Decisions, Decisions

What to teach?

How to teach?

How to assess learning?

The Problem

Content overlap Theory not

connected to practice

Courses based on topics, not concepts or big ideas

Duplication of assignments and assessment

Solution

Integrate Language Arts and Teaching of Reading

Identify big ideas based on research Eliminate duplication Prioritize concepts to be taught Link curriculum to fieldwork

Process

Who would teach what concepts?

What materials do we need?

How much time will we need?

Where will we find meaningful field placements?

What activities, assignments and assessments will be useful, practical and authentic?

Organization

Developed a calendar Two color coded syllabi Assigned all students to Harding

Elementary Urban setting 600 students 80% eligible for free lunch

Rationale for students – emphasized best practice and research on learning focused schools

Student Outcomes

Develop and maintain a well-designed research-based curriculum

Provide a positive classroom environment

Make achievement a priority Have a shared school mission

Implementation

Emergent Literacy

Alphabetic principlePhonemic awarenessLanguage acquisition

Big BooksKid writing

AssessmentBig Books

Literacy CenterKid writing

Literacy Research

Students learn:Evaluate

ApplyPresent

Current research

How children present research

visually

Students presentedresults of a research

article using the most appropriate

visualrepresentation

Rubric development

Holistic or analyticalCriteria

DescriptorsAnchors

Students developed a rubric for their

poetryworkshop

Students completedthe poetry workshopassignment, tradedwork and assessedthe results with the

rubric.

Results1disagree

2sw disagree

3sw agree

4agree

The course content was sequenced and organized

4 25 18

The projects and assignments were useful and related to course content

2 10 35

I made connections between course content and my field experience

1 4 42

My host teacher used many of the strategies I have learned in this class

5 16 26

Help and support was available if needed

1 10 36

From student journals

“ In class we discussed phonemic awareness and practiced a variety of activities. It was these very activities that I saw in Mr K’s class today.”

“ This relates to what we’ve learned about the importance of a community of learners because the students were actively engaged in learning through actually doing rather than spitting out answers on a multiple-choice test.”

More journal excerpts

“We talk in language arts that we should teach students in certain ways. Mrs. G. teaches exactly how we learned.”

“It was interesting to actually see “kid writing.”

“Mrs. L asked me to teach the lesson. I looked over it and realized in was on blending sounds, which we had just recently covered in Teaching of Reading.”

Road Blocks

Different teachers/styles

Students focused on grades

Urban setting challenge

Lice Final exams

Collaboration

2 innovative college professors

1 dynamic principal with a fantastic faculty

50 anxious, pre-service juniors

Happy, motivated elementary students

Personal application

Is what I am teaching relevant, current and meaningful?

Is how I am teaching motivating and challenging?

Are my methods of assessment authentic, measurable and observable?

Questions, comments, discussion?

Thank you!

Jane & Linda