101+Assignment+Info+Archives

Fall 2012
__**Why Teach? (Final Project)**__

Presentations during our finals class session – Dec 12 – 1:00 – 3:00

Create a two-minute presentation that portrays your answer to one of the following questions:
 * Why do you choose to teach? (If you are planning to pursue a career in teaching)
 * What makes an excellent teacher? (If you are not planning to pursue a career in teaching)

The rules:
 * You may use the presentation tool of your choice. Ideas:
 * o Prezi – []
 * o Powerpoint
 * o Vuvox - []
 * o Voicethread - [] (link for free account - [])
 * o Animoto - []
 * Talk for no more than 2.5 minutes; no less than 2
 * Focus on concepts and images that communicate your ideas
 * Make this **personal** – avoid the standard clichés about teaching
 * Think of this as something you would include in a professional portfolio or job application to give prospective employers a sense of your true motives for becoming a teacher
 * Use legal images and music and provide proper attribution for the source (creator’s name and link)

Some sources for open-source images and music: ​
 * Stock exchange - []
 * Flickr creative commons - []
 * Dano Songs - []
 * Jamendo - []

__**Service Learning Portfolio – Summary of Requirements**__

Due on or before December 6th (This deadline is negotiable if you request an alternate day **prior** to December 6th)


 * 1) Complete at least 12 hours of service – (Turn in copy of your log sheet by the final exam session at the latest) – 60 pts.
 * 2) Complete 6 journal entries 30 pts (Google Docs)
 * 3) Participate in a service learning group discussion and submit a reflection – 10 pts (Google Docs)
 * 4) Service Learning Synthesis Paper – 40 pts (GoogleDocs)

__Service Learning Synthesis Paper__ 1. Review your journal entries. Based on your experience, think about answers to these questions: 2. Here is one possible way to organize your paper (just a suggestion)
 * What have you learned about yourself as a teacher? (This can include what you learned from the individuals you worked with and your “students.”)
 * What have you learned about social, cultural, and/or economic issues that affect school experiences (teaching and learning)
 * What are one or two pressing questions (relating to education and/or the social context of schooling) that have come to the surface because of your experience
 * In what specific ways has this experience connected to 101 course content?
 * Write a 4-6 page paper (double-spaced) in which you communicate answers to the above questions
 * Paragraph 1 – Introduction and brief description of your placement and what you did
 * Paragraphs 2, 3, 4 - Answer question “a.” Include specific examples from your experience to illustrate your response. Explain how your answer relates to specific concepts from 101.
 * Paragraphs 5, 6, 7 - Answer question “b.” Include specific examples from your experience to illustrate your response. Explain how your answer relates to specific concepts from 101.
 * Paragraph 8, 9, 10 – Answer question “c” - Include specific examples from your experience to illustrate your response. Explain how your answer relates to specific concepts from 101
 * Paragraph 11-12 – Conclusion

3. Grading Criteria –
 * Completion – all questions are addressed; illustrative examples are included; course connections are clear; responses include analysis
 * Quality of content – Paper conveys critical thinking, heart, and authenticity. Examples and course connections are explained and analyzed.
 * Quality of writing – Writing is polished, professional, and free from errors; paper is effectively organized


 * __Service Learning Group Discussion Guidelines__**


 * 1) Meet for one hour. Each person should be prepared to share the following:
 * 2) An overview of the organization where you’re placed and a summary of your responsibilities as a volunteer (What did you do and why?)
 * 3) Some particularly memorable experiences where you felt particularly challenged, successful, and/or learned something especially valuable
 * 4) Questions relating to education and the social context of schooling that have arisen from your experience
 * 5) Connections between your experience and 101 course content
 * 6) Select someone to be the discussion leader to keep the discussion focused and ensure that everyone participates.
 * 7) Take notes during the conversation
 * 8) Write a 1 page reflection on your GoogleDocs Journal by 11/19
 * 9) Include the following information: names of participants, date and time of your meeting, name of discussion leader
 * 10) Explain what you learned from each person in your group (one paragraph for each participant) and relate their experiences to your own
 * 11) Write one paragraph summarizing your contribution to the discussion
 * 12) Write one paragraph explaining what your group discussed in terms of how your experiences connected to 101 course content

List of current educational issues can be found here: http://gonzagateach.wikispaces.com/Hot+Topics+in+Education
 * __Hot Topics__**


 * __Reflective Journal - Social Context of Education__**

Reflective Journal - Prompt: In your GoogleDocs Journal write a 1 page (single-spaced) response to this prompt **at the very top of the existing document. Don't create a new document.** a) //Taking into consideration our discussions on the topic, how do you plan to hold diverse learners to high standards of achievement and provide high quality, equitable education while honoring and making appropriate adaptions for cultural, linguistic, socioeconomic and other types of difference? Provide specific, concrete examples to illustrate your answer.//


 * __Service Learning Journal__**
 * Six entries required (3 due Nov 6, 3 due Nov 29); put on GoogleDocs - (Keep the entries together in one place under a bold-faced heading **Service Learning Journal**)
 * Each 1/2 page entry should include a) a description of a specific, meaningful experience related to SL, b) an analysis of the experience (what did you learn? observe? wonder? what was going on? possible explanations? next steps?), c) connect the experience to 101 and/or your future career as a teacher

Reflective Journal - PhilosophyJournal Prompt: In your GoogleDocs Journal write a 1 page (single-spaced) response to this prompt **at the very top of the existing document. Don't create a new document.** a) //What philosophical orientations towards education have you experienced as a student? Provide specific, concrete examples to illustrate your answer. b) As you consider a possible future as a teacher, what philosophical orientation(s) resonates most with you personally? How can you imagine enacting this philosophy in your classroom? Provide specific, concrete examples to illustrate your answer.//
 * __Reflective Journal - Philosophy__**

__**Teaching Demo**__


 * 1) **Choose a Focus -** Select an aspect of the assigned reading that you'd like to elaborate on. The goal is not to re-teach the reading. (We're assuming that everyone is coming to class prepared.) Rather, the purpose is to provide a learning opportunity where class members can apply, extend, or evaluate ideas from the text.
 * 2) **Identify a Learning Objective** - When students leave the class, what new understanding do you want them to have?
 * 3) **Brainstorm Possible Teaching Methods** **& Materials** - Think about engaging, interactive ways you could teach your lesson. Also, research possible content you could teach.
 * 4) **Identify an Assessment Activity** - How will you know if students learned what you set out to teach? This doesn't have to be a quiz - though it could be.
 * 5) **Create an Outline of Your Lesson** - Plan how you will spend your 15 minutes of class time. Create a written lesson plan that includes learning objective, assessment, and a step-by-step plan of what you will do.
 * 6) **Get Feedback from Anny** - Preferably, make an appointment to meet with me to discuss your plans. If meeting isn't possible, you can also email the plan and get feedback that way.
 * 7) **Revise and Teach** - Make any adjustments to your plan. Teach your lesson!
 * 8) **Reflect** - Before the next class session, post a reflection on your GoogleDocs journal. The reflection should be 1/2 - 1 page and discuss your impression of how the lesson went, evidence that students met or didn't meet your objective, what you learned about teaching, and what you learned about yourself as a teacher.

__**Quiz #1**__ 9/25 - Quiz #1
 * Be able to describe each of the following themes in the history of education by a) describing the issue, b) briefly outlining how the issue has evolved since the colonial period, c) offering several //specific//historical examples to illustrate the issue, d) offering your opinion about your preferred trajectory for this issue
 * Evolving curriculum (what to teach?)
 * Who to teach? (inclusion/exclusion)
 * Who should teach? (teacher preparation & professionalization)
 * How to teach? (traditional/progressive pendulum)

__**Who Am I?**__

1. Choose a period of time in American history that is of particular interest to you. 2. Research the educational reforms taking place during this period. This is a good resource: http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/educationhistorytimeline.html 3. Choose a person who made influential contributions to education during this time period. 4. Research this person's life and contributions. Aim to consult a minimum of three different credible resources. 5. Create a student account on http://edu.glogster.com/ - My code is 5HGAB3 6. Create a Glog with the following information:
 * Name of historical figure
 * Photo/picture of the person
 * Major contributions to education
 * Historical context (what was going on in America at the time? what was going on in education at the time?)
 * Current implications (how is this person's influence still being felt today? or how are the relevant issues still being debated?)
 * Your commentary on the person's ideas/influences
 * List of references

Think back to a few years of your childhood/adolescence. Choose these years based on the age of students you would like to teach in the future. For instance, if you hope to teach 6th grade, think back to when you were about age 11; if you hope to teach high school some day, think about your high school years. Answer each question in one or two paragraphs. I anticipate that in total, your responses will consist of about 3 pages. This should be typed on your GoogleDocs journal.
 * __Educational Autobiography__**
 * 1) Describe the building where you went to school. (What did the building look like? How old was it? Describe the neighborhood where it was located. What were the classrooms like? What resources were available in the building to students and teachers?)
 * 2) Describe your favorite teacher during this time period. (Why did this teacher make an impression on you? What do you remember about his/her teaching style? What was your learning experience like?)
 * 3) Describe the nature of your parents’ involvement in your education during this time. (How did they support you? What did they expect of you in terms of school?)
 * 4) At your school, what did a student do or not do in order to be successful? About what percent of students do you think were “successful”?
 * 5) Do you consider yourself a successful student during this time period? Why or why not?
 * 6) At the time, what motivated you to achieve in school?
 * 7) Describe the general characteristics of the student body at your school during this time period. (Among other characteristics, consider racial, cultural, linguistic, and economic diversity.)
 * 8) Recall an experience from this time period when you felt you or another student had been treated unfairly. What were the circumstances surrounding that event? Why did you feel it was unjust? How did you respond? Were any adults involved? How did they respond?