American University
College of Arts and Sciences
School of Education, Teaching, and Health
FIELD EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION: OBSERVATION AND ANALYSIS
EDU 321  1 SEMESTER HOUR  FALL 2014
WARD 6  WEDNESDAY 8:55AM – 11:25AM
INSTRUCTOR
Susan Stewart, M.Ed  (202) 415-7071  stewart@american.edu
OFFICE HOURS
Office hours are by appointment only. Please feel free to call or email with any questions or
concerns. I am always available if you need my help. When you send me an email please put
EDU 321 in the subject so I know it is school related. Thanks!
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Observation and analysis of diverse school settings, examining philosophies, curriculum, and
teacher and administrator roles, using informal and formal means of data collection with
particular emphasis on classroom interactions. Usually offered every term.
This is a one-credit course designed for prospective teachers to observe diverse school settings in
the DC metropolitan area. Students will examine various educational environments,
philosophies, curricula, instructional strategies and administrative roles. We will meet as a group
to discuss these observations. Students will reflect on their experiences as emerging educators
through these discussions and written assignments. Students will also work to become familiar
with the INTASC standards. Class participants will attend on-campus sessions and observations at
a variety of different schools throughout the DC Metropolitan area.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Students will:
•
•
•
•
•
define reflective teaching and its importance
become skillful observers
make informed opinions about the various school environments
begin to form ideas about their own educational philosophies
begin the process of applying to SETH
COURSE READINGS AND MATERIALS
During the semester we will be reading excerpts of John Saphire’s The Skillful Teacher:
Building Your Teaching Skills (Saphier, J., M.A. Haley-Speca, and R. R. Gower. The Skillful
Teacher, build your teaching skills, 6th, Acton, MA: Research for Better Teaching.
2008.Print). I will hand out copies and/or post on blackboard the readings from this
book. This book is also on reserve in the AU library.
Other course readings are limited and will be selected to provide background
information to support assignments and school visits. These readings will be posted on
Blackboard, and you will be expected to read them before each set of school visits.
You are expected to complete the following:
• Read assigned chapters and articles
• Attend all 6 school visits and on campus classes
• Complete 6 observation reports.
• Begin Your SETH application: Essay and Praxis I registration
TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTER ACCOUNTS
•
•
We will use the course Blackboard site for students to receive their grades, announcements,
and any class content files.
Students may acquire computer accounts providing access to the email system and
campus wide network at AU (Eaglenet) through Computer Accounts in the Office of
Information Technology. All students MUST read their AU email, and are strongly encouraged
to forward their AU email to the account they read most frequently. All AU email accounts
are issued free of charge and will expire when you graduate from AU (or shortly thereafter).
COURSE REQUIREMENTS / ASSESSMENTS
Graded Course Outcomes
Reflections
• 60 Points - 10 points for each of the 6 journal reflections.
• The purpose of these assignments is to reflect on what has been talked about in class,
and what you see on our visits. Each assignment will be discussed in class, and due the
Wednesday after each visit. Please turn these in via Penzu.
SETH Application Essays
• 20 points
• At the end of the semester, students will be asked to write the two essays required for the
SETH application, one is about why you want to teach and the other is about a learning
experience you have had and how the experience will translate to your work as a
classroom teacher. This will serve as the final exam.
PRAXIS CORE
• 10 points
•
You are each required to sign up for the Praxis Core exam, which you need to be
accepted into SETH.
Class Participation
• 10 points
• You are expected to come to class and make active and informed contributions to class
discussion. The quality of your contributions to class will be evidenced by keeping up with
the readings, sharing examples, asking appropriate questions, and providing feedback
to other students throughout the course
School Visit Guidelines
Together we will visit six schools. Scheduling is tricky and changes to the schedule are sometimes
necessary. Notice will be given to students as far in advance as possible.
Each visit will include a brief introduction and tour led by a school administrator or designated
staff member, followed by a period of classroom observations.
Please read the assigned article/s to prepare for each group of visits. This background material
will allow you to ask better questions of our tour leader and to understand and appreciate each
individual school program.
Professional dress is very important and MUST be worn for all school visits. Think of this visit as a
job interview and dress accordingly. You may be placed in one of the schools we visit for your
practicum or student teaching. Dress includes appropriate length dress or skirt, or dress pants for
women; khaki or dress pants and a collared shirt are required for men. Please REFRAIN from
wearing flip-flops, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, sweatshirts or sweatpants. As a representative
of American University, your goal is to look like a teacher, not a student.
Please remember that we are guests in the school and the teachers’ classrooms. Our behavior
should be respectful and professional at all times. Please turn off your cell phones during the
school visits. No other technological devices may be brought into the classrooms we visit.
Each student is responsible for arriving at our meeting site at the designated time. Meeting times
will vary, so please check the most recent schedule before each visit.
If you must miss a school visit for health reasons, you will be expected to make-up that visit, on
your own, within 2 weeks. It is your responsibility to contact the school to make those
arrangements.
In case of inclement weather, we will follow the directions of the school system we will be visiting
that day. Please check blackboard the morning of each visit to find out about any changes.
Attendance
Students who miss more than two (2) unexcused class sessions will receive a one-half letter grade
(i.e., A-  B+) deduction from their final grade. Students who miss more than four (4) unexcused
class sessions will receive a full letter grade (i.e., A  B) deduction from their final grade.
Students who miss more than six (6) class sessions will receive an “F” in the course.
Only registered students can attend class. Non-registered students or family, children or guests of
registered students cannot attend class. Additionally, only registered students will get credit for
the course.
Late Assignments
Early and on-time assignments will be accepted. Unless given pre-approval by the instructor,
late assignments will be deducted 10% per day.
Out of courtesy to your colleagues, please turn OFF your cell
phones and disable your email access during our time together so
that you can fully commit to the work before us. I would prefer
laptops not to be used in class unless you are given permission at
certain points during the class.
COURSE OUTLINE: The course outline presented below is the framework for this course. It is
subject to change based on the needs of the class.
Dates
Assignments
(due on corresponding class
day)
Topics Covered
Peer Interactions
8/27
Course Overview,
Reflective
Teaching
-Get to know you interactive
activity “Treasure Hunt”
-Created Know, Think I Know, Want
to Know as a whole class
-Discussed reading (in a round
table format) from Marzano’s
Becoming a Reflective Teacher
Excerpt from Marzano’s
Becoming a Reflective
Teacher
9/3
*Clarity:
Presenting
Information,
Making
Connections
*Next Week’s visit
TB Test Results
Reading: The Skillful TeacherChapter 9, Clarity, Pages 161190
9/10
School Visit #1Langley High
School
-Word Splash - individual and then
as a group
-Pairs presented mini-lesson to the
group on one of these topics
regarding instructional strategies
for presenting information:
Analogies, Mental Imagery,
Modeling Thinking Aloud, Graphic
Organizer, Charts
Field Trip
9/17
* Clarity:
Checking for
Understanding
*Debriefing
REFLECTION #1- Topic:
Essential Questions and
Objectives
Reading: The Skillful TeacherChapter 9, Checking for
Understanding, Pages 190-204
9/24
School Visit #2Deal Middle
School
-Group discussion (round table)
debriefing on Langley High School
visit, focusing-in on topic for
Presenting Information/Clarity,
Objective and Essential Questions
-Paired work on defining and
coming up with examples for:
Recall questions, Comprehension
Questions, Dipsticking, Making
Students Think Visibly, Summarizing
Field Trip
10/1
*Clarity- Blooms
Taxonomy and
Good
Questioning
*Debriefing
-Used Bloom’s Taxonomy Chart:
each student wrote three
questions to use in different
categories (about our field trip to
Deal Middle School). Each student
chose one of the three questions
and posed it to the group for
discussion. The group also had to
guess which category the question
came from.
Reading- Background
reading on Langley High
School
Reading –Background
reading on Deal Middle
School and article, “Learning
from ‘Turnaround’ Middle
Schools: Strategies for
Success”
Reflection #2-Topic: Checking
for Understanding
Reading: The Skillful TeacherChapter 9, Questioning,
Pages 204-215
-Discussion on Open/Closed
Questions after viewing a video
clip from the Teacher Channel.
10/8
10/15
School Visit #3Horace Mann
Elementary
school
*Expectations
*Debriefing
Field Trip
-Debriefed on school visit to Mann
ES using round table discussion
focusing on questioning at the
school.
-Did “Take A Stand” activity on
controversial expectation topics.
Students lined up and discussed
their stand first among the students
that agreed with them and then
with the students on the opposite
end of the spectrum for that topic.
-Watched short video Clips from
Teach Like a Champion DVD and
discussed in round table format:
No Opt Out and Cold Call.
Field Trip
10/22
School Visit –
Green Acres
Independent
School
10/29
*Classroom
Climate*Debriefing
-Debriefed on visit to Green Acres
in round table format focusing on
classroom expectations.
-Watched video clip from Teach
Like a Champion DVD on Positive
Framing and discussed.
-Activity: Students worked in pairs
to change the scenarios they
received in writing (off task
behaviors and they had to script a
positive correction-group,
individual correction, etc.).
Students also had to rewrite
negatively framed sentences and
make them positively framed.
Then, we shared as a group.
11/5
School VisitCesar Chavez
Public Charter
School
Field Trip
Background reading on
Horace Mann and reading
“Principles and Practices of
Responsive Classroom”
Reflection #3- Topic:
Questioning
Reading: The Skillful TeacherChapter 12, Expectations,
pages 274-298
Background Reading on
Green Acres and excerpt
from Holding Values- What we
Mean by Progressive
Education
Reflection#4-Topic:
Expectations,
Reading: The Skillful TeacherChapter 14, Classroom
Climate, pages 328-352
Background Reading on
Cesar Chavez and read
article from Education
Leadership, “The Diversity
Dilemma”
11/12
*Building
Character and
Trust
*Debriefing
11/19
School Visit – The
Lab School
NO CLASSTHANKSGIVING
11/26
12/3
*Debriefing
*Final Thoughts
12/10
NO CLASS
-Debrief on school visit to Chavez
PCS in round table format focusing
in on Classroom Climate.
-Gallery Walk - Students worked in
pairs to brainstorm these topics
(that they read about) on the
gallery walk: Precise Praise,
Warm/Strict, The J-Factor,
Emotional Constancy, Explain
Everything, Normalizing Error. Then
we discussed these strategies
once the gallery walk was
complete.
- Case Study - Students read a
case study in Class about a first
year teacher with classroom
management, expectations and
planning issues. The students
worked in pairs to “crack the
case”. They wrote their ideas on
chart paper and shared how they
would advise this first year teacher.
Field Trip
N/A
- Debriefed on school visit to The
Lab School in round table format Topic was “free choice”, but
focused on the needs of students
with learning differences.
--Students completed the
“Learned” in the KWL chart
individually on charts. Then, they
circled their top three and
presented individually to the class
as to why they chose those three
topics as the most important for
the semester.
N/A
Reflection #5-Topic:
Classroom Climate
Reading: Teach Like a
Champion, “Building
Character and Trust”, pages
203-223
Background reading on The
Lab School
Reflection #6- Topic: Free
Choice
Teaching Essay and Learning
Essay Due
PRAXIS CORE SIGN UP DUE
COURSE GRADING:
Percent of Total Points available will be used to determine the class grade as follows:
A: 95% - 100%
A-: 90% - 94%
B+: 87% - 89%
B: 83% - 86%
B-: 80% - 82%
C+: 77% - 79%
C: 73% - 76%
C-: 70% - 72%
D:66% - 69%
F: 65% or less
Philosophy of the School of Education, Teaching & Health
The mission of the School (SETH) is the professional development of dedicated and proficient
teachers, educational leaders, health professionals, and researchers. Graduates should be
equipped to accommodate learner needs, to nurture the strengths and talents of those they
serve, and to provide leadership in large and small organizations, classrooms, educational
institutions, and public policy arenas. In partial fulfillment of that mission, SETH offers programs
that prepare teachers, educational leaders and managers, education specialists, health
promotion specialists, and researchers for careers in schools, colleges and universities, federal,
state and local government agencies, business, and community and professional organizations.
These programs provide candidates with opportunities to collaborate with professionals in public
schools, educational organizations, and federal agencies through internships, practice, and
research. Graduates are equipped to meet individual needs, to nurture the strengths and talents
of those individuals, and to initiate and provide leadership in classrooms, educational institutions,
and in the public policy arena. The mission of the SETH is derived from the faculty's shared
conviction that the fundamental task preparing effective professionals who understand and
model a commitment to excellence, equity, community and diversity.
The School of Education, Teaching & Health faculty and staff are committed to celebrating
diversity and building a community of learners. As we work in collaboration in and out of the
classroom:
• We believe that respecting each other's differences and opinions leads to a positive and
open environment,
• We believe that open discourse promotes reflective and thoughtful educators,
• We believe that equitable treatment of each other is necessary for a positive, sustained,
and working community, and
• We believe that each and every member of the community can make a valuable
contribution to the community.
These beliefs in action provide for all students, staff, and faculty a safe, productive, and positive
educational community.
General Information for School of Education Courses
Information about the University
There are three University publications you will need to refer to for various academic issues:
The University Catalog
http://www.american.edu/provost/registrar/universitycatalog.cfm
The Academic Regulations
Undergraduate:
http://www.american.edu/provost/undergrad/undergrad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
Graduate:
http://www.american.edu/provost/grad/grad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
The Student Handbook
http://www.american.edu/ocl/studentguide/
Registration
Faculty members are expected to deny a place in the class to any person who has not
been formally registered, unless that student is attending a portion of a course for valid
academic reasons with the permission of the instructor and the dean or teaching unit
head. Discontinuation of attendance at class or notification to the instructor does not
constitute an official withdrawal. This means only formally registered students can attend
classes. Children and other family members of students are not permitted in class. Formal
registration can be verified through the "Academics" section on the student's
<myAU.american.edu> portal account. Class participation on Blackboard (without
formal enrollment in the course) does NOT equal formal registration.
Incomplete Grades - Undergraduate
http://www.american.edu/provost/undergrad/undergrad-rules-and-regulations.cfm#3.5
Incomplete Grades - Graduate
http://www.american.edu/provost/grad/grad-rules-and-regulations-toc.cfm
Academic Integrity Code
http://www.american.edu/academics/integrity/
Students are expected to conform to the regulations of the University in regard to
academic integrity, especially in regard to plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration,
dishonesty in examinations, dishonesty in papers, work for one course and submitted to
another, deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students' work, and
copyright violation.
Services for Students with Disabilities
http://www.american.edu/ocl/sccrs/Services-for-Students-504.cfm
Appropriate modifications to academic requirements may be necessary on a case-bycase basis to ensure educational opportunity for students with disabilities, and individual
faculty members may need to modify specific course requirements to permit equal
participation by students with disabilities.
Protection of Human Subjects
http://www.american.edu/irb
Any research involving interviewing, surveying, or observing human beings is subject to
review and approval by the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and information
about he university’s IRB process is outlined at http://american.edu/irb The university IRB
liaison is Matthew Zembrzuski and his email is irb@american.edu
Using Appropriate Documentation Formats
The School of Education, Teaching & Health permits the use of two formats for research
citations, footnotes, list of references, and layout, and all written work must adhere to
those guidelines:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition, Washington,
D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2009. Online guide at
http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx
OR
The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition) Modern Language
Association of America (2009). Online guide at
http://www.mlahandbook.org/fragment/public_index
Failure to use the format selected appropriately and accurately will result in a grade
penalty.