READ 3255 @ Piedmont: Authentic School-Based PDS

Activities

PDS Mini ConferenceAuthentic School-Based PDS Activities: What’s

the Result?March 17th, 2011

University Meadows Elementary School

Dee Gardner, PrincipalDawn Johnston, Academic Facilitator/IB Coordinator

Adriana L. Medina, University/PDS Liaison

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Opportunities– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Activity– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

READ 3255 @ Piedmont

• Dr. Adriana Medina – UNC Charlotte, College of Education,

Department of Reading and Elementary Education

• READ 3255 Integrating Reading and Writing in the Content Areas– Purpose of course is to teach preservice

teachers how to teach the reading and writing skills necessary for their students to comprehend the content area subject matter.

READ 3255 @ Piedmont

• What Piedmont Offers– Content area

classrooms and teachers

– Rigorous curriculum– High accountability– Observing high quality

teachers– Jumping into

education

• What UNCC Students Offer– Committed to

education– Self-learners, self-

starters– Content area experts

READ 3255 @ Piedmont

• Requirements– Interview teacher and interview students– Assess students using a content area reading

inventory (pre- and post-assessment)– Prepare lesson plans

• Three pronged• Every session• Collected and evaluated

– Assist teachers– Be observed by teachers and professor

READ 3255 @ Piedmont

• Importance– Help preservice teachers have positive

experiences• These early positive experiences are essential if

teachers are to remain in the profession

– Assists these students in coping with the practicalities of

• Teaching• Managing groups of students• Adjusting to a school environment

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Activity– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

Research

• Pre-service teachers’ pre- and post-perceptions of learning experiences in a PDS

• The purpose of this study was to examine preservice teachers’ pre- and post-perceptions of the learning experiences gained through a methods course offered onsite at a PDS.

Research Question

• Is there a shift in pre-service teachers’ perceptions about this course from the beginning of the semester to the end of the course? (Pre to Post Shift)

Sample

• There were 15 students enrolled in the Fall 2009 semester and all agreed to participate in the study. – Two males and thirteen females

• All of the participants were in the Middle/Secondary Education program with a content area of focus of either English (5), Science (4), Math (4), Social Studies/History (2), or Special Education (1) or any combination.

Findings• Pre-Perceptions

– Apprehension• It’s possible that all students feel apprehension at the beginning of a course.• However, these students didn’t express apprehension about reading and writing assignments

as much as they did expressed apprehension about working with students, needing direction, finding self-confidence, and persevering outside of their comfort zones.

• Post-Perceptions– Overwhelmed– Sense of Confidence– Reflective

• Shift– Course: Process vs. Product– Students: Debunk stereotypes

• Because of this shift in perceptions, we need to offer more classes on site before student teaching.

• A PDS site is the perfect setting. • The PDS offers the space for structured, supported, and well-supervised

clinical experiences.

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Activity– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

Our “PDS Poster Child”• A former student of READ 3255 @

Piedmont• High level of involvement in the school • Student Teaching experience

– Request– Support

• Research– Interview with “Clark”– Interview with teachers and administration

• Results are in the analysis stage

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Activity– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

Principal Fellows Visit

• Visit

• Speak w/ and Interview Principal/Administration

• Duty

• READ 3255 Students

• Foundation for the future

PDS Activities @ Piedmont

• READ 3255– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Student Teacher– 5W’s and an H– Research and Results

• Recent Activity– Principal Fellows Visit

• Current and Future Professional Development Activities

Current PD Activities

• 6th grade– SQ3R– Reading Strategies that Work (RT)

• 7th grade– 7 Step Reading Strategy

• B – basic info.• AP – author’s purpose• V - vocabulary• I - inference

IB/MYP Unit Plans

– 6th Grade• Introduction to IB• Non-fiction and

informational text• Fictional text• Poetry• Baseball unit

– 7th Grade• IB awareness• Identity• Fiction• Homelessness unit• Change unit

– 8th Grade• Friendship

• Our World Family

• Society

• Myself

Any Questions?