EdSe 3204 - General Instructional Methods Fall 2004: Dr. Helen Mongan-Rallis

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EdSe 3204 General Instructional Methods Syllabus - Fall 2004 

Class meeting time:
 Sec 1: 8 - 9:40 a.m. ; Sec 2: 2 - 3:40 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays
Instructor:
 Helen Mongan-Rallis
Office:
 120 Montague Hall
Phone:
 726-6272
E-mail:
 hrallis@d.umn.edu
Office hours:
 Posted on my office doors and online
Class e-mail alias:
 Sec. 1: edse3204-1-f2004@d.umn.edu
Sec. 2: edse3204-2-f2004@d.umn.edu
3204 Home Page
 http://www.d.umn.edu/~hrallis/courses/3204fa04/index.html

Course Description

This course forms part of the core of the UMD "LEARNER SENSITIVE" teacher preparation program which emphasizes the themes of diversity, reflection, collaboration, empowerment, and technology. The focus of the course is on preparing preservice teachers to teach in middle and secondary schools. It is designed as an introductory methods class to be taken in Block I, ideally before the subject area methods course and at the same time as Educational Psychology. EdSe 3204 must be taken concurrently with a Secondary School Apprenticeship practicum (EdSe 3205 or 3206). Successful completion of EdSe 3204 assignments and participation in class discussions will require candidates to incorporate experiences from their practicum sites. Throughout the course candidates will develop components of their professional educational portfolio aligned with the INTASC and ISTE professional standards.

General Instructional Methods is designed to provide teacher education candidates with an opportunity to study, reflect, question, become knowledgeable about, and develop skills in instructional methods while applying and practicing these methods in a collaborative and constructive setting. Major topics include: characteristics of effective and intentional teaching; student diversity, social justice and how understanding students influences learning; planning for instruction; creating effective lessons using a variety of approaches & technologies; classroom management; assessment of student learning; and professional development.

Required Textbook and Readings

  1. Burden, P.R. & Byrd, D. M. (2003). Methods for Effective Teaching (3rd. Edition). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
  2. Access to the Internet site by The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Opening Classroom Doors. [This site (hosted by Apple Learning Interchange) provides video segments, accompanying text and commentary into the classrooms of accomplished teachers]
  3. Online readings as assigned (see links provided from course schedule web page)

Course Outcomes

Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Standards & MN Standards of Effective Practice
(see comparison of these standards & details of each sub-standard)
 National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS-T)
(see details on each standard)
UMD Education Department Conceptual Framework Themes
(see description of the conceptual framework & themes)
  1. Knowing subject matter
  2. Human development and learning
  3. Diversity in learning
  4. Variety of instructional strategies
  5. Motivation and management
  6. Communication skills
  7. Instructional planning skills
  8. Assessment
  9. Reflection and responsibility
  10. Relationships and partners
  1. Technology operations and concepts
  2. Planning and designing effective learning environments and experiences
  3. Teaching, learning and the curriculum
  4. Assessment and evaluation
  5. Productivity and professional practice
  6. Social, ethical, legal, and human issues
  1. Diversity (D)
  2. Reflection (R)
  3. Empowerment (E)
  4. Collaboration (C)
  5. Technology (T)

Course outcomes
By the end of this course students will be able to:
INTASC & MN SEP
(see sub-standards)
ISTE
NETS-T
UMD theme
1. Create effective and supportive learning environments based on an understanding of student diversity and effective instructional practices.
 2,3,5
2
 D,R,E,C,T
2. Plan and teach effective lessons using a variety of teaching methods.
 2,4,6,7
2,3
 D,R,E,C,T
3. Use technology as a tool to enhance teaching and learning.
3,4,5,6
1-6
 D,R,E,C,T 
3. Align instructional objectives, instruction, and assessment.
4,7,8
2,3,4
 D,R,E,C,T
4. Design instruction and assessment based on an understanding of students, their needs, and professional educational standards.
4,7,8,
2,3,4,5
 D,R,E,C,T
5. Understand and be able to develop and use different forms of student assessment.
 8
4
 D,R,E,C,T 
7. Know about the process of second language acquisition and about strategies to support the learning of students whose first language is not English.
3
2
 D,R,E,C,T
8. Model the characteristics of an intentional and professional teacher. In particular, engage in an ongoing process of reflection about their own teaching and the teaching of others, supporting their constructive critiques with reference to principles from this course, from supplementary readings, and from field observations.
9,10 
5,6
 D,R,E,C,T
9. Demonstrate their achievement of the above outcomes and of their continuing development as an educator through their portfolio aligned with professional education standards (INTASC, MN SEP, ISTE, and Education Department themes.
2-10 
1-6
 D,R,E,C,T 

EdSe 3204 and STEP Dispositions

See detailed description and self-rating on each disposition

  • Attendance/Punctuality
  • Self-Initiative/Independence
  • Reliability/Dependability
  • Oral Expression
  • Written Expression
  • Critical Thinking Skills
  • Tact Judgment
  • Collegiality
  • Reflective Response to Feedback/Supervision
  • Interaction with Students/Peers/Teachers/Others
  • Desire to Improve Own Teaching Performance
  • Commitment to the Profession
  • Attitudes Towards Learners (seeks strategies that provide opportunities for all students)
  • Professional Ethics and Demeanor

Course Expectations

  1. Demonstrate at least the second highest level in all of the professional dispositions listed above (see assessment checklist for dispositions)
  2. Attend all class sessions. If you have to miss a class or portion thereof in the case of an emergency, you must make up the class by completing all required readings/tasks for the class. Missing more than 20% of the course may result in you earning a failing grade.
  3. Earn at least a C- in all required assignments by the end of the semester in order to earn higher than a D grade for the course.
  4. All assignments are due on the date listed. Late work will be graded but may earn a reduced grade (10% per week past due date). In order for you to be allowed to recycle an assignment, you must have turned in at least a first attempt by the due date.
  5. If an assignment is designated as one that may be recycled for a higher grade, you may recycle it no later than the beginning of the 14th week of the semester. For a recycled assignment to be accepted it must be submitted along with the original. Highlight the areas that have been changed in the recycled version. Assignments may be recycled to a maximum of 80%.
  6. Prepare yourself thoroughly for class sessions by doing the necessary outside work and readings. All readings and assignments will be posted on the course web site. It is your responsibility to check the site prior to class for updates and to link to readings and assignments.
  7. Participate fully in class activities and discussions.
  8. Work cooperatively & effectively with others in class & on group assignments.
  9. Challenge yourself to make the most of in and out-of-class work. IMPORTANT*: If you already have evidence demonstrating your achievement of the expected knowledge and skills for any assignment, meet with Helen to develop an alternative assignment that further extends and challenges you and meets your needs.

Course Assignments

 Assignment  % of grade  Due Date

Philosophy of Education. You may present this in any way that you wish. Typical areas to include are descriptions of your beliefs about:

  • students
  • teachers
  • schools

Examples:

5% Nov. 3

Understanding students. Describe what you will do to learn about your students and how you might use this information to help you in your teaching of these students. The format of this assignment is up to you. It may take the form of a list of strategies you will use; it may include actual examples of surveys you might administer to your students and/or their parent/guardian/concerned adults in their lives. Examples:

 10% Oct. 25

Analysis of teaching:

  1. Peer teaching 1: How your teaching aligns with and reflects personal philosophy of teaching and learning. Examples:
  2. Peer teaching 2: Work in teams to plan and teach a 10 minute lesson that demonstrates the teaching strategy/strategies assigned to your group. You will have the whole class time on Nov. 24th to work on planning your lesson. If you prefer not to use this class time to work on this lesson (as this is the day before Thanksgiving), your group may arrange an alternative time among yourselves to complete the planning. You will teach the lesson on Monday Nov. 29th.
  3. Apprenticeship teaching analyses : analyze at least 2 different lessons that you have taught at your apprenticeship site. Include a brief description of your (you may include your lesson plans, but are not required to) with your lesson analyses. Examples:
PT1: 5%
PT2: 5%
Apprenticeship: 2 x 5%
Total: 20% 		PT1: Oct 18
PT2: Nov. 17
Appr: by Dec. 6

Planning & Teaching Strategies:

  1. Develop lesson plans that demonstrate you ability to create coherent, well organized, detailed plans that include the key elements of lesson plan design. These can be the same plans that you developed for teaching at your apprenticeship site. You should have at least 2 different lesson plans, each demonstrating the use of a different teaching strategies. Examples:
  2. Develop a matrix that summarizes key teaching strategies that you might use in your subject area, examples of situations in which each strategy might be appropriate. Be sure to include as part of this how you will use technology as a tool to enhance student learning. (Group assignment: group size 2-5 students).
1) 2 X 7.5%
2) Matrix: 10%
Total: 25% 		1) Nov 15, 24
2) Dec. 8

Assessment - Develop assessments that show your ability to:

  1. Use Understanding By Design (UBD) template (click to download template) to outline backwards design process for a lesson/unit, and then:
  2. Create an test in your subject area. Ideally have this be a test that you have designed & administered to students at your apprenticeship site.
  3. Assess students using some form of authentic assessment. Your assessment should include a rubric that you would use to evaluate the student work. (Group assignment: group size 2-5 students).
 UBD overview: 5%
Test: 5%
Authentic Assess & rubric: 10%
Total: 20%
 Dec. 13

Classroom management: You will create this for EdSe 4501 (EdPsy), but be sure to include in this assignment in your portfolio for General Methods. Follow Jody's guidelines rather than the ones below, but if you are NOT in EdPsy, you should develop something for your portfolio following the type of framework that I describe below:

  1. How you plan to set up your classroom to create an environment that reflects your beliefs about teaching, learning, students and student diversity.
  2. The types of rules you will have in your class and the approach you will take for responding to students who do not follow these rules.
  3. Provide a reflective analysis to accompany (1) and (2), explaining how the environment you will create reflects your philosophy of classroom management and your understanding of student diversity.
N/A
(graded in 4501)

Professionalism and professional dispositions: Provide evidence of these. You should include something in each of the following categories:

  1. Self-evaluation of your professional dispositions (assessing your performance in each area in all aspects of your work related to EdSe 3204 (i.e. in class on campus, homework, and work at your apprenticeship site). Use the Professional Dispositions checklist (view as html) or you may download this document in MS Word and use this as a template (so you type your responses directly into the document). For each of the fourteen professional dispositions, circle the one that most closely describes your performance in General Instructional Methods and at your apprenticeship site this semester. Provide comments to support your self-evaluation, and include if appropriate goals that you set yourself to develop this area further in future (in Block 2, or for some of you, student teaching) and beyond.
  2. Evaluation of your professionalism and professional dispositions by others. (e.g. by your students, cooperating teacher, principal, other teachers, peers)
  3. What you have done to become aware of and connected to professional communities of practices and resources in your discipline.
10% Dec. 15
Self Evaluation of Preparation for Class and Readings : Self-evaluation of your preparation for class and your keeping up with readings for class. 10% Dec. 15
Final portfolio:

Portfolio due Monday of finals week: Portfolio consists of:

  • Cover sheet
  • Index page listing each assignment and grade earned for each, with total at the end showing your final grade for the class
  • All assignments for the class demonstrating your achievement of the course objectives (you may choose to include other examples of work that you have done that also addresses these objectives). For each assignment you should state which of the course objectives it addresses.

Example of online portfolio: Stacey Mittag (used with permission)

(N/A: serves as evidence of final grade) Dec. 20

 

 Total Course Grade:
A = 93% ....... A- = 90 - 92
B+ = 87-89 .... B = 83-86 ........ B- = 80 - 82
C+ = 77-79 .... C = 73-76 ....... C- = 70 - 72
D = 60 - 69
F = <60
IMPORTANT: I INVITE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE ANY DISABILITY, EITHER PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MIGHT AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM IN THIS CLASS TO INFORM ME SO THAT TOGETHER I CAN ADAPT METHODS, MATERIALS, OR ASSIGNMENTS AS NEEDED TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION. THANK YOU! HMR

 

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