Syllabus Feb 2013

Curriculum and Instruction – TTI 2013 Christianne Cowie

Teacher Training Institute

Course Name: Curriculum and Instruction

Instructor: Christianne Cowie Email: [email protected] Course Description

The course will focus on understanding how children learn, what factors influence learning and how teachers can facilitate a deeper understanding of their subject area. Overview

The curriculum and instruction course introduces participants to educational theories that are influencing contemporary education. As teachers we must continuously strive to improve our methodology, seek new ways of engaging our students and discover the means to satisfy each individual´s needs. We must become conscious of the importance of developing lifelong skills in our students, as well as critical thinking and problem solving skills. We must stretch our creativity as we attempt to modify the existing program and methodology so that we can successfully implement our plans in real life instructional settings. Course Objectives

As a result of successfully completing this course you will be able to do the following:

• Understand the basic principles of several different schools of thought and how they have influenced education.

• Plan and develop an academic unit using a variety of instructional models among them Backwards Design.

• Apply knowledge of Bloom´s taxonomy, Gardner´s multiple intelligences, Maslow´s Hierarchy and differentiated instruction to prepare lesson plans.

• Use research skills in order to complement the class readings and offer oral presentations. • Describe the characteristics and steps involved in implementing a variety of instructional

models. Required Texts: Students will find the articles for the course in the Curriculum and Instruction folder on the course website http://www.cng.edu/TTI and also in the dropbox folder https://www.dropbox.com/sh/vnp0rc5xtyw2q6k/wMcADXcmOg

Course Requirements:

• Attendance Students arriving 15 minutes late or leaving more than 15 minutes early from class will be counted as being absent for a full hour. Missing more than 4 hours in a course can put your grade at risk of failing. Missing 8 hours will automatically cause you to fail the course. Medical or employment excuses and doing extra work do not erase absences.


2

• Assignment Guidelines:

Late projects: According to the university by-‐laws, projects are not allowed to be turned in late, unless there is a medical excuse. Assignment Percent

Value Description

1. Participation and preparedness:

15% In addition to attending you are expected to: a. arrive to class promptly b. use cell phones only for research purposes c. use class time efficiently d. contribute to class regularly and respond to questions thoroughly e. prepare readings and reflections beforehand and thoroughly f. participate in group activities related to assignments, provide

feedback to others and meet deadlines g. respect the opinions, ideas and contributions of others

2. Oral Presentation

30% Research several different educational theories and/or theorists as to their philosophy of education and present your findings to the class using either a Power Point, Prezzi, video or any other visual form. Some questions will be provided to guide the research. The presentation should be no longer than 6 minutes and a rubric will be used to assess this presentation. Participants will be expected to provide feedback to presentations using the following protocol.

3. Learning Log:

25% The purpose of this log is for you to reflect on your readings, professional articles and on your thinking about your own curriculum frameworks. Reflect on and write about how the readings, your observations, class discussions, and other input connect to your own experience, what similarities, what questions you have. The learning log is a vehicle for you to reflect on ideas and issues raised by our reading, discussions and your work on curriculum and instruction. I suggest writing at least once a week (at minimum) in any way you find appropriate; (paper and pencil, electronic, blog, etc) these reflections should be completed thoroughly and thoughtfully. The teacher will provide some prompts along the course for this reflection and regular feedback. This is a weekly assignment.

4 . Unit Plans

30% You will plan and develop a unit using the Backwards Design model, which can be taught, at the grade level you choose and includes the important aspects discussed in class. (This can be done in pairs) Additionally you will develop two lesson plans that fit within the unit that can reach children with different learning styles, multiple intelligences, etc. This lesson plans will be created using the GANAG teaching schema. Address the Different learning styles of students, multiple intelligences, higher level thinking skills, etc. Students cannot submit the same two lessons as their partner for this assignment


3

Class Participation and Preparedness Rubric

CATEGORY/ Expectations

5 Exceeding 3 Meeting 1 Approaching Points

Contributions A definite leader who contributes a lot of effort. Makes insightful, literature-‐based commentary on others’ work.

Often provides useful ideas. A satisfactory group member who does what is required. Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others.

Rarely provides useful ideas. Has some difficulty listening to and supporting the efforts of others.

Attitude Always has a positive attitude about the task(s). Work reflects this student's best efforts.

Usually has a positive attitude about the task(s). Work reflects some effort from this student.

Sometimes is publicly critical of the project or the work of other members of the group.

Focus on the task

Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done in a self-‐directed manner.

Others must sometimes remind this person to keep on-‐task.

Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.

Preparedness Brings needed materials to class and is always ready to work with no outside interruptions.

Almost always brings needed materials but sometimes needs to settle down .

Often forgets needed materials or is rarely ready to get to work due to outside interruptions (cell phones, chat, etc).

Total = points/no. categories Oral Presentation Rubric Curriculum and Instruction

CATEGORY 5 3 1 Preparedness Student is completely

prepared and has rehearsed and practiced

Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed more practice

Student does not seem to be prepared to present this topic

Content Shows thorough understanding of the content

Shows good understanding of the topic

Does not seem to understand the topic

Comprehension Students is able to accurately answer questions posed by classmates

Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed by classmates

Student is unable to answer questions from classmates

Presentation Visual aid is appealing and carefully prepared, grammatically correct, no spelling mistakes and written in own words. The visual aid is used as reference but participant speaks confidently to the audience

Visual aid is appealing, grammatically correct, few spelling mistakes and written in own words. The visual aid is used as reference but participant speaks confidently to the audience

Visual aid needs many corrections in terms of spelling and grammar. More preparation is required


4

Time management

Presentation was within the time limit 5 or 6 minutes long

Presentation is more than 7 minutes long

Presentation was too extensive or too short

Unit Design rubric and GANAG criteria will be shared during the course Course Schedule (This is a guideline only and it is subject to change throughout the course as needed)

Date Content Required Readings Week 1 February 22nd – 23rd

• Who are we and why are we here? General introductions, Course contents, overview and expectations.

• Learning about learning: Establishing personal connections with curriculum and instruction; learning about learning (What do we mean by a brain compatible classroom? and Constructivism)

• Where does curriculum fit in the bigger picture? Exploring curriculum models. Reflecting on the kind of teachers we are – Standards and benchmarks.

• Lina´s letters • The Brain Compatible

classroom (Worked in class)

• Towards a coherent curriculum – James A Beane

Week 2 March 1st – 2nd 1st Learning Log Due

• Oral presentations: Skinner, Piaget, Montessori, Freire, John Dewey, Vygotsky

• Understanding by design – Establishing curriculum priorities and designing unit plans.

• What do we mean by understanding? The six facets of Understanding

• Understanding by design Chapters 1 and 2 – Wiggins and Mc Tighe

• The Futility of trying to teach everything of importance – Grant Wiggins

Week 3 March 8th – 9th Draft UdB lesson due 2nd Learning Log Due

• Oral presentations: Brunner, Gardner, Johnson & Johnson, Carol Ann Tomlinson, Marzano, Jane E Pollock.

• How can we differentiate instruction? Meeting learner needs and differentiation strategies

• Instructional Planning and Delivery – looking at different planning models, Using the GANAG planning scheme

• Integrating Differentiated instruction and Understanding by Design Chapters 3 and 4 – Carol Ann Tomlinson and Mc Tighe

• Improving student learning One teacher at a time Chapter 3 – Jane E Pollock

Week 4 March 15th – March 16th 3rd Learning Log Due GANAG

• Oral presentations: Maslow, Lynn Erickson (Concept based curriculum), Making thinking visible (David Perkins and Ron Ritchhart)

• Curriculum and Instruction for the Thinking classroom – Concept based instruction and Making thinking visible strategies, collaborative thinking strategies

• Using Bloom´s taxonomy to plan instruction – The new taxonomy revised, strategies and digital tools to use with the

• Making thinking visible – Perkins & Richhart

• Designing & Assessing Educational Objectives – Marzano Chapter 1

• Curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom – Chapter 2


5

lesson plan draft due

taxonomy

Week 5 April 5th – 6th 4th Learning Log Due UdB and GANAG lesson plan due

• Oral presentations: Reggio Emilia, Inquiry based curriculum (Kathy Short, Kath Murdoch, etc.), Reggio, Peter Senge, DoFour & DoFour (Professional Learning Communities)

• Inquiry based teaching: What do we mean by Inquiry? Designing strategies for Inquiry classrooms across the curriculum

• Final Reflections: Course feedback and final reflections

• Why are school buses always yellow? Chapter 2 – John Barell

Bibliography Audet, R.H. & Jordan, L. K. (2005) Inquiry Across the Curriculum. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin

Press. Beane , J. A. (1995). Toward a Coherent Curriculum. En T. 1. Yearbook (Ed.). Alexandria, VA:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Bondy, E., & Ross, D. (Sept de 2008). The Teacher as a Warm Demander. Educational Leadership ,

54 -‐ 58. Cushman, K. (February de 2006). Help us Care Enough to Learn. Educational leadership , 34 -‐ 37. Erickson, L. H. (2007). Curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom. Thousand Oaks,

California: Corwin press. Marzano, R. J., & Kendal, J. S. (2008). Designing & assessing educational objectives. Thousand Oaks,

California: Corwin Press. Perkins, D., & Ritchhart, R. (February de 2008). Making Thinking Visible. Educational leadership , 57

-‐ 61. Pollock, J. E. (2007). Improving student learning one teacher at a time. Alexandria, VA: Asociation

for supervision and curriculum development. Pratt, D. (March 2008). Lina´s letters: A 9 year -‐ old´s perspective on what matters most in the

classroom (Vol. 89). Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappan Cushman, K. (February de 2006). Help us Care Enough to Learn. Educational leadership , 34 -‐ 37. Perkins, D., & Ritchhart, R. (February de 2008). Making Thinking Visible. Educational leadership , 57

-‐ 61. Tovani, C. (March de 2010). I Got Grouped. Educational leadership , 24 -‐ 29. Marzano, R. J., & Kendal, J. S. (2008). Designing & assessing educational objectives. Thousand Oaks,

California: Corwin Press. Wiggins, G., & Mc Tighe, J. (2005). Understanding by design -‐ Expanded 2nd Edition. Alexandria, VA:

Asociation for supervision and curriculum development. Pollock, J. E. (2007). Improving student learning one teacher at a time. Alexandria, VA: Asociation

for supervision and curriculum development.


6

Tomlinson, C. A., & Mc Tighe, J. (2006). Intergrating differentiated instruction and Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA.

Erickson, L. H. (2007). Curriculum and instruction for the thinking classroom. Thousand Oaks, California: Corwin press.

Pratt, D. (March 2008). Lina´s letters: A 9 year -‐ old´s perspective on what matters most in the classroom (Vol. 89). Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappan.

Vatterott, C. (Sept de 2010). Hallmarks of good homework. Educational Leadership , 10 -‐ 15. Beane , J. A. (1995). Toward a Coherent Curriculum. En T. 1. Yearbook (Ed.). Alexandria, VA:

Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Wiggins, G. (November de 1989). The Futility of Trying to Teach Everything of Importance.

Educational leadership , 44 -‐ 59. Wolk, S. (September de 2008). Joy in School. Educational leadership , 8 -‐ 14.


7

End of Course Feedback Form

Please answer the following questions as candidly as possible. Your responses and suggestions will be used to improve this course the next time this course is taught by the same instructor. 1. What three most important things have you learned in this course that will help you

facilitate language and literacy learning?

2. What did you like best about this course? 3. What would you suggest that the instructor change about this course, such as:

syllabus, content, presentations, demonstrations, materials, readings, assignments? 4. Other comments? (Continue on back of page.)

Documents

Syllabus Feb 2013