Childhood:
CED 420/CED 525 (Student Teaching Grades 1-6)
CED 421/CED 526 (Cross-Cultural Student Teaching Grades 1-6)
Adolescence:
ADO 420/ADO 525 (Student Teaching Grades 7-12)
ADO 421/ADO 526 (Cross-Cultural Student Teaching Grades 7-12)
Student Teaching (Q1 and Q2)
Syllabus: Fall 2012
Introduction
Ron Cocciole, College Supervisor
6069 Meadow Drive
Cicero, NY 13039
E-mail: ron.cocciole@oswego.edu
Website for student teaching: www.oswego.edu/~cocciole
Now that you have successfully completed the requirements in order to student teach, I am sure you look
forward to actually being responsible for what is taught and being the one to accomplish this. As you begin
this quarter, prepare yourself for a challenging and rewarding experience. Read each of the pages in this
syllabus and on our Website, carefully. This is especially important as you design, develop and implement
your Teacher Work Sample(TWS) which you will do during Quarter 2.
Adapt to your new host school, cooperating teacher and students. Build upon the successes you will
experience and learn from the mistakes you make. Take one day at a time. Focus on improving your
teaching presence, completion of your Teacher Work Sample, and fulfilling each of the NCATE and SUNY
Oswego requirements. Refine and polish your developing style.
As your supervisor, I will do my best to assist you throughout this process. Please feel free to contact me
via e-mail or by phone whenever you need to talk. I find some of the most successful students are the
ones who have many questions and are not afraid to ask them. Usually, as one experiences teaching, the
questions decline and the confidence grows. My objective is to help you move up the ladder, not
necessarily reach the top-at this time. (Of course, I hope the ladder is leaning on the right building.)
Student teaching is a process that allows everyone to come away with new and, hopefully, positive
experiences, i.e., your cooperating teacher, other teachers in your assigned school, administrators,
parents, community members, myself and, of course, your students.
Keep your mind open, use your creativity to motivate students, and maintain a sense of humor. It is very
important for you to think of student teaching as a full time job. Student teaching places many demands
on your personal time. Your workload will be intense. Your workday should not be lighter or shorter than
your cooperating teacher’s workday. You must always be prepared to teach each day and complete all
assignments when due. Remember that you are now investing in your future as a classroom teacher;
dedicate each day to learning effective teaching practices.
You need to remain open and receptive to suggestions made by both of us for improvements in planning,
strategies for instructional delivery, classroom management and interaction with your students. Accept
constructive criticism, and implement suggestions for improvement. Learn to think on your feet as you
teach. Learn to adapt and modify your classroom presentations. Reflect on each day and journal your
experiences. Ask yourself these questions: What have I learned today? If I were to teach a lesson again,
how would I improve it? I find that the most successful improvement is done when we concentrate on one
particular area that we want to improve.
I have had great groups of students in the past and I am sure this will be the case for this school year. A
few items/reminders from the School of Ed staff and myself:

I experienced the many benefits of the TK20 and the Teacher Work Sample. These relatively new
requirements have been great tools that benefit everyone--School of Ed staff, supervisors and preservice teachers. We will work with them and have it become a "win-win" situation.

Please seek feedback from your cooperating teacher. Often communication is blocked when either
the student teacher or the cooperating teacher perceives the other as disinterested and not willing to
go over areas for improvement.

The "phase-in" form available on the Website is for you and your cooperating teacher to plan your
student teaching experience. I will not collect it and you two can alter it any way you wish.

The lesson plans you develop can include all kinds of teaching experiences, labs, centers, field trips,
etc. These are all observable and part of teaching. Observing a traditional teacher lecture is not always
necessary. My philosophy is that humans learn in so many different ways--and educators should teach
in a variety of ways. Personally, my most rewarding learning experiences have been failures that are
turned around. (Boy, did I l learn a lot trying to get my Website up and running.)

When I observe your class, I must get a hard copy of your lesson plan for that class on the day I
observe you, in addition to the ones that you distribute in advance. I also need all the other
documents and handouts that you give to your students.

I will always TRY to let you know when I will visit for an observation, but I give myself the right to do a
surprise visit/observation.

Community Project assignment. Bottom line--I want a document or media presentations, etc. that
shows me you "checked out" the community in which you are student teaching. The School and
Community Review may be helpful. It was given to me by a colleague, Ms. Margaret Lautier Donnelly.

The Weekly Report on the Web site that you submit tells me two things--the front is what/when you
will be teaching the week coming and the back is a reflection of the week that just past. I need both
every week. The front of the Weekly Report has worked well in the past. (You can develop your own
form that has the same components, if you wish.)

You do not have to wait until Sunday nights to submit your Weekly Reports. The first one would be a
"sooner the better" situation so we can work out any problems. Have a great learning experience.
(See the Appendix pages for the School of Education Conceptual Framework)
As a result of this pre- service placement, student teachers will be able to:
1. Prepare comprehensive 9 point lesson plans (Knowledge) and adapt, modify and implement plans that
engage learners. (Authentic Learning, Practice, Reflection).
2. Demonstrate comprehension of the social, cultural, and psychological factors which influence how
diverse children perceive and learn the curriculum. (Knowledge); and an awareness of appropriate
teaching strategies to foster positive attitudes in all students. (Social Justice, Practice).
3. Demonstrate an application of the content knowledge, inquiry/process skills, and values appropriate to
elementary, middle school and/or high school students, with attention to state and national education
reform documents. (Knowledge).
4. Demonstrate an ability to plan, implement, and reflectively evaluate a variety of inquiry-based,
inductive teaching strategies as well as direct instruction at the elementary, middle school and/or high
school level . (Authentic Learning, Practice, Reflection).
5. Examine various curriculum materials and Educational Technologies for inquiry-based classroom and/or
laboratory use, and reflectively evaluate their appropriateness from a scientific, psychological, and
pedagogical perspective. (Authentic Learning, Social Justice, Knowledge, Practice, Reflection).
6. Demonstrate an ability to use and reflectively evaluate effective classroom management techniques to
establish and maintain environments conducive to learning. (Practice, Reflection, Authentic Learning,
Social Justice).
7. Demonstrate knowledge of the professional and legal obligations of teaching, including an ability to
establish and maintain safety; and to be a lifelong learner. (Collaboration & Leadership, Knowledge,
Practice, Reflection)
8. Demonstrate the ability to complete weekly schedules; compose an effective letter of introduction to
parents and students; complete weekly journals; and compose a comprehensive community activity
report. (Collaboration & Leadership, Knowledge, Practice, Reflection)
9. Demonstrate the ability to design, develop and implement effective Social Justice Lessons. (Authentic
Learning, Social Justice, Knowledge, Practice, Reflection).
10. Demonstrate the ability to plan a long term unit of study through the design, development and
implementation of a Teacher Work Sample. (Authentic Learning, Social Justice, Knowledge, Practice,
Reflection).
equi
STUDENT TEACHING TASKS CHECKLIST Q1-2012-2013
RESPONSIBILITIES, REQUIREMENTS AND OPTIONS
(R = required of student teacher, cooperating teacher or supervisor.)
The roles and responsibilities for the student teaching team are well outlined in the Student Teaching Handbook (Oswego's Website.)
Each of the student teachers should know them thoroughly. Below is a checklist that may help you more clearly identify many, but not
all, of the responsibilities. (Missing the due date for projects, paperwork, etc., may result in an incomplete.) (R = Required to be
submitted by the student teacher.)
8-29-12
Week
Required
1
R
1
Responsibilities
Person(s) Responsible
Student Teacher Informational Sheet to the Supervisor by
Wed. of the 1st week NLT 9-5-12
Student Teacher
R
Send Behavioral Management Plan to the Supervisor by the
Friday of the 1st wk NLT 9-7-12
Student Teacher with Coop.
Teacher’s Approval
1
R
Student Teacher with Coop.
Teacher’s Approval
1
R
Make and Send A Letter of Introduction To Parents
By end of 1st week NLT 9-7-12
A One paragraph statement about the TWS you plan to do.
NLT 9-7-12
R
R
Meet w/ your Supervisor at 7:30 AM on Thurs. 9-13-12
Location - TBA
Mid-Quarter Eval. By the Cooperating Teacher
NLT Tuesday 9-25-12
Student Teachers w/ Supervisor
2
4
1st Observation of Student Teacher
Student Teacher Supervisor
1st Written Evaluation
Student Teacher Supervisor
2nd Observation
2nd Evaluation
Student Teacher Supervisor
Student Teacher Supervisor
3rd Observation
Student Teacher Supervisor
3rd Evaluation
Student Teacher Supervisor
Develop Lessons that will include such activities as
Cooperating Learning, Learning Centers and Technology
Student Teacher
R
6
R
Student Teacher
Cooperating Teacher to the
Supervisor—(via St. Teacher)
Turn-In Meeting
Location TBA Time 3:00-4:30 PM
Thursday October 11-12. EDU 430/530
Activities Reports—On line
Activities must be done and in prior to this meeting.
Student Teacher
2.. TEACHING IN THE REAL WORLDCiting three teaching or behavioral management strategies
used by Anne, describe if you would use them, or not use
them and the reasons for each.
Hand in the Book at this meeting. The Report should be
done, and in, prior to this meeting.
7
R
Cooperating Teacher’s Final Appraisal
Cooperating Teacher to
Supervisor
7
R
Supervisors Final Assessment
Student Teacher Supervisor
R= Required to be submitted by the student teacher.
The list above represents the main components. There will be other responsibilities required, but they are
based on meeting held with the student teacher(s), cooperating teachers and the supervisor, i.e.,
Common Core Learning Standards, Community Project and Use of Interactive White Boards.
Sharing Ideas
As you become a more experienced teacher, you will learn the real meaning of teamwork. Not so much in
the format of team teaching, but that is important; more in the sense of working with others to produce
the best ideas and processes to educate your students.
As a supervisor, I work with my colleagues to obtain and produce better methods to evaluate, how to
work with difficult situations, etc. (A large part of this Syllabus has been the result of using another
colleague’s materials and ideas.)
I hope you have the opportunity to work with the other student teachers—especially those who are in my
supervisee’s group. A couple of planned meetings, as a group, should make this possible. Below is a
colleague with whom I work and her E-mail address.
Margaret Lautier Donnelly
Margaret Donnelly
margaret.donnelly@oswego.edu
Satisfactory Final Evaluation
You must meet each of the following indicators

















Full time attendance (You are required to attend school every day that it is session)
Professional dress and performance in the host school
Preparation of daily lesson plans for all lessons at least 2 days prior to the date of instruction
Weekly planning with cooperating teacher
Teach cooperatively on a regular basis with your cooperating teacher (beginning by the second
week)
Formal lesson plans submitted to college supervisor
3 formal written observations by college supervisor
Weekly reflective journal Weekly schedule and free periods
Letter of introduction to students and parents
Written classroom management plan and implementation of plan
Submission of Teacher Work Sample (Q2)
Submission of at least one Social Justice Lesson
Computer or alternate technological enhancement for a lesson
Community activity report
Evidence of a record keeping system
Beginning development of a professional portfolio
Cooperating teacher mid-quarter and final pedagogy evaluation
Cooperating teacher mid-quarter and final content evaluation
During Your First Week
An experienced teacher is well aware of how important the first few weeks of classes are. The tone for the
entire quarter, semester (or year) can be established as new classes begin. Listen carefully to your
cooperating teacher during your first week. Observe his/her pedagogy carefully. Note how the teacher
manages the classroom. Pick out anticipatory sets, methods of transition as lessons progress, strategies
employed for whole and non-whole group instruction, skills used to listen to students, lesson closure and
interactions with students individually as well as the entire class. Begin your preparation for teaching your
first lessons:
Write a brief description of you. What do you want to share with your students? Ask your cooperating
teacher to introduce you to all the classes. Share your enthusiasm to become their teacher from the
onset. Kids can always read you!
Interact with students during the school day. Get to know them. Begin to learn their names. Be friendly
and truthful from Day 1.
Ask the cooperating teacher to provide you with copies of teacher texts, curriculum guides and the
teacher handbook. Read The Teacher Handbook! You will be expected to follow most school district
policies. Ask questions!
Learn the procedures followed to maintain a positive learning environment for all students in the
classroom. What are the cooperating teacher’s rules for all students? What are student responsibilities?
What are the consequences for those who break rules?
Dress as a professional. Never wear sneakers, jeans, or sweatshirts. Women should never wear clothing
that exposes the tummy. Men should always wear a shirt and tie. Do not engage in idle gossip about your
host school, cooperating teacher, school administrators, SUNY Oswego or students. It always comes back
to me. You may be dismissed from student teaching if you are unprofessional.
Find out when you should report to school. You are required to report to your host school at least 30
minutes before the school day begins. You are expected to attend meetings and most after school
activities. Volunteer to meet with students after school to provide extra help as needed.
Remember that you, and your cooperating teacher, must adhere to New York State Law regarding his/her
supervision of you as a student teacher.
Ask your cooperating teacher to permit you to observe at least two other teachers’ classes in the school.
Observe their teaching styles, and discipline methods, and compare them with those used by your
cooperating teacher.
Ask your cooperating teacher when you may begin teaching your first class. You should take at least one
class by the beginning of Week 2. Ask your cooperating teacher if she/he would like you to co-teach a
lesson.
Assist your cooperating teacher with daily routines including attendance, referrals, copy machine use,
duty assignments, laboratory preparation, seating charts, etc. Set up iWebfolio for your cooperating
teacher and me.
You are required to report to your host school whenever it is in session. In the event of a personal family
tragedy or medical emergency that prevents you from attending school you must contact me, your
cooperating teacher, and your host school before the teaching day begins. You must secure my permission
to be absent. I will then contact Dr. Joyce Smith and provide her with this information. Call me as early as
5:00 am if you like but call no later than 7:00 am. You must call me if school is canceled due to inclement
weather.
Writing Your Lesson Plans
For each lesson you teach, a written plan must be approved at least two days in advance by your
cooperating teacher. You must write lesson plans for each lesson that you teach. You must submit formal
lesson plans to me for my evaluation presented to me when I formally observe you. Each must be typed or
word processed with a hard copy for me.
The 9 Point Lesson Plan
(1) Grade and Developmental Levels of Students: Cite all special needs of your students
(2) Achievement Goals and Outcomes: State what you expect them to learn from this lesson. Write these
objectives using Blooms Taxonomy. Reference your objectives to New York State Learning Standards. List
the specific standards. Please do not just cite the standards by number. Write each standard as applicable
to your specific lesson plan.
(3) Materials and Resources needed for the lesson: Be specific. List them.
(4) Procedures and Timeline: Include the methods and strategies you will utilize in your effort to best meet
these objectives with these students at this time.
(5) Adaptations of Instruction: For the full range of students. Capture students’ attention and focus the
learner on your intended outcomes. Include your lesson introduction, motivation strategies, anticipatory
set, modeling, guided practice and independent practice.
(6) Assessment: State how you will know whether they have met your objectives. Pre and post assessment
measures planned for in terms of content, skills, attitudes.
(7) Use of Technology: For lesson enhancement. Consider some and write a statement that addresses this.
(8) Outreach to Families: Consider some and write a statement that addresses this.
(9) Closure and teacher lesson reflection: You may choose to do this in weekly journals.
You may choose a slightly different model in consult with your cooperating teacher when
writing your daily plans for her/him. However, the nine point requirements must be
submitted to me for the required lesson plans as well as your Teacher Work Sample.
You must complete a Community Activity Report during Q1
Here are some suggested topics for consideration:
 Attend, reflect on and submit a report on a PTO, PTA, PTSO or Home and School meeting.
 Write letters to parents (after approval by the cooperating teacher) on a regular basis sharing the
happenings of the classroom for a particular period of time. Invite parents to respond.
 Assist in the planning of a parent night. Be an active participant. Write a reflection on the
experience.
 Attend after school activities where parents attend such as concerts, science fairs, sports
activities. Write a reflection.
 Make positive phone calls home to report on students progress (after approval by the cooperating
teacher)
I will meet your cooperating teacher during my first visit. I would appreciate you coordinating my visit with
other student teachers in your school or district. Do not be too nervous when I come in to observe you. I
will always share areas in need of improvement, as well as strengths, immediately after your lesson. You
can always check my calendar on the web to see open days and times then e-mail me with requests for
observations. When I come in to observe you, I will answer all questions your cooperating teacher may
have.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bennett, W. J. (1986) What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning. U.S. Department of Education
Bero, S.J. (2007). Q1 Student Teaching-2007. [Online].
http://homepage.mac.com/troutman2/Personal.html
Bloom, B.S. (Ed.) (1956) Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals:
Handbook I, cognitive domain. New York, Toronto: Longmans, Green.
Grayson, D.A. & Martin, M.D. (2001). Generating expectations for student achievement. An equitable
approach to educational excellence. Canyon Lake, CA: GrayMill.
Hurley, A. (2006). Good behavioral objectives. [Online].
http://www.oswego.edu/~hurley/BehavioralObjectives.htm
and
http://homepage.mac.com/troutman2/Personal107.html
Hacker, D. & Sommers, N. Rules for Writers: SUNY Oswego Edition.Bedford/St.Martin’s. Boston.
Johnson, R.T. What is cooperative learning? [Online]. http://www.clcrc.com/pages/cl.html
and
http://homepage.mac.com/troutman2/Education41.html
McCourt, F. (2005). Teacher Man. New York, NY: Scribner.
Mizzi, C.E. (2005). Defining the world of special education. A glossary & guide for parents, teachers and
students. New York, NY: Xlibris Corporation.
National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP). (1999). The nation's report card: Focus on science
[On-line]. Available:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/science/science.asp
Weir, K.(2002). School Projects: Papers and Presentations. Los Angeles, CA: Parent’s Guide Press.
Wong, H.K. & R.T. (1998). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher. Mountain View, CA:
Harry K. Wong Publications.
Zuckergood, D & Bettencourt, A.M. Teaching in the Real World: Strategies to Survive and Thrive;Pearson,
Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Appendix A
School of Education Conceptual Framework - December 1998
The faculty of the School of Education at Oswego State University believes that the role of schools is to
promote authentic learning by all students. The role of educators in meeting that goal is to function as
socially conscious catalysts for change who create and sustain school environments where excellence is
cherished and social justice flourishes. These beliefs reflect the mission of the School of Education.
The act of weaving a braid is a visual metaphor for the interactive, recursive and transformative nature of
the teaching and learning process. (See Appendix -12-) Educators continually weave strands of knowledge,
practice, reflection, collaboration and leadership, thus creating a complex braided school fabric in which
authentic learning is an everyday reality for diverse students. Concern for social justice anchors the
educational process; it is the knot at the top of the braid.
* Authentic Learning: Educators provide meaningful opportunities and appropriate support for all
students to engage in self-directed inquiry, problem-solving, critical thinking, and reflection in real world
and creative contexts.
* Social Justice: Educators who graduate from Oswego State University are socially conscious catalysts
for change who promote authentic learning by all students.
* Knowledge: Educators have a deep understanding of the organizing concepts, processes, and
attitudes that comprise the disciplinary knowledge base (including the New York State Learning
Standards), the pedagogical knowledge base, and the pedagogical content knowledge base.
* Practice: Educators have a rich repertoire of research-based strategies for instruction, assessments,
and use of educational technologies, focused on promoting authentic learning by all students.
* Reflection: Educators continually assess and reflect upon their professional practice in order to
change and grow as life-long learners.
* Collaboration and Leadership: Educators continually seek opportunities to work together, learn from
one another, forge partnerships, and assume positions of responsibility and leadership.
Appendix B
PROFESSIONAL DISPOSITIONS
A. Professional dispositions are the habits of the mind and resulting behaviors that make it possible for
educators to use their professional knowledge and skills to fulfill the vision expressed by the conceptual
framework of the School of Education at SUNY Oswego. The conceptual framework uses weaving a braid
as a visual metaphor for the interactive, recursive and transformative nature of the teaching and learning
process. Educators continually weave strands of Knowledge, Practice, Reflection, Collaboration and
Leadership, thus creating a complex braided school fabric in which Authentic Learning is an everyday
reality for diverse students. Concern for Social Justice anchors the educational process; it is the knot at
the top of the braid.
B. Educators must express professional values, commitments and ethics in order to promote authentic
learning by all students* in socially just school environments. We expect the potential for these
dispositions to be exhibited by candidates at entrance to all programs. Faculty, administrators, teachers
and other school personnel associated with programs in the School of Education support the development
of candidates’ understanding and practice of these professional dispositions within a socio-cultural
perspective. Our goal is to prepare educators to function effectively as socially conscious catalysts for
change, who create and sustain school environments where excellence is cherished and social justice
flourishes.
Appendix C
The School of Education’s Professional Dispositions
A. Commitment to authentic learning and teaching – Educators exhibit enthusiasm, initiative, and
dedication to the task of providing a safe, inclusive, equitable environment for all students* to learn at
high levels; and seek effective new ideas, diverse perspectives, and relevant information to develop
continuously as educators for social justice.
B. Advocacy – Educators understand how social structures and power relationships disadvantage some
groups of learners; assume an effective leadership role in recognizing and challenging injustice; and act
with courage and patience to ensure that all students* can learn authentically at high levels in socially just
schools.
C. Critical reflection – Educators exhibit self- awareness and critical inquiry into their own biases and
teaching practice within a socio-cultural perspective; and seek and respond appropriately to constructive
feedback from others* to improve their own practice.
D. Integrity – Educators exhibit honesty, fairness, trustworthiness; adhere to professional ethics and
standards of behavior; recognize and challenge injustice in effective ways; and act in the best interest of
all students* and others* in the learning community.
E. Socially-conscious respect – Educators demonstrate cultural sensitivity, empathy,
caring, demonstrate cultural sensitivity, empathy, caring, and rapport; seek to understand others*; and
believe all students* can learn authentically at high levels.
F. Socially-conscious responsibility – Educators hold themselves accountable for authentic learning by all
students; and exhibit initiative, reliability, maturity and sound judgment in implementing equitable best
practice for all students* and others* in the learning
community.
G. Collaboration – Educators listen, communicate, and work effectively with others* from a variety of
diverse backgrounds to provide a safe, inclusive, equitable and shared learning environment.
* The phrase “all students” and “others” always includes people of all races/ethnicities, genders, ages,
abilities/disabilities, languages, religious beliefs, sexual preferences, family types, socio- economic classes,
etc
Appendix D
PROFESSIONAL WRITING STANDARDS
Student Teachers are expected to use standard English grammar and spelling when they communicate
professionally with students, parents, supervisors, colleagues, and the public (Knowledge). The faculty of
the School of Education is committed to giving you feedback and support to achieve this goal. When you
submit written assignments:
Your supervisor will read your work to the 5th major non-repeated grammatical or spelling mistake. At
the instructor's discretion, she or he will either (1) assign a final grade on the paper based only on the
material prior to the 5th mistake, or (2) ask you to resubmit a revised paper at a specified time for grading
with a 25% penalty (e.g., a 20 point assignment will receive a maximum of 15 points). A student
submitting a second paper (same or different assignment) with 5 mistakes will be required to take the
paper(s) to the Office of Learning Support Services Writing Center (203 Swetman) for a documented
consultation, with a 50% grading penalty on the assignment. In the unlikely event that subsequent
assignments are submitted with 5 mistakes, the 50% penalty will apply immediately. Papers not
resubmitted will get a zero grade. Do not use slang in personal e-mail with your college supervisor
and/or cooperating teacher. Do use your approved SUNY Oswego Squirrel Mail screen name, if you can.
Appendix E
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION - SUNY OSWEGO
Teacher Work Sample
Guidelines for Preparation: (Revised July 2006)
http://www.oswego.edu/~educate/twsguide&rubric.pdf
What is a Teacher Work Sample?
A Teacher Work Sample (TWS) is a product that demonstrates your ability to plan, deliver, and assess a
standards based instructional sequence; document student performance; and reflect upon the effects of
your instruction on student learning.
Through your Teacher Work Sample, you will provide evidence of your performance relative to the
following standards:
1 Learning-Teaching Contextual Factors: The candidate uses information about the learning/teaching
context and student individual differences to plan culturally-relevant instruction and assessments of
student learning.
2 Learning Goals & Objectives: The candidate sets significant, challenging, varied and appropriate learning
goals/objectives.
3 Assessment Plan: The candidate uses multiple assessment modes and approaches aligned with learning
goals/objectives to assess student learning before, during and after instruction.
4 Instructional Sequence: The candidate designs instruction for specific learning objectives, student
characteristics and needs, and learning contexts.
5 Analysis of Student Learning: The candidate uses assessment data to profile student learning and
communicate information about student progress and achievement.
6 Evaluation and Reflection: The candidate analyzes the relationship between his or her instruction and
student learning in order to improve teaching practice.
Required Components and Format of the Teacher Work Sample
Your Teacher Work Sample must include all six components listed above. Suggested page numbers for
each section are provided; consult your instructor for more information.
You will teach lessons required by your instructor, and complete a written report for your Teacher Work
Sample. You will submit your Teacher Work Sample to your instructor by the deadline date listed in your
course syllabus. When you submit the TWS as hard copy, it must be word-processed, double-spaced, and
error-free; you should provide a Table of Contents that lists the sections of your Teacher Work Sample and
the page numbers. A Bibliography is required.
1. Learning-Teaching Context (approximately 3+ pages)
In this section of your Teacher Work Sample, you must describe the context in which you teach including
the culturally-relevant characteristics of the school, classroom, and students. The Learning-Teaching
Context section of your Teacher Work Sample must incorporate your knowledge of individual differences;
learner characteristics (e.g., race, class, gender, ability, linguistic community, etc); and the social, cultural,
and physical environmental factors that impact learning and teaching. You should describe only those
factors in the learning-teaching context that directly impact your teaching and student learning. For each
factor you describe, you must analyze how that factor impacts the teaching of your instructional sequence
and your students’ learning.
School characteristics. Provide a brief description of the school including the type of school and
grade/subject configuration. (See New York State data at http://www.just4kids.org/
(or) http://emsc33.nysed.gov/irts/reportcard/ and your school district web site, e.g.,
http://www.oswegoboces.org/about/about_districts.asp and
http://www.ocmboces.org/OCM/schools/admin2.html
Then describe major characteristics of the school that impact your instructional planning, delivery, and
assessment. You should include any district or state mandates, such as required texts, curricula, and
content standards, services available in the school for students with special needs, and the culturallyrelevant characteristics of the local neighborhood in which the school is located. Remember, for each
factor you describe, you must analyze how that factor impacts the teaching of your instructional sequence
and your students’ learning.
Classroom characteristics. Describe the classroom in which you are teaching the instructional sequence
presented in your Teacher Work Sample. You should describe the classroom rules and routines, physical
arrangements, grouping patterns, and scheduling that affect learning and teaching (e.g., push-ins, pullouts, teaming, etc). Again, for each factor you describe, you must analyze how that factor impacts the
teaching of your instructional sequence and your students’ learning.
Student characteristics. Describe the students in the classroom including the number of students and
their ages and gender, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds, native language(s) and levels of English
proficiency, range of abilities, and special needs. Remember, for each factor you describe, you must
analyze how that factor impacts the teaching of your instructional sequence and your students’ learning.
2. Learning Goals/Objectives (approximately 2+ pages)
In this section of your Teacher Work Sample, you must list the learning goals/objectives that guide the
planning, delivery, and assessment of your instructional sequence in the left hand column of the chart on
the next page. The objectives associated with each goal must clearly define what you expect students to
know and be able to do as a result of the instructional sequence. The instructional sequence you use for
your Teacher Work
Sample must include goals and observable learning outcomes addressing all three of the following areas:
(1) content, (2) skills, and (3) attitudes or dispositions. Some goals must be at the application or higher
level of Bloom’s taxonomy. Definitions of the areas and sample achievement goals/objectives are available
from your instructor.
This section of your Teacher Work Sample must also present a narrative rationale for selecting the
learning goals/objectives for your instructional sequence. In your rationale, you must identify how your
learning goals/objectives (1) incorporate important ideas and accurate content, that are linked to
national, state, and local standards; (2) match students' current progress and development; (3) are
responsive to student diversity and modified for individual differences; and (4) align with the classroom
teacher’s learning goals/objectives. The New York State Learning Standards can be found at
http://usny32.nysed.gov/teachers/nyslearningstandards.html and are summarized at
http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai/pub/standards.pdf
Effective strategies for adapting instruction and assessments to meet goals/objectives appropriate for
diverse students can be found at http://www.cast.org/teachingeverystudent/
and are summarized at http://www.cast.org/research/udl/index.html
3. Assessment Plan (approximately 2-3+ pages, plus copies of assessments)
In this section of your Teacher Work Sample, you must design an assessment plan used to monitor
student progress toward the learning goals/objectives, and summarize your plan in a chart. You should
include at least one assessment measure for assessing student content understanding before instruction
(pre-assessments) and after instruction (post or summative assessments). You should also include a
variety of assessments of your skill and attitude/disposition goals, as well as your content goals. These
assessments should correlate to the developmental levels and individual needs of all students in your
classroom, and reflect sound practice with clear, high expectations for performance.
Assessment methods may include paper-and-pencil assessments (i.e., multiple-choice tests and quizzes,
essay examinations, written problems, etc.); performance assessments (i.e., reading aloud,
communicating conversationally in a second language, carrying out a specific motor activity in physical
education, delivering a speech, etc.); and personal communications (i.e. questions posed and answered
during instruction, interviews, conferences, etc.). The key to writing this section of your Teacher Work
Sample is the alignment between your learning goal/objectives and your assessment methods.
Your chart should list each goal/objective; the assessment(s) used to describe student performance and
criteria for satisfactory performance; a rationale for each assessment that explains why you chose or
developed the assessment; and any adaptations of the assessments for the individual differences and
special needs of the students in your classroom, using the format below. A sample chart is available at:
http://www.oswego.edu/~educate/twsexample.pdf
You must include copies (in an appendix or in your lesson plans) of the assessments and/or prompts and
student directions for the assessments for each entry in the table.
Finally, in a narrative, identify and describe two assessments that you intend to collect from your students
and analyze as evidence of student achievement. For both assessments, you should record attributes of
diversity for each student (e.g., race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc) to form subgroups that you will
subsequently analyze for student learning.
1. One assessment must be a pre-and post-assessment of student learning relative to one of your content
objectives. You should plan to record scores on pre- and post-tests from at least one class (minimum of
15-20 students) to make reasonable inferences about student learning.
2. The other assessment should measure performance on one of your skill or attitude/disposition
objectives. It could also be an alternative assessment of a higher-order thinking skill objective. Give a brief
rationale for why you chose this second assessment. For your second assessment, you should plan to
photocopy multiple examples from students at high, average, and low levels of performance for analysis;
you will select a few representative examples to include in your Analysis of Student Learning section
below.
4. Instructional Sequence (approximately 10 pages)
This section of your Teacher Work Sample must include the required number of individual lesson plans for
the learning activities in your instructional sequence.
A learning activity can take many forms including, but not limited to, direct whole-group instruction,
learning centers, teacher-directed activity, hands-on inquiry, small-group experiences, cooperative
learning, etc. The learning activities in your Teacher Work Sample must incorporate at least three different
instructional strategies. The specific format for writing learning activity plans is available from your
instructor. Your description of each learning activity should include the following items in your 9 point
lesson plans:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Grades/developmental levels
Lesson objectives – content, skills, attitudes/dispositions
Assessments
Materials and resources
Procedures and timeline
Modifications of instruction for specific student individual differences and special needs
How integration of technology is included in the learning activity
How outreach to families and/or community outside the classroom is included in the learning
activity
9. Analysis of student learning and reflection on the lesson
5. Analysis of Student Learning with Examples of Student Work (approximately 1-2+ pages, plus student
work samples and any charts/graphs/tables created to support your analysis)
In this section of your Teacher Work Sample, you must provide a narrative summary, examples of student
work, and graphs or charts to describe the student learning that occurred as a result of the instructional
sequence. Your analysis of student learning should provide data for at least two of the learning
goals/objectives addressed in the instructional sequence. You must analyze your data to report the
performance of the whole class and subgroups of the class on a pre-assessment and post-assessment:
http://www.oswego.edu/~educate/preposttestanalysis.xls
Whole class analysis: Present data for all the students in the class on a pre-assessment and postassessment to draw conclusions about the extent to which the whole class attained at least one content
objective addressed in the instructional sequence. Provide a graphic representation to compare pre- and
post-assessment results and explain what the graph illustrates. Also describe and analyze student
performance on one of your skill, attitude/disposition, or higher-order thinking objectives. Include
representative examples of student work to support your analysis.
Subgroup analysis. Select a diversity characteristic that you expect to have an impact on student learning
to analyze (e.g., gender, race, socioeconomic status, ability level, language proficiency, level of family
support, etc). Form one or more student subgroup(s) based on that distinguishing characteristic. Explain
why it is important to understand the learning of student in these subgroup(s) in relation to both of the
learning objectives you have chosen to assess. Use the disaggregated achievement data from these
subgroup(s) to draw conclusions about the extent to which student in these subgroup(s) attained both of
your learning objectives. Provide a graphic representation to compare pre- and post-assessment results
from these subgroup(s) as you did for the whole group above. Explain what the graph(s) and your other
assessment data for these subgroup(s) illustrate about the learning of student in these subgroup(s) in
comparison to the whole class.
6. Evaluation and Reflection (approximately 2+ pages)
For the final section of your Teacher Work Sample, you must write a reflective essay in which you
evaluate the effectiveness of your instructional sequence and reflect on your teaching practice and its
impact on student learning. You must address the following questions:
• Were the goals/objectives for your instructional sequence met? Provide evidence for your response.
• How did you change your planned instructional sequence as the lessons were actually taught?
• What questions or issues does this instructional sequence reveal about your teaching or the students in
your classroom?
• Were you able to implement the principles of culturally-relevant teaching in your instructional
sequence? Provide examples where you think you
(1) were particularly successful and (2) could enhance this aspect of your teaching in the future.
• What aspects of your instructional sequence were especially successful or effective? Why?
• How might you teach this instructional sequence differently if you were to do it again? Why?
Appendix F
Student Teacher Weekly Planning/Reflective Report
Name
Current Phone Number
School _________________________________
Cooperating Teacher
Date
Subject/Grade
School Phone
Supervisor
Please indicate the schedule that you and your teacher have planned for the next week.
Days
Dates:
Time/Period
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
FRIDAY
Room #
Room #
Room #
Room #
Room #
Circle in RED or Bold those classes that you will be teaching. Note days that school will be closed.