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“For excellence in thinking, the presence of others is always required…” Hannah Arendt

Syllabus

Course Title: EDS 346 Literacy: Intermediate and Middle Grades

Instructor: Kathryn Akural Ext. 3177 CPO 1692 Knapp 206

Office Hours: Mainly by appointment since I’ll often be out with student teachers.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Students will examine the reading/language arts curriculum focusing

on reading, writing, and content area literacy in grades 4-8. Students will extend their own

knowledge and appreciation of children’s and adolescent literature in varied genres and learn to

integrate appropriate literature in inquiry-based, interdisciplinary units of study. Students will

deepen their own understanding of English spelling, phonics, grammar, vocabulary, and the

reading and writing processes as delineated in professional and state standards. They will learn

ways to help children acquire understandings and skills in these areas in meaningful contexts.

Students will integrate these understandings with their own vision for the children they teach and

with constructivist principles of human development to design rich language experiences for all

children. In a weekly field experience, students will design and apply developmentally

appropriate literacy experiences for individuals and small groups, taking cues from the children

and building on their interests and experiences; creating assessments; and using the findings to

plan subsequent learning experiences. Two-hour weekly field experience. 1 course credit

Prerequisites: EDS 227 or 228 AND Admission to Major; OR permission of instructor

ESSENTIAL QUESTION: What do I as a prospective teacher and fellow learner need to feel,

understand, and be able to do in order to help all of my students (a) LIKE to read, write, speak,

and listen; and (b) DEMONSTRATE competence and confidence in using reading, writing,

speaking, and listening as tools for learning in the content areas, for creating meaning in a

variety of genres, and for their personal development as compassionate, respectful, and

responsible human beings?

BROAD GOALS:

To understand reading and writing as tools for learning about self, others, and the world;

To experience the freedom and the discipline of being self-directed readers and

writers who work in community toward personally meaningful and appropriate goals,

and who seek the same for their students;

To become knowledgeable and capable readers and writers who take pleasure in their

own ongoing literacy development, and who can and will bring those understandings

and strategies to children and adolescents in developmentally appropriate and

meaningful ways;

To understand what it means to teach for human development through curriculum,

and to be able and willing to do so.

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SUPPORTING OBJECTIVES:

o To understand the foundational relationship between oral and written language at

every age (“Reading and writing float on a sea of talk…”)

o To recognize and value the power of inquiry, to value our own and others’ questions,

and to be able to teach children in ways that enable them to do the same

o To experience the power of reading and writing; to see ourselves as readers and

writers; to deepen our appreciation of the reading and writing relationship; to

recognize our current strengths and areas for growth, and to take responsibility for our

own literacy development; to experience that ongoing growth as an exhilarating,

lifelong process; and to help children do the same

o To recognize and value the power of words, and to help children to love words and

develop an ever-expanding vocabulary

o To read and write in various genres in order to become more sensitive,

compassionate, self-aware, knowledgeable, and influential human beings, and to help

children do the same

o To understand and be able to teach toward Kentucky’s Learner Goals and the

Common Core State Standards in the English language art of reading by applying for

ourselves the strategies and knowledge of proficient readers; and being able to help

students do the same in developmentally appropriate ways, including having a

repertoire of word-solving strategies (phonics/decoding/syllabication, context, sight

words, structural analysis, dictionaries); fluency in silent and oral reading; a wide,

deep, and ever-growing vocabulary; increasingly competent use of comprehension

strategies (making connections, questioning, visualizing, inferring, determining

importance, synthesizing and summarizing), metacomprehension strategies

(monitoring ongoing comprehension, having ways to repair when comprehension

breaks down), and study strategies; and being familiar with the characteristics of

various genres to better construct meaning as we read.

o To understand and be able to teach toward Kentucky’s Learner Goals and the

Common Core State Standards in the English language art of writing by applying for

ourselves the strategies and knowledge of proficient writers; and being able to help

students do the same in developmentally appropriate ways, including: being aware of

writing as a process and of the idiosyncrasies of an individual’s writing process;

being aware of audience and purpose in public writing; being able to select an

appropriate topic, genre, and organization to express one’s thinking and achieve

one’s purpose; seeking to express the ring of truth in personal narratives, essays, and

literary pieces; understanding and using appropriate sentence structure, grammar,

usage, conventions, and spelling (or knowledgeably invoking poetic license); seeking

precision and variety in word choice; drawing appropriately on the various literary

elements, devices, and/or features of a particular genre to convey our intentions in a

given piece; and refining our own standards for good writing, informed by the

thinking of knowledgeable others.

o To understand the reading/writing relationship, and to teach in ways that help

children understand and appreciate it.

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o To continuously assess our own and our students’ strengths and needs in reading and

writing against these standards, and to help children learn to self-assess and improve

their own reading and writing.

o To teach in response to students’ assessed strengths and needs, taking into account

and valuing individual differences.

o To understand how English spelling works (sounds, patterns, meaning), and to learn

ways to help children care about the spelling and meaning of words.

o To understand, value, and take into account language difference (dialect, ESL) in the

literacy classroom

o To recognize reading and writing as tools integral to learning in all content areas

(social studies, science, mathematics, the arts, etc.), and to be able to integrate reading

and writing meaningfully in content area study and inquiry.

o To be sufficiently acquainted with the history of reading and writing instruction in the

United States to be thoughtfully critical of trends, opinions, and teaching programs

and materials.

o To be able to bring your individual vision for the children you teach and for the world

together with national and state standards in ways that acknowledge, sustain, and

strengthen the unique gifts of each child.

SOME IMPORTANT COURSE QUESTIONS:

1. What are the English language arts?

2. How are reading and writing “arts”?

3. How are reading and writing “tools”?

4. How does a teacher’s overarching vision for the children s/he teaches influence how s/he

teaches the English language arts?

5. What does James Britton mean by saying that reading and writing “float on a sea of talk”?

6. Why do we listen?

7. Why do we speak?

8. Why do we read?

9. Why do we write?

10. Why do we have conventions?

11. Why do we have standards?

12. What are the professional standards relating to the English language arts for teachers of

elementary and middle grades students?

13. What are the Common Core standards for students in the English language arts? How should

they influence our teaching?

14. What is literature? Why does it matter?

15. Why do we have genres? How did they come to be? How do genres matter to writers? To

readers?

16. What is an interdisciplinary literature-based unit?

17. How do I choose fiction, poetry, and informational texts for diverse students in grades 4-8?

18. What mini-lessons should I develop in reading? In writing? In word study? How do I judge

their quality? Their efficacy?

19. What does etymology mean?

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20. How and why should I address spelling, phonics, grammar, and vocabulary in grades 4-8?

21. Whole language: what does it look like in grades 4-8?

22. How do I authentically assess students’ reading and writing development through anecdotal

records, interest inventories, miscue inventories, informal reading inventories, writing, and

writing portfolios?

23. What KCCTS assessments, including on-demand writing, does Kentucky require in reading and

writing for students in grades 4-8?

24. What are different approaches to reading instruction in grades 4-8? What are the

distinguishing features of various programs, such as Accelerated Reader, basal, Four-Block,

individualized, literature-based, and reading/writing workshops? What are their strengths?

Their limitations? Their assumptions about reading? About readers? About the

reading/writing relationship?

25. How can I teach through an inquiry-based literacy program which integrates the language

arts and the content areas through interdisciplinary units?

26. How does dialect influence literacy development?

27. How can I help children for whom English is a second language?

28. How can using technology enhance students’ learning in an integrated language arts

classroom?

29. How do I organize the classroom for an inquiry-based literacy program?

30. How can I work with parents and colleagues in my literacy classroom?

31. If teachers are models, what is the importance of teachers’ personal dispositions toward

language, literature, learning, and children?

COURSE MATERIALS:

Three-ring binder (large), which will become your Literacy Binder, and about ten (10) dividers

(Possible headings: Reading, Writing, Children’s and Adolescent Literature, Inquiry/Research,

Vocabulary, Grammar, Spelling, Field Experience, Assignments/Projects, Standards)

Required texts:

(1) Fletcher, Ralph and JoAnn Portalupi. (2001). Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide.

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

(2) Harvey, Stephanie and Anne Goudvis. (2007). Strategies That Work: Teaching

Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement (2nd

ed.) Portland, ME:

Stenhouse Publishers. (3) Rylant, Cynthia. (1988). Every Living Thing. North Richland Hills TX: Aladdin.

(4) Write Source 2000 (4th

ed.). (1999). Houghton Mifflin/Great Source.

(5) Common Core State Standards for the Elementary and Middle Grades English Language

Arts. http://corestandards.org/the-standards/english-language-arts-standards Also, see

http://corestandards.org/about-the-standards/key-points-in-english-language-arts

(6) Kentucky Learner Goals and Academic Expectations.

www.education.ky.gov/.../kentuckyslearninggoalsandacademicexpectations.doc

SUPPORT MATERIALS:

(1) Selected CHILDREN’S AND ADOLESCENT LITERATURE

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Armstrong, William. Sounder.

Atwater, Richard and Florence. Mr. Popper’s Penquins.

Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Also: Nothing But the Truth; others.

Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting.

Bedard, Michael. Emily.

Christopher, Paul. Bud, Not Buddy.

Coatsworth, Elizabeth. The Cat Who Went to Heaven.

Coles, Robert. The Story of Ruby Bridges,

Cooney, Barbara. Eleanor.

Dahl, Roald. James and the Giant Peach. Also Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; others.

Dalgleish, Alice. The Courage of Sarah Noble. Also: others.

Dicamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie. Also: Tiger Rising; Tales of Despereaux.

Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain.

Fritz, Jean. Shhh! We’re Writing the Constitution. Also others.

Henry, Marguerite. King of the Wind. Also: Misty of Chincoteague and others.

Lasky, Kathryn. The Librarian Who Measured the World. Also others.

L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time. Also A Swiftly Tilting Planet; A Wind in the Door

Lewis, C.S. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Also others in the Chronicles of Narnia series.

Lowry, Lois. The Giver. Also Gossamer and others.

Naylor, Phyllis. Shiloh.

Otsuka, Yuzo. Suho and the White Horse: A Legend of Mongolia.

Park, Linda Sue. A Single Shard.

Patterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia. Also The Great Gilly Hopkins; others.

Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. Also: others.

Peck, Richard. Long Way from Home. Also Soup; others.

Polacco, Patricia. Pink and Say. Also: Thank You, Mr. Falker; The Keeping Quilt; others.

Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.

Rylant, Cynthia. An Angel for Solomon Singer. Also: The Old Woman Who Named Things;

Missing May.

Sachar, Louis. Holes.

Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty.

Silverstein, Shel. Where the Sidewalk Ends. Also: The Giving Tree; others.

Speare, Elizabeth. The Witch of Blackbird Pond. Also Sign of the Beaver; others

Taylor, Mildred. The Friendship. Also: Circle of Gold; Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry; others.

White, E.B. Charlotte’s Web. Also Stuart Little; Trumpet of the Swans.

And MANY other books as well as periodicals like Cobblestones, Faces. Odyssey, Discover, etc.

(2) Selected PROFESSIONAL READING and WEBSITES

Atwell, Nancie. In the Middle: New Understandings About Writing, Reading, and Learning, 2nd

.

Ed. Boynton/Cook, 1998.

_____. Lessons That Change Writers. Firsthand, 2003.

_____. Naming the World: A Year of Poems and Lessons. Firsthand, 2005.

_____. The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical

Readers. Scholastic, 2007.

Beers, Kylene. When Kids Can't Read: What Teachers Can Do: A Guide for Teachers 6-12.

Heinemann, 2002.

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Calkins, Lucy. The Art of Teaching Reading. Longman, 2001.

______. The Art of Teaching Writing. Heinemann, 1994.

Cunningham, Patricia M. Phonics They Use: Words for Reading and Writing, 3rd. ed. Harper/

Collins, 1995.

Daniels, Harvey. Literature Circles. Stenhouse, 2002.

Delpit, Lisa. Other People’s Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. 1995.

Fountas, Irene and Gaye Su Pinnell. Guiding Readers and Writers, Grades 4-8: Teaching

Comprehension, Genre, and Content Literacy. Heinemann, 2001.

Heard, Georgia. Awakening the Heart: Exploring Poetry in Elementary and Middle School.

Heinemann, 1999.

Heard, Georgia and Jennifer McDonough. A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing

Nonfiction in the Primary Grades. Stenhouse, 2009.

Johnson, Peter H. Knowing Literacy: Constructive Literacy Assessment. Stenhouse, 1998.

Opitz, Michael F. and Timothy V. Rasinski, Good-Bye, Round Robin: 25 Effective Oral Reading

Strategies. Heinemann, 1998.

Paley, Vivian. White Teacher. Also You Can’t Say You Can’t Play; others.

Peterson, R. and M. Eeds. Grand Conversations: Literature Groups in Action. Scholastic, 1990.

Pinnell, Gaye Su and Irene Fountas. Word Matters: Teaching Phonics and Spelling in the

Reading/Writing Classroom. Heinemann, 1998.

Purcell-Gates, Victoria. Other People’s Words: the Cycle of Low Literacy. Harvard University

Press, 1995.

Ray, Katie Wood. The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts (and They’re All

Hard Parts). NCTE, 2001. Also see her Wondrous Words. NCTE, 1999.

_______. What You Know by Heart: How to Develop Curriculum for Your Writing Workshop.

Heinemann, 2002.

_______. Wondrous Words: Writers and Writing in the Elementary Classroom. NCTE, 1999.

Robb, Laura. Differentiating Reading Instruction: How to Teach Reading To Meet the Needs of

Each Student. Scholastic, 2008.

_______. Teaching Middle School Writers: What Every English Teacher Needs to Know.

Boynton, 2010.

Rogovin, Paula. The Research Workshop: Bringing the World into Your Classroom.

Heinemann, 2001.

Routman, Regie. Conversations: Strategies for Teaching, Learning, and Evaluating. Heinemann,

2000.

Short, Kathy et al. Creating Classrooms for Authors and Inquirers, 2nd

ed. Heinemann, 1996.

Tovani, Chris. Do I Really Have to Teach Reading? Stenhouse, 2004.

Wilhelm, Jeff and Michael Smith. Fresh Takes on Teaching Literary Elements: How to Teach What Really

Matters About Character, Setting, Point of View, and Theme. Scholastic, 2010.

Websites:

National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) at www.ncte.org

International Reading Association (IRA) at www.ira.org and www.readwritethink.org which

is sponsored by IRA and has many, many lesson plans for K-12 teachers.

Professional Periodicals: (I’ll show you samples in class.)

From NCTE: Language Arts, In the Middle

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From IRA: The Reading Teacher, Journal of Reading

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

1. Engaged Class Participation (15%)

a. Regular and prompt attendance in class and field experiences. Contributing to our

ongoing inquiry into literacy, learning, and being by speaking and listening

responsibly in community.

b. Reading Workshop. Participating fully and responsibly in all components of the Reading

Workshop, including: leaving tracks when reading; setting individual reading goals,

working toward those goals in good faith, and making periodic self-assessments; being

prepared for, and engaged in, literature circles; maintaining the Reading section of your

Literacy Binder (e.g., notes taken during mini-lessons, notes on when you noticed

yourself using particular reading strategies and how that helped you; notes on your

thinking and/or questions after reading our texts, whether individually or with others in

groups, etc.) .

c. Writing Workshop. Engaging wholeheartedly in all components of the Writing

Workshop: setting individual writing goals, working toward those goals in good faith,

and self-assessing; keeping your personal Writing Journal with 3-5 dated entries per

week; maintaining the Writing section of your Literacy Binder with notes on mini-

lessons, keeping track of writing conventions you’re grappling with, etc.

d. Poetry Workshop. Participating with good heart and engaged mind in all aspects of

our Poetry Workshop.

e. Word Study. Participating fully in Word Study mini-lessons and activities,

maintaining the Word Study section of your Literacy Binder, including keeping a list

of words you personally want to learn the meaning and/or spelling of; interesting

etymologies, Word Wall Words, etc.

f. Reading Conference. Attendance for at least one day of the Kentucky Reading

Association Conference in Lexington on October 29-30, 2010. Details to come.

2. Field Experience (15 hours) (15%). The field experience in EDS 346 is central to the course

and will be of two kinds: (1) a biweekly tutoring session with an assigned individual student; (2)

one or more small group teaching experiences. Both experiences will allow you to deepen your

understanding of teaching and learning, of human relationships, and of how to apply reading,

writing, and discussion strategies from our class studies in your work with students.

To keep track of your work and growth, you will type one weekly, dated, 2-3 page SINGLE-

SPACED (for the trees) report and reflection (R&R) on each week’s sessions. The report section

of your R&R will (a) list your plan for each session, including the titles of books and articles you

use; (b) report what you actually did each time; and (c) describe how your student responded to

each of those things. This “report” part of your weekly writing will enable help me, as your

reader and teacher, to think about ways to support you in your work with your student. It should

also be relatively straightforward and quick to write.

For the reflection part of your weekly writing, you’ll need to slow down and think more

deeply. First, you’ll need to choose some aspect of your experience that week to reflect on—in

other words, to think about and see what you might discover in that process. For example,

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suppose your student mutters under his breath at some point, “I’m really stupid”; or suppose she

says, “I hate to write”; or suppose you find your tutee has no idea what a dictionary is and/or how

to use it. In each of these examples, for a person who wants to be a teacher, or parent, or friend of

children, there is much to think about…and the reflection process, which I define as “thinking

through writing,” will enable you to do that. We’ll consider the nature of reflection, and its

purpose, in class, and I’ll model an example or two in a think-aloud.

Remember: the idea in reflecting is to explore something that was said, something that

happened, or something you noticed or wondered about…and through that exploration, to

discover something you’d never thought about before, and/or to see a new connection, and/or to

come to a new insight and deeper understanding. All of the relevant research concurs that

reflection is an integral part of good teaching—you just can’t teach without it. It can also be a bit

scary since you never know when you start out writing where you might end up…but that’s also

exciting, isn’t it? You’re creating something new for yourself…a new idea, a new connection, a

new awareness. So hold on, be strong, and we’ll all get better and better at reflecting as the

semester progresses.

Your R&R must be e-mailed to me within three days of your second field experience each

week. (So for example, if you tutor on T/Th, it will be due to me by e-mail by Saturday evening;

if you tutor on M/W, it will be due to me by Friday evening. I will read and respond to your

writing each week; we will also share parts of them in class. Experience has shown that R&R’s

written after three days of the event are neither helpful to write nor interesting to read. It will be

your individual responsibility to keep track of due dates based upon your tutoring/teaching

schedule. Late journals after 5 p.m. on the third day will not be accepted. Period.

When returned to you, please keep your dated R&R’s in the Field Experience section of your

Literacy Binder so you’ll have them with you in every class and can refer to them during

discussion.

In past semesters, students have suggested that I include my criteria for writing in this part of

the syllabus so here they are:

thoughtfulness (Does this writing reflect serious thought on the part of the writer? Does it

evoke serious thought on the part of the reader?)

depth (Do I see signs here of trying to go beyond the superficial, the obvious, to probe meaning?)

sincerity (Do I feel here the“ring of truth”?)

clarity (Can I understand what’s written here, or do I have to struggle in order to make

meaning? Are words chosen with care? Is the writing considerate to the reader?)

appropriate use of writing conventions. Although this kind of writing is informal, that does

not mean careless; in other words, all writing for the eyes of others should be proofread

for appropriate spelling and use of conventions. If I correct something once in your

writing—such as capitalizing “Berea Community School”—I will not expect to have to

correct that same thing again in your next writing. Of course, if you’re unsure about why

I corrected whatever I corrected, I trust that you, as a self-directed student, will find

out…by checking Write Source, asking a knowledgeable friend, or asking me, and I’ll be

glad to explain until it’s clear so you’ll feel confident in future.

3. Children’s and Adolescent Literature (15%). Teachers cannot not be familiar with many,

many, many good books for the students we teach. We must be able to choose good books in

various genres for daily read-alouds and to incorporate with content area studies to nourish

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students’ spirits, enrich their worlds, and create a shared sense of community. Reading

widely also enables us to guide reluctant readers to “just the right book.” And because

learners are diverse, teachers must know diverse literature, including literature with heroes

and heroines of different ethnicities and cultures.

To begin or continue your lifelong journey into child and adolescent literature, please read a

minimum of 20 books and five (5) articles appropriate for intermediate and middle grades students

this semester—or more if you can joyfully manage to do so—as indicated below for each of the

genres listed. (We’ll sort out the characteristics of these genres in class--as well as the meaning of

genre itself.) Please also be sure to include books which are multicultural in nature.

biography and/or autobiography (2)

realistic fiction (2)

traditional literature (fairy tales,

folk tales, legends, myths…) (2)

modern fantasy (or sci. fiction) (2)

poetry (2)

historical fiction (2)

informational (books): science (2)

informational (bks): social studies (2)

choice (books of any genre) (4)

informational articles from periodicals

for elementary and middle school

students such as Odyssey, Discover,

Cobblestones, etc.,

on topics in science, social studies, arts,

math, religion, etc. (5)

Please also read texts in different formats—including picture books, children’s

magazines, graphic novels—as well as longer trade books. Picture books are excellent

support in science and social studies in grades K-16, and they can be read in much less

time than a book-length novel, leaving valuable time for responding to them in various

ways, including discussion.

When you’re choosing materials to read, keep in mind that the students in your

classes will be at various reading levels. We’ll discuss reading levels in class, and

learn how to figure those out. For now, know that in a typical 5th

grade class, for

example, several children may be reading at a 10th

grade level while a few others may

be struggling with 1st, 2

nd or 3

rd grade level materials. You need to be prepared to help

every child choose appropriate material for research and for pleasure reading.

For now and for your future use, please keep track of your reading in an electronic

Reading Log (or on paper, index cards, or whatever will serve your purposes). Be sure

to include the following for each text: author, title, theme (fiction) or topic

(nonfiction), genre, number of pages, grade or age range for which you think the

book is appropriate, and your personal evaluation of each book/magazine you

read. Of course you may include anything else you wish to help you remember what

the text is about—for example, you may wish to include a brief synopsis--but that’s

optional. To keep the criteria for your reading log in mind, we’ll develop a rubric in

class. At least 15 selections with all required information are due by October 14; the

total 25 (20 books and 5 articles) are due by December 2 (right after Thanksgiving).

4. Poetry Anthology (10%). One section of your Literacy Binder will be devoted to

poetry. You will select, type, and compile 12-15 poems that you as an adult truly like;

among these should be some which are appropriate to share with students in the

intermediate or middle grades. Please include poems by different poets as well as one

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or two poems you yourself have written in EDS 346. Your mini-anthology should

have a cover and be bound using the bookbinder in the Curriculum Library to share

with others. Status report due October 28; anthology due November 9.

5. Self-Improvement Project (10%). This open-ended project will enable you as an

individual student to focus on one area related to the language arts in which you want

to improve or to extend your knowledge. Guidelines will be developed in class. Parts

will be due at different points during the semester. Status report due October 7;

project due October 26.

6. Professional Reading Project (5%). This project is designed to introduce you to

some of the professional resources available for K-9 teachers. Using the list of

Support Materials: Professional Reading provided on this syllabus, select one

website, one periodical, and two professional texts to skim in 10-15” each. Turn in a

brief comment on whichever website you visited, whichever periodical you skimmed,

and the bibliographic information for the two texts you selected along with the

following notes: (1) why you selected the text to skim; (2) your general impression

of its quality, usefulness, and value for you at some point in the future. Due

November 2.

7. Integrated Content/Literacy Inquiry Project (15%) Reading and writing are

cognitive tools for coming to understand the amazing world in which we live—dust,

light, moons, fire, spiders, horses, volcanoes, lightning, war, ice, glaciers, calendars,

et cetera. You will be given a topic to explore throughout the semester using texts,

Internet, and interviews. By the end of the semester, you will be our resident

specialist on your topic and will share your learning and joy with others in a form

we’ll decide upon together. Different parts will be due at various times TBA, but the

final project will be due no later than November 23.

7. Final Exam (10%). The final will be cumulative and will address the essential

question and integrated content of this course.

OPTIONAL: Based on our writing and our study of Kentucky’s K-12 writing goals and

requirements, you may choose to submit an entry to the KCTE/LA Writing Contest.

The maximum length is 1500 words, and the ten categories are the same as those for

the secondary entrants. The deadline for submitting your entry to me is November

30. Details are available at http://www.kcte.org/contest/student.html

Evaluation and Grading:

If students are to be self-directed learners, they must have a real part in their own

evaluation. At midterm and at the end of the course, you will submit your own self-

assessment and grades for both effort and achievement. (Effort and achievement are

related but not synonymous; for clarification, just ask for my chemistry story.) You will

place your grades on a folded paper in the back of your Literacy Binder, together with

your thinking about how you decided upon those grades. I will do my own assessment,

and then I will compare yours with mine. If our grades are the same, I’ll say so and turn

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in that grade. If our grades differ by part of a letter grade (say B and B+) or a whole

letter grade (say A and B), I’ll be guided by the strength of your rationale as to whether to

use your grade or mine, or an average of the two. If our grades differ by more than one

letter grade (say A and C), we’ll meet together to discuss our differing perceptions and

rationales. We’ll discuss this process further in class and modify it if need be. We’ll be

using the College’s grading definitions, and I will use the plus and minus distinction.

And finally, I ask that you please evaluate me at semester’s end, using the electronic

campus-wide Instructor Evaluation Questionnaire. I need and value your thinking and

suggestions about all aspects of this class, and I expect and trust that you will participate

thoughtfully in this evaluation process.

Berea College Grading System

Achievement in courses at Berea College is recorded by grades of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-,

D+, D, D- F, U, SC, P, CP and I. The definitions of letter grades adopted by the College Faculty

in 2003 follow:

A/A-: These grades signify consistently outstanding achievement in all aspects of the

course.

B+/B/B-: These grades reflect work of good to very good quality. Work at this level

often has outstanding characteristics but is not as consistent throughout the term or in all

aspects of the course as required of "A" or "A-" work.

C+/C: These grades denote that the student has attained an acceptable level of

competence. The student has demonstrated a basic understanding of the course material

and abilities sufficient to proceed to more advanced courses in the area.

C-/D+/D/D-: These grades indicate work that is minimally adequate. These grades raise

serious concerns about the readiness of a student to continue in related coursework.

F: This grade represents work that is unsatisfactory and unworthy of credit.

Attendance Policy

1. In a community of inquiry, everyone's contribution is important and unique.

Students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and to participate actively in

course conversations. Please note: more than two absences will negatively

influence a student's final grade.

2. Students are expected to be prepared for and to participate in all related course

experiences. Field experiences are essential to the class.

3. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class, and classes will begin

promptly at the time scheduled. Three latenesses---even of just a few minutes--

will equal one absence.

4. In accordance with College policy, the Associate Provost for Academic Services

will be notified if a student has an excessive number of absences. The student

will be informed whenever possible.

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Disability Statement: Students who have a disability that may prevent them from fully

demonstrating their abilities should contact the Disability Services Coordinator, Cindy Reed at

(859) 985-3212, or e-mail cynthia_reed@berea.edu, to discuss accommodations necessary to

ensure full participation in this course. Upon request, this syllabus can be made available in

alternative forms.

Common Core State Standards: Key Points In English Language Arts (Note: These are not the standards themselves, but a brief summary. See the website above.)

Reading

The standards establish a “staircase” of increasing complexity in what students must be able to read so that all students are ready for the demands of college- and career-level reading no later than the end of high school. The standards also require the progressive development of reading comprehension so that students advancing through the grades are able to gain more from whatever they read.

Through reading a diverse array of classic and contemporary literature as well as challenging informational texts in a range of subjects, students are expected to build knowledge, gain insights, explore possibilities, and broaden their perspective. Because the standards are building blocks for successful classrooms [and it is recognized] that teachers, school districts and states need to decide on appropriate curriculum, they intentionally do not offer a reading list. Instead, they offer numerous sample texts to help teachers prepare for the school year and allow parents and students to know what to expect at the beginning of the year.

The standards mandate certain critical types of content for all students, including classic myths and stories from around the world, foundational U.S. documents, seminal works of American literature, and the writings of Shakespeare. The standards appropriately defer the many remaining decisions about what and how to teach to states, districts, and schools.

Writing

• The ability to write logical arguments based on substantive claims, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence is a cornerstone of the writing standards, with opinion writing—a basic form of argument—extending down into the earliest grades.

• Research—both short, focused projects (such as those commonly required in the workplace) and longer term in-depth research —is emphasized throughout the standards but most prominently in the writing strand since a written analysis and presentation of findings is so often critical.

• Annotated samples of student writing accompany the standards and help establish adequate performance levels in writing arguments, informational/explanatory texts,

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and narratives in the various grades.

Speaking and Listening

The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media.

An important focus of the speaking and listening standards is academic discussion in one-on-one, small-group, and whole-class settings. Formal presentations are one important way such talk occurs, but so is the more informal discussion that takes place as students collaborate to answer questions, build understanding, and solve problems.

Language

The standards expect that students will grow (sic) their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading. The standards will help students determine word meanings, appreciate the nuances of words, and steadily expand their repertoire of words and phrases.

The standards help prepare students for real life experience at college and in 21st century careers. The standards recognize that students must be able to use formal English in their writing and speaking but that they must also be able to make informed, skillful choices among the many ways to express themselves through language.

Vocabulary and conventions are treated in their own strand not because skills in these areas should be handled in isolation but because their use extends across reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Media and Technology

Just as media and technology are integrated in school and life in the twenty-first century, skills related to media use (both critical analysis and production of media) are integrated throughout the standards.

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Kentucky's Learning Goals And Academic Expectations

The centerpiece of Kentucky's education reform effort is its vision of what students should know

and be able to do as a result of their school experience. Every aspect of the reform movement is

designed to promote student attainment of these goals and to measure our progress in helping

them to do so.

Assumption underlying KERA: All students are capable of learning.

The expectations for students are set forth as the six learning goals of KERA. These goals led to

the development of the academic expectations that characterize student achievement of the goals.

All Kentucky students are expected to achieve the goals and academic expectations.

1. Students are able to use basic communication and mathematics skills for purposes and

situations they will encounter throughout their lives.

1.1 Students use reference tools such as dictionaries, almanacs, encyclopedias, and

computer reference programs and research tools such as interviews and surveys to

find the information they need to meet specific demands, explore interests, or solve

specific problems.

1.2 Students make sense of the variety of materials they read.

1.3 Students make sense of the various things they observe.

1.4 Students make sense of the various messages to which they listen.

1.5-1.9 Students use mathematical ideas and procedures to communicate, reason, and

solve problems.

1.10 Students organize information through development and use of classification rules and

systems.

1.11 Students write using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas

and information to different audiences for different purposes.

1.12 Students speak using appropriate forms, conventions, and styles to communicate ideas

and information to different audiences for different purposes.

1.13 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with the visual arts.

1.14 Students make sense of ideas and communicate ideas with music.

1.15 Students make sense of and communicate ideas with movement.

1.16 Students use computers and other kinds of technology to collect, organize, and

communicate information and ideas.

2. Students shall develop their abilities to apply core concepts and principles from

mathematics, the sciences, the arts, the humanities, social studies, practical living studies,

and vocational studies to what they will encounter throughout their lives.

Science

2.1 Students understand scientific ways of thinking and working and use those methods to

solve real-life problems.

2.2 Students identify, analyze, and use patterns such as cycles and trends to understand

past and present events and predict possible future events.

2.3 Students identify and analyze systems and the ways their components work together

or affect each other.

2.4 Students use the concept of scale and scientific models to explain the organization and

functioning of living and nonliving things and predict other characteristics that might

be observed.

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2.5 Students understand that under certain conditions nature tends to remain the same or

move toward a balance.

2.6 Students understand how living and nonliving things change over time and the factors

that influence the changes.

Mathematics

2.7 Students understand number concepts and use numbers appropriately and accurately.

2.8 Students understand various mathematical procedures and use them appropriately and

accurately.

2.9 Students understand space and dimensionality concepts and use them appropriately

and accurately.

2.10 Students understand measurement concepts and use measurements appropriately and

accurately.

2.11 Students understand mathematical change concepts and use them appropriately and

accurately.

2.12 Students understand mathematical structure concepts including the properties and

logic of various mathematical systems.

2.13 Students understand and appropriately use statistics and probability.

Social Studies

2.14 Students understand the democratic principles of justice, equality, responsibility, and

freedom and apply them to real-life situations.

2.15 Students can accurately describe various forms of government and analyze issues that

relate to the rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.

2.16 Students observe, analyze, and interpret human behaviors, social groupings, and

institutions to better understand people and the relationships among individuals and

among groups.

2.17 Students interact effectively and work cooperatively with the many ethnic and cultural

groups of our nation and world.

2.18 Students understand economic principles and are able to make economic decisions

that have consequences in daily living.

2.19 Students recognize and understand the relationship between people and geography

and apply their knowledge in real-life situations.

2.20 Students understand, analyze, and interpret historical events, conditions, trends, and

issues to develop historical perspective.

2.21 (Incorporated into 2.16)

Arts and Humanities

2.22 Students create works of art and make presentations to convey a point of view.

2.23 Students analyze their own and others' artistic products and performances using

accepted standards.

2.24 Students have knowledge of major works of art, music, and literature and appreciate

creativity and the contributions of the arts and humanities.

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2.25 In the products they make and the performances they present, students show that they

understand how time, place, and society influence the arts and humanities such as

languages, literature, and history.

2.26 Through the arts and humanities, student recognize that although people are different,

they share some common experiences and attitudes.

2.27 Students recognize and understand the similarities and differences among languages.

2.28 Students understand and communicate in a second language.

Practical Living

2.29 Students demonstrate skills that promote individual well-being and healthy family

relationships.

2.30 Students evaluate consumer products and services and make effective consumer

decisions.

2.31 Students demonstrate the knowledge and skills they need to remain physically healthy

and to accept responsibility for their own physical well-being.

2.32 Students demonstrate strategies for becoming and remaining mentally and emotionally

healthy.

2.33 Students demonstrate the skills to evaluate and use services and resources available in

their community.

2.34 Students perform physical movement skills effectively in a variety of settings.

2.35 Students demonstrate knowledge and skills that promote physical activity and

involvement in physical activity throughout lives.

Vocational Studies

2.36 Students use strategies for choosing and preparing for a career.

2.37 Students demonstrate skills and work habits that lead to success in future schooling

and work.

2.38 Students demonstrate skills such as interviewing, writing resumes, and completing

applications that are needed to be accepted into college or other postsecondary

training or to get a job.

3. Students shall develop their abilities to become self-sufficient individuals.*

3.1 Students demonstrate positive growth in self-concept through appropriate tasks or

projects.

3.2 Students demonstrate the ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

3.3 Students demonstrate the ability to be adaptable and flexible through appropriate tasks

or projects.

3.4 Students demonstrate the ability to be resourceful and creative.

3.5 Students demonstrate self-control and self discipline.

3.6 Students demonstrate the ability to make decisions based on ethical values.

3.7 Students demonstrate the ability to learn on one's own.

4. Students shall develop their abilities to become responsible members of a family,

work group, or community, including demonstrating effectiveness in community

service.*

4.1 Students effectively use interpersonal skills.

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4.2 Students use productive team membership skills.

4.3 Students individually demonstrate consistent, responsive, and caring behavior.

4.4 Students demonstrate the ability to accept the rights and responsibilities for self and

others.

4.5 Students demonstrate an understanding of, appreciation for, and sensitivity to a multi-

cultural and world view.

4.6 Students demonstrate an open mind to alternative perspectives.

*Goals 3 and 4 are included in Kentucky statute as learning goals, but they are not

included in the state's academic assessment program.

5. Students shall develop their abilities to think and solve problems in school

situations and in a variety of situations they will encounter in life.

5.1 Students use critical thinking skills such as analyzing, prioritizing, categorizing,

evaluating, and comparing to solve a variety of problems in real-life situations.

5.2 Students use creative thinking skills to develop or invent novel, constructive ideas or

products.

5.3 Students organize information to develop or change their understanding of a concept.

5.4 Students use a decision-making process to make informed decisions among options.

5.5 Students use problem-solving processes to develop solutions to relatively complex

problems.

6. Students shall develop their abilities to connect and integrate experiences and

new knowledge from all subject matter fields with what they have previously

learned and build on past learning experiences to acquire new information

through various media sources.

6.1 Students connect knowledge and experiences from different subject areas.

6.2 Students use what they already know to acquire new knowledge, develop new skills,

or interpret new experiences.

6.3 Students expand their understanding of existing knowledge by making connections

with new knowledge, skills, and experiences.

Kentucky’s Teacher Standards:

Standard 1: The Teacher Demonstrates Applied Content Knowledge

The teacher demonstrates a current and sufficient academic knowledge of certified content areas

to develop student knowledge and performance in those areas.

1.1 Communicates concepts, processes and knowledge

1.2 Connects content to life experiences of students

1.3 Demonstrates instructional strategies that are appropriate for content and contribute to

student learning

1.4 Guides students to understand content from various perspectives

1.5 Identifies and addresses students’ misconceptions of content

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Standard 2: The Teacher Designs And Plans Instruction

The teacher designs/plans instruction that develops student abilities to use communication skills,

apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think

and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

2.1 Develops significant objectives aligned with standards

2.2 Uses contextual data to design instruction relevant to students

2.3 Plans assessments to guide instruction and measure learning objectives

2.4 Plans instructional strategies and activities that address learning objectives for all

students

2.5 Plans instructional strategies and activities that facilitate multiple levels of learning

Standard 3: The Teacher Creates And Maintains Learning Climate

The teacher creates a learning climate that supports the development of student abilities to use

communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible

team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

3.1 Communicates high expectations

3.2 Establishes a positive learning environment

3.3 Values and supports student diversity and addresses individual needs

3.4 Fosters mutual respect between teacher and students and among students

3.5 Provides a safe environment for learning

Standard 4: The Teacher Implements And Manages Instruction

The teacher introduces/implements/manages instruction that develops student abilities to use

communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible

team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

4.1 Uses a variety of instructional strategies that align learning objectives and actively

engage students

4.2 Implements instruction based on diverse student needs and assessment data

4.3 Uses time effectively

4.4 Uses space and materials effectively

4.5 Implements and manages instruction in ways that facilitate higher order thinking

Standard 5: The Teacher Assesses And Communicates Learning Results

The teacher assesses learning and communicates results to students and others with respect to

student abilities to use communication skills, apply core concepts, become self-sufficient individuals,

become responsible team members, think and solve problems, and integrate knowledge.

5.1 Uses pre-assessments

5.2 Uses formative assessments

5.3 Uses summative assessments

5.4 Describes, analyzes, and evaluates student performance data

5.5 Communicates learning results to students and parents

5.6 Allows opportunity for student self-assessment

Standard 6: The Teacher Demonstrates The Implementation Of Technology

The teacher uses technology to support instruction; access and manipulate data; enhance

professional growth and productivity; communicate and collaborate with colleagues, parents,

and the community; and conduct research.

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6.1 Uses available technology to design and plan instruction

6.2 Uses available technology to implement instruction that facilitates student learning

6.3 Integrates student use of available technology into instruction

6.4 Uses available technology to assess and communicate student learning

6.5 Demonstrates ethical and legal use of technology

Standard 7: Reflects On And Evaluates Teaching And Learning

The teacher reflects on and evaluates specific teaching/learning situations and/or programs.

7.1 Uses data to reflect on and evaluate student learning

7.2 Uses data to reflect on and evaluate instructional practice

7.3 Uses data to reflect on and identify areas for professional growth

Standard 8: Collaborates With Colleagues/Parents/Others

The teacher collaborates with colleagues, parents, and other agencies to design, implement, and

support learning programs that develop student abilities to use communication skills, apply core

concepts, become self-sufficient individuals, become responsible team members, think and solve

problems, and integrate knowledge.

8.1 Identifies students whose learning could be enhanced by collaboration

8.2 Designs a plan to enhance student learning that includes all parties in the collaborative

effort

8.3 Implements planned activities that enhance student learning and engage all parties

8.4 Analyzes data to evaluate the outcomes of collaborative efforts

Standards 9: Evaluates Teaching & Implements Professional Development

The teacher evaluates his/her overall performance with respect to modeling and teaching

Kentucky's learning goals, refines the skills and processes necessary, and implements a

professional development plan.

9.1 Self assesses performance relative to Kentucky's Teacher Standards

9.2 Identifies priorities for professional development based on data from self-assessment,

student performance, and feedback from colleagues

9.3 Designs a professional growth plan that addresses identified priorities

9.4 Shows evidence of professional growth and reflection on the identified priority areas

and impact on instructional effectiveness and student learning

Standard 10: Provides Leadership Within School/Community/Profession

The teacher provides professional leadership within the school, community, and education

profession to improve student learning and well-being.

10.1 Identifies leadership opportunities that enhance student learning and/or professional

environment of the school

10.2 Develops a plan for engaging in leadership activities

10.3 Implements a plan for engaging in leadership activities

10.4 Analyzes data to evaluate the results of planned and executed leadership efforts

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Education Program Goals:

1) As people who have found joy in life, learning, and teaching, and who trust in the power of

human relationships to call forth inner strengths, teachers strive to relate to their students in

ways that free both teacher and learner to engage in joyful, responsible and disciplined

inquiry into the workings and possibilities of our world.

2) As people who value difference in human interactions, ideas and nature; who understand that

identity is shaped by diversity, experiences, and environment; and who recognize that we

must all work together to build a more just society, teachers create learning environments

based on democratic principles which ensure that multiple perspectives are valued and

considered, and which encourage students to speak from their own diverse experiences, to

give value to those expressions, to explore their own diversity, and to bring those experiences

to the broader community.

3) As people who appreciate the interconnectedness and interdependence of our world, teachers

seek to add depth and breadth to their general knowledge as well as in-depth understandings

of the content they teach. These teachers provide experiences that allow learners to recognize

and value the interconnections that emerge as they explore their unfolding world.

4) As people who have experienced the power and beauty of creating their own knowledge and

constructing their own understandings, and who are committed to enabling their students to

share this experience, teachers create dynamic learning environments providing both direct

and vicarious experiences oriented around student interest and characterized by active

inquiry, liberal use of time, self-correction, and engagement with others.

5) As people who see the promise in every person and believe that individuals have the ability

and duty to create a more just society, teachers attend to each and every student by planning,

implementing, and assessing meaningful learning experiences and systematically engage in

critical reflection and self correction.

6) As people who understand and appreciate the capacity of tools—informational, technological,

physical and intellectual—to extend the reach and enhance the quality of work to be done,

teachers incorporate appropriate tools into their own work-lives and integrate their use into

the instructional environments they create with learners.

7) As people who are committed to thinking together with others in the search for truth, wisdom

and beauty, teachers create learning communities grounded in inquiry where students come to

understand the critical role of communication in inquiry and where they feel the confidence

that grows with the development of their ability to participate in a community of inquiry.

Continuous Assessment:

Student progress is continuously assessed throughout the teacher preparation program. In addition

to academic achievement, appropriate professional dispositions are assessed in each course and

the formal assessment of dispositions is conducted in a conference meeting with the education

advisor in the junior year (Key Assessment #3). Students are encouraged to contact their

education advisor to develop an individual professional development plan. If concerns arise,

education advisors will contact the student to design a professional development plan for the

student to progress successfully towards program completion.

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Advocacy Policy:

This policy is designed to support candidates in advocating for themselves should they feel that

they have been treated unfairly in any way. This policy clearly outlines a lengthy process that

begins informally and proceeds to include a binding decision made by a committee which

includes the Assistant Vice President for Student Life, the president and vice president of the

Student Advisory Council, the candidate, an advocate (generally the Education advisor), and the

Teacher Education Programs Chair.