C & I 302: Course Requirements

C&I 302:
Course Requirements and Grading Procedures

Professional Sequence Requirements:

There are three components in the teacher preparation program that continue throughout the entire course sequence, 301 through 304. The components are:

Participation as an active member of a community of learners;
Inquiry into teaching and learning; and
Reflective writing that helps to chronicle your progress and understanding of your growing self-concept, your beliefs about teaching and learning [mathematics], and your development as a teacher of mathematics.

These requirements are cumulative across the four semesters and are to be integrated into all of the courses of the professional sequence. While course grades in C&I 301-303 will be based (primarily) upon within those individual courses, grades in the C&I 304 course will be based (primarily) upon the cumulative performance across semesters and your ability to pull together your growth in a culminating fashion.

Course Requirements:

All assignments are to be completed by the due date listed. Any late submission of assignments must be approved with the instructor or teaching assistant in advance. Your time is a precious commodity this semester, and it is imperative that you learn to budget that time carefully. There are no accommodations made in the practice teaching year for you to learn this and to adjust subsequently. It must be a part of your personal habits from the beginning.

Grades will be assigned according to the quality and correctness of the work you submit, the amount of effort you exhibit (in class, in assignments, and in application), and the magnitude of progress that you achieve in your own professional development. Point values for course components are indicated below.

Category:

Description:

Percentage

Attendance, Preparedness, and Participation:

Attendance is mandatory in this course. All absences need to be excused. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the instructor is to be notified in advance of any absence. Any unexcused absence will adversely affect your final grade at the rate of one letter grade per unexcused absence.

Preparedness and active participation are vital to creating a community of learners. Articles and assignments are to be prepared in a timely manner. If they are not prepared on time, there is no leeway to revisit the topic at a later time. In a course of this nature, it is very obvious when students are prepared and are participating actively.
10%

Short Assignments:

Many times, there will be class activities that amplify our topic of discussion. Most of them can be completed in class; however, at times, some activities will need to be completed as homework. Some of these short assignments will be individual and some will be group assignments.
10%

Written Reflections & Papers:

After each class session, you are to record a short journal entry on the focus or major points underlying that class session. I refer to these self-discovered insights as "meta-lessons." A meta-lesson is a "lesson that is behind the lesson." Oftentimes, what you internalize as the most important points of a class session may not have been discussed overtly in class. One example might be that, in class, we were doing middle school mathematics geometry activities and were working in various groups. That day's meta-lesson might be for you something about the dynamics or the appropriateness of the activity for groupwork. One healthy paragraph is usually sufficient.

We will establish a WebBoard that will be used primarily when you are in your field experience work. Each week, you will be asked to contribute a response to a topic of discussion.

Lastly, there will be 3 short written papers. One will be on the topic of constructivism and mathematics education. The second paper will be a review of an article of your choice from the journal, Teaching Mathematics in the Middle School (NCTM). Thirdly, you will be asked to update your Philosophy of Matheamtics Education. For each of these three papers, more detailed information will come in advance of the due date.

25%

Update of Electronic Portfolio:

It is expected that you will continue to revise and add to your personal teacher education portfolio. In this course, I expect that you:

Modify any editing "glitches" in HTML;

Create 3 lesson plans that are appropriate for teaching at the middle school level. One of these lessons should be taught during your field experience. The others can originate from class activities and should demonstrate the application of content/methods discussed in the course;

Update your philosophy of mathematics education; and

Identify any artifacts from the course that meet the Illinois Professional Teacher Standards.

20%

Group Projects:

In small groups, you will complete 3 group projects. Specific details for each project will be provided in hard copy and posted on the course website.

Standards: An in-depth summary and analysis of the Principle and Standards 2000 for School Mathematics with vignettes, examples, and activities that amplify these standards in practical terms for middle school level mathematics.

Issues: Identification of one current issue in the teaching & learning of mathematics. Presentation of the issue should include a summary and analysis, references to literature and resource information, and activities that address the issue in terms of middle school mathematics.

Resources: A module/mini-unit of mathematics curriculum that is appropriate for the middle grades. The unit should be identified with relevant standards, and each unit should include a unit overview, lesson plans, any activity handouts or materials. Its content should demonstrate integration of real life contexts or interdisciplinary in nature.

Class Website: As a class community, the mathematics cohort will develop a cohesive website whose purpose is to amplify issues, standards, and resources for teaching middle school mathematics. As a class, you will design and create the website such that other mathematics educators and pre-service teachers will find it a useful source of knowledge and ideas. The website should include the class' group projects listed above. As a class, you may decide what else is needed/desired on the website.

35%

Total = 1000 points or 100%

Grading Procedures:

To receive a grade of "A", one must have regular punctual attendance, be thoroughly prepared, participate actively, and submit quality work. The quality of one's work will be graded on the reasonableness and depth of the content, the preparation of the assignment, and the presentation of the assignment. An "A+" represents superior work and effort that represents an unusual attainment of depth and understanding.

Grades are then assigned by the following points or percentages:

Grade

Type

Point Range

Percentage Range

A
A+ Exceptional work only

980-1000

98 -100 %

A

930-979

93 - 97.9 %

A-

900-929

90 - 92.9 %

B
B+

880-899

88 - 89.9 %

B

830-879

83 - 87.9 %

B-

800-829

80 - 82.9 %

C
C+

780-799

78 - 79.9 %

C

730-779

73 - 77.9 %

C-

700-729

70 - 72.9 %

D
D

I refuse to consider +'s and -'s in this category.

600-699

60 - 69.9 %

E
E

Below 600 points

Less than 60 %

One should be really quite concerned at achieving anything lower than a "B" range grade during the pre-service teacher education professional sequence. No matter how you interpret letter grades, a "C" grade in this course would reflect that you have not attained an adequate level of understanding, synthesis, and application to enter the profession as a practicing mathematics educator. Please keep track of your grades and see me if your grades fall below the B range.

Category:	Description:	Percentage
Attendance, Preparedness, and Participation:	Attendance is mandatory in this course. All absences need to be excused. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, the instructor is to be notified in advance of any absence. Any unexcused absence will adversely affect your final grade at the rate of one letter grade per unexcused absence. Preparedness and active participation are vital to creating a community of learners. Articles and assignments are to be prepared in a timely manner. If they are not prepared on time, there is no leeway to revisit the topic at a later time. In a course of this nature, it is very obvious when students are prepared and are participating actively.	10%
Short Assignments:	Many times, there will be class activities that amplify our topic of discussion. Most of them can be completed in class; however, at times, some activities will need to be completed as homework. Some of these short assignments will be individual and some will be group assignments.	10%
Written Reflections & Papers:	After each class session, you are to record a short journal entry on the focus or major points underlying that class session. I refer to these self-discovered insights as "meta-lessons." A meta-lesson is a "lesson that is behind the lesson." Oftentimes, what you internalize as the most important points of a class session may not have been discussed overtly in class. One example might be that, in class, we were doing middle school mathematics geometry activities and were working in various groups. That day's meta-lesson might be for you something about the dynamics or the appropriateness of the activity for groupwork. One healthy paragraph is usually sufficient. We will establish a WebBoard that will be used primarily when you are in your field experience work. Each week, you will be asked to contribute a response to a topic of discussion. Lastly, there will be 3 short written papers. One will be on the topic of constructivism and mathematics education. The second paper will be a review of an article of your choice from the journal, Teaching Mathematics in the Middle School (NCTM). Thirdly, you will be asked to update your Philosophy of Matheamtics Education. For each of these three papers, more detailed information will come in advance of the due date.	25%
Update of Electronic Portfolio:	It is expected that you will continue to revise and add to your personal teacher education portfolio. In this course, I expect that you: Modify any editing "glitches" in HTML; Create 3 lesson plans that are appropriate for teaching at the middle school level. One of these lessons should be taught during your field experience. The others can originate from class activities and should demonstrate the application of content/methods discussed in the course; Update your philosophy of mathematics education; and Identify any artifacts from the course that meet the Illinois Professional Teacher Standards.	20%
Group Projects:	In small groups, you will complete 3 group projects. Specific details for each project will be provided in hard copy and posted on the course website. Standards: An in-depth summary and analysis of the Principle and Standards 2000 for School Mathematics with vignettes, examples, and activities that amplify these standards in practical terms for middle school level mathematics. Issues: Identification of one current issue in the teaching & learning of mathematics. Presentation of the issue should include a summary and analysis, references to literature and resource information, and activities that address the issue in terms of middle school mathematics. Resources: A module/mini-unit of mathematics curriculum that is appropriate for the middle grades. The unit should be identified with relevant standards, and each unit should include a unit overview, lesson plans, any activity handouts or materials. Its content should demonstrate integration of real life contexts or interdisciplinary in nature. Class Website: As a class community, the mathematics cohort will develop a cohesive website whose purpose is to amplify issues, standards, and resources for teaching middle school mathematics. As a class, you will design and create the website such that other mathematics educators and pre-service teachers will find it a useful source of knowledge and ideas. The website should include the class' group projects listed above. As a class, you may decide what else is needed/desired on the website.	35%
		Total = 1000 points or 100%

Grade	Type	Point Range	Percentage Range
A	A+ Exceptional work only	980-1000	98 -100 %
	A	930-979	93 - 97.9 %
	A-	900-929	90 - 92.9 %
B	B+	880-899	88 - 89.9 %
	B	830-879	83 - 87.9 %
	B-	800-829	80 - 82.9 %
C	C+	780-799	78 - 79.9 %
	C	730-779	73 - 77.9 %
	C-	700-729	70 - 72.9 %
D	D I refuse to consider +'s and -'s in this category.	600-699	60 - 69.9 %
E	E	Below 600 points	Less than 60 %
One should be really quite concerned at achieving anything lower than a "B" range grade during the pre-service teacher education professional sequence. No matter how you interpret letter grades, a "C" grade in this course would reflect that you have not attained an adequate level of understanding, synthesis, and application to enter the profession as a practicing mathematics educator. Please keep track of your grades and see me if your grades fall below the B range.