EDU 4292 Senior Seminar & Student Teaching:
Spring 2003,
Wednesday 4:30-7:00 p.m. - Tolentine Hall, Room 237

Required Texts:

Schwebel, S.L., Schwebel, D.C., Schwebel, B.L., and Schwebel, C.R. (2002).
The student teacher’s handbook – Fourth Edition.  Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates.

Codell, E.R. (2001). Educating Esmé: Diary of a Teacher’s First Year. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.

Readings as assigned

Course Description: The student teaching experience; elements of school law; current educational issues; use of computers in the classroom; relationship of practice to theory; sharing of experiences, common problems and alternative teaching practices; open to student teachers.  

Students deserve the richest, most effective, and generative education possible; anything less is a disservice to them and to the larger society. 

Course Objectives: 

• To provide student teachers the opportunity to share student teaching experiences in a mutually supportive environment.
• To provide student teachers the opportunity to reflect on their successes and challenges in their student teaching placement.
• To provide student teachers the opportunity to problem solve with their peers on the challenges that arise in their student teaching experiences.
• To address topics of specific interest or concern.
• To promote a sense of belonging to an educational community.
• To provide student teachers the opportunity to develop a sense of professionalism as beginning educators.
• To engage in an active teacher research experience.

Introduction

A significant feature of the transformation process is a disruption of values or cultural beliefs through critical reflection with the goal of more socially just teaching. It requires teachers to think critically and challenge ideas of power and control as they are constructed in the world and mapped onto themselves.  It is a continuous process not an end. Just as in teaching, one does not achieve a level of mastery and then quit growing.  The goal is that through better understanding ourselves we will better understand our students, especially those that are different from us (Nieto, 1999).

Wilson, Shulman, and Richert (1987) identify seven components of the knowledge base of teaching:

1. knowledge of subject matter,

2. knowledge of other content,

3. knowledge of curriculum,

4. knowledge of learners,

5. knowledge of educational outcomes,

6. general pedagogical knowledge, and

7. pedagogical content knowledge.

Several educational researchers have noted the importance of helping future teachers develop practical and procedural knowledge within the context of real classrooms (Carter, 1990: Clandinin & Connelly, 1986; Clandinin, Davis, Hogan & Kennard, 1993; Elbaz 1987; Feiman-Nemser & Floden, 1986). This focus on practical knowledge is intended to help prospective teachers to link theory and practice.

Student teachers must also learn to balance theory and practice. They must now apply what they learned from teacher preparation courses to design practical classroom activities. For example, many teacher education courses introduce the theories of cooperative learning and inclusion. But, student teachers need to know how to plan group work to ensure that each student is responsible for one part of a project, while making sure that learning impaired students are not overwhelmed by the tasks or that gifted students do not go unchallenged. It takes years to learn how to do this effectively – seven to ten years!!

Course Format

The format of this course is lecture/discussion. Typically each class session consists of student-focused discussion groups in a modified seminar.  You will have several opportunities to teach this semester.  In addition, we hope to have guest speakers to share their expertise during the semester.

Attendance, discussion, and participation in class activities 15%

Students are expected to be prepared during class. Attendance and classroom participation will be a SIGNIFICANT factor in determining the student’s final grade for the class.

Professional Portfolio 10%

Table of Contents
Teaching Philosophy Statement
Resume
3 Exemplary Lesson Plans
Examples of your students’ work
15 minute video of your best teaching
Transcripts
Praxis Test Results (optional)

Reflective Journal 25%

The reflective journal will require 5 dated entries/submissions per week.

The journal entries should be directly related to your experiences in the school and be submitted twice during the course of the semester. Each entry can be written (if legible) or typed and should be at least one page in length.

Educational Research Project 40%

The educational research project allows student teachers to prepare a piece of original work during the student teacher process.  Your educational research project can take the form of a traditional research paper, an oral research project, or an investigative study.  The parameters for your final product from your educational research project should be described in your prospectus which is due on January 29, 2003.  In the prospectus you will identify the type of educational research project you will carry out related to at least one of the INTASC standards (I will share these during class #1).  Please feel free to consult with me about the nature of your educational research project.

Please consult http://www.tcrecord.org/ and search for Lytle and Cochran-Smith (1990) Learning from Teacher Research: A Working Typology (you will have to register for this FREE web site).

Videotape Presentation 10%

Students will present a 15 minute teaching segment to the class during our April 23^rd or April 30^th meeting.   You will be responsible to introduce your teaching segment and include both the strengths and weaknesses of your teaching.   Your peers will be responsible for providing constructive criticism on your performance.

Tentative Calendar – The professor reserves the right to change the syllabus at any time during the semester. You will be informed of any changes.

As a community committed to the Augustinian ideals of truth, unity and love, Villanova University prides itself on maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity and does not tolerate any form of academic dishonesty or misconduct. Dishonesty (including plagiarism) in any assignment, test or examination is punishable by the grade of F and is to be reported, through the deans, to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. A second offense will result in the dismissal of the student from Villanova University.