Course Requirements
Below are the basic categories of assignments and requirements for this course and their relative weight in determining course grades.
Electronic Notebooks
We do expect that you maintain a "notebook" for this course, but not the traditional hard-copy notebook. On the course website, there will be a folder established for each person enrolled in the course. It is expected that you submit all of your assignments and other coursework by dropping them into this folder. In class, we will cover the submission procedure to do so. Throughout the course, the instructors will peruse the folders periodically to see that you are maintaining its contents regularly--keeping your assignments up-to-date and keeping it organized.
In order for ease of reading and opening all such assignments, it is expected that all assignments will be submitted in HTML format. If you are not an HTML-savvy person, do not fret. From the beginning of the course, we will review how to use popular HTML editors such as Netscape Composer and Adobe Go Live. These editors allow you to create HTML documents in WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) mode and will assist you in learning the "innerworkings" of HTML gradually.
Meta-lessons
"Meta-lesson" is a term I (Tim Hendrix) coined several years ago when trying to describe what would be an appropriate entry for a class reflective journal. Literally, it means "lesson behind the lesson." In this course, we ask that you complete a reflective journal of meta-lessons with an entry for each day. Usually, one healthy paragraph or approximately 1/2 page is sufficient. It is difficult to prescribe someone's reflection!
Maybe your day's entry might be directly on the discussion or activities from that day's class. Perhaps, it was something more "behind the scenes." An example? Suppose we were doing a math activity in class one day in groups, and something about the way we formed groups or the dynamic of your group interaction struck you as important information about teaching/learning. That would be an appropriate "meta-lesson"--we probably didn't discuss those issues in class explicitly, but the reflections we have about the "background" issues are often what we remember and employ in our own teaching.
We will expect to see that regular attention to maintaining these meta-lessons will be evident in your folders. Name the files transparently, i.e., "metalesson1_15.html" would be the meta-lesson for January 15.
Cardinal rule of HTML filenames: Do not use blank spaces in filenames. Use only lowercase letters, numbers, & dashes or underscores.
General Course Requirements
Community/Joint Projects: As a group, you have already begun to develop as a community of learners who will continue to interact over the next year and 1/2 and (hopefully) beyond. As such, continued PARTICIPATION is absolutely necessary, especially in a phase were we are actively constructing lesson plans and giving feedback to each other on teaching. In continuing with the development of a community of learners, you and will collaborate with other class members on a couple of projects.
| Relative Weight |
Category/Project |
Description |
| 15% |
Community Participation & Professionalism (including continued activities with METER project in Danville) |
In this course, attendance is not only mandatory; it is a necessity! To learn about and to gain experience in the endeavor of teaching and learning mathematics, one must interact with other students and teachers of mathematics. Helping others learn mathematics is not merely a skill, much less one that can be learned in isolation-it is a culmination of both intellectual and pragmatic understanding of people and of mathematics. This is gained from "fleshing out of ideas and understandings" with other teachers and other students of mathematics.
Part of this community participation and professionalism will stem from the continued relationships with the Danville High School mathematics students. We will continue the weekly email correspondence and we will planning and hosting a mathematics field trip for the DHS students.
All absences must be excused in advance if at all possible. If illness or emergencies occur, please notify the instructor as soon as possible and follow university guidelines about such situations.
|
| 15% |
NCTM Standards Project and Textbook Evaluation |
In a group setting, you will work with colleagues to "unpack" one of the content and one process standard in the NCTM Principles & Standards document. You will create and present one exemplary lesson for middle school mathematics that reflects the spirit of the standards recommendation in that content strand.
Along with your colleagues, you will examine a section of a chosen textbook for mathematical richness, usefulness, accessibility, ability to stand alone, and relation to Standards. You will then write a 2 to 3 page review of its strengths and weaknesses, and identify supplementary materials that could be used with the text.
|
| 20% |
Unit Plan |
Along with a colleague, you will outline a unit of study for middle school mathematics that is consistent with the NCTM and Illinois Standards. The unit will cover approximately 3-4 weeks of mathematics, including overall scope/purpose, general activities, objectives, time line, materials, and assessment. You will provide copies of the unit plan to your peers for their future use.
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Individual Projects: In addition to your membership in a community of teachers and learners, you will be expected to continue your individual development as a mathematics educator. Besides readings and discussions, there will be several mathematics activities and explorations during the class. You will be expected to complete several mathematics activities during the semester, and you will have the opportunity to develop lesson activities and lesson plans. All of the assignments in this course will contribute to your individual development and will offer you a variety of artifacts to include in your portfolio.
| Relative Weight |
Category/Project |
Description |
| 15% |
Meta-lessons, Reaction Papers, & Mathematics Activities |
Throughout the semester, we will participate in many mathematical investigations. Often, you will be asked to complete a mathematical assignment, or to write a short reaction paper to activities, readings, discussions, etc. Meta-lessons are reflective journal entries for each class session and for each day of field placement. All such assignments are to be submitted to your folder on the course website and should be submitted in HTML format.
|
| 25% |
Lesson Plan Sequence |
You will write a 2-3 day sequence of lessons that develop middle grade students' understanding of a chosen mathematical concept in ways that are consistent with NCTM and Illinois Standards. In negotiation with your cooperating teacher, you will be expected to teach a portion of the lesson (15-20 minute segment) in your field placement classroom and to write a candid self-analysis about the experience. You will also be responsible for "teaching" one 30-minute segment of the lesson to your peers during class time (to be video-taped) and for providing peers with a copy of your lesson sequence for their future use.
|
| 10% |
Portfolio Development |
You will be expected to develop 2 versions of a working portfolio-one hard copy, one electronic version (your e-portfolio)-that showcase your "best works to date." Each artifact should include a justification for its inclusion and its relation to the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards.
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Additional information on each of the assignments will be provided throughout the course.
Evaluation and Related Course Policies
A core assumption of this course is that all enrolled participants will bring both an open mind and a critical attitude to their work. Openness in this situation refers to a willingness to consider teaching in settings and grades beyond one's first preferences, as well as to the capacity to find hidden opportunities in assignments, individuals, and settings whose parameters and/or apparent limitations were not expected. A critical attitude refers to the capacity to see both the strengths and weaknesses of practices and situations while still withholding judgment on them. It also refers to the capacity to evaluate and question one's own assumptions and past experiences. Students whose comments, interactions with others, and written work all display evidence of openness and a critical attitude will be favorably evaluated.
Another core assumption of this course is that all participants are responsible adults capable of interacting with each other and with secondary students and school personnel in a professional and responsible manner; of being on time for class and field experiences; of being appropriately dressed; and of being prepared. Be aware that if you do not conduct yourself in a responsible, professional manner, or if you are late for class or field experiences or are absent without notice or excuse, you risk your grade and your standing, not only in this course, but most likely in the program as well.
Students should realize that both instructors assume joint responsibility for assessing projects. Late assignments will be accepted only with pre-approved consent of an instructor. No work will be accepted after the last classroom meeting on May 1.
Grades will be based on the following general rubric. These qualitative guidelines are associated with percentage weights, and these parameters are given on the course website.
- Consistent, timely preparation and attendance, thoughtful and substantial contributions to discussions and presentations, and well-written and solidly analytic papers/products will result in an "A."
- Consistent preparation and attendance, occasional contributions to discussions and presentations, and papers/products that "cover" a topic will result in a "B."
- Inconsistencies in preparation and attendance, occasional contributions to discussions and presentations, and "thin" papers/products (in length or substance or both) will result in a "C."
- Failure to attend class regularly or contribute to discussions and presentations, coming to class unprepared, and writing in a manner completely unacceptable for someone with junior standing at this university will result in a "D" or an "F," depending on circumstances and the extent of deficiencies.
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