• EDU 368 is an applications course, where students practice their teaching skills developed in 350 and 351 during micro teaching lessons and a two week practicum in the St. Peter (or other area) schools. Interdisciplinary connections are a strong focus of this course. This course is taken concurrently with 350 and 351. This is a developmental course with grading based on skill development over time. (See course description, learning tasks and rubric on web page).

• EDU 351 is a study of the general methods of teaching in the secondary school. Much attention is given to understanding the Minnesota State Standards including knowledge of standards and their use, curriculum planning, and assessment of students. This course integrates methods for developing content literacy or the ability to use reading and writing for the acquisition of new content in a given discipline. The course also focuses on developing awareness of multiple instructional methodologies, the ability to differentiate instruction, assessment and classroom management skills. The course is normally taken in the semester immediately preceding student teaching and is taken concurrently with EDU 350 and EDU 386. (See course description, learning tasks and rubrics on web page).

Integration: These three courses are connected so that the work often overlaps, as is the case in real schools. The syllabi are presented individually, but knowledge and skills from all three classes are interwoven by the instructors.

Principled Practice (Conceptual Framework): The education department's conceptual framework, shown above, serves as a model for the learning processes embedded within the course work for the secondary block. Knowledge and beliefs are honed and developed through readings and discussions; students use and apply this knowledge to engage in experiences where they develop curriculum and lessons (via the 351 learning tasks). During the practicum components, both the micro teaching and the two week practicum, students implement plans based on this knowledge, assess these experiences and reflect on the outcomes. Students' reflections on these interactions enable them to consider how to change and improve their work for even greater effectiveness in the future. This reconceptualization is identified in plans for successive classroom work both within this course and in all future classroom interactions.

Course Objectives: The learning objectives for this course are defined in the learning tasks.  All expectations for student learning and the assessment for the learning is defined within the description of the learning task.  Click on the learning task link for further details.

See course information and learning tasks at the following web site:

http://www.gustavus.edu/~dpitton

Important Notes

1) If you have a disability that requires an accommodation, please contact one of the professors immediately.

2) There is no written final in this class. There will be individual conferences during finals week.

3) All students need to have an e-mail account and should check it daily. We often communicate with students about class information through e-mail so it is crucial that you read your mail daily.

Student Expectations:

As pre-professionals, there are expectations that will need to be addressed by each individual to ensure that the course runs smoothly over the semester. See the department statement of professionalism listed below which should guide your decisions as a member of this class. In addition, the following are expected:

1) Participation

We expect you to talk a lot and to thoughtfully address all topics. This is the laboratory for asking questions and speaking your mind before you actually get out into the classroom as a teacher.

2) Attendance

Review the standards of professional conduct expected of teachers (see the list of these below). As a classroom teacher, you will have many responsibilities to juggle, and you will be expected to come to work even on the days you don't feel like being there. Likewise, in this class you have the professional responsibility to show up having read the material and being prepared to talk about it in class. Consequently, your on-time attendance for each class is important. There are times when each of us, however, may have necessary absences. These may include sick days, absences due to team or sports- or performance-related events, field trips required by another professor, or other personal or professional needs. If you have a medical condition, which necessitates frequent absences, please speak with me immediately.

HOWEVER! If you are missing classes without a justified reason, OR your absences are very frequent and impacting your ability to participate in class discussions, your grade will be affected. The instructor will make this determination during conferences with the student.

3) Timely Work

Assignments are carefully planned to allow for instructor feedback. If written assignments or micro teaching materials, etc. are not turned in on the due date, they can not be reviewed in a timely fashion. In addition, grades may be reduced for late work. (See rubrics). If you cannot be in class, give your assignment to a friend to bring to me.

NOTE: Please DO NOT send assignments through the P.O. for any reason. Please bring them to our office, give them to a friend to bring to class, or give them to me in class or send them to me over e-mail as an attachment.

4) Professional Behavior

Students are expected to reflect the departmental statement of professionalism in all their work and interactions associated with this course. (See professionalism statement on web site.)

5) Honor Code

It is expected that all work completed by the students will be their own. The use of materials gathered from other sources must include a citation identifying where the information originated.

Required Texts:

Walsh, J. & B. Sattes, B. (2005). Quality Questioning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Marzano, R., Pickering, D., and Pollock, J. (2001). Classroom instruction that works. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Obidah, J. & Teel, K. (2001). Because of the Kids. Columbia, N. Y.: Teachers College Press

Rothstein-Fisch C. & Trumbull, E. (2008). Managing Diverse Classrooms. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Pitton, D. (1998). Stories of Student Teaching: A Case Approach to the Student Teaching Experience. Merrill. (Department copies can be checked out as needed.)

Perrone, V. (2000). "Teaching with Passion" (chapter 5) from Lessons for New Teachers. McGraw Hill Publishers. (AVAILABLE ON RESERVE IN THE LIBRARY)

• There may be other required readings on reserve in the library and given as handouts.

See schedule for titles.