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TE 803: Professional Roles & Teaching Practice

Fridays, 12:40 pm 3:30 pm On Campus Dates: 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/13, 3/20, 4/24, 5/1

In School Dates: 2/6, 3/27, 4/17 224 Erickson Hall

Course Blog: http://te803greenwalt.blogspot.com/

Kyle Greenwalt, PhD Associate Professor

620 Farm Lane 328 Erickson Hall

517-353-0824 (office) 612-817-2818 (cell) greenwlt@msu.edu

Office Hours: by appointment (in-person, via skype, or phone)

My book should smell of pines and resound with the hum of insects. The swallow over my window should interweave that thread or straw he carries in his bill into

my web also. We pass for what we are. Character teaches above our wills.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self Reliance

Course Description

This course is organized primarily as a workshop in which we concentrate on the problems of practice that you encounter in your intern year. There are a number of specific goals, but the overall motive is to help you in gaining ground in teaching. This phrase is intended to convey that learning to teach is an extended process that unfolds over the teaching career, as teachers progressively improve their practice, develop their repertoires, learn about their students, establish their classrooms as communities of learning, and manage the common problems of teaching.

Aside from these goals, which are common to all TE 803 sections, I can further add that I have as an important personal goal to support you in the professional

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learning that happens in the field. It may not be obvious to you how a professor, in a university course that takes place away from your classroom, can support you in this way. No doubt it is a challenge.

In order for your university experience to assist you, it is helpful to see that teacher learning can and does happen in a variety of settings. In order to teach well, we have to allow ourselves to be enriched by all aspects of our life. The list of areas in which any one person might find growth include: family life, friendships, cultural events, independent readings, political action, religious worship, and, of course, formal university courses. The important thing is that you seek to improve yourself by learning from the many different people and settings you come into contact with. In this way, you have more to offer to your students, colleagues, and communities.

I hope I can be a person who contributes to your growth. Please let me know if there is anything specific I can do in that regard.

Course Goals

The following are a list of course goals common to all TE 803 sections. Please read them over and note any that seem particularly important to you. Please note if any are missing. Please make me aware of any course goals that you have that are not covered here.

Learn to analyze and solve problems of practice: Learn to make decisions you can explain and defend, learn how to get help from resources, learn to diagnose and analyze problems, understand and make tradeoffs among competing goals.

Get better at organizing your classroom for learning: learn how to establish, teach and maintain classroom rules and procedures; learn how to build relationships with and among students; learn how to maintain lesson momentum.

Find your teaching self: Establish a presence in the classroom, respond appropriately to unexpected events, balance discipline and personal relationships.

Apply professional knowledge to specific teaching situations: know how to translate concepts you have learned about student learning and motivation and classroom orchestration into lesson plans.

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Get better at orchestrating complex learning activities: manage student projects, small group activities, and class discussions, and learn how to preparing students to participate in such lessons.

Get better at motivating and engaging students: Learn to evaluate and improve student motivation, learn to increase students expectations of success; learn how to design tasks that foster self-regulation.

Increase the range of students you can reach and the range of strategies you can use to reach them: Learn to see the varied needs and interests of your students and to be more responsive to them.

Become a constructive colleague to your peers: Listen and attend to the ideas people offer during class, learn to offer factual and non-judgmental commentary, learn to acknowledge tradeoffs in decisions.

Course Norms

The quality of your experience in this course will hinge on our collective ability to openly discuss the problems of practice with the trust that no ones comments will be repeated or misused. Constructive conversations cannot happen unless you agree to

Be an active and engaged member of the group;

Be a constructive colleague to other novice teachers in the room; Come prepared; Respect the confidentiality of the discussion.

Additional Notes:

Its hard to talk about the problems of practice without invoking the names of real people. To protect the confidentiality of those with whom we work, always mask names and identifiers with pseudonyms.

Our intent is to support (and push) each other to develop our capabilities as professionals, not to judge one anothers competence and/or merit as teachers and human beings.

I will do my best to respond within 24 hours to emails during the week. You may also call me at any time.

These are course norms that are common throughout the College of

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Education. I believe they are all premised on the notion that everyone has unique talents, gifts and perspectives on the world. To lose any of them would be a great loss for humanity. As teachers, we need to be very good at finding and seeing the best in ourselves and each other.

In addition, I would ask that you not use your cell phones or laptops during class except as requested by me. We all know what it feels like to talk to someone who is only partly attending to you because they are multitasking on their phone. Teachers need to avoid sending messages to children, colleagues and families that they are unconcerned with their issues and not willing to listen. Please extend to me and your other colleagues in this class this courtesy!

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Course Outline

NOTE: There are two broad units that are addressed in TE 803: Reaching More Students and Entering the Profession WEEK 1 - 1/16 - On Campus Readings: Look over Chapter 12 of Middle and Secondary Classroom Management. Introduction to Unit 3: Reaching More Students Reluctant or Resistant Learners

What is a (dis)engaged student? What is a (dis)respectful student? What is a (un)talented student? Why do students (mis)behave?

Assignment: Start work on your Case Study Proposal. If you would like, email Kyle your rough ideas. All students must submit a Case Study Proposal for approval via email to Kyle by Saturday evening, January 24.

WEEK 2 - 1/23 - On Campus Readings: TBD. Bring: A paper copy of one of your lesson plans to class. Today we will hear from an expert in the field of special education. We will listen to a lecture and then use one of his tools to reflect on our lessons.

How can we adapt our lessons to better accommodate our varying students?

How do we move from interpreting student motives to changing our practice?

Assignment: Incorporate feedback on your Case Study Proposal. Begin work on your Case Study Analysis and Interpretation. This is due via email to Kyle by Saturday evening, January 31.

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WEEK 3 - 1/30 - On Campus Readings: TBD. Bring: A paper copy of your Case Study Analysis and Interpretation to class. Today we will continue our exploration of student behavior by considering how we can foster motivation, purpose and engagement among our students.

How can we make sense of student motive, purpose and action?

Assignment: Begin work on your Case Study Alternatives and Plan of Action. Continue looking for one or two more readings that help you make sense of your student and their world. WEEK 4 - 2/6 - Independent Study 1 This is a day reserved for you to learn with your colleagues at your school sites. We will discuss options for your independent study. It is my hope to visit one of your placement schools during this week and assist a group of you in your learning. You and your colleagues will post to the class blog to report something of your conversation during the Independent Study. Post to blog by Sunday evening, February 8. WEEK 5 - 2/13- On Campus Readings: TBD. Bring: A paper copy of your Case Study Alternatives and Plan of Action. You will begin preparing to enact your case study over the coming weeks. You will start to think about courses of action over brainstorming different alternatives.

Follow up on your action plan during Lead Teaching Keep records on successes and failures

Assignment: Submit Case Study Alternatives and Plan of Action via email to Kyle by Saturday evening, 2/14. WEEK 6 - No Class WEEK 7 - No Class

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WEEK 8 - No Class MSU Spring Break WEEK 9 - 3/20 - On Campus Reading: TBD. Introduction to Unit 4: Entering the Profession

Defining your accomplishments Strategies for writing about yourself

Assignment: Begin work on your resume and teaching portfolio. These are not course assignments for TE 803, but they are things you should begin to think about as you finish up lead teaching. Also, continue work on your Case Study!

WEEK 10 - 3/27 - Independent Study 2 This is a day reserved for you to learn with your colleagues at your school sites. We will discuss options for your independent study. It is my hope to visit one of your placement schools during this week and assist a group of you in your learning. You and your colleagues will post to the class blog to report something of your conversation during the Independent Study. Post to blog by Sunday evening, March 29. WEEK 11 - No Class WEEK 12 - No Class WEEK 13 - 4/17 - Independent Study 3 This is a day reserved for you to learn with your colleagues at your school sites. We will discuss options for your independent study. I will be out of the state for a conference, so cannot visit any schools this week. The content of this independent study will help you generate materials and polish skills for the job search and interview. You and your colleagues will post to the class blog to report something of your conversation during the Independent Study. Post to blog by Sunday

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evening, April 19. WEEK 14 - 4/24 - On Campus Reading: TBD. Bring: A paper copy of your Case Study Final Evaluation to class. We will hear from people working in the field of teachers unions, consider the pros and cons of teacher unionization, and talk about issues of teacher workplace advocacy. Assignment: Case Study Final Evaluation is due via email to Kyle by Saturday evening, April 25. WEEK 15 - 5/1 - Convocation You will share what you have learned with your family and colleagues. We will go over the Convocation Ceremony and what to expect.

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Course Requirements, Grading Policy, and Texts

The course is designed so that assignments build on each other over time so that it is important for you to do each weeks work as it is assigned. The weekly schedule is posted on the D2L site.

NOTE: Because the D2L site is new to many of us, it is important that you seek help if you are struggling to find materials or information that you need. I will be happy to assist you in finding anything you need on D2l.

Your grade will be based on the following:

Activity Weight Due

Step 1: Case study Proposal 5% 1/24

Step 2: Case Study Analysis and Interpretation 15% 1/31

Step 3: Cast Study Alternatives and Plan of Action 15% 2/14

Step 4: Case Study Final Evaluation 10% 4/25

1st Independent Study 15% 2/8

2nd Independent Study 15% 3/29

3rd Independent Study 15% 4/19

Class attendance and participation 10%

NOTE: I prefer to assign each assignment a point value based on the percentage. For example, your case study proposal can earn up to 5 points. This will add up to 100 points over the semester. If you ever have a concern about your grade, please just ask. I am happy to clarify with you and am always willing to receive revisions

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of work for a higher grade.

Grades will be assigned as follows:

93-100% 4.0 86-93% 3.5 77-84% 3.0 69-76% 2.5 51-69% 2.0

A Note on the grade "I (incomplete)

MSU policy is that the I (incomplete) grade may be given only when the student (a) has completed at least 12 weeks of the semester, but is unable to complete the class work and/or take the final examination because of illness or other compelling reasons; and (b) has done satisfactory work in the course; and (c) in the instructors judgment can complete the required work without repeating the course. For the entire grading policy at MSU, please visit: http://www.reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Text.asp?Section=112#s525.

Since each course from TE 302 on is a prerequisite for each succeeding course, incompletes must be cleared before the first meeting of the succeeding course. Therefore, it is wise to avoid Incompletes entirely.

Course Resources

Generally speaking, you will have a great deal of choice over what you choose to read, based on your particular problems. Still, we will share the following as common texts and will read some sections of these as we address specific types of problems.

Carol Simon Weinstein and Ingrid Novodvorsky. Middle and Secondary Classroom Management: Lessons from Research and Practice (4rd Edition, 2009), New York: McGraw Hill.

Jim Fay and David Funk. Teaching with Love and Logic: Taking Control of the Classroom. Golden, CO: Love and Logic Press.

Secondary Intern-Mentor Teacher Handbook (2009/2010), MSU College of Education. Available at http://ed-web2.educ.msu.edu/team4.

Readings available on D2L are grouped according to the particular types of problems and issues they address.

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Course Policies The Secondary Team requires instructors to inform you, in syllabi, of the following policies. Failure to comply with these and other university policies governing student conduct will result in review of the interns progress and reconsideration of the interns continued participation in the teacher certification program.

Attendance and Participation

Interns are expected to be present and on time for professional commitments. Interns who must be absent from their placement or a seminar due to illness or emergency must inform all who are affected by such absence. If the absence is planned or anticipated, those affected should be informed in advance. Interns should comply with school policies regarding absences and make sure that plans are available for substitutes. More than four (4) absences from the placement or two (2) absences from the seminar course during a semester may jeopardize an interns recommendation for continuation in the program. Moreover, interns who are repeatedly absent or late may be required to make up time at the end of the school year. If there are extenuating circumstances, it is the interns responsibility to inform the Mentor Teacher, field instructor, course instructor, and school coordinator so that appropriate arrangements can be made. Any unusual or lengthy absences should be referred to the field instructor coordinator and school coordinator.

In accordance with the Teacher Preparation Programs Professional Conduct Policy, attendance and punctuality in class meetings and field experiences are critical to your success in this course and in the Program. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the policy that is on the web at http://www.educ.msu.edu/students/undergraduate/professionalconduct.htm. In the case of recurring absences or tardiness, your Team Coordinator will be notified and you may be required to attend a meeting regarding your attendance. More than two absences in class or in your field placement will affect your grade and may result in a failing grade for the course.

Confidentiality

In the course of their work, educators make use of information about students that is protected by federal law (Family Educational Right to Privacy Act, FERPA: see http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html. In accordance with the Teacher Preparation Programs Professional Conduct Policy, students should take care at all times to protect the rights of the students with whom they work by masking students identities and by maintaining a tone of professional courtesy. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the policy that is on the web at http://www.educ.msu.edu/students/undergraduate/professionalconduct.htm regarding confidentiality in course discussions and assignments.

Interns should use fictitious names for students to discuss family or individual information or if the situation is particularly difficult. Interns should mask names of students on any written or visual work shared in class or used in an assignment.

Professional Conduct

Dress and Deportment in Schools. Interns are expected to dress appropriately in schools, keeping in mind the value of being viewed as an adult and as a professional with authority in the classroom. They should always be polite to and considerate of other adults in the building including administrators, custodians, secretaries, and paraprofessionals. Interns should follow their placement schools policies regarding use of tobacco and pagers.

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Professional Communication and Problem Solving. Appropriate, effective communication as detailed in the Program Standards and Intern Responsibilities is an important component of professional conduct. Interns are expected to give and accept constructive feedback appropriately and to react appropriately in stressful situations. Interns who encounter problems should discuss them with the people most directly involved. If the situation is not resolved at that level in a reasonable amount of time, interns should request assistance from the Subject Matter Coordinator or Team Coordinator. Recourse if the situation is still not resolved is to contact the secondary faculty leader.

Alcohol and Illegal Drugs. Interns are expected to be free of the influence or possession of such substances in classes and field placements.

Social Media. Public media sharing sites (such as YouTube or Facebook) have the potential to be useful tools in teaching and in your professional career. However, some content on such sites has the potential to be disastrous to your professional identity. All content, whether posted by you or by others, is potentially accessible to students, parents and employers. Students should take care at all times to protect their ability to present themselves as professional educators in all media forms.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

We assume that the student is honest and that all course work and examinations represent the student's own work. Violations of the academic integrity policy such as cheating, plagiarism, selling course assignments or academic fraud are grounds for academic action and/or disciplinary sanction as described in the university's student conduct code. Incidents of plagiarism are taken very seriously and will be pursued. Students are strongly cautioned not to copy any text verbatim or use someone else's ideas on class quizzes, tests, reports, projects, or other class assignments without using appropriate quotations and source citations. For University regulations on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, refer to: http://www.vps.msu.edu/SpLife/rule32.htm or http://www.msu.edu/unit/ombud/plagiarism.html

On the other hand, there is a culture of sharing in teaching and we encourage you to be part of that culture, for example when designing lessons, and to make use of shared resources for teaching. It is imperative, however that you are extremely clear in indicating which ideas/language/materials are entirely your own, which ideas you modified based on others work and which materials you are borrowing wholesale. Thus, when you hand in work that includes materials for teaching, please use the following language:

If you took inspiration from another source or modified another source significantly to make it work for you, then include in your work Adapted from: with the full citation (book title, URL, etc.)

If you took the entire piece from another source, then include Taken from: with the full citation.

NOTE: This applies to materials used in teaching (list assignments teaching labs, field teaching assignments, and similar work). This does NOT include reflection, analysis (list assignments student case studies, work on content, etc.) Standard procedures for referencing and avoiding plagiarism apply here.

Problem Solving

If you have problems with the course or the instructor, you must first speak with the instructor about the situation. If the problem cannot not resolved at that level of interaction, then you may contact the faculty course or subject area leader, and after that, the team coordinator or team leader. (Names and contact

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information for the relevant individuals can be found in the Secondary Team Handbook located at: http://ed-web2.educ.msu.edu/team4/

Accommodations for Disabilities

Students with disabilities should contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities to establish reasonable accommodations. For an appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY). Instructors in the course may request a VISA Form (Verified Individual Student Accommodations Form) from a student requesting services.

Counseling Center

Even normal, capable, intelligent, and reasonable persons like the members of this class sometimes face situations and problems that they find difficult to deal with by themselves. The Teacher Preparation Program instructors or coordinators might be able to help. Also, MSU has an Office of Student Affairs and Services, with a Counseling Center, for which the phone number is 355-8270. The Center is at 207 Student Services Building. Website: http://www.couns.msu.edu/

Writing Center

Teachers are models and coaches of writing for their students, and must communicate effectively in writing with colleagues, parents, and others. For those reasons, teacher candidates are expected to write effectively and conventionally. If you need more help in meeting those expectations than you can get from your instructors and other teacher candidates, try the College of Education Office of Student Writing Assistance (OSWA), 513 F Erickson Hall, phone 517-432-0425 or email campbell@msu.edu

In addition, the Writing Center at 300 Bessey Hall, 432-3610 is available. Grammar Hotline: 432-1370. Website: http://writing.msu.edu/