ccuniversity.edu/exweb/catalog/college/2015/fall...Dr. Ciamarra, EDUC 101 Fall 2015 3 Becoming a Teacher (200 points): The

Dr. Ciamarra, EDUC 101 Fall 2015

1

Dr. Daniel Ciamarra, Assistant Professor [email protected]

Cell: 513.560.8972 EDUC 101

Office Location: Education House Office Hours: M 1:00 – 4:00

EDUC 101 Introduction to Education

Fall 2015 (3 hours)

“Don ’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world

needs is people who have come alive.” Gil Baile

This course is designed to give students of teaching multiple opportunities to situate themselves as people with personal and professional identities, growing to meet the demands of a diverse public, a competitive marketplace, and a complex moral and ethical milieu in the cultures of schools. We will cover a broad overview of the field of education, examining the basic social foundations of education and the purpose(s) of schooling. In essence, this course is designed to challenge and shape each student’s conceptions of school organizations, school culture, professional development, teaching, pedagogy, curriculum, morals and ethics, current trends and issues, and school leadership. Five guided field observations are conducted in assigned classrooms in a local school.

This course is designed to INTRODUCE you to the laudable field of education. As a result, you will be encouraged to grapple with the following concepts:

1. To have an understanding of the history and significance of major periods and events in education as well as the current trends and issues;

2. To be able to articulate, as well as begin to own the moral and ethical responsibilities of the teaching profession;

Course Description

Course Objectives


2

3. To reflect and critically evaluate current clashing views in education so as to elicit one’s own ideas and philosophies behind the purpose(s) of schooling in America;

4. To locate cultural, social, political, curricular, and economic issues affecting our schools 5. To formulate a preliminary educational philosophy which undergirds your thoughts, feelings,

and beliefs concerning the field of education and the art of teaching and learning

Attendance & Participation (200 possible points): Attendance in class is required. Students absent more than 3 days from this class will be dropped from the roll. Late and early arrival to and from class will be taken into consideration. Class participation is also required. In particular fields of study, attendance and participation are vital for reaching desired outcomes – education is one of those fields. Thus, it is very important that you attend every class and make productive contributions to this course, which is what is meant by the term “participation.”

Participation is defined by, but not limited to the following: • Keeping up with assigned readings and bringing required materials to class • Challenging yourself to think and grow • Being actively engaged in class discussions or group work • Consistently displaying a professional attitude as seen through class presentations, written

work, critical thought, and in-class demeanor • Bringing your BEST each day – having a solid work ethic • Reflecting over the course material and how it will pertain to your future profession

20% of the final grade will be based on attendance and participation in class.

Quote Book (100 possible points): Throughout the semester we will be reading many articles and excerpts that underscore new ways of thinking about what it means to be a loving teacher, the purpose of schooling, and other ideological constructs regarding the field of education. As a result, it will be very beneficial for you to keep a running log of quotes that you like from EACH of the articles and excerpts we read. For this assignment, you will need the following:

a) Title page b) Table of contents c) At least one quote from every article or excerpt we read d) A favorites page (perhaps 1, 2, or 3 of your favorite quotes – explaining why) e) A 1-2 page conclusion that sums up the meaning of the quotes in your book

Quote Books will be checked in class, once at midterm and once near the Final

Course Requirements


3

Becoming a Teacher (200 points): The choice to become a teacher carries with it a great deal of responsibilities. Oftentimes, students want to become teachers because she/he liked playing school as a child, or her/his parents were teachers, or most commonly, she/he want to teach because she/he were inspired by a previous teacher. These are all great reasons for becoming a teacher, but there is much more to it than just this. This paper is an opportunity to reflect over your experiences leading up to this course. When writing this paper, think back to the people, events, and experiences that have molded you into the young person you are today. Below are some focal points to help guide this paper, in at least 3 pages, double spaced, 12 point Times New Roman font, answer the following: (1) Describe the episode(s) in your life that have shaped you into the (evolving) person you are

today, focusing on significant events and their impact on who you are as a person.

(2) Describe your experiences with the most outstanding teacher you have had during your educational career:

a. What qualities did he/she posses b. How did he/she enhance student learning c. What sort of classroom community did he/she create d. Of the three articles you have read, which one reminds you of this particular teacher e. And so forth…

(3) Describe your assumptions about what school “should” look like in order to optimize student

learning that is (a) intellectual, (b) academic, (c) personal, and (d) social in nature

(4) Finally, summarize your paper by describing what it means to be a teacher?

Please be specific and utilize this assignment as a tool for locating who you are, or, as a way to unlock the inner teacher that may be lying dormant inside of you. We will use these papers to situate ourselves against the upcoming readings in this course J Also, be sure to begin your paper with an introduction that states your thesis and a conclusion that ties the paper together. Please refer to the requirements above when writing this paper. Please place your name at the top of the paper using a header. All papers are to use double spacing, 12-point font, and 1” margins. Period. Share this as a Google Document with Danny Ciamarra by noon of September 1, 2015 History of Education Timeline (100 points): Your task is to research the history of American education starting with early colonial times and ending with the Obama administration’s efforts to reform education. You have several goals: (a) locate at least 15 major events that have shaped American education (spanning from 1600 to 2013);


4

(b) educate us on the goal of this event; (c) tell how each particular event influenced the education system; (d) find pictures that illustrate those events; (e) bring events and pictures to class on October 2; (f) use our gathered pictures and facts to construct a class timeline of the history of education. See below for an example of a single event:

(a) Event – Brown v. Topeka Board of Education (1954) (b) The goal of this landmark court case was to overturn the previously accepted notion of

“separate but equal” rights for blacks and whites (made prevalent by the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896), allowing states to desegregate schools

(c) This event forever changed the landscape of American classrooms, allowing students of all races, creeds, and ethnicities to gather together in the same school

(d) Pictures…

(e) In class on February 25, we will add some of your events to a class-wide timeline (f) I will collect your individual sheets and the class timeline.

Each event should fill one page, for a total of 15 pages. We will be assembling the timeline in class. Each of you will be responsible for educating the class about ONE particular event. If there are 20 students in the class, you should be able to come up with one NEW event to add to the timeline.

This Assignment is Due In Class on September 29

Field Experience Journal (200 points): You will be responsible for signing up for and completing 5 one-hour observations at Roberts Academy. See details below:

• Observation are at Roberts (walking distance) • Allow 15 minutes before your assigned time to Observe • You must sign up at the desk at Roberts and received a welcome badge • You must e-mail the teacher of the class you are observing two days before you are scheduled (and

please be sure to Cc me on that email) • If you have to cancel the appointment e-mail the teacher ASAP (and Cc me) • Sign up for observations on-line. Jackie will send you a Google doc every Monday with 2 weeks

worth of time slots. If you do not receive an Introduction to Teaching Observation Google doc, e-mail Jackie right away

• Dress for the job you want! Please be professional and courteous!


5

The following areas should be included in your field experience journal: You are expected to have 5 one-hour observations throughout the semester, which means you MUST visit the school at least FIVE difference times. Topics 1 and 2 should be completed within your first visit or two. Topics 3-6 should be discussed for EACH visit. Feel free to include topics not on this list as well. In addition, you will be provided observation sheets. Please use these sheets to guide your observations and for developing your personal reflections, also, include these sheets in your journal ALONG with your typed reflections.

1. Thoroughly describe the classroom, materials, resources, and technology; • What is your first impression of the classroom, how does it FEEL • How is the classroom organized (chairs, tables, so forth) • What kinds of resources are present in the classroom (books, pens, markers…) • Are there learning centers set up in the classroom • Is there a smartboard, Elmo camera, overhead… • How are the students grouped

i. Are they grouped by ability level, alphabetically, etc. • What sort of things are posted on the boards, walls, and bulletins • And more

2. Thoroughly describe the students: gender, ethnicity, exceptionalities, other diversities; • How diverse is the class • How many boys/girls • What is the ratio of students of color to white students • Are there any students that are labeled as gifted or special needs, how many • How does the teacher accommodate for the diversities in her room • And more

3. Observe and describe lessons taught to include both teacher and student behaviors; • Use the observation chart from class

4. Comment on the effectiveness of the lessons being taught; • Use the observation chart from class

5. Record your reflections after each visit; • Literally write a 1-2 page REFLECTION after each visit. Here is where you share

your own personal thoughts about what you have observed. Note things that stuck out to you: what did you like/dislike about your visit, why did you like/dislike what you saw, what you would do differently if you were the teacher, and summarize your visit.

6. Write an overall reflection that captures your thoughts about this field experience. • This should be a 2-3 page synopsis of your entire field experience

i. Note things that you learned ii. Questions you may have about the profession

iii. Ideas that you will use in the future iv. Thoroughly explain how this experience has helped you better understand why

you do or do not want to be a teacher, AND MORE Due 11-17 – We will discuss our experiences in class


6

Development of a Teaching Platform (200 point): We all want to become teachers, but what does that mean? You may begin by asking yourself a series of questions, such as: What does being a teacher look like? What philosophical beliefs do I hold? What do I expect my classroom to look like? What will I be expected to do as a teacher? How will I do what I am asked and still have enough energy to focus on other things that are equally or more important to me? These questions, and many additional queries, allow us to peer deeper into the hearts and minds of our lived experiences in order to better understand why we want to be a teacher and what we will do to make these things a reality. This paper, accompanied with a visual representation, is an opportunity for each of us to explore our philosophical reasons for wanting to teach and what these ideas may look like when actualized. This paper should embody your philosophical rationale for wanting to be a teacher, and will focus on the following topics:

• What is the purpose of schooling? • What is your image of the learner?

o What assumptions do you have about how students learn best o It may be helpful to use metaphors to capture your thoughts

• What is your image of the teacher? o What would I see you doing as the teacher o What three words would describe you as a teacher?

§ Use any words that describe how you envision your role, for example, a worker, friend, advocate, leader, facilitator, specialist, change agent, transmitter of knowledge, etc.

• What is your image of the curriculum? o What sort of things should be in the curriculum o What is the purpose of having a curriculum

• What is your preferred pedagogy? o Is teaching more of an art of science or both o What will your teaching style look like (lecture, hands on…) o Which philosophy of education do you ascribe to most and why?

• What is your preferred school climate? o Should your school be based on school pride, discipline, community engagement… o If I were to walk into this school, how would I (as an outsider) feel

• What is the social significance of the student’s learning? o Why are students learning this knowledge: to become better citizens, to move on to

the next grade, to become actively engaged community members, to get credentials for college or jobs, to push for equity…

In essence, this paper, which may be woven into your visual display, is an attempt to explain your philosophical rationale behind why we should have an educational system and what it should look like. DO NOT just tell the reader what you believe. Be sure to EXPLAIN why you feel the way you do. Finally, be sure to use examples to clearly articulate your points of view. In addition, each of you will choose a creative avenue to express your philosophical beliefs about the topics above. You may choose to create a poster, a 3-D model, a scrap book, diorama, web


7

page/blog, or whatever other CREATIVE medium you decide on to illustrate you beliefs pertaining to the topics above. This is your FINAL, Due During The Last Week of Class

Attendance & Participation 200 points Quote Book 100 points Becoming a Teacher 200 points

History Presentation 100 points Field Service Work 200 points

Teaching Platform 200 points

TOTAL 1000 points A (1000-930); B (929-850); C (849-760); D (759-700); F (less than 699 points) Late Assignments Late assignments will NOT be accepted without prior permission, and must be turned in within one class period of the due date. If you are too busy to complete the task, then I am too busy to grade it.

Grades and Evaluations


8

EDUC 101 Introduction to Teaching

NAEYC Professional Preparation Standards 4a: Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with young children 6a: Identifying and involving oneself with the early childhood field 6b: Knowing about and upholding ethical standards and other early childhood professional guidelines

Performance Outcomes None

Operating Standards for Ohio Schools Section 2 – Governance, leadership, organization, administration and supervision Section 12 – Chartered nonpublic schools Section 13 – Special purpose schools Section 14 – Procedures for beginning a new school and for changing location or ownership of a school

Standards Statement A wide variety of state and national Content Standards are addressed, critically analyzed, and discussed at length throughout this course. Value Added Statement N/A CCU Mission Statement The mission of Cincinnati Christian University is to teach men and women to live by biblical principles and to equip and empower them with character skills, insight and vision to lead the church and to impact society for Christ.


9

We will NOT be using a course text. However, you will be responsible for weekly readings that will be posted on Moodle. It is very important that you read the materials and come to class prepared to engage in dialogue regarding the issues they raise. See below for a list of resources:

Ayers, W. (1995). To become a teacher: Making a difference in children’s lives. Teacher’s College:

Columbia University.

Ebert, E. S. and Culyer, R. C. (2011). School: An introduction to education. Cengage Learning: United

States.

Fried, R. L. (1995). The passionate teacher: A practical guide. Boston: Beacon Press.

Gay, G. (2003). The importance of multicultural education. Educational Leadership, 61 (4), pp. 30-35.

Hoyle, J.R. and Slater, R. O. (2001). Love, happiness, and America’s schools: The role of educational

leadership in the 21st century. Phi Delta Kappan, 82 (10): 790-794.

Jones, A. C. (2001). Welcome to Standardsville. Phi Delta Kappan, 87 (10), 767.

Marsh, C., & Willis, G. (2007, 4th Edition). Curriculum: Alternative approaches, ongoing issues. Upper

Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

Meier, D. (2003). So what does it take to build a school for democracy? Phi Delta Kappan, 85 (1), pp. 15-

21.

Noll, J. (2012). Taking sides: Clashing views of controversial educational issues. McGraw Hill.

Palmer, P. J. (1997). The heart of the teacher: Identity and integrity in teaching. Change Magazine, 29 (6),

pp. 14-21.

Poetter, T. S., & Badiali, B. J. (2007). Teacher leader. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Sergiovanni, T. J. (2007). Rethinking leadership: A collection of articles. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Corwin

Press.

Tienken, C.H. (2012). The influence of poverty on achievement. Kappa Delta Pi, 48 (3): 105-107.

Thomas, E., & Wingert, P. (2010). Why we can’t get rid of failing teachers. Newsweek, 155 (11), 24-27.

* Various other educational materials and websites as provided.

Course Readings and Bibliography


10

TENTATIVE Course Schedule for EDUC 101 (Schedule is subject to change)

Date Topic Activities & Assignments 8/25 Ice Breakers – Getting to know each other

Go over the syllabus and course expectations

Print out syllabus and bring to class

9/1 What makes a Good Teacher?

Read Ayers Article (Becoming a Teacher) Becoming a Teacher Paper Due – Submit as a Google Document, share with me and Stacey Whitaker

9/8 The Heart of a Teacher What does Heart have to do with teaching?

Read Palmer Article

9/15 The Passionate Teacher Does Passion have a place in the classroom?

Read Fried Article

9/22 Student diversity Poverty, Race, and Student Performance

Read Tienken Article

9/29 History of Education – Presentation Day Bring in your 20 historical issues in education

History Timeline Due

10/6 Surveys for Becoming a Teacher (Counseling Dept.)

10/13 What is multiculturalism? Are Our Classrooms Multicultural?

Read Geneva Gay Article

10/20 Creating The Democratic Classroom Read Poetter Article 10/27 Standards-‐Based Education

High Stakes Testing (Standardized Testing Craze) Read “Welcome to Standardsville”

11/3 Curriculum & Philosophy in Education What do I think is best for students?

Read Curriculum Perspectives Field Experience Journals due

11/10 Current Issues in Education: Fire Bad Teachers Social and Ethical Issues in Education

Read Newsweek article * Locate some in hot topics issues in education that you would like to discuss

11/17 Why Reform Hasn’t Worked Reform: The need for Love in our School Reflect on our field experiences Technology in our schools

Read Nehring Article Read Hoyle Article Quote Book Due

11/24 NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING BREAK 12/1 Course Wrap Up Teaching Platform Due 12/8 TBA TBA


11

v An assignment will be considered late if it is not submitted on time on the date which it is due. Late work will be penalized at the discretion of the professor.

v Americans with Disabilities Act Statement

Students who require academic accommodations due to any documented physical, psychological, or learning disability should request assistance from the Academic Support Director within the first two weeks of class. The Academic Support Office is located in the lower level of the Worship and Ministry Building, room 153. You may also contact the office by phone at 244-8420.

v Disabilities: The student has the responsibility of informing the professor of any medically documented disabling condition that will require modifications to avoid discrimination. Reasonable accommodations will be jointly developed between the student, the professor, and the Academic Support department. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate any request for accommodations. Documentation may be required.

v Please refer to the Cincinnati Christian University Academic Catalog for general academic information, including the university’s grading scale used to determine the final letter grade for the course.

v Please review Cincinnati Christian University’s policies on cheating and plagiarism.

v Students who require academic accommodations due to a documented physical, psychological or learning

disability must request assistance from Ray Horton via the Student Services Center. Students are encouraged to complete this request within the first two weeks of each semester. The Student Services Center is located in Presidents Hall level 2 across from the elevator. Contact: [email protected] or at 513-244-8420.

The professor reserves the right to change anything in the course; including curriculum, schedule, assignments, and grading procedures at any time throughout the semester. Please feel free to contact me whenever you have a question or concern.

General Information

EDUC 101 Introduction to Education - Cincinnati …internal.ccuniversity.edu/exweb/catalog/college/2015/fall...Dr. Ciamarra, EDUC 101 Fall 2015 3 Becoming a Teacher (200 points): The

Documents