One of my main objectives in this class
was to get students to think through ways in which to apply an
educational philosophy to a practical teaching task. — Professor
Robert Potter
The writing assignments helped me see
myself as a teacher; they were practical. Through them I played the
role of a teacher. — Student
COURSE GOALS
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| The pedagogical
objective is to introduce students to national and international
educational systems and the ideas and concepts which govern
those systems. Students integrate personal experience with the
ideas, concepts, and theories learned in class, through texts,
through lectures, and through observation and participation in
actual elementary and secondary classrooms. Through all these
activities, students also improve their writing skills. |
|
|
WRITING ACTIVITIES
1. PERSONAL RESPONSES: BI-WEEKLY
I-SEARCH ESSAYS
Each student writes eight
three-page bi-weekly I-Search reports over the semester. In
I-Search papers, students address four main issues:
- their knowledge of the topic
when first starting the paper,
- their reasons for writing the
paper,
- the way in which they
researched their topic, and
- what they discovered through
the research.
Students also include documentation
of sources at the end of the paper. |
I learned how to incorporate
into my writing my ideas, background knowledge, and beliefs with
someone else's theories. --Student |
| Topics for these writing
assignments range from "Why do you want to be a
teacher?" to "Describe a very good or very bad teacher
who has influenced you."
The essays are written in
response to texts, class discussions, and personal educational
experiences. Students are encouraged to respond to and integrate
into their papers concepts gleaned from their reading and class
discussions as well as personal experiences and ideas.
Students bring rough drafts to
class, and members of small writing groups critique each others'
papers. The instructor acts as visitor and coach while
monitoring the group's activities to ensure that each group is
productive and each student participates. Students revise their
drafts, then turn in the revised drafts to the instructor, who
provides further feedback, and returns the drafts to the
students. |
The small
groups generated and helped clarify ideas; large groups pointed
out main points. --Student |
| The instructor reviews and grades
the final drafts, then selects weak and strong sections of
student texts to discuss and critique in class, and points out
sections which need more attention to spelling, grammar,
sentence structure, and usage. The instructor also presents
sections that are exceptionally well-written and are models of
good writing.
PURPOSE: These I-Search
papers present students with opportunities to synthesize several
concepts of the course while addressing issues important to
educators. The writing experiences provide students with the
opportunity to discover what they value and what interests them
as teachers. The writing assignments stimulate class discussions
and serve as a springboard for further discussions on writing. |
I review each paper carefully
for writing errors as well as content. I often read in class
from the papers as a way of stimulating discussion, but that
also serves as a springboard for discussing the style of
presentation as models of good writing. When the writing is poor
enough to obscure meaning, I require students to rewrite papers
with better organization, more attention to spelling and
punctuation, etc. --Instructor |
| 2. OBSERVATIONAL COMMENTARY
Students choose and attend a
public meeting on education and are responsible for a three-page
commentary on that event. This commentary is like the I-search
papers, except that it entails students' observations on
discussions of current issues in local education.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this assignment is to expose students to the
local educational system to further develop their knowledge and
understanding. |
I learned that
there are many ways to get concepts across to kids by presenting
opportunities for them to internalize materials and lessons.
--Student |
