Orientation to Elementary Education
Fall 2009- 7E:090, Section 001 & 002
Syllabus available on ICON and: http://www.education.uiowa.edu/syllabi/
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Instructor:
Dr. Ellie Herman
N310 Lindquist Center
319/335-5356
ellen-herman@uiowa.edu |
Coursepack:
Available at Zephyr Copies
124 East Washington
(Downtown Iowa City, East of Whitey's Ice Cream)
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Course goals: This course and 7E: 102 Classroom Technology are prerequisite courses for elementary education students. These two courses must be completed prior to registration in any elementary methods course. Orientation to Elementary Education is designed to provide elementary education majors with an overview of the elementary education program by clarifying program requirements including the State of Iowa teaching performance standards, scholarship opportunities, mid-level practicum, and student teaching. Information will also be presented relative to advising, Iowa teacher performance standards, and licensure, and job placement process. Information will also be presented relative to advising, licensure, and employment opportunities. Additional areas of focus will include teacher dispositions and responsibilities including classroom observation, lesson planning, and classroom management.
Respect for Diversity: It is my intent that students from all diverse backgrounds and perspectives be well-served by this course, that students' learning needs be addressed both in and out of class, and that the diversity that students bring to this class be viewed as a resource, strength and benefit. Your suggestions about how to improve the value of diversity in this course are encouraged and appreciated. Please let me know ways to improve the effectiveness of the course for you personally or for other students or student groups.
Course Expectations: In addition to purchasing the course packet, students will be expected to have a 2", three ring binder notebook by the third class meeting. The notebook should be brought to class and should include auxiliary pockets in which supplementary materials may be placed. Students will also need a steno or spiral notebook (8 ½ x 11) for note taking during the practicum. The course ICON site will be used to disseminate course updates relative to class activities.
Daily class attendance is expected throughout the course, both in class and during the school field experience. Professional dispositions are important in our licensure-based Teacher Education program, with this in mind a make-up session must be scheduled for all absences. To successfully complete the course a student is permitted no more than two absences from Orientation class and one absence from the ten-week practicum for a maximum of three total absences.
Absences from Orientation class must be made up by contacting me by email within one week of the absence to arrange the make-up session. Absences for which no make-up appointment was initatied, as well as absences in excess one practicum and/or two class sessions will necessitate repeating the course and an "F" grade.
Grading:
Students successfully completing the course will receive a grade of Satisfactory or “S”. Satisfactory completion of the course indicates:
* regular class attendance and practicum attendance (with any absence made up)
* reflective responses to assignments
* reading all assigned materials prior to class
* ePortfolio requirement - “observational analysis” assignment satisfactorily completed and uploaded to course and standards page as “D. Instructional Strategies”
Practicum
Elementary education students will be placed in a diverse elementary school setting beginning week five of the semester. Although the class is scheduled for 3 hours - that time frame was to make sure scheduled classes would not conflict with the time needed for the practicum (school field experience). As can be seen from the following schedule class will meet on Monday and Wednesday 9:30-10:20 for the first four weeks (through September 16th). Starting the week of September 21st, the class will be divided into a Monday or Wednesday group with one day spent in the N105 LC classroom (9:30-10:20) and the other day spent traveling to a school for the practicum.
The practicum group will meet at 8:00 near the Old Capitol Center West entrance on Capitol Street (near CVS pharmacy) and vans will transport student to either Wood, Kirkwood, or Lucas Elementary School promptly at 8:10. Students will be at school from 8:30-10:30 then return to campus by 11:00.
Practicum Supervisors:
Practicum supervisors who help with facilitating placements and related responsibilities at school are:
Wood - Katie Lind (kclmls@hotmail.com)
Kirkwood – Jennifer Cremers (cjcremers@mchsi.com) and Julie Heidger (jheidger1971@yahoo.com)
Lucas – Heather Lowry (chlowry@mchsi.com
)
Van Drivers Needed:
If you are willing to drive a 7 passenger van (you will be paid for driving and have priority as to day and grade level of practicum placement) please indicate “will drive” on your course “index” card.
Practicum Biographical Data Form:
Please go to the following URL by class time on Monday, January 26th to complete a brief informational form to be shared with your cooperating teacher:
http://www.education.uiowa.edu/tess/forms/pracbio.htm (refer to example distributed in class)
Practicum Absence (one permitted absence to pass the course with make-up):
In the event that you must be absent from the practicum, immediately email me, someone in your van, the cooperating teacher, and your supervisor to apprise them of your absence. If you do not have access to a computer and email, make telephone contact. Then it will be your responsibility to email your teacher to arrange a make-up date (transportation to the school for the make-up is not provided). Friday is the best day to arrange a make-up as no other practicum students will be scheduled in your teacher’s class. Once you have completed the make-up, please email a thank you note to your cooperating teacher and “copy” the message to me which confirms that it was completed.
Professional notes:
Volunteer to assist individual students and help in any way you can. Teachers will let you sit and do nothing but observe if you do not take some initiative and volunteer. When you email anyone associated with this practicum (i.e., the supervisor, cooperating teachers, me) please always use your UIOWA email address. Please do not include personal “signature messages” in your email (i.e., religious, political, etc. quotes or references). By their nature, school environments increase your exposure to communicable diseases to reduce your risk, do wash your hands and or use hand sanitizer upon leaving the building.
Observational Analysis Assignment Directions: