SYLLABUS for EDU 460
Title: Managing Secondary Classrooms
Professor: Dr. Minadene H. Waldrop
Semester: Fall 2013
Credit Hours: 3 semester hours
Box 4009
Clinton, Mississippi 39058
601-925-3226
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I. Course Title:
EDU 460 Managing the Secondary Classroom (3 semester hours)
II. Prerequisites:
Admission to Teacher Education Program
III. Course Description:
The mission of the School of Education is to produce teachers that are caring and
competent reflective practitioners. Mississippi College values the integration of faith and
learning. All learning activities are designed with this mission and values in mind.
IV. Desired Results: Department of Teacher Education and Leadership Mission
Statement:
The mission of the Department of Teacher Education and Leadership at Mississippi
College is to provide collaborative, integrated professional educator preparation which is
field-connected and focused on teaching and learning: based on best practice which is
driven and assessed by high national, state and local standards which will develop
reflective practitioners with the appropriate knowledge, dispositions and skills to lead the
21st Century educational enterprise in America. (Conceptual Framework page 2
paragraph C.)
V. Learning Goals;
Essential Questions:
A. What guidance does God provide for His people? How can I use God’s
guidance for leading in my classroom and working with others in my school?
B. How can a teacher create a positive learning environment that will encourage
all students to do their best? (INTASC 2,3,4,7)
C. What factors most influence well managed classrooms? (INTASC 5, 6)
D. What type of teacher do I want to be? (INTASC 2,3,4,5,6,7)
E. How does classroom management affect teaching and learning? (INTASC
5,6)
F. What structures should be part of the classroom for it to run efficiently and
effectively? (INTASC 5,6)
G. What will I do when my students misbehave? (INTASC 5,6)
Students will understand that:
A. God provides a framework for living our lives including leading others and
managing resources. Staying grounded in His teaching enables me to maintain
an appropriate mental set. The effect of a teacher’s mental set, or frame of
mind, affects the type of classroom management they will have.
B. Teachers should be leading students to learn and managing resources.
Effective teachers are those that ensure all students are learning at high levels.
More teaching and learning occurs in classrooms that are properly managed.
Teachers and students flourish in a properly managed classroom. The need for
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behavior management is reduced when teaching is engaging and meaningful
to the learners. Students learn more in classrooms when they are engaged in
productive learning strategies.
C. Teachers communicate high expectations for their students when they act as if
all students are expected to learn and help students to learn to self-manage. g
D. Teachers begin on the first day of school setting the atmosphere for learning,
mutual respect, high expectations, and for a smooth functioning classroom.
They establish rules and procedures early in the school year and apply them
consistently throughout the year. They continue during the school year
focusing on all students learning at high levels.
E. Rules and procedures, disciplinary interventions, appropriate strong teacherstudent relationships and an appropriate mental set have the most influence on
well-managed classrooms. Rules and procedures have to be in place within a
classroom to provide more instructional time for learning to occur and to have
a pleasant learning environment. Which rules and procedures will depend on
upon the school-wide discipline plan, layout of the building and classroom
and teaching preferences. Rules and procedures must be taught, modeled,
practiced and reinforced daily for them to be effective. As the leader of the
classroom, the teachers have many options for handling student misbehavior
but the goal should be to quickly lead students back to the learning. Effective
teacher-student relationships are viewed as the keystone to classroom
management.
Students will be able to answer:
1. What does it mean to be an effective teacher? What do they do? What functions do
they perform? What do they not do?
2. Why is classroom management important?
3. What is effective classroom management? What is it not?
4. How does classroom management affect teaching and learning?
5. What expectations do I have for myself? What expectations do I have for my
students? How will I communicate them to my students?
6. What is the difference between a leader and a manger?
7. Compare and contrast aggressive, assertive and passive teaching behavior. Which do
most want to emulate to be an effective teacher?
8. Compare and contrast rules and procedures.
9. What are some reasons for setting classroom rules and procedures?
10. What are some ways effective teachers involve students in the process of establishing
rules, procedures and related disciplinary actions?
11. What rules and procedures will I need?
12. What is problem behavior?
13. Why do students misbehave?
14. How can the teacher contribute to student misbehavior?
15. What are the goals for handling student misbehavior?
16. What are my options for responding to student misbehavior?
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17. How does my thinking (mental set) affect my ability to lead the class and manage
resources?
18. What is there to learn from visiting my future school?
19. What guidance is provided in the Bible for setting up our classrooms?
20. How do I arrange my room for effective learning?
21. What are some keys to room arrangement?
22. What are 7 things students want to know on the first day of school?
23. How can I help students learn to self-manage?
24. Name some classroom procedures that enhance student responsibility for selfmanagement.
25. How do I include parents in families in my classes? Describe the role of home and
school relations to classroom management.
Students will be able:
 Relate Biblical scripture to classroom leadership, management and discipline.
 Plan for the first week of school.
 Develop an individual set of classroom rules and procedures.
 Select research based learning, leading, and management strategies to ensure effective
learning in their class.
 Reflect on the actions of themselves and others to grow.
 Use cooperative learning groups.
 Integrate literacy and reading in specific content areas.
VI. Assessment Evidence
A. Develop a Personal Classroom Discipline Plan
B. Beginning School Packet
C. Revision of Earlier Plans
D. Research Paper on High Needs Students
E. Weekly Journal Reflections—due each Sunday night while in the schools
F. Class preparation assignment, scripture reflections, class reflections, classroom leader
assignments are assigned each day.
VII. Learning Plan/Differentiated Instruction (all plans are tentative and subject to change
see the schedule of activities at the Moodle web site: :
A. Reflect on scripture related to topics we are reading and discussing. Scripture is
assigned each day for reading and reflection with some having specific questions to
answer. The goal is to use these and other scriptures to answer the question, “How
does a Christian lead a classroom in the public schools”.
The student is to write a response as either:
 a private response to the scripture,
 a prayer for guidance using the scripture,
 a devotion written for other teachers.
B. Literature Circles: Literature Circle is used as a learning tactic because of its
effectiveness for discussing topics and learning a new reading strategy for your future
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classroom. You will choose either Fires in the Middle School Bathroom: Advice to
Teachers from Middle Schoolers or Fires in the Bathroom: Advice for Teachers from
High School Students to read. These books were chosen to provide future teachers
with an opportunity to hear what students think about their teachers and learning in
the classroom.
C. Reflection is necessary for growth as a professional and for learning. Reflection will be
taught and practiced in this course to ensure that students can evaluate their practice and
understanding in light of research on teaching, use biblical teachings to develop and
maintain an appropriate mental set, review their professional ethics, and resources being
used within this course.


Daily reflections
As an aid in understanding, and to determine mastery of the course goals, daily
reflections will be due after each class. These reflective questions should
require you to think critically about what you have heard in class and begin to
understand how to apply it.
School Journal Reflections
Once you are in your assigned classroom you will write reflections to
answer questions related to classroom management. The student
teaching experience is a continuous of learning. These assignments are
designed for you learn to examine your work and learn how to
duplicate good practices and refine other practices. Students are
required to choose a reflective question to address each week. These
reflections are due at midnight on Sunday of each week during the
intern experience.
D. Participate in all class discussions and activities by coming to class prepared to ask
and answer questions based on assignments.
E. All assignments must be submitted as scheduled. Assignments submitted late will
result in lowering of points/grade.
F. All assignments must be written in Standard English, with proper punctuation and
correct spelling, typed, stapled in the left corner. Also, I would like you to type, in
the top right hand corner of the assignment your name, and date. In the center of the
paper, place the title of the assignments.
VIII. Academic Integrity:
Mississippi College students are to be scrupulously honest. Dishonesty,
such as cheating or plagiarism, or furnishing false information, including forgery,
alteration or misuse of University documents, records or identification, will be regarded
as a serious offense subject to severe penalty, including, but not limited to, loss of credit
and possible dismissal. Mississippi College students should display academic integrity in
all situations. Honesty is expected from all students at all times. Dishonesty, such as
cheating, plagiarism, and falsifying information, is a serious offense and is subject to
severe penalty. See the Mississippi College Student Handbook. Policy 2.19 for specific
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information regarding penalties associated with dishonest behavior at Mississippi
College.
All work submitted for this course must be your own work, must have been developed
specifically for this course, and may not have been submitted for evaluation or
assessment in any other course.
IX. Evaluation:
Grading System (see 2012-2013 undergraduate catalog)
A is reserved for work which is definitely superior in quality. (95-100 pts)
B is given for work which is consistently good and which manifest sufficient interest,
effort, or originality to lift it above average work. (85-94 pts)
C is given for average work and shows that basic requirements in class assignments have
been met. It is the minimum requirement for graduation. (75-84 pts)
D is considered inferior work. (70-74 pts)
F is for work below 70%. (0-69 pts)
Tests will count 70% of the final grade. There will be a test at the end of each chapter.
Literature circle book review, role sheets, discussion debriefing sheets, chapter notes,
scripture reflections, class assignments, homework, class participation, and projects will
count 30% of the grade.
Assignments
Points
Due Date
Strategy Paper on High Needs
Students
15
09/03/13, Tuesday
Beginning School Packet
15
09/04/13, Wednesday
Classroom Discipline Plan
15
09/05/13, Thursday
Revision of Earlier Plans
15
10/14/13, Monday
Homework, scripture reflections,
reading preparation exercises,
literature role sheets, and class
reflections,
20
Assignments will vary
Journal Reflections from School
See Appendix for reflection
prompts
20
Each Sunday while
student teaching
Total
100
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X. Additional Course Information:
A. Attendance and Participation:
In the Mississippi College Graduate Catalog, “Class attendance is an essential part of
university education, and students are expected to attend regularly and punctually all
classes and laboratories for which they are registered. Cumulative absences may
result in a lowered grade or loss of credit for the course. Tardiness is also subject to
penalty. Although some specific requirements may vary according to the nature and
structure of the course, class attendance is required, and accurate records are kept.
(see 2012-2013 Undergraduate Catalog)
Tardies and early class departures count toward the number of absences so students
should plan to arrive on time and remain until the end of the class period. If a student
does arrive late, it is his/her responsibility to tell the instructor at the conclusion of the
class period to be sure records are changed. Two (2) tardies will be counted as one
unexcused absence. All attendance will be reported each day to Banner Web.
If the student misses more than the number of class periods specified in university
policy and believes that there are reasonable explanations for the absences, he/she
may appeal the absences to the Dean of Education. Students may obtain a Student
Absence Appeal Form from the Dean’s Office.
B. Special Accommodations:
In order for a student to receive disability accommodations under Section 504 of the
Americans with Disabilities Act, he or she must schedule an individual meeting with
the Director of Student Counseling Services immediately upon recognition of their
disability(if their disability is known they must come in before the semester begins or
make an appointment immediately upon receipt of their syllabi for the new
semester). The student must bring with them written documentation from a medical
physician and/or licensed clinician that verifies their disability. If the student has
received prior accommodations, they must bring written documentation of those
accommodations (example Individualized Education Plan from the school
system). Documentation must be current (within 3 years).The student must meet
with SCS face-to face and also attend two (2) additional follow up meetings (one mid
semester before or after midterm examinations and the last one at the end of the
semester). Please note that the student may also schedule additional meetings as
needed for support through SCS as they work with their professor throughout the
semester. Note: Students must come in each semester to complete their
Individualized Accommodation Plan (example: MC student completes fall semester
IAP plan and even if student is a continuing student for the spring semester they must
come in again to complete their spring semester IAP plan).
Student Counseling Services is located in Alumni Hall Room #4 or they may be
contacted via email at rward@mc.edu. You may also reach him by phone at 601-9257790.
C. Speed Library Hours
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Monday – Thursday 7:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Friday 7:45 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday 12:00 Noon – 5:00 PM
Sunday 5 PM – 10:00 PM
D. Class Communications:
Minadene Waldrop
Office: Room 406, Lowrey Hall
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesdays (9:00 am-10:00 am, 11:00am-3:00 pm)
Appointments and tutoring can be scheduled for other times.
Office Telephone: (601) 925 -7730
Cell Phone: (601) 941-1906 (preferred method of contact, email or call)
E-mail: mwaldrop@mc.edu
XI. Instructional Materials and Bibliography:
A. Required Textbook:
Marzano, R., Marzano, J., and Pickering, D. (2003). Classroom management that
works: Research strategies for every teacher. Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
The Holy Bible
B. Supplemental Texts: (you will need one of these)
Cushman, K. (2003) Fires in the bathroom: Advice for teachers from high school
Students. New York: The New Press.
Cushman, K. and Rogers, R. (2008). Fires in the middle school bathroom: Advice for
teachers from middle schoolers. New York: the New Press
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