TENNESSEE WESLEYAN COLLEGE

SYLLABUS

Education 433

Spring 2009

I.                   Course:  Education 433 Methods of Teaching in Kindergarten (2 hours)

II.                Term:  Spring 2009

III.             Instructor:  Dr. Patricia L. Jones

IV.             Office:  Sherman Hall (Second floor, Education Dept., Office #208)

V.                Phone:  Office 423-746-5219/Home 865-458-4581

VI.             E-Mail:  pjones@twcnet.edu

VII.          Office Hours:  Monday/Wed./Fri.  1:00-3:00

VIII.              Tuesday and Thursday 12:00-2:00

       (Or by appointment)

College-Wide Learning Outcomes

• use effectively the communication skills of reading, writing, speaking, and listening
• be knowledgeable of religious beliefs and issues, the religious positions of others, and the choices with which religion confronts them
• recognize the issues that affect social and political behavior in their historical and cultural perspective
• demonstrate mathematical and basic computer skills, and discover the impact of science and technology
• appreciate the contributions of the arts and literature to life enrichment
• choose physical activities which will enhance wellness.

Course Description:  Theories, methods, materials, and procedures as these apply to the education of kindergarten children.  This includes a pre-student teaching experience with kindergarten children.  Prerequisite:  ED 322 and ED 340.

Course Goals: The learning in this course will give the student methods to foster developmentally appropriate physical, social, and intellectual development in children.

1. Resources
2. Use access to the internet for capturing and incorporating information.

Course Relationship to Content Area Knowledge and Skills from the Education Matrices/Professional Education Matrix:

2. Discipline Taught: 
   1. Understand the major concepts, assumptions, and processes of inquiry for the discipline being taught.
   2. Create interdisciplinary learning experiences that allow students to integrate knowledge, skills, and methods of inquiry from several related areas.
3. Student Learning and Development:
   1. Understand how learning occurs-how students construct knowledge and acquire skills and know-how to provide opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development.
   2. Understand developmental progressions in students’ physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive domains.
4. Diverse Learners:
   1. Understand and identify differences in student approaches to learning and performance.
   2. Adapt instructional techniques to students of diverse cultural and language backgrounds and to students who have exceptional learning needs.
   3. Create an inclusive learning community in which individual differences are respected.

5. Teaching Strategies:
   1. Understand the principles and techniques associated with various instructional strategies that reflect best practice (such as cooperative learning, direct instruction, whole group instruction, independent study, and interdisciplinary instruction) and to foster high expectations for all students.
   2. Use multiple teaching and learning strategies and engage students in active learning opportunities to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills.
   3. Organize instruction to connect subject matter to real-life experiences.  Create learning experiences that students can apply in the future to careers.
   4. Develop clear, accurate presentations of concepts, using appropriate and varied methods to assist students’ understanding.
   5. Vary the teacher role in the instructional process, such as alternating among instructor, facilitator, coach, and member of the audience.
6. Learning Environment:
   1. Create an inclusive learning environment that supports positive social interaction, active engagement in learning and self-motivation.
   2. Organize the resources of time, space, facilities, activities, and instructional assistants and volunteers to engage students in productive tasks and to maximize the amount of class time spent in learning.
   3. Develop shared expectations of all students that include a classroom climate of mutual respect, support, and inquiry.
7. Communication:
   1. Understand effective verbal and nonverbal communication techniques and use them to support student learning.
   2. Model effective communication strategies in asking questions, listening, giving directions, probing for student understanding, and helping students to express their ideas.
   3. Understand how culture and gender differences can affect communication in the classroom.
   4. Support and expand student expression in speaking, writing, and technical media.
8. Planning:
   1. Use knowledge of learning theory, subject matter, curriculum, and student development, and assess students’ needs while planning instruction.
   2. Evaluate, select, and create learning experiences that are developmentally appropriate, relevant to students, and are based upon principles of effective instruction.
   3. Create learning experiences that connect learning to real-life and future careers.
   4. Identify long-range instructional goals, sequence short-range instructional objectives, and develop units and daily lessons that target these goals and objectives.
   5. Integrate effectively a variety of resources, such as teacher-created materials, textbooks, technology, community, and business resources.

9. Assessment and Evaluation:
   1. Select, construct, and use formal and informal assessment strategies and instruments appropriate to the learning expectations being evaluated and make instructional decisions based upon this information.
   2. Solicit and use information about students’ learning needs and progress collected from parents, other colleagues, and the students themselves.
   3. Maintain useful records of student work, progress, and communicate student progress to students, parents, and other colleagues.

10. Reflective Practitioner:
    1. Reflect on teaching practice by evaluating continually the effects of instruction.
    2. Modify teaching strategies and behavior in relation to student success, modifying plans and instruction accordingly.
    3. Seek out professional literature, colleagues, professional organizations, and other resources to support continuing professional development.
    4. Use knowledge of legal and ethical responsibilities, organizational, historical, and philosophical dimensions of classrooms and schools, and educational policy to guide professional behavior.

11. Colleagues, Parents, and Community:
    1. Consult with parents, teachers, and other professionals within the schools and other community agencies to foster student learning.
    2. Participate in collegial activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment.
    3. Serve as an advisor or advocate for students, recognize student problems, and seek additional help as needed and appropriate.
    4. Communicate school goals and accomplishments to the community and general public.

12. Technology
    1. Apply computers and related technologies to support instruction in appropriate grade-levels and subject areas.

Apply technology tools to enhance professional growth and productivity; use technology in communicating, collaborating, conducting research, and solving problems; promote equitable, ethical, and legal use of technology
 

Elementary Education Matrix:

1. Human Growth, Development and Learning

Understand how cultural and community diversity impacts learning.  Establish developmentally appropriate learning expectations and instructional goals based upon knowledge of students, the community, subject matter, and the curriculum.

2. Planning and Instruction

Develop and implement an integrated curriculum

Collaborate with colleagues in planning, implementing, and evaluating instructional units. Integrate assessment date, national standards, Tennessee curriculum frameworks, texts, instructional technology and other materials and information in planning instruction.

Relate learning to real-life experience.

Create a stimulating, safe environment which provides varied opportunities for learning, including the use of manipulatives, centers, concrete experiences and technology, flexible grouping and scheduling, and exploratory and advisory programs.

Use a variety on instructional strategies to enable students to take risks, solve problems, make decisions, and become reflective thinkers.

Assess learning using a variety of methods aligned with instructional techniques.

Construct varied types of assessments including observation, questioning, interviews, portfolios, performance tasks, small group collaborations, and student self-assessment.

Interpret the results of teacher-designed assessments and standardized assessments and develop improvement plans.

3. Language Literacy (Language Arts and Reading)

Understand the acquisition and development of the elements of language, the importance of oral language development in early reading instruction, and the roles of listening, comprehension, and writing in the development of reading.

Develop effective written communication, emphasizing the writing process, language mechanics, appropriate grammar, and legible handwriting.

Write in a variety of models for different audiences, purposes, and viewpoints and provide instruction in these skills.

Provide varied opportunities for students to use media and technology to communicate effectively.

Assist students in developing group discussion skills including speaking, listening, and presentation strategies.

Support the ongoing English language development of students whose first language is not English.

Understand the role of oral reading in the development of fluency, expression, accuracy, and confidence.

Use a variety of approaches phonics-based and literature-based to teach various word recognition and word and analysis techniques, and continue to develop vocabulary.  Integrate and reinforce reading and study skills in all subject areas.

I.       Text:  Peterson, Evelyn A., Early Childhood Curriculum (Second Edition)

II.                Additional Readings and Handouts:  Provided by professor

III.             Methods of Instruction:  Lectures, group participation, presentations, visitation to a kindergarten class to teach a lesson, materials and units for kindergarten.

IV.             Course Requirements and Means of Evaluation

1.      Attendance is mandatory.  Testing materials and much of the information will be through class handouts and lectures.

2.      Resource Notebook:  A collection of kindergarten materials for science, math, language arts/ reading, and social studies will be collected into a divide notebook. Also, ideas for parent contact and game nights need to be incorporated into the notebook.  All teacher reflective-type forms and community service hour forms are to be turned in with this notebook.

3.      Thematic Unit and Lesson Plans:  A thematic unit for 1-2 weeks will be created incorporating all subjects into a curriculum-based unit with at least 5 lesson plans and assessments at the kindergarten level.

4.      Flannel Board Story:  Each student will make one flannel board story and present it to the class.  The flannel board must be made by you, and you should come prepared to present your story with expression!

5.      Academic Success Center Assignments: 

Each student will be required to write 3 reflective papers concerning teaching strategies they utilized in the Academic Success Center for the current semester.  A 2-3 page paper outlining the specific strategy or strategies used and how effective they were with the students.

6.      Thematic Planning Play Activity:  A classroom activity that incorporates and synthesized knowledge for children will be implemented in class.  (More info. soon)

7.      Mid-Term and Final Examination

Clinical Laboratory/Field-Based Experience

Field placements will be made early in the semester.  The field-based experience will be evaluated by the cooperating teacher and the college supervisor.  The evaluation is based on promptness, preparedness, and willingness to become an active member of the classroom.  Ten (10) field experience hours are required for this course.

V.                Grading:

Grade                                                                         Percent

A                                                                                 93.5-100

A-                                                                                92.5-93.4

B+                                                                               90.5-92.4

B                                                                                 85.5-90.4

B-                                                                                84.5-85.4

C+                                                                               82.5-84.4

C                                                                                 75.7-82.4

C-                                                                                74.5-75.4

D                                                                                 67.5-74.4

F                                                                                  Below 67.4

All courses on campus abide fully by the TWC Honor Code, which reads:

                        I pledge, on my honor, to conduct myself with the foremost level of academic integrity.  From the Honor Code Document:  Each examination, pledge and signature:  “I hereby certify that I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this paper.”  The abbreviation “Pledged” followed by the student’s signature holds the same meaning and may be acceptable on papers other than final exams.

Grades are determined on a point basis and the maximum points for the assignments are listed below.

Thematic Unit & Lesson Plans                    300 points

Kindergarten Resource Notebook               200 points

Flannel Board & Presentation                     200 points

ASC Reflective Papers                                 300 points

Mid-Term                                                      100 points

Thematic Planning Activity                          100 points

Final                                                               100 points

                                                            _____________________

                                                            TOTAL  1300 points

ED 433 Grade Sheet

Assignment                                        Points Possible                       Your Score

Thematic Unit                                    300                                          __________

Kindergarten Notebook                    200                                          __________

Flannel Board & Presentation         200                                          __________

ASC Reflective Papers                     100                                          __________

                                                            100                                          __________

                                                            100                                          __________

Mid-Term                                          100                                          __________

Thematic Planning Act.                    100                                          __________

Final                                                   100                                          __________

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MATRIX

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY

TENNESSEE WESLEYAN COLLEGE

CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT MATRIX

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY

TENNESSEE WESLEYAN COLLEGE