EDUC 371 Elementary/EC Junior Practicum - Maryville University

EDUC 371 Elementary/EC Junior Practicum
Fall Semester 2006: ~ 16 hours/week for 10 weeks in school setting
Maryville Candidates in schools: Sept. 12 through Nov. 16, 2006
Supervisors:
Clark, Gotsch & Tillman
Elementary
Nadine Ball
nball@maryville.edu
(314) 529-9660
Glenridge Elementary Dan Rocchio drocchio@maryville.edu
(314) 529-9470
Description:
2006 EDU 371
Fall Junior Practicum
The fall junior practicum complements coursework in Reading Methods I; Science Methods; and
Health of Children. In addition, some candidates have elected to also complete Social Studies
Methods and Integrating Arts Instruction courses. Candidates complete 15-16 hours a week of
work in school over ten weeks. Throughout the fall, candidates should solidify skills at
developmentally appropriate lesson planning including pre-planning questions and selection of
strategies appropriate to the lesson goals. In addition, candidates should demonstrate beginning
classroom management skills, “teacher presence”, and an ability to balance written lesson
planning with student interests and needs. Initial skills for differentiated planning and teaching
should also be evident.
Objectives: Candidates completing this practicum will
1. Integrate knowledge and skills from methods courses into classroom work (C & I;
Development);
2. Set goals and self assess attainment of those goals (Development);
3. Strengthen skills in lesson planning and implementation, including pre-planning questions,
selecting direct or inductive lesson design in science, and implementing key reading
strategies as appropriate. (Development; C & I);
4. Begin to develop awareness and skill at balancing lesson planning with individual student
needs during instruction (differentiation & flexibility) (C & I; School and Society);
5. Develop initial skills in classroom management (quality planning, organization, discipline) to
create and maintain a positive classroom learning environment fostering student voice and
self-control (C & I; School and Society);
6. Become familiar with all facets of school life, including interaction with parents, individuals
and organizations contributing to a healthy school community, and specialists that offer
support for reading and other instruction (Development; C & I);
7. Become comfortable in the classroom setting and begin to develop a presence as a classroom
teacher (Development).
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COURSES:
EDU 371 Junior Practicum Fall 2006
Reading Methods I Dan Rocchio, Ph.D. rock@maryville.edu
2006 EDU 371
Fall Junior Practicum
• Teach 5 reading lessons; these may be whole group or small group lessons
• Complete initial assessments for an inquiry project for one child.
Science Methods: Nadine Butcher Ball, Ed. D.
• Teach 4 lessons: first completed lesson and reflection due by Oct. 23, 2006
At least one lesson whole class; two lessons with inductive design (5E’s); and
one science-activity lesson so candidates can experience skills necessary for
standards-based science instruction. All may be integrated with other content
areas as long as specific science goals are clear.
Health of Children: Nadine Butcher Ball, Ed. D.
PRACTICUM:
• Teach 1 lesson: may be integrated with any subject matter.
• School Health Team project: As a school team, talk with school and community
members to explore the system of individuals and organizations that support a
healthy school community.
• One video taped lesson and extended reflection turned in to your supervisor and content
instructor. Extended reflection due by November 16.
• 3 three-way meetings with cooperating teacher-supervisor-and candidate: Goal sharing,
mid-term, and final meetings.
• You should become as involved in the life of the school as possible: staff development
days, conferences, etc—whatever is possible within your schedule. In particular, look for
opportunities to interact with parents and to talk with them about their child’s learning.
• Completed and signed evaluation form for fall semester
EVALUATION: Practicum grades are pass/fail and arrived at in collaboration with the
cooperating teacher. Students must complete all university course-related assignments
(not just practicum requirements)—including development of skills in evaluation form--
to pass. Missed practicum time should be made up, and in the case of concern about
candidate progress, the practicum may be extended.
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2006 EDU 371
Fall Junior Practicum
MONTH Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Comments and Journal prompts
5 Sept. 5 candidates meet at Maryville 9-
11:30
September 12 13 14 Practicum candidates start in school.
Review schedule, emergency plans,
student names, share curriculum, set
times for teaching
21 22 23 Supervisors check in for goal meeting
26 27 28
October 3 4 5 Candidates strongly urged to have first
science lesson in by Oct 10
10 11 12 Initial mid-term feedback; concerns
care-teamed
17 18 19 First two reading lessons and
reflections due by Oct. 20
24 25 26 First Science Lesson and reflection due
by Monday October 23; Oct 26 mid
term deficiencies due
Oct/Nov OCT 31 Nov 1 2
7 8 9 Nov. 10: First Draft of Inquiry
Project
14 15 16 Last week of practicum
21 22 23
T’giving
HOLIDAY WEEK
(28) (29) (30) Final three-way conferences may extend
into this week or beyond as needed.
Dec. 1: Inquiry Project Due
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2006 EDU 371
Fall Junior Practicum
Overview of the junior practicum year
The junior year is an intense one for Maryville University teacher candidates in the
elementary education and early childhood programs. Candidates begin the year with a
solid foundation in the moral principles of education in a democracy and most have a
beginning familiarity with lesson design and instruction.
Candidates begin their junior year with a minimum of understanding of how to “see”
children learning, how to run a classroom, or how to negotiate the complex demands of
teaching. By the end of the junior year they should be able to enter a classroom and
have an immediate sense of what needs doing and some idea of how to do it
collaboratively with students and teachers.
By May junior practicum candidates should be able to:
• Plan engaging and substantive short-term lessons around a concept or
classroom need (e.g. start-ups)
• Negotiate large and small transitions in instruction
• Demonstrate beginning abilities in differentiation that adapts instruction for
individual needs within a class
• Present an effective school and classroom presence that helps them get and
keep student attention and ensures their acceptance within the professional
community
• Develop initial plans for meaningful long-term sequences of lessons in light of
student learning
• Share a beginning understanding of how to organize for classroom life, record
keeping, and time management in and out of the classroom.
Cooperating Teacher Role:
Being a cooperating teacher is complex and demanding. We understand that your
ultimate responsibility is to your students and at no time should the presence of
our candidates in your classroom compromise that goal. We also bring our own
concern that our candidates become the best teachers possible. We expect Maryville
candidates to become immediately active in classroom life, to accept constructive
criticism and grow quickly in response to your and our suggestions. Like all of us, they
need specific and copious feedback on what they are doing well. Please keep the
supervisor informed of ANY area of concern you may have. Also, please share all
areas of growth you believe would benefit the candidate so that we can work on them
together. We rely on your open and honest communication about the candidate’s
progress. Please remember, this is not “getting the candidate in trouble,” but
helps all of us ensure s/he becomes the best teacher possible.
Early in the year candidates often need help learning to take initiative in the classroom
and for planning. They should be increasingly resourceful and initiate ideas; they
should work with students without prompting, and they should increasingly offer to take
responsibility for activities, students, etc. At the beginning, you may need to suggest (or
even assign) tasks, but by November the candidate should be suggesting things on
her/his own.
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2006 EDU 371
Fall Junior Practicum
By the end of the fall practicum, candidates should be planning strong, interesting,
age-appropriate lessons, demonstrating the basics of good management (interesting
lessons, voice fluctuations, movement, and anticipation of problems). They may begin
to recognize they need to be “mean” to students and struggle with setting and holding
limits. They may struggle with “letting go” of their lesson plan while at the same time
remembering the key parts and achieving the lesson goals. These issues typically work
themselves out during the spring term.
Things you might do to foster candidate growth (not required, just FYI)
• PLEASE hold candidates to the requirement for timeliness and professionalism.
• PLEASE insist that they give you a written plan for your feedback at least 48
hours before they are scheduled to teach. Candidates are expected to make the
changes you suggest and confirm with you before teaching. Please do not
hesitate to cancel a scheduled lesson if they do not follow through with this.
• Initiate conversation about what you doing and why. Encourage the candidate to
ask questions, even “dumb” ones, and think out loud for them. It can be effective
to explain ways other teachers might explain or do something, too, letting the
candidate know s/he doesn’t have to agree with everything you do. It can help to
model how to keep talking even when you might feel a little defensive.
• Model practices and make sure the candidate knows you are doing that. Ask
her/him what she noticed, and help elaborate on her/his thinking. Biggies for
Maryville are questioning strategies, learning styles/differentiation, and lesson
design that fosters inquiry.
• Help the candidate “see” kids learn: point out “developmental moments” or set
your own “mini-assignments” asking the candidate to reflect on what happened
and why.
• JOURNAL: if you journal already and are willing, share some of your writing with
the candidate. If that is not possible, consider a “class journal” in which you offer
notes or thoughts from your observation of the candidate, questions, etc., and in
which s/he can respond. This can be left on a desk or common spot and for
some cooperating teachers this helps supplement the time available to talk with
the candidate.
• If you are interested, ask to see their reflections, their case study, portfolio, or
what they learn from the Health community survey. They may “forget” to bring
these in, or “worry about hurting your feelings”. You can offer a strong model
about growth-in-practice if you persist in wanting to see these and talk about
them. Also, if you are doing action research or other “outside” work, consider
sharing that, too.
• Please push the supervisor and the candidate to make sure your students get the
best learning experiences possible—they deserve nothing less. If you have any
concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the supervisor immediately.
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