Tentative Syllabus – all items subject to change throughout the semester as intern’s needs develop.
The teacher as a responsive, reflective practitioner: A partner in learning
Supervisor: Dr. Debbie Jackson
Office: 262 Chester Building
Email: d.jackson1@csuohio.edu
Term: Fall 2009
Office Phone: 216-687-3753
Instructor Website: http://academic.csuohio.edu/jackson_d
Office Hours: Monday 3:00-4:00; Tuesday 11:00-1:00; Thursday 1:00-4:00
Course Description
Practicum is a structured field experience designed to accompany specific methods courses and prepare you as a middle childhood pre-service teacher for both student teaching and beyond. Here, you will balance both theory and practice with an emphasis on the varying roles of a middle school teacher. In this practicum, you will work with your supervisor and your mentor to become comfortable in a classroom setting, learn engagement and conflict resolution techniques, and develop and implement lesson plans. During this time, you begin formulating a personal philosophy of who you are as a middle school teacher with expertise in (a minimum of) two content areas, and you will be given ample opportunities to observe your mentor as well as other teachers.
The objectives and requirements for practicum have emerged from the guidelines developed by the
National Middle School Association (NMSA) as well as the Middle Childhood Program Committee at
Cleveland State. The PRAXIS materials were developed by the Educational Testing Service.
Consequently, your practicum is viewed as a critical professional step from student learner to teacher practitioner. The practicum experience is designed to be meaningful, challenging, rigorous, and fulfilling. You will become what you put into the process with support from your supervisor and your mentor.
College of Education and Human Services Dispositions
One important aspect of your education is the development of professional dispositions —ways of working, thinking, and interacting with others—in three areas: Professionalism, Work Ethic, and
Communication Skills. You should be monitoring your own development beginning now and continuing throughout your teaching career. The Student List of Professional Dispositions you received with your acceptance into your program is your guide. This list is also available at http://www.csuohio.edu/cehs/fieldservices/DispositionList.html
Accommodation of student needs
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Educational access is the provision of classroom accommodations, auxiliary aids and services to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students regardless of their disability. Any student who feels he or she may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the Office of Disability Services at 216-697-2015. The Office is located in MC 147. Accommodations need to be requested in advance and will not be granted retroactively.

Tentative Syllabus – all items subject to change throughout the semester as intern’s needs develop.
Objectives
Practicum is the first step in providing you with specific opportunities to develop and apply the skills and knowledge you have accumulated during your educational courses and earlier field experiences. As pre-service teachers in practicum, you will be able to demonstrate your progress in becoming a responsive, reflective practitioner by:
1.
creating lessons, activities and/or assignments which integrate multiple literacies and points of view and move, whenever possible, through both of your content areas
(Contextualism/Professionalism, Domains A and D)
2.
demonstrating an ability to critically reflect upon your teaching with a willing-
ness and openness to new ideas and alternative approaches (Professionalism,
Domains C and D)
3.
finding out and responding to students’ needs in responsive ways –culturally and in terms of their interests and what they need to become independent, engaged learners (Context/Diversity,
Domains A and C)
4.
implementing a variety of instructional approaches including individual, small group and whole class work in order to accomplish your instructional goals (Partnership/Professionalism,
Domains A and C)
5.
researching and collecting curriculum resources and teaching strategies from a variety of professional sources – your school, your CSU methods courses, internet sites, etc. – to incorporate into your pedagogy (Professionalism/Partnership/context/Diversity, Domains A, C and D)
6.
understanding how to best use inquiry with your students as a way to encourage independence of thought/action in your classroom (Inquiry/Contextualism, Domains A and D)
7.
selecting, modifying and adapting commercially available information to make subject matter more meaningful and relevant to middle school students (Professionalism Contextualism,
Domains A, B and D)
8.
developing and implementing multiple methods of assessment for measuring student outcomes
(Contextualism/Inquiry, Domains A, B and C)
9.
introducing technology (as it is available at your site) as a means of inquiry and understanding of subject matter (Inquiry/Partnership, Domains A and D)
10.
providing for and maintaining safe conditions in the classroom as guided by your mentor
(Partnership, Domain B)
11.
understanding diversity as an equal opportunity for all students – regardless of culture, ethnicity, religious preferences, gender or ability – to become engaged in learning
(Diversity/Professionalism, Domains A and D)
12.
integrating content learning with the real world by helping students discover the content embedded in a variety of day-to-day experiences (Inquiry/Contextualism, Domains A and C)

Tentative Syllabus – all items subject to change throughout the semester as intern’s needs develop.
Roles and Expectations
The practicum experience includes several people – the CSU student, the CSU supervisor, and the mentor teacher. The roles and expectations of each are summarized below and explained further in the
OFS handbook.
CSU Practicum Student
The CSU practicum student is expected to be present in the school Monday – Thursday during the morning (this will be negotiated with the mentor, supervisor, and student). The CSU student is required to observe for the first few weeks, beginning to interact with small groups of students by week two.
Sometime around the middle of the semester the student should teach four-five days to one class of students. After this teaching, the practicum student returns to working with small groups of students, reflecting on the teaching practices, management, etc. that occurs in the classroom. During weeks thirteen and fourteen the practicum student teaches a two week unit to the classes. The CSU practicum student should be assisting the teacher in the classroom, but should only be responsible for lesson plans for three weeks during the semester.
CSU Supervisor
The CSU supervisor is expected to guide the CSU student, providing opportunities for reflection and growth and answer questions and clarify expectations of the mentor teacher. The CSU supervisor is also required to assess assignments, observe the CSU student four times during the semester, and conduct two triad meetings (with the CSU student and mentor teacher).
Mentor Teacher
The mentor teacher is expected to share their classroom and their thinking about teaching with the CSU student; inviting the CSU student to participate as a co-teacher in instruction when possible. The mentor teacher is expected to formally observe the CSU student twice during the semester and be a part of the triad meetings. The mentor teacher is also expected to provide informal feedback to the student at least once a week and engage in conversations with the CSU student about teaching.
Assignments
Seminar Meetings
Weekly reflections in which you record memorable events, issues, questions or concerns. Include what you found or observed that worked, what did not work, and what role you assumed in the class. Record these in a format of your design to suit your needs. These will be collected at each seminar.
Classroom Observations (2).
Early in your practicum experience, formally observe 2 structured lessons by 2 different teachers. One may be your mentor. Try to ask your mentor to assist you in arranging the second observation in your other area of licensure. You are provided an observation form to be completed for each observation.
Classroom Map
Indicate how the students’ seating is arranged, who is positioned where (are those who are struggling placed together, are those who are disruptive isolated from the rest of the class, is there “ability” grouping, where the teacher sits in relation to the students, etc.) Label specific places that your mentor has organized for visual or other stimulation. What types of technology is available and where is it

Tentative Syllabus – all items subject to change throughout the semester as intern’s needs develop. located in the room? What types of print or supplemental materials are present and where are they located? Write a narrative that accompanies your map. What about this arrangement works? What doesn’t and how might you change it to make it a better environment for learning?
Incident reports (5 during the semester)
Describe a classroom event that required you or your mentor teacher to respond to behavior/other classroom problems. Record the number of students involved, what happened as a result of the event, etc. After 5 incident reports are complete, revisit the incident reports to find patterns of behavior and response. Then summarize the incidents and what worked and how that will influence your management plan in student teaching.
Midpoint Lesson Plans
Plan and teach 5-10 consecutive days. This is due to the supervisor for his/her review.
Student Interest Survey
Design a student interest survey which you may give to your students to determine their backgrounds and/or perspectives on a variety of issues. Make it age appropriate and obtain your mentor’s permission prior to giving it to students. In addition, complete the Classroom Profile on one class (if you see more than one group of students). You will need your mentor’s assistance for this in order to obtain accurate and complete information.
Choose One of the Following:
Create one of the following for the classroom where you are working. Submit a picture of what you created and a one-two page reflection on its success in the classroom. Would you use it again? Why or why not?
1.
Interactive Bulletin Board – This could be implemented as part of your unit or another lesson you teach. It should somehow engage your students in an on-going event in which they use the board as a learning experience.
2.
Learning Center – Create a learning center to be used in the classroom where you are working. It should engage students in an activity that furthers their learning of a concept
3.
Use of technology:

Tentative Syllabus – all items subject to change throughout the semester as intern’s needs develop.
Final Unit Plan
Plan and teach a two week unit. The unit plan should be submitted to your supervisor for their review.
Observations
You will be observed a total of FOUR times in your classroom by your CSU supervisor at a time convenient for you and your mentor. A full lesson plan is required and you are free to use the CSU format or an alternative pre-approved by your mentor and supervisor. Each observation will include a pre- and post-observation conference.
COEHS Portfolio Requirements
During practicum, your should add six new artifacts to your portfolio from practicum.
At the conclusion of practicum your portfolio will be assessed by your supervisor. In order to move onto student teaching you must:
You need 1-3 artifacts for each of the 12 outcomes
You must be at least proficient in 8 outcomes (including social foundations, knowledge of subject matter and inquiry, knowledge of development and learning, instructional strategies, and technology) and at least emerging in all other outcomes.