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CI 405 Fall 2014 Creating and Sustaining Classroom Learning Environments

Section 07 & 08 PDS Interns – Blue and White Cohort

Course Instructors

Ms. Andrea de Carle akd13@scasd.org (B) Ms. Doris Grove dag181@psu.edu (W) Ms. Kelly Mark kmp27@scasd.org (B)

Dr. Jim Nolan jimnolan@psu.edu (W) Ms. Laurie Pagnotto llp11@scasd.org (W) Dr. Rachel Wolkenhauer rxw40@psu.edu (B) We would like to acknowledge the contributions of the following teachers:

Bonnie Abrams, Sheila Abruzzo, Laura Barthmaier, Beverly Bruening, Mindy Cocolin, Cindy Cowan, Kris DeWitt, Sarah Dwyer, Scott Given, Marcia Heitzman, Susan Hipp, Cathy Humphrey, Jodi Kamin, Judi Kur, Susan Lunsford, Debbie Marsh, Carrie Mauk, Colleen McCracken, Deana Washell, and Linda Witmer.

Course Overview

This course has been designed for interns in the Professional Development School Program, a collaborative between Penn State University and the State College Area School District. The PDS provides a unique opportunity for interns to combine coursework with classroom experiences that enable them to create and sustain classroom learning communities that foster and enable success for all children.

Course Goals Specifically, interns will:

1. Become aware of a variety of belief systems concerning effective classroom management.

2. Examine and reflect upon their own classroom management belief system. 3. Begin to understand the processes of creating a dynamic classroom learning

environment and climate where students are motivated, supported, and engaged as responsible learners.

4. Develop and enhance their ability to use an inquiry stance to observe individual children, groups of children, and classroom learning environments and climates.

5. Begin to develop an understanding of how to use the physical environment and interpersonal relationships to create a sense of community in the classroom.

6. Begin to develop effective communication and conflict resolution practices with children and all other members of the school community.

7. Become aware of developmentally appropriate practices and behavior at a variety of grade levels.

8. Begin to learn ways to adapt the classroom environment so that all children will be successful.

9. Identify and use a variety of management tools effectively to prevent, cope with, and solve management problems.

10. Begin to recognize and appreciate the importance of each child’s culture and family background as well as their own cultural backgrounds and how their cultural backgrounds influence them as teachers.

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Required Texts

Denton, P. & Kriete, R. (2000). The first six weeks of school. Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children Levin, J. & Nolan, J. F. (2014). Principles of classroom management: A professional decision-making model. (7th Ed.). Boston: Pearson. Hubbard, R. & Power, B. (2003) The art of classroom inquiry: A handbook for teacher-researchers. (revised edition). Portsmouth, NH: Heinmann.

Optional Texts (Copies may be found in Pattee Library) Clayton, M., & Forton, M. (2001). Classroom spaces that work. Greenfield, MA.: Northeast Foundation for Children. Charney, R. (2002). Teaching children to care. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. Crowe, C. (2009). Solving thorny behavior problems. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children Davis, C. & Yang, A. (2005) Parents & teachers working together. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children Denton, P. (2007). Power of our words. Turners, Falls: MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. Kriete, R. (2002. The morning meeting book. Turners Falls, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children. Wood, C. (1997). Yardsticks: Children in the classroom Ages 4-14 (2nd Ed.). Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children Note: All of the required readings are either included in the required books or are available in PDF format on TaskStream. To find them, log on to TaskStream. Then go to “My Programs.” Find CI 405 (CLE) Fall 2014 (Make sure you are in that Program). Then click on “Resources.” Then click on the “Assigned Readings” tab on the top navigation bar. The enrollment code for this DRF is “clefall2014”

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Course Schedule Class Date &

Time Location Topics Readings & Reminders

1 August 12

8:30 to 11:30

Gray’s Woods All Purpose Room

Getting Acquainted Using “Me” Bags Course Overview –Taskstream DRF Developing an Inquiry Stance Course Overview Developing an Inquiry Stance

Read the course syllabus Bring a “Me Bag.” Preview of Next Class: think about what constitutes a good learning space and why. REMINDER: Bring a deck of cards for next class

2 August 15 1 pm-4 pm

Mount Nittany All Purpose room

Individuality and Diversity in the Classroom Organization: The Physical Environment iMovie assignment

Classroom spaces that work: Read: a) Chapter 1 pages 11-20 (and the key growth patterns for the age of the children in your classroom); and b) Chapters 2, 3, and 4 – Available on CI 405 Resource Page in TaskStream Bring a deck of cards

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August 22 1 pm – 4 pm

Gray’s Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Individual Learner Inquiry Distinguishing Observations from Judgments Lesson Planning for Morning Meeting

Hubbard & Power – Chapters 1 & 2 Selection From the Morning Meeting Book Available on TaskStream REMINDER: Begin taking digital pictures of “ideal learning spaces” in your school

4 September Grays Establishing classroom

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4th 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Woods Blue: Rm 25 White Rm 90

rules and procedures Introduction to Conversation as Inquiry Groups (CIG) Establishing Ground rules for CIGs

Levin and Nolan, Chapter 6; DeVries, R. & Zan, B.

(2003) When children make rules. Educational Leadership 61 (1), 64-67; -

Available on Taskstream

5 September 11 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Building Classroom Community Bring observations from your classroom for the first two weeks of school- (using the Framework for Inquiry Observations model) The Classroom’s Social-Emotional Clima Continue iMovie production (new digital picture

The First Six weeks of School Read: a) Prime factors; b) Key terms; c) Chapter 1- pages 29 to 34 and the grade level section for your grade; d) Chapter 2 – pages 79-84 and the grade level section for your grade level Classroom Spaces

iMovies Due Today

6 September

18 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

The Classroom’s Social-Emotional Climate

Chapter 1 from The Power of our Words: Teacher Language that Helps Children Learn- Available on Taskstream Assignments Due: Today by 4:29 P.M. -Observation Assignment Topic 1 - Submit through TaskStream CI 405 Directed Response Folio (DRF).

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7 September 25 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Beliefs about classroom learning environments. Models of classroom management

Levin & Nolan: Do exercise 9 on page 110, then read Chap 4

Read on of the following as assigned in class Chapter 5- Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline from C.M. Charles Building Classroom Discipline (7th

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ed.) pages 67-84 or Chapter 12- Alfie Kohn’s Beyond Discipline from C.M. Charles Building Classroom Discipline (7th ed.) pages 189-204 or Chapter 4 Assertive Discipline from C. H. Wolfgang Solving Discipline and Classroom Management Problems (6th Ed) pages 79-96 Available on Taskstream

8 October 2 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Understanding myself and others as cultural beings.

Where I’m From Poem McIntosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack. Available on Taskstream Assignment Due: Today by 4:29 pm - Observation Assignment Topic 2 Submit through TaskStream CI 405 Directed Response Folio (DRF)

9 October 9 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

How do cultural differences and relationships interact to create perceptions of learning environments?

Weinstein, Curran, and Tomlinson-Clarke, Culturally Responsive Classroom Management: Awareness into Action. Delpit, L. (2012) Warm demanders: The importance of teachers in the lives of children of poverty. In Multiplication

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is for white people: Raising expectations for other people’s children. New York: Freedom Press. pp. 71-88. Available on Taskstream

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October 16 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Coping with learning environment problems effectively Inquiry Update

Levin & Nolan, Chapters 8 & 9

Chapter 6 - The Power of

Our Words by Paula Denton-Reminding Language

Available on Taskstream The Art of Inquiry – Hubbard and Power: Chapter 3

October 23

NO CLE CLASS This Week- Work on

your Management Plan!!!!

11 October 30

4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Helping children with challenging behavior Problems

Levin & Nolan 10 Chapter 4 Getting on

their Side from R. Strachota. On their side: Helping children take charge of their learning. Pages 58-79.

Available on Taskstream

12 November 6 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25

Working with Parents and Families: Keeping in Touch and Solving Problems

Davis & Yang, Adapted version of Chapters 2 and 8

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White: Rm 90

Acting Out and Bullying??

Ready, Set Respect Toolkit Available on Taskstream

13 November 13 4:30 to 6:30

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

Class Meetings as problem solving tools Student Led Class Meetings

Leachman, G. & Victor, D. (2003) Student-led class

meetings. Educational leadership 6

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0 (6), 64-68

Teaching Children to Care Chapter 13 Class Meetings- Available on Taskstream Assignment Due: Today by 4:29 pm - Classroom Learning Environment Plan Submit through TaskStream CI 405 Directed Response Folio (DRF)

14 November 20 4:30 to 6:30

Grays Woods Gray Rm 25 White Rm 90

Restorative Practices

Restorative Practices in Schools” Building Community and Enhancing Learning Available on Taskstream

No Class

November 27

No Class Thanksgiving Day We are thankful to be working with you!!

14 December 4 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: Rm 25 White: Rm 90

ILI Presentations to SCASD teachers

Assignment Due: Today – Ten Minute ILI Oral Presentation Make arrangements to have someone video record it for YouSeeU

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15 December 11 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Grays Woods Blue: 25 White: 90

ILI Individual Review Session by Appointment

Share your YouSeeU Video discussions about your ILI report as well as all of your observations from the ILI

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Assignments

Summary of Due Dates for Assignments iMovie on Classroom Spaces 9/11 on flash drive Observation Topic 1 9/18 via TaskStream Observation Topic 2 10/2 via TaskStream Management Plan 11/13 via TaskStream Individual Learner Inquiry (ILI) 12/4 Oral Report and 12/11 Debrief CLE Teaching Practices 1- 15 Weekly Journals – Starting August 30th

Note: In all of your assignments, please be very careful not to mention any students or teachers by name. It is very important to protect people’s confidentiality. A. Classroom Spaces Assignment (5 points) Due 9/11 This assignment is intended to help you to internalize some key principles of classroom organization and design. You will be assigned to a self-selected small group to create an iMovie that illustrates principles of classroom organization at particular grade levels (Kindergarten, Primary, Intermediate) using photos from real classrooms. It is not necessary for you to focus on the grade level that you are currently teaching. During the final days of Jumpstart, you will be assisting your mentor in arranging your classroom. Mentors and interns will be creating classroom spaces for learning throughout your building. Based on what we have read in CLE, and based on the principles of responsive classrooms, your task is to take photographs of any classroom spaces that you think are especially good examples of effective classroom design for student learning. Take photos of spaces that illustrate the principles you read about and discussed. You will pool your photos with the other interns in your group and present them in a brief iMovie (about 5 minutes in length) displaying and explaining why you believe these are excellent spaces for student learning. We will begin showing and analyzing the iMovies on September 12th. You can find examples of movies from previous years on the Resource Folio for CI 405 on Taskstream. B. Observation Assignments (20 Points Total) There are two separate topics under the heading of observation assignments. These observations are actually inquiries into student and teacher behavior. Both of the assignments will be posted to the CI 405 Directed Response Folio in your TaskStream account. For each topic you should take notes while you are observing classroom activities. Be sure to make this clear to your mentor so s/he knows why you are using your laptop. If you want to participate in an activity, e.g. community building, then simply record the activity using video or audio recording. You can use the recording as the basis for your observations. You will then use these observation notes to write an observation reaction paper (2-4 pages). The reaction paper will be handed in as the formal product from the assignment. For each observation topic, we have suggested some activities to observe and also some ideas for you to consider in writing your observation reaction paper. For each observation assignment we suggest that you

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use the Framework for Inquiry Observations that follows to take notes.

Framework for Inquiry Observations

Date Activity Setting Observations Interpretations

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Observation 1: An Inquiry into Community Building and Setting Expectations and Procedures (10 points) Due 9/18

Focus: Community Building and Setting Expectations and Procedures What to look for and wonder about: What activities does the teacher use to help the members of the classroom become acquainted with each other, to build respect for each other, and to help each child develop a real sense of belonging? What do you notice about student response to these activities? How does the teacher make children aware of expectations and procedures that are necessary to support the classroom environment and community? How does the teacher help the children internalize the expectations and procedures? Make sure that you do a consistent job of recording these activities, either with paper and pencil or digitally. Focus on observations first. Talk with your mentor about what you have observed and how you are interpreting it. Suggestions for reaction paper - Describe a few important activities and events that you have observed. Don’t describe everything, just the two or three key activities. Make sure to include both community building and expectation setting. Remember to link your interpretations to what you have actually observed. Interpret/analyze what you have observed by making connections to your own experiences, the course readings and activities or other literature that you have read. Be sure to cite any readings that you use in the paper and provide a reference list. Use “side heads” (section headings) to denote each section of the paper. Make sure the paper is well written. Submit your observation reaction paper for Topic 1 by 4:29 p.m. on 9/18 through TaskStream. The rubric that will be used to evaluate the assignment can be found on Taskstream. This assignment closely connects to Standard A-7 in PSU Performance Assessment Framework Observation Two: An Inquiry into Management Across Grade Levels (10 Points) Due 10/9 Focus: Observe one aspect of management in three different grade levels (you may include your own grade level as one of them, but you will learn more if you do not). You may choose to include 5th grade as one of the grade levels. What to look for: Observe similarities and differences in one aspect of classroom management across all three grade levels. (What management strategies are you most curious about? For example- teacher-child communication (How does the teacher speak to children?), transitions (How does the teacher segue from one activity to another?), dealing with challenging behavior (How does the teacher react to misbehavior? [There is no guarantee that you will see this in one visit.]), use of feedback, structuring activities, giving directions, morning routine, closing routine, etc. Suggestions for reaction paper - Discuss what aspect of management you chose to observe and tell why. Discuss similarities and differences you observed across grade

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levels. Analyze why you think these similarities and differences exist by connecting to your own past experiences, course readings and activities, or other literature. Be sure to cite any readings that you use in the paper and provide a reference list. Use side heads (section headings) to denote different sections of the paper. Make sure the paper is well written. Submit your observation reaction paper for Topic 2 by 4:29 on October 2nd through TaskStream. The rubric for the assignment can be found on Taskstream For both assignments and for any assignments or activities in any classes that ask you to observe in a classroom other than your own, please be sure to ask permission of the teacher beforehand and also to thank the teacher afterwards. This assignment connects closely to Standards A-7 and/or B-3 in PSU Performance Assessment Framework C. Inquiry Three: Individual Learner Inquiry (ILI) (20 Points) Report Due 12/4 The purpose of the individual learner inquiry is to help you become a better systematic observer of an individual child’s behavior, to begin to identify and understand what causes a child to behave as s/he does, and to learn ways to adapt the classroom environment so that the child can be more successful. In addition, this activity will engage you in an inquiry investigation for which we have provided the inquiry questions and also told you what data to collect. This will be good initial preparation for designing your own inquiry in the spring. Careful and thoughtful “kid watching” over time is the major focus of the activity. In consultation with your mentor, choose a child from whom you might learn something. Use the attached “Descriptive Review of a Child” form to talk with your mentor and to learn about the child who will be the focus for your inquiry. This form should be an ongoing guide throughout the inquiry process as you learn about the child. There will be times when you will be out of your classroom in September and October for literacy training, technology competency training, etc. so it is important that you make time to observe your individual learner when you are there. The inquiry report will be presented to a group of teachers from the State College Area School District during CLE class on Thursday December 4th. The presentation will be 10 minutes in length and will be video-recorded. The rubric by which this assignment will be assessed is available on Taskstream. We suggest that you use the Framework for Inquiry Observations (above) to keep notes electronically as the inquiry progresses. Weeks 1 through 3 of the Inquiry: (Tuesday, August 26th – Friday, September 12th) Observe all children, and in consultation with your mentor, select a child to observe who appears to stand out, either culturally, behaviorally, academically or socially, and who may need individual attention or interventions in order to have a successful school year. The “Descriptive Review of a Child” form may be very helpful in selecting a child.

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Weeks 4 and 5 of the Inquiry: (Monday, September 15th – Friday, September 26th) General daily observations: Observe the child for at least ten minutes each school day and make brief daily notes that describe specific behaviors which stand out. It is suggested you observe the child during structured and unstructured activities, in a variety of different settings, and in a variety of subject areas. The more observations made, the more you will learn about the child. Share your observations with your mentor. Weeks 6 through 10 of the Inquiry: (Monday, September 29 – Friday, October 31st)

• Continue to make general observations of the child’s behavior • Select one particular behavior to observe further (focus area)

o Examples - calling out, not finishing assignments, bothering others, wandering around the room, name calling, crying, constant movement, aggression, too quiet, lack of friends, not listening, not succeeding academically,

• In consultation with your mentor determine several interventions that might help the child be successful

o Examples include - individual attention, helping child with assignments, giving appropriate praise, close proximity to the teacher, self-monitoring checklist on child’s desk. Try at least one of your interventions and compare the behavior before and after the intervention, then share the results with your mentor.

Weeks 11– 12 of the Inquiry: (Monday, November 4th – Friday, November 14th)

• Continue to make general observations of the student • Develop an oral report about your inquiry into this learner. That is 10 minutes or

less in length. Talk about your report with your mentor and get feedback. In fact, it would be good to practice with your mentor, if s/he has time and is willing to do so. The report should include: a) An introduction to the child which focuses on the child’s strengths b) Descriptions of behaviors or pattern of behaviors that are interfering with

initial school success c) Discussion of strategies or interventions that have been tried, by you or your

mentor and the degree to which the intervention was effective d) Claims, based on data, that you can now make about what you understand

about this child as a learner? e) A brief conclusion This report should be given in a concise, professional manner. Say what you need to say clearly, kindly, and succinctly.

Final Week: (Monday, November 17th – Friday, November 21st) Based on your mentor’s feedback as well as your own assessment of the report revise the report and come ready to present the 10-minute report to a small group of teachers from the State College Area School District on Thursday, December 4th. You will video record your presentation. You will share your video and your comments and questions about the video with one

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other intern (assigned by the course instructor) from your CLE section. That student will also share her/his video and comments with you. You will watch your partner’s video and make comments and ask questions about your partner’s presentation and will share your comments with her/him. Your partner will do likewise. You will share your video and the comments/questions with your CLE grader on (12/11). In addition, you should also bring all of the observation notes that you made on the student throughout the case study to that debriefing on December 11th. Note: Although we hope that the intervention process will be helpful to the student whom you are studying, the real purpose of this activity is to improve your ability to be a good observer as well as your ability to report your observations about children in a constructive, professional manner. As you can see from the criteria, we will not judge the inquiry on whether the intervention was successful or not. This assignment connects closely Standards A-2 and B-4 in PSU Performance Assessment Framework. D. CLE Teaching Practices (15 Points) Due Weekly There are three different parts of the CLE teaching practices assignment. One component focuses on using video to help you learn to carry out some key teaching practices. A second component asks you to choose ten additional teaching practices and to write about what you learn from engaging in those practices. The third component asks you to choose three teaching practices and reflect on how your thinking about them changes over the course of the semester. Specific details about the three components follow. The first teaching practices journal is due at the end of the week of first week of school (August 30). A teaching practices journal is due each week with the exception of the week of Thanksgiving break. The final teaching practices journal is due the week of December 9-13. Teaching practices journals are submitted to your classroom PDA. Part 1- Using Video to Analyze Core Teaching Practices There are two teaching practices that you must complete using a very defined process that includes video recording and analysis: 1) Engaging students through a read aloud and 2) setting expectations or giving directions for an activity). You and your mentor may choose when you should engage in these teaching practices but one must be completed by the end of September and the second must be completed by November 14th. The process you will use to complete these two core teaching practices is as follows:

1) Talk with your mentor about the teaching practice; 2) Video-record your mentor carrying out the teaching practice; 3) Upload the recording of your mentor engaging in the teaching practice to

YouSeeU and make notes about the specific behaviors that you see as important 4) Video-record yourself carrying out the same teaching practice; 5) Upload the recording of you engaging in the teaching practice and make notes

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about how you carried out the task; 6) Your classroom PDA will view these videos in place of your weekly teaching

practices journals. Note: there is no need to write a journal about these two teaching practices. The two video analyses will count as the journal.

Part 2- Learning from Carrying Out Other CLE Teaching Practices In addition to using video to help you learn those two key teaching practices, you will carry out 10 additional teaching practices during the first 12 weeks of the semester. You will notice that we have categorized the teaching practices into five different groups of practices that are important in creating an appropriate classroom learning environment: 1) getting to know students and their families; 2) creating community; 3) establishing procedures and routines; 4) using management strategies to influence student behavior; and 5) instructional practices. The two required teaching practices described above are both instructional strategies. You are responsible for: a) choosing a teaching practice each week in consultation with your mentor.; b) performing the teaching practice several times during the week; c) having a conversation with your mentor about the teaching practice after you carry it out; and d) writing a journal entry that reflects on what you learned from engaging in the teaching practice and from talking about it with your mentor. It is important to remember that the point of the teaching practices journal is to briefly describe how you carried out the practice and then to thoroughly reflect on what you learned from the experience. You may video-record as many of these teaching practices as you wish as a basis for your reflection, but you are not required to do so. Clearly there are more than 12 teaches listed below. You, your mentor and PDA can choose which teaching practices seem most beneficial for you. We encourage you to make sure that during the course of the semester you choose teaching practices from a variety of different categories. Part 3- Reflecting on Changes in Your Thinking about Teaching Practices over Time During the last three weeks of the semester, beginning the week of November 17-21 and ending the week of December 8 -12, you should return to three teaching practices that you performed early in the semester, read the journal that you wrote about the teaching practice and then write a reflection that describes how, if at all, your learning about or thinking about that teaching practice has changed over the course of the semester.

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CLE Teaching Practices Learning about students and their families

• Greet students in the morning; learn their names and a little bit about each one. • Prepare for, observe and/or participate in parent conferences. • Observe 2 “specials” with your children and write about how the fact that the children

have specials intermittently impacts the management strategies that you see the teacher use. (learn about students not so much focus on the teacher)

• Observe “cultural” similarities and differences in your classroom. Creating Communities

• Plan and implement a game or activity for recess, including indoor recess. • Plan and implement a community building activity.

Establishing Procedures and Routines

• Line students up and take them to specials or lunch. • Begin to take on some of the opening responsibilities. (e.g. greeting, attendance, lunch-

count, etc.) • Manage dismissal routines including bus routines (clean-up, prepare backpacks/lockers.) • Assume responsibility for handling three transitions each week. • Perform all opening responsibilities for at least two days.

Using Strategies to Influence Student Behavior

• Use nonverbal cues to keep a group of students on-task while your mentor is teaching. • Experiment with a new management strategy in one of your lessons (see Levin and Nolan

text) • Try three “new” attention-getting strategies. • Resolve a conflict yourself, or observe your mentor resolving a conflict.

Instructional Practices

• Required; Engage students through a read aloud • Required: Setting expectations or giving directions for an activity • If appropriate, shadow your mentor through a guided reading lesson or conferring with a

student or a strategy group • Try one model of co-teaching. • Plan or use some form of technology to enhance a lesson.

This assignment connects closely to Standard B-3 in PSU Performance Assessment Framework

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E. Classroom Learning Environment Plan (30 Points) Due 11/14 The purpose of this assignment is to enhance your thinking about the type of classroom learning environment you wish to create when you are in charge of your own classroom. This culminating activity asks you to re-examine the individual components that have been discussed in the course and to synthesize your thinking about classroom learning environments into a useable form for the future. The final project is due November 14th. This assignment must be posted to the CI 405 DRF on TaskStream. This assignment lends itself very conveniently to being done as separate components throughout the semester and then assembled into a coherent package. It is not necessary to do it all in November. For example, you could start designing the classroom physical environment from the very beginning of the semester when you encounter the principles of classroom design. Make sure each section is well written. Classroom profiles During Jumpstart you were introduced to the Classroom Demographics Chart (attached) and were asked to discuss this chart with your mentor and to complete the chart with information about your class. Assume that the make up of the class you have this year in terms of student characteristics is the same make up that your class will have next year (except that you can you put them at any grade level you want) Include a completed Classroom Demographic Chart for this year’s class as the first part of your CLE plan. As the plan emerges, be sure to consider the developmental characteristics of the children you have described. Each segment of the plan should reflect developmentally appropriate practices. Letter to Parents In order to introduce yourself and your beliefs, your task will be to write an opening letter to the parents of your future students. Make sure the letter is positive, as concise as possible, not jargon laden, and impeccable in terms of mechanics. In this letter you need to do the following:

Ø Introduce yourself and tell a bit about your background Ø Explain your goals for students for the year Ø Describe in general your management style and expectations for children Ø Describe the typical kinds of activities in which children will be involved on a

daily basis Ø Communicate to parents the role you hope they play in your classroom as well as

how they can help their children be successful Ø Tell parents how they can communicate with you Ø Close the letter with a positive statement.

Physical Environment Create a visual (drawing, sketch, model, or video tour) that shows the physical organization of your classroom. You should submit it to TaskStream via scanning or via digital pictures or a digital video tour. You may also hand the actual model to the instructor or create a model using Intaglio or Kidspiration or a web-based design tool. Write a rationale or include an audio file that explains how your classroom is arranged

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and why. Community Building Describe how you would go about creating a sense of community within your own classroom in a developmentally appropriate way. Consider pre-school activities, beginning of the year activities, and community building activities that occur at different points throughout the year. Reflective conclusion This final section of the plan asks you to reflect on some of the major commitments/beliefs that you have developed this year. As you reflect on the semester, conclude your plan by writing three paragraphs. In the first paragraph describe one key idea that you have learned from your mentor and will use next year. In the second paragraph identify one thing that you will do next year that is different from what your mentor does. In the third paragraph, explaining a key belief or commitment that you will take with you as a teacher and will make sure to put into practice in your classroom next year. Make sure that the plan is consistent across all components, professional in appearance and well written. Submit the Plan via TaskStream on or before 4:29 p.m. November 21st. The rubric that will be used to assess the Learning Environment Plan can be found on Taskstream This assignment connects closely to Standards A-7, B-3 and B-4 in PSU Performance Assessment Framework F. Class Participation and Professionalism (10 Points) Your preparation for and participation in class are important aspects of your involvement in this course. Your contributions to the quality of classroom learning activities influence your own learning as well as that of your colleagues. We expect that you will attend all classes, will come to each class having read the assigned readings carefully, and will participate actively in all learning activities including online discussions and activities. It is our desire to build a supportive, respectful classroom community where all feel safe and encouraged to share their ideas and their experiences. By sharing we stimulate the thinking and learning of others and ourselves. You will earn participation points by being well prepared and participating both verbally and non-verbally in small and large group class activities and by participating regularly in online activities. Unexcused absences or repeated lateness will result in the loss of one letter grade in class participation.

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Grading Scale A 93-100 C+ 77-79 A - 90 - 92 C 70-76 B+ 87-89 D 65-70 B 83-86 F < 65

B- 80-82 Note: All CLE teaching practices weekly journals go to your classroom PDA. Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due by 4:29 p.m. on the due date.

General Policies

We expect you to complete all assignments punctually and professionally as a natural part of your transition from being a student to being a professional teacher. Late assignments may result in a reduced grade. Assignments should be professional in appearance and free from any mechanical errors. Assignments that fail to demonstrate mastery at an acceptable level (80% of the total points available for the assignment) must be resubmitted. For resubmitted assignments, the final point value will be an average of the two submissions. Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle. Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts.

Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others. All work that is based on the ideas of others must be properly cited. Disability Policy

It is Penn State's policy to not discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications in this course, contact your instructor and the Office for Disability Services (located in 116 Boucke Building) or the Disability Contact Liaison at your Penn State location. Instructors should be notified as early in the semester as possible. You may refer to the Nondiscrimination Policy in the Student Guide to University Policies and Rules 1997.

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Connections to CAEAD Conceptual Framework CI 405 is linked to the conceptual framework in many ways. The connection is obvious in terms of the node, “Educators manage and monitor learning and development,” since this is the central focus of the course. The course also attempts to help interns develop as “lifelong learners’ by equipping them with problem solving, observation, and inquiry skills that they can use throughout their professional careers. The “understanding of how students learn and develop” is deepened by the observation assignments which ask interns to observe and compare classroom learning environments at three different grade levels and by class meetings focusing on student development. Though “discipline knowledge” is not the focus of the course, “pedagogical understanding” is deepened through the observation assignments, the individual learner inquiry, the Learning Environments course project, and through the CLE teaching practices assignment. Finally, the recognition that interns are “members of multiple learning communities” is brought into focus through the emphasis on the development of learning communities within the classroom, the school, and the PDS enterprise. The course also contributes significantly to several performance indicators on the Penn State Teacher Education Performance Framework. Though the course contributes to multiple areas of performance, among the most obvious indicators are A7 – the teacher plans for an inclusive, stimulating, and academically challenging learning environment; B1- the teacher actively and effectively engages all learners; B3- the teacher appropriately manages classroom procedures; and B4- the teacher appropriately manages student learning and behavior. It would certainly be appropriate to link the assignments that are posted on the e-Portfolio for this course to those indicators on the Performance Framework.

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Descriptive Review of a Child

Student Name ___________________________ Grade Level ________ Mentor ________________________ Intern _______________________ Part 1 - Family and Cultural Context:

* # of family members, parent/guardian info, sibling order * How child travels to school/ any after school care & activities? * Cultural background, language-spoken at home

Part 2 - Physical Presence, Characteristics and Assets: * Characteristics gestures/expressions: how do these present on face, hands, body? * How do they vary with circumstances, environments (e.g..; classroom, lunch, recess)? * Describe the child’s energy: rhythm? pace? how does it vary? * Describe the voice (expressive, inflections, etc.), disposition: intense, even, up, down? * Describe the temperament range (intense, even, up, down). * How do you “read” the child’s feelings? Visible: facial, body language, etc.?

Part 3 - Relationships with Children & Adults: * Friends? Few, some, many? Describe that attachment: consistent, changeable? * Child recognized within the group? How does child respond? * Describe child’s day-to-day contact with peers and teachers. * How are tensions/conflicts resolved? * Describe the child’s relationship with you? other adults?

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Part 4 - Activities and Interests: * Child’s preferred activities? * Do these reflect underlying visible interests, e.g. drawing centers on a topic: trains, volcanoes, super heroes? * Range of interests? any intense/passionate interests? * Describe child’s engagement in projects: quick, methodical, slapdash, thorough? * Does child demonstrate concern for quality of final project? * Are there media with strong appeal to child: e.g. paints, blocks, books, iPads? * What are the responses to mishaps & frustrations?

Part 5 - Formal Learning: * How does child approach a new direction, subject, process, concept? * In learning, what does the child rely on: e.g. memory, observation, trial & error,

context, whole picture, steps & sequence? * What is the child’s characteristic attitude toward learning? * How would you characterize the child as a thinker? problem solver? * What conventions & skills come easily? more difficultly? * Does child use reasoning & logic? * What topics or activities the child find appealing? How do you know?

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Classroom Demographics Chart

*Data in the chart obtained through school records, assessments, classroom teacher and personal observations.

NAME Pseudo

RACE LANG GEN. RDG MATH WRIT RTIi TITLE ONE

SPLED/identi fication

EX: *Abe

B Eng M Basic Prof. Below Basic

L/A Rdg ADHD

EX: Anna

B Eng F Prof Prof Basic

EX: **Ben

W Eng M Adv. Prof Prof Speech/Lang

* Denotes pullout (e.g. meets w/ school counselor, Speech & Lang, OT, etc.) ** Denotes pullout for Enrichment Services For grades 3 and 4, PSSA info and MAP scores would be added columns.