Department of Literacy Education
Elementary Education
TLEE 383 – Syllabus for Kaneland (P1)
Department:
Literacy Education
Course Number:
TLEE 383
Semester Hours:
2
Instructor: Lisa Chinn
Office:
Gabel 152
Clinical Office Hours: By appointment only
Phone: 815-753-6275
Email: lchinn1@niu.edu (best way to contact me)
Kaneland District Liaisons:
Sarah Mumm (K-5 buildings) Sarah.mumm@kaneland.org (email preferred for contact)
630-742-3560 OR 630-356-5111 x112
and Erika Schlichter (6-8 building) 10593@kaneland.org (email preferred for contact)
630-356-5111 x130
Clinical Website: http://www.cedu.niu.edu/ltcy/clinicals/index.shtml
Course Title: Elementary School Curriculum and Instruction: Field Experience
Catalog Description:
Pre-student-teaching practicum. Methodology related to practice through teaching experiences
in elementary school classrooms. Requires 48 clock hours per semester hour of professional
field experience in the classroom. Design, implementation, and evaluation of lesson plans and
instructional unit plans required. S/U grading. PRQ: TLEE 382. To be taken in conjunction with
methods courses.
Course Objectives:
1.
Plan and conduct instruction that applies knowledge and skills learned in
professional education courses in a classroom context.
(IPTS: 1L, 2J, 2M/N, 3L, 5L, ACEI: 1, K, P)
2.
Relate classroom observations to professional education course
concepts. (IPTS: 2J, ACEI: 3.1, K, P)
3.
Demonstrate professional behaviors and dispositions.
(IPTS: 8J, 9I, ACEI: 5.1, K, P)
Subject Matter Content:
1.
State and accrediting professional organization standards. (Course Objectives 1,
2, 3)
2.
Observation protocols. (Course Objective 2)
3.
4.
Instructional materials and curriculum resources used in elementary classrooms.
(Course Objective 1)
Response to Intervention (RtI) principles (Course Objective 2)
Illustrative Course Activities:
The Professional Development School section of TLEE 383 consists of six required seminars,
one co-teaching workshop, plus a Clinical Experience spanning 14 weeks (2 full days per week,
Thursdays & Fridays). The start date is Thursday, January 22, 2015 and the end date is Friday,
May 1, 2015. The Clinical Experience will also include two full weeks starting on Monday,
March 15th and ending on Friday, March 20th. An additional week will begin on April 12th and
ending on April 17th. Candidates working in the K-5 buildings must be at their clinical site from
7:55 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Candidates working in the 6-8 buildings must be at their clinical site
from 7:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
Teacher Candidates will:
1. become aware of school rules, regulations, and policies (K)
2. plan and conduct instruction including lesson and unit plans that applies knowledge
and skills learned in professional education courses in a classroom contact. (K, P)
3. relate classroom observations to professional education course concepts. (K, P)
4. demonstrate professional behaviors and dispositions (K, P)
For specific course requirements and suggested activities, see the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
“Minimal Teacher Candidate Requirements”
“TLEE 383 Suggested Schedule of Responsibilities”
“Activities to Consider”
Third Professional Semester Evaluation and rubric
Recommended Texts:
Johnson, L. (2005). Teaching outside the box: How to grab your students by their
brains. San Francisco, CA: Jossey- Bass.
Payne, R. K. (2003). Framework for understanding poverty. Highlands, TX: Aha
Process Inc.
Singleton, G. E. & Linton, C.. (2006). Courageous conversations about race. Thousand
Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.
Wong, H.K. & R.T. (2009). The first days of school. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong
Publications, Inc.
Minimal Teacher Candidate Requirements: (See also section on “Grading”)
Each teacher candidate is required to attend all seminars and to spend two full days per week
for 14 weeks in the assigned classroom, plus two full weeks in mid-March and mid-April. During
this time, each teacher candidate is required to do the following:
1.
2.
Implement professional education course assignments in a classroom.
Complete of the following Clinical Experiences course assignments:
a.
The candidate must attend all seminars, workshops, and all clinical days.
b.
The candidate should refer to the Wong book for guidance.
c.
The candidate must submit the completed Interview with Cooperating
Teacher via email attachment to Lisa Chinn ( lchinn1@niu.edu) by
February 20, 2015.
d.
The candidate may be assigned on-line reflections.
e.
The candidate may be asked to submit lesson plans prior to observations.
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3.
Participate in conferences with cooperating teacher.
4.
Demonstrate professional behavior and dispositions in a clinical experience.
5.
Submit the required documentation (i.e. doctor’s note) to the Clinical Supervisor.
6.
Contact the cooperating teacher to schedule a make-up day.
7.
Email the Clinical Supervisor, Lisa Chinn at lchinn1@niu.edu ( prior to the start of
the school day) to communicate that you will not be at the school site that day due to illness.
8.
Contact the cooperating teacher to schedule a make-up day.
Attendance Policy:

Attendance is required for all clinical days and seminar sessions.
There are very rare instances of excused absences from advanced days, clinical days
and seminar sessions. They are: illness of the clinical student, a death in the clinical
student’s immediate family, or other unusual and unforeseeable circumstances not
encountered by other clinical students that prevent the candidate from attending.

Decisions regarding whether absences are excused are at the discretion of the Clinical
Supervisor (Lisa Chinn). The Clinical Supervisor must be notified immediately regarding
absence related to the clinical experience. All absences must be made up.

Documentation for all absences is required.

Arrangements for make-up days must be coordinated with the cooperating teacher and
reported to the Clinical Supervisor immediately.

In the event that there is a need for an extended absence (more than two consecutive
days), the Clinical Supervisor will secure appropriate documentation and inform the
Chair of the Literacy Department for final approval before the absence is granted or
taken.

For information on NIU’s policy for religious observations, please visit the following
website: http://www.seasite.niu.edu/flin/niu_policy_on_religious_observan.htm (absences for
religious accommodations will need to be made up regardless of performance).

The teacher candidate for the K-5 buildings must be at school from 7:55 a.m. to 3:40
p.m. and the teacher candidate in the 6-8 buildings must be at school from 7:15 a.m. to
2:45 p.m. After discussing it with the cooperating teacher and the principal, the teacher
candidate has the option to attend school functions above and beyond this guideline, but
may not trade or replace regularly scheduled clinical time for special school events that
occur outside of this time frame.

The teacher candidate may not leave school without permission from the cooperating
teacher.

The teacher candidate is expected to be on time. Tardiness is not permitted.

The teacher candidate will not be excused from any responsibilities in order to work.
Procedure for missing a clinical day due to illness (or for other excused absences as noted
above):
.
3
.
Process for Grievance of Decisions:
In the event that the teacher candidate does not agree with the decision of the cooperating
teacher, the teacher candidate should contact the Clinical Supervisor (Lisa Chinn) immediately.
If the teacher candidate does not agree with the decision made by the Clinical Supervisor, the
teacher candidate must make an appointment with the chair of the Literacy Education
Department or the departmental designee to discuss the situation. Decisions made by the chair
of the Literacy Education Department or departmental designee are typically final; however, the
teacher candidate can appeal to the Director of Student Services. The final appeal option in the
College of Education for the teacher candidate is to make an appointment with the Associate
Dean of the College of Education.
Grading – “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory”
Grade of “Satisfactory” -- All of the following criteria must be met:
1. The candidate earns a minimum of 37 checks in the Developing and Progressing
without Concerns (D/P) column on the TLEE 383 Third Professional Semester Final
Evaluation (based on a minimum 70% score to pass).
 A candidate receiving a mark of “unsatisfactory” (U) in any competency
characteristic on the final evaluation must meet with the Clinical Supervisor to
create a plan for remediation. This plan will be filed in the Clinical Office for
tracking during the TLEE 485 Senior Student Teaching experience.
The candidate must demonstrate meeting the competency characteristic by
earning a “D/P” during the TLEE 485 clinical experience. If the candidate
receives a final mark of “U” in the same competency characteristic in both TLEE
382 and 383, a meeting will be held to examine the deficiency and review the
plan for remediation.
2. The candidate must submit the completed Interview with Cooperating Teacher via
email attachment to Lisa Chinn (lchinn1@niu.edu) by February 20, 2015.
3. The candidate may be assigned on-line reflections.
4. The candidate may be asked to submit lesson plans prior to observations.
5. The candidate will attend the co-teaching workshop – January 22, 2015.
6. The candidate attends all TLEE 383 seminars.
a. Attendance at all seminars is required (Jan. 15, Jan. 30, February 5, Mar. 26,
Apr. 16 and April 30.)
b. The candidate must be on time and remain the entire session.
c. The candidate must demonstrate a professional disposition and wear
professional attire for seminars and workshops.
d. Any candidate who misses a seminar (for any reason) must contact the Clinical
Supervisor via email immediately to arrange for an alternative assignment. The
candidate’s final grade cannot be computed until this assignment has been
satisfactorily completed.
e. The candidate is expected to follow the attendance policy above.
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Grade of “Unsatisfactory”
A grade of “Unsatisfactory” will be issued if the clinical experience results in any one of the
following outcomes:
1. A candidate earns fewer than 37 checks in the Developing and Progressing
without Concerns (D/P) column on the TLEE 383 Third Professional Semester
Final Evaluation.
2. The candidate does not successfully complete the requirements as stated in the
previous section.
3. The candidate does not complete the requirements of Seminar.
For any candidate receiving a grade of “Unsatisfactory” in TLEE 383, the Clinical
Supervisor will write a deficiency report that recommends a Student Performance
Review to the Chair of the Student Committee in the Department of Literacy.
Cooperating Teacher Evaluation Procedures:
a. The cooperating teacher will submit the final evaluation electronically (via on-line
survey from Peggy Williams) by Friday, May 1, 2015.
Professionalism:
Professional dress is one important way for teacher candidates to demonstrate
professionalism in the field experience. The candidate is expected to demonstrate
professionalism for all clinical days. Additionally, the candidate is also expected to
demonstrate professionalism for all seminar and workshop sessions.
Inappropriate dress includes, but is not limited to, the following guidelines:
1. Jeans, jean-style pants, sweatpants, pajama pants, or shorts.
(Shorts are defined as knee length or shorter.)
2. Tight-fitting, provocative clothing (such as low-riders or crop tops).
3. Revealing/low-cut tops.
4. Clothing that reveals undergarments.
5. Skirts or dresses that are shorter than knee-length.
6. Leggings unless top/skirt/dress is knee-length or longer.
7. Flip flops, sport sandals, or shoes that would prohibit you from performing your duties
safely (such as spiked heels).
8. Visible tattoos.
9. Nose rings, eyebrow rings, tongue rings and lip rings. Clear, plastic studs or “spacers”
are not permitted.
10. Men are expected to remove all ear piercings.
Other Dress Code Clarifications:
1. Students are encouraged to participate in “Spirit Week” and special holidays to
demonstrate participation in the school’s culture and special activities. Students may
wear the school t-shirt, but not jeans. (For example, students are encouraged to
participate in crazy hair day, pajama day, school color day, etc.) Additionally, students
may dress up for Halloween as long as that is encouraged and supported by the school.
2. NIU students should not participate in “Casual Friday.”
3. Students are expected to follow the guidelines for appropriate dress when attending
professional development days, teacher in-service days, and parent-teacher
conferences.
Use of Technology:
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Issues related to technology will not be accepted as reasons for tardy submission of
assignments. All assignments are expected to be submitted by the given deadlines,
regardless of technology issues.
Accessibility Statement:
Northern Illinois University is committed to providing an accessible educational environment in
collaboration with the Disability Resource Center (DRC). Any student requiring an academic
accommodation due to a disability should let his or her faculty member know as soon as
possible. Students who need academic accommodations based on the impact of a disability will
be encouraged to contact the DRC if they have not done so already. The DRC is located on the
4th floor of the Health Services Building, and can be reached at 815-753-1303 (V) or
drc@niu.edu.
Dispositions for Teaching:
Dispositions for teaching are assessed and monitored throughout all classes in order to
intervene with support as needed. Any student experiencing difficulties with dispositions will
meet with a committee made up of faculty from the Department of Literacy.
Academic Integrity:
Cheating: Academic integrity is expected of all students. The attempt of any student to
present as his or her own work that which he or she has not produced is regarded by the faculty
and administration as a serious offense. Students are considered to have cheated if they copy
the work of another during examination or turn in a paper or an assignment written, in whole or
in part, by someone else. Students are guilty of plagiarism, intentional or not, if they copy
material from books, magazines, Internet, or other sources without identifying and
acknowledging those sources or if they paraphrase ideas from such sources without
acknowledging them. If academic misconduct is suspected, the faculty member will follow the
“Faculty Guide to Academic Misconduct” issued by the University Judicial Office.
Suggested Schedule of Responsibilities for TLEE 383 students:
1.
2.
Begin implementing Co-teaching Strategies.
Communicate with the cooperating teacher to arrange opportunities to complete the
professional education class assignments.
3. Identify resources and technology available to enhance the completion of the professional
education assignments.
4. Confirm approval from the cooperating teacher and NIU methods instructor of all lessons to
be taught.
5. Create a general plan for teaching and other activities.
6. Schedule conference times with the cooperating teacher.
7. Implement lessons required for NIU classes.
8. Continue to conduct classroom routines, lessons, and activities, at the discretion of the
cooperating teacher. Assume an increasing degree of responsibility.
9. Continue to assist cooperating teacher with support activities, as appropriate.
10. Continue to participate in professional dialogue with the cooperating teacher.
11. Set up schedule with cooperating teacher to begin planning for the student teaching
semester.
For a complete list of the competencies expected from a teacher candidate in the Third
Professional Semester, please see the Third Professional Semester Evaluation and Rubric.
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Suggested Activities:
1. Learn the students’ names and be able to pronounce them correctly.
2. Obtain a seating chart and become acquainted with the students.
3. Learn the classroom rules and procedures.
4. Discuss teaching techniques of the cooperating teacher.
5. Learn classroom organization and management.
6. Learn how students are assigned to classes or groups.
7. Observe and discuss how the cooperating teacher handles daily routine activities.
8. Become familiar with teaching materials and supplies.
9. Locate audio-visual equipment and other technology.
10. Learn about fire drill procedures, tornado drills, playground regulations, schedule of teacher
duties, requisitioning of supplies, reporting and caring for injuries, and location of various
facilities used by the students in the classroom.
11. Learn how the cooperating teacher organizes the day, allocates the time to each subject
area. How does he/she connect day to day, lesson to lesson, etc.
12. Learn how assignments are made and how the homework policy is created, implemented,
and enforced.
13. Get to know administration, other faculty members, and non-teaching personnel.
14. Become acquainted with the school procedure on staffing.
15. Spend up to an hour a day working one-on-one with a struggling student.
Conferencing between the cooperating teacher and NIU teacher candidate should be ongoing.
Examples of Appropriate Learning Activities for TLEE 383 Teacher Candidates
The following activities are considered within the realm of experience for this clinical.
They are suggested for those candidates considered by the cooperating teacher to be
ready for additional classroom tasks.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Prepare bulletin boards and displays.
Use a variety of technology and media to fully develop lessons.
Observe and/or take part in parent-teacher conferences.
Attend faculty meetings, team meetings, parent-teacher association meetings, school board
meetings, school improvement meetings, and local professional teachers' meetings and
institute days.
Construct and teach a unit.
Study course of study or curriculum material available in your building or school system.
Become familiar with different series of textbooks in various areas. Study teachers'
manuals (learning center or library is a good source of materials).
Study thoroughly each child's cumulative folder and permanent records. (Some school
districts do not permit clinical candidates to see permanent records.)
Use technology (computers and other media) for oral reporting, drama, or language
activities.
Construct some of your own teaching materials and devices. (Charts, graphs, pictures,
number lines, time lines, etc.)
Become familiar with your school's library room and central library. (Help children in the
selection of books. Use different methods of determining reading interests of children become familiar with good authors and the types of books they write.)
Assist the planning of field trips.
Incorporate current events into the curriculum.
Use community resources.
Teach and/or observe in the “special” areas. (Music, art, physical education)
Use oral and written reports (Library books and materials from regular curriculum.)
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17. Implement creative writing.
18. Participate in creative or dramatic play, skits, or presentations. (Role playing, seasonal or
special day performances).
19. Observe other classes in your building.
20. Read orally a story, poem, or play to the children in your class. Should keep the periods
short in length and possibly cover the entire book over a series of listening times.
21. Assist with testing, scoring, and evaluating results of standardized tests.
22. Make tests to evaluate the work of students in relationship to lessons or units you have
taught.
23. Assist in evaluating the work of students (recording and reporting).
24. Review child growth and development characteristics for the age level of your class.
25. Use resource visitors.
26. Use anecdotal records to assist your understanding and evaluation of students.
27. Know some rainy day and free time activities applicable for your grade level.
28. Attend a staffing and/or data team (if possible).
29. Attend a District Workshop on RtI (required seminar for TLEE 383) to discuss school’s RtI
procedures/interventions and complete an application assignment using evidence-based
practices to maximize student outcomes.
30. Attend parent/teacher conferences.
31. Develop "centers of interest" for the classroom.
32. Consider a major activity other than your regular teaching. Develop a room or school
newspaper, work with the sports program, develop a play or music project, etc.
33. Attend extra-curricular events.
Selected Bibliography:
Wong, H.K. & R.T. (2009). The first days of school. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong
Publications, Inc.
Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (available at www.isbe.net)
INTASC Standards (available at www.usd.edu/ed/ncate/INTASCStandards.html)
NIU Conceptual Framework
The NIU community of learners builds on knowledge, practice, and
reflection to produce exemplary educators. The community encompasses
scholars, education professionals, and pre-service teachers in an interaction that
develops the strengths that embody excellence in education. These strengths
include creative and critical thinking, scholarship, and caring. Application of these
strengths emergesReflective
through theInquiry
collaborative
of aofdiverse
as theefforts
Mission
the community, which
supports lifelong learning.
NIU Undergraduate Elementary Teacher Education Program
We embrace the theme of reflective inquiry to unify our undergraduate elementary education
degree program. Reflective inquiry fits naturally across the elementary education curriculum.
Faculty teaching and researching in the Elementary Education program hold complementary
understandings of reflective inquiry that permeate the language used throughout our course
assignments, dispositions, and program expectations. Reflective inquiry embraces systematic
collection of data to examine problems and solutions, thinking critically about professional
practice, applying theories and promising tools in the elementary classroom, and
communicating improvements based on data.
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