EDCI 422: Teaching English in the Secondary School

 

Professor Janet Alsup

Purdue University

Fall 2005

MWF 9:30-10:20

Heavilon Hall 128

 

Office: 436 Heavilon Hall

494-3777

jalsup@cla.purdue.edu

Office hours: T, W 1:30-2:30 and by appointment

 

Course Description:

The overarching goal of EDCI 422 is to help with your transition from being student of English Education to being a teacher of middle or high school English.  In order to ease this transition, we will explore issues of teacher identity development and strategies for professional growth.

 

EDCI 422 is the ÒcapstoneÓ methods course for English Education majors.  The course assignments and readings will review and synthesize knowledge you have gained in previous courses as well as enrich your understanding of how pedagogical theories might be enacted in middle and high schools. The course addresses various curricular areas of the English language arts, including the teaching of writing, literature, language, grammar, and visual media and how they can be integrated into daily lesson planning.  Additionally, you will learn how to be a reflective practitioner who regularly engages in classroom action research to improve your teaching. I am excited about what we will learn together this semester.  Welcome!

 

Course Goals:

 

Required Texts and Readings.  All are available at the campus bookstores:

á      The Art of Classroom Inquiry: A Handbook for Teacher-Researchers (2003).  R.S. Hubbard & B.M. Power; Heinemann. ISBN:  0325005435

 

Course Requirements:

 

  1. Attendance and participation.  Class discussion is an important part of this course, so it essential that you be present. Please notify me in advance if you are unable to attend. In addition, you are expected to arrange to attend the assigned middle or high school class at an area school.  You should keep an accurate record of your hours at the school that can be validated by your mentor teacher.  If you miss more than three days of class, your grade will be lowered by one letter grade. If you miss more than six days, you will fail.  10% of grade

 

  1. Reading assignments and written responses in field/response journal.  You will be expected to read all class assignments by the date noted on the syllabus and be prepared to discuss them in class. Your field/response journal is a combination of responses to class readings/discussions and to your field experience. You are expected to write at least one journal entry per week about class readings/discussions (a total of 13) and one entry after each field visit. Therefore, the number and length of field visit entries will vary, depending on how you organize your twenty-hour experience.  However, everyone will have at least 13 response entries about class readings/discussions. I will collect these at variable points during the semester noted on the syllabus, but we will often use them in class to begin discussions. A normal entry should be an average of 300-500 words, although I will be flexible about this. You can type them and print them out, type them and send them to me electronically, keep them as a blog, or write them longhand in a blank book or journal.  10% of grade

 

  1. Unit plan.  You will create a three-four week unit plan for teaching a novel, a set of 3-5 short stories, a play, or a series of 10-15 poems in a middle or high school class. Ideally, select literature that will be taught in the field placement classroom in which you are working this semester.  If that doesnÕt work, browse textbooks in the TRC or in your field placement school to select literature that seems commonly anthologized or purchased for school reading. The unit plan must have the following characteristics:
    1. Complete lesson plans for each day in the unit, which include goals, objectives, Indiana state standards, materials, detailed discussion of methods/procedures, and the evaluation/assessment.
    2. A 1-2 page contextual statement or rationale at the beginning of the unit plan that explains why you chose the literature you did, the value of teaching it in a classroom in the way you suggest, and provides any necessary caveats.
    3. A 1-2 page reflection on your process at the end of the unit.
    4. Integrated writing, language, grammar, visual literacy, and speaking/listening activities/assignments. For writing assignments include grading rubrics.
    5. Evidence of creativity.
    6. Clear attempts to encourage analytic thought.
    7. Integration of related texts and disciplines, when and if appropriate.
    8. Evidence that you have viewed the unit as a coherent whole, culminating in deeper literary understanding or appreciation—not just a series of lesson plans that lead nowhere.

This unit plan will be the Gate C artifact for English Education majors. Therefore, it must be uploaded to the Purdue electronic portfolio (Task Stream) by the designated date to receive credit for the assignment and also to pass the course. The project will be evaluated according to the attached rubric. 20% of grade

 

4.     Discussion leading.  In addition to the unit plan, with a partner you will lead a class discussion about an educational issue that has surfaced in your field experiences, through your Purdue coursework, or through other reading or study. For this discussion, you will decide on 1-3 goals or objectives (what you would like us to realize or think about), and you will structure an opportunity for discussion among your peers. Please provide me with a handout the day of your discussion leading that contains these goals and a brief overview of what you plan to do during the discussion. Examples of topics discussed in the past include:

á      Motivation and its effect on learning

á      ESL learners and how to teach them in the English classroom

á      How to effectively use reader response

á      Interviewing and other professional ÒskillsÓ

á      Classroom management or ÒdisciplineÓ techniques

á      How to handle racist/sexist/homophobic student writing

á      How to respond to studentsÕ emotional or personal problems when they arise in the classroom

á      Grading practice and related issues

á      Standardized testing

á      Teacher identity concerns

 

This discussion is geared for your university peers—do not pretend they are middle or high school students. Remember that Òwhat do you think?Ó is not a great discussion starter. It never works! Use activities you include in your unit plan if you want or otherwise provide us with prompts to begin discussion.  Handouts, writing assignments, group work, or reading ÒhomeworkÓ are all options. You will have one class period for your discussion leading. 10% of grade

  1. Teaching in the field 20 hours.  The first week in class you will be assigned a middle or high school teacher with whom to work for 20 clock hours over the course of the semester.  How you organize these 20 hours is up to you and the mentor teacher. This experience will provide you with an intensive, extended classroom practicum prior to student teaching.

During the experience you are required to

1)    teach 1-2 lessons or mini-lessons in the field placement. These lessons will be created and taught under the supervision of your mentor teacher.  Ideally they intersect with your unit plan project, but that may not be the case in all situations. If your lesson plans do not appear in your final unit plan, you must turn them in as supplemental materials at the end of the semester (turned in with your journals, for example) and,

2)    conduct and Òwrite upÓ an action research project investigating a classroom issue or pedagogical strategy. In this class, you will learn how to plan and conduct action research. These projects will be small in scope due to the length of the field experience. However, the projects may include informal interviews with students, the collection of student work, the distribution of a survey, or other means of collecting information.  Keep in mind issues of consent and confidentiality.  Ideally, the mentor teachers will work collaboratively with you when selecting a ÒquestionÓ or issue for their research.  I would like the results to be useful both for you and the mentor teachers!  Remember that the purpose of action research is not to criticize the mentor teacher. Steer clear of projects or questions which might result in Òteacher bashingÓ or uncomfortable interactions with mentor teachers. 20% of grade

 

  1. Action research project. See above description.  This project will result in a written report of approximately 10 pages double spaced, without transcripts, surveys, or other attachments. 20% of grade

 

  1. Metaphor Project. In this assignment, you will use metaphor to deconstruct previously unexamined ideologies about teaching and learning. Your task is to take digital photographs of images that you see as metaphors for your beliefs about teaching literature in the secondary school.  While this assignment also includes a written component (in the genre of your choice) that explains or unpacks the photo, the original metaphorical thinking required takes the form of an image. After you take the photos and write the accompanying text, you will share your projects with your peers. You may work with a partner if you wish.
    1. Using a digital camera, take 3-5 photos that are visual representations of themselves as teachers. The photos are to be metaphorical images that represent your philosophies/beliefs about English language arts teaching.  Think of your photos as answering the following questions (These are simply a guideline):

á      Why do we teach literature/writing/media studies/grammar/language?

á      Why do we think people should read or write?

á      How do books or writing make us feel?

á      Why is it important to read books and/or be a writer?

á      How might we explain this importance to adolescents?

á      What is the best way to teach literacy skills/strategies to adolescents?

á      What memories do you have of English in your life or education?

á      What do you think your role as a teacher should be? 

á      What aspects of teaching seem the most/least difficult to you?

    1. Download or save the pictures in a word file and write text about what these pictures mean. The text can be in any genre: prose, poetry, fiction, or drama, or a combination thereof. Be creative; but above all, write text that accurately describes the meanings of the picture(s) and that ÒpullsÓ the photos together into some sort of coherent whole.
    2. Turn in a hard copy and an electronic copy (on disk or emailed to me). Digital cameras are available for check out from the TRC in Beering Hall. Or these days you can always use a disposable camera and have the photos developed with an optional CD.  I have access to a color printer if needed. 10% of grade

 

Tentative Course Schedule:

Week One (August 22-26):

Mon. Introduction to class and each other

Wed. Discuss assignments. Read introduction from Alsup/Bush

Scenarios about the Teaching of Literature

Fri. Read Chapter 1 from Alsup/Bush and write first response journal

Journal Topic: Narrate a memorable experience in school (any grade level; as student or teacher) and how you think it might affect your future teaching. Identify any conflicts between what youÕve learned from this experience and the content of your teacher education program, including information you have learned from field experiences thus far.

 

Week Two (August 29-September 2):

Begin work in field settings this week or next

Sign up for discussion leading assignment

What does it mean to be an English teacher?

Mon. Scenarios about the Teaching of Writing

Wed. Read Chapter 2 in Alsup/Bush

Fri. Scenarios about the Teaching of Language and Grammar and write second response journal

Journal Topic: First, write about a classroom activity, pedagogical method, or assignment that you either experienced or have seen done in a middle or high school class that you like very much, and second, write about a classroom activity, pedagogical method, or assignment that you either experienced or have seen done in a middle or high school class that you dislike very much. Why did you like/dislike the activities or methods?  How might you modify the activities or methods you dislike to make them more palatable to you?

Week Three (September 6-9):

September 5 is the Labor Day holiday—no class

Developing a teacher identity

Mon. Read Chapter 3 in Alsup//Bush

Wed.  Scenarios about the Teaching of ESL Students in the English Class

Fri. Read Chapter 4 in Alsup/Bush and write third response journal

Journal topic: Your choice. For the rest of the semester you will select your own topics of interest concerning class readings and discussions. Sometimes, I will provide ideas/suggestions.

 

Week Four (September 12-16):

Mon. Read Chapters 1-3 in Hubbard and Power

What is action research?

Wed. Lesson plan workshop and Read Chapter 4 and 5 in Hubbard and Power

Fri. Read Chapters 6 and 7 in Hubbard and Power and write fourth response journal

Panel of former action researchers

Response journals will be turned in today

 

Week Five (September 19-23):

Mon.: Read Kira Kira. What is YA lit?

Wed. Kira Kira

Thurs. Kira Kira

Discuss Unit Plans and show examples; write fifth response journal

 

Week Six (September 26-30):

Mon. Bucking the Sarge

Wed. Bucking the Sarge 

Fri. Student led discussion #1 and write sixth response journal

 

Week Seven (October 3-7):

Mon. Speak

Wed. Speak. Writing in response to literature (imaginative response, critical response, personal response)

Fri. Student led discussion #2 and write seventh response journal

 

Week Eight (October 12-14):

October 10-11 is October Break—No Class

Wed. Grading and evaluating/peer editing and work shopping

Fri. Student led discussion #3 and write eighth response journal

Response journals will be turned in today

 

Week Nine (October 17-21):

Classroom management and discipline

Mon. Scenarios about management and discipline

Wed. Read Chapter 5 in Alsup/Bush

Fri. Student led discussion #4 and write ninth response journal

Week Ten (October 24-28):

Mon.  Role-playing

Wed. Discuss/debrief field experiences

Fri. Student led discussion #5 and write tenth response journal

 

Week Eleven (October 31-November 4):

Mon. Action Research Project discussion

Wed.  Teaching visual media

Thurs. Student led discussion #6 and write eleventh response journal 

 

Week Twelve (November 7-11):

Mon. Teaching English with technology

Wed. Student led discussion #7 and write twelfth response journal

Response journals will be turned in today.

Fri. No class. Workday for action research projects and/or unit plans 

 

Week Thirteen (November 14-18):

Mon. Philosophies and personal pedagogies—revisit Unit Plans

Wed. Student led discussion #8 and write thirteenth response journal

Fri. No class. Workday for action research projects and/or unit plans

 

Week Fourteen (November 21)

November 23-26 is Thanksgiving vacation

Mon. No class. Workday for action research projects and/or unit plans

 

Week Fifteen (November 28-December 2):

Mon. Hard copy of Unit plans due to me. Unit must be uploaded to electronic portfolio (TaskStream) by December 9!

Wed. Student led discussion #9

Fri. Debrief field experiences

Action research projects due (include response letter from mentor teacher.)

 

Week Sixteen (December 5-9):

Mon. Task Stream ÒuploadingÓ day or workday

Wed. Read Conclusion from Alsup/Bush

Fri. Metaphor projects due, both hard and electronic copy (share in class)

All journals due (class/reading responses AND field visit responses)

 

Finals Week (May 2-6):

No final exam. We will meet during this week to share/discuss action research projects.

Students with disabilities must be registered with Adaptive Programs in the Office of the Dean of Students before classroom accommodations can be provided. If you have a documented disability that will impact your work in this class, please contact me to discuss your needs.