EDTE J711: Ideas and Issues in Teaching
Tuesdays, 4:30-6:20pm
2A07 Swearingen Engineering Center & via closed circuit broadcast
Spring 2009
3 credits
Instructor: Dr. Tambra O. Jackson
Office: 203 Wardlaw
Office Phone: (803)777-3077
Email: jackso52@mailbox.sc.edu
Office & Email* Hours:
Tuesdays & Wednesdays 1:30-4:00
Other hours by appointment
*I generally read and respond to student emails during office hours. If you need an immediate response, please
designate your email as “URGENT” or “HIGH PRIORITY” and I will attempt to respond within 24 hours.
Course Description: Examination of theoretical concepts foundational to understanding learning
and teaching.
Course Purpose, Overview & Goals
Welcome to EDTE J711 – Ideas and Issues in Teaching. Participants in this course will engage
in critical explorations of current and classic educational theory in relation to issues and ideas
that drive practice in public schools. Participants will make connections between theoretical
understandings and their own emergence as professional educators with a particular emphasis
on cross-cultural perspectives, the sociopolitical contexts in which learning and teaching occur,
and implications for teaching and learning in public school classrooms. This course engages
participants in a collaborative process of exploring, and ultimately participating in, the
transformation of our selves, our schools, and our society. Within the context of a safe, mutually
supportive, collaborative community, participants will develop skills in self-examination and selfcritique, critical thinking and inquiry, and complex social problem-solving, preparing them to be
more effective agents of education change.
Conceptual Framework and Overview
The College of Education at the University of South Carolina is committed to developing
teachers-leaders who promote equity in schools and society, build communities of teachers and
learners, construct knowledge, and practice thoughtful inquiry and reflection. As noted in the
College of Education’s mission statement:
We honor our responsibility to contribute to the high achievement of all learners and the
development of an educated populace. Pursuant to this responsibility, we are committed
to developing and sharing our expertise and leadership as well as offering a forum for
educational dialogue and advancement. This commitment entails… preparing educators
to have a sincere understanding and appreciation of diversity as we challenge ourselves
and others to work for social justice.
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
The USC College of Education Conceptual Framework (Professional Educator as Leader)
serves as the foundation for knowledge, practice, and dispositions embarked upon and gained
in this course. This shared vision includes the following indicators in this course:
Promote equity in schools and society
 Understand the role education has played and plays in shaping society
 Value all children and youth inclusive of race, class, gender, exceptionality, home
language or other social, physical, or cultural characteristics
 Utilize social and cultural backgrounds and the variety of ways individuals learn to
enhance teaching and learning
 Act as agents of change in their classrooms, schools, and communities
Build communities of teachers and learners
 Construct supportive communities of learners and colleagues
 Recognize teaching and learning as a social and cultural process
 Create physically and psychologically welcoming environments that foster positive selfworth
Construct knowledge
 Understand that bodies of knowledge are constructed and interpreted
 Transfer theoretical, foundational, and pedagogical knowledge to practice intentionally
 Use best practice, including technology, in the construction of learning
Practice thoughtful inquiry and reflection
 Reflect on practice to improve teaching and learning
 Research issues related to educational practice and theory
 Use practice as a basis for more in-depth study
Course Goals
1. Students will explore classic and current educational theories focusing in particular on
cultural contexts for learning and teaching and the creation of supportive learning
environments with regard to:
a. Organization of time and space
b. Evaluation and selection of materials
c. Curricular structures/practices
d. Assessment strategies and using assessment to inform instruction
2. Students will use deepened understandings of educational theory and practice to
critically evaluate existing programs and practices.
3. Students will use course learning to consider what it means to create classrooms that
contribute to the evolution of a democratic society.
4. Students will critically explore intersections and departures as they study the
relationships between professional and state standards and educational theory and
practice.
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
5. Students will consider current local, national, and global issues with regard to their
developing understandings of educational theory and practice.
6. Students will examine the USC College of Education Conceptual Framework
(Professional Educator as Leader) in light of course learning.
Required Texts
Nieto, Sonia and Bode, Patty. (2008). Affirming Diversity (5th Ed.). Boston: Pearson.
Additional required readings can be found on Blackboard (http://blackboard.sc.edu).
**Strongly suggested reading for doctoral students:
Yin, R.K. (2003). Case Study Research: Design and Methods (3rd Ed.). Thousand
Oakes, CA: Sage Publications
Course Requirements and Assignments
Attendance, Preparation and Participation (10% of final grade):
I expect that you will come to class (or be ready to view via the closed circuit broadcast) on time
and prepared each course session and that you will participate fully in class discussions and
activities. Preparation suggests that you will have read assigned material, attempted to make
sense of the main ideas contained in readings, and written down questions related to ideas that
remain unclear or that you would like to talk more about in class. I understand that participation
takes many different forms; however, if you don’t participate you won’t get much out of the
course. Participation suggests that you will ask and respond to questions raised in class,
analyze and reflect on your own experiences and how they shape your understanding of course
material, and push yourself and others in the class to broaden their perspectives.
Current Events (10% of final grade):
Students are required to inform the class of and post five current events on Blackboard
throughout the semester. These can be local, national or international events/issues pertaining
to issues in the course that intersect with teaching and schooling. Current events can be
obtained from sources such as news broadcasts, newspapers, professional journals, online
news sites, listserves, magazines, etc. Students should post a short summary (3-4 sentences)
along with the reference to their current event (within the “Communications” link under
“Messages” on the course Blackboard site) prior to class (no later than 4pm on the day of class)
and be prepared to share your finding at the beginning of each class session.
Critical Commentaries and Responses via Blackboard (25% of final grade)
In the interest of extending serious discussion of the readings and the sense we make of them,
we will be using Blackboard as a medium for exchanging ideas about the readings and our
reactions to and thoughts about them. This forum is intended to encourage thoughtful reading
and writing, and provide you with an opportunity to try out ideas, sharpen your critical writing
skills, and engage in focused conversation about texts and issues. During the term, each of you
will be responsible for writing five short commentaries on a week’s readings (or some subset of
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
them) and for responding on five other weeks to the commentaries of a classmate (resulting in
a total of 10 postings). The class will be divided into two groups, with one half of the class
posting commentaries on Blackboard and one half of the class responding to an individual
commentary each week.
In each of these commentaries you should provide a brief (300-400 words) critical response to a
significant issue encountered in one or more of the assigned readings for a particular week. Pick
a major issue from the reading that grabs your attention and briefly develop it. You SHOULD
NOT summarize the readings, although your discussion should reveal that you have understood
what the argument is. In crafting your responses to a colleague’s commentary, you will be
expected to write about your reaction to their writing, your reflection on their ideas, and in so
doing move the conversation further in terms of our class’s opportunity to think about particular
texts and specific educational issues. Keep your responses under 400 words. You may respond
to any commentary posted the week for which you are a respondent, although I encourage you
to respond to different writers different weeks. Of course, if you find on a week that you would
like to respond to more than one commentary, that is fine.
In order for the commentaries and responses to be able to inform class discussion each week,
we need to work within a rather strict schedule. Critical commentaries need to be posted on
Blackboard by midnight the Sunday before the relevant class session. Respondents need to
post their responses by 12:00pm Tuesday on the day of our class session. These postings
should be placed within the “Discussion Board” link on our course Blackboard site.
Book Review (20% of final grade):
Students are required to read one book of interest to you that relates to issues pertaining to the
sociopolitical context of education and teaching. This might be a book about educational
policies, biographies or autobiographies of teachers, theoretical work related to teaching,
preservice teacher learning, curriculum, professional development, or schools as organizations.
You are to write an 8-10 page double-spaced book review in which you both summarize the
contents and argument of the book, as well as reflect on how this book helps shed light on,
complicate, or question issues related to the sociopolitical context of schooling and teaching. In
addition, write about what the book/argument contributes to the field and to the larger discourse.
How does the book contribute to our class discussions on the sociopolitical context of teaching
and schooling? You must select a book of your choice by the date indicated on the course
schedule.
The following is a brief list of texts you may wish to consider that examine and/or describe the
sociopolitical context of education:
Delpit, Lisa (1995). Other People’s Children.
Delpit, Lisa and Joanne Kilgour Dowdy (2002). The Skin That We Speak: Thoughts on
Language and Culture in the Classroom
Haberman, Martin (1995). Star Teachers of Children in Poverty
Howard, Gary (2006). We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know
Kozol, Jonathan (1991). Savage Inequalities
Kozol, Jonathan (2005) The Shame of the Nation
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Ladson-Billings, Gloria (1994). The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African
American Children
Nieto, Sonia (2003). What Keeps Teachers Going?
Valedés, Guadalupe (1996). Con Respecto: Bridging the Distance Between Culturally
Diverse Families and Schools
Case Study (30% of final grade):
Each of you will conduct a modest case study modeled after the cases in our major text
(Affirming Diversity). This will entail five steps. First, you will each conceptualize a case study of
a young person in your community. Your focus should be related in some way to the
sociopolitical context of education. You will each write a brief 3-4 page proposal for your study
explaining what your focus is, why it is of interest to you and others, and what the design of your
case study research will be. Because this case study is modeled after the ones in the text, your
main mode of inquiry and data collection (second step) will be interviewing. You will need to
conduct at least two interviews. The protocols for those interviews will be developed in
collaboration with the class and me. The third step in this process will involve analyzing the
data, both finding several ways to display the data and also using a theoretical framework with
which to explore the data. In the fourth stage, you will write the case study (12-15 pages).
While writing your case study, I encourage you to think about how to use the literature we have
read as a class to support, enhance, and shed light on your empirical work. Finally (fifth step),
you will conduct an oral presentation of your work. Learning how to share your ideas with a peer
audience is an important part of gaining membership within the academy. As part of your
responsibilities as a teacher, researcher, and social advocate, you will be required to make
conference presentations, keynote addresses, and job talks. Some very important decisions
about your work and employment will be determined by how well you present yourself orally.
This skill is not to be underestimated in its importance or its complexity. During the final class
sessions, students will have an opportunity to share their case study findings with the class.
You should plan for a 15-20 minute presentation. We will treat this like a conference
presentation; thus, you should prepare handouts for your colleagues. The steps will each have
their own deadlines (see course schedule).
**Assignments and the rubric used to evaluate them will be discussed in class prior to the due
date and submission.
Evaluation and other course policies
Attendance
Attendance is expected at all class sessions. Missing class can affect depth of understanding
and is frequently reflected in the quality of written analysis and in the overall learning
experience. Your presence is important and missing class sessions will be reflected in your
final grade. In the event of illness or other unexpected absence, I still expect you—as a matter
of professional courtesy—to notify the course instructor before class begins. It should be
understood that absences from class cannot be "made up," and that you may be expected by
the course instructor to complete a meaningful alternative assignment. You should make
arrangements with a classmate to gather handouts and take notes for you. You are responsible
for catching up on any missed material.
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Utilizing Blackboard
Utilizing Blackboard is a required component of the course. If you are unfamiliar with this
medium please refer to this website for assistance (http://blackboard.sc.edu/). All assignments
will be submitted via Blackboard within the “Assignments” link on our course site.
Late Assignments
Students are expected to meet assignment deadlines. Any work submitted after its due date will
be considered late. Late assignments will be reduced by one-half letter grade for the first day of
lateness and a full grade any time later, except in extreme cases. For extreme cases the
professor reserves the right to NOT accept the assignment. The Case Study and Book Review
assignments are due by midnight on the due date.
Academic Honesty
University policy regarding academic responsibility (Student Affairs Policy STAF 6.25) states “It
is the responsibility of every student at the University of South Carolina Columbia to adhere
steadfastly to truthfulness and to avoid dishonesty, fraud, or deceit of any type in connection
with any academic program. Any student who violates this rule or who knowingly assists
another to violate this rule shall be subject to discipline.” Students who commit an act of
academic dishonesty may receive a 0.0 on the assignment or in the course. More information
regarding this policy can be found in the Carolina Community: USC Student Handbook and
Policy Guide at:
http://www.sa.sc.edu/carolinacommunity/housing.htm#Academic%20Responsibility
Policies relating to students with disabilities
Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the instructor to discuss any
accommodations needed to fulfill course requirements. In order to receive reasonable
accommodations from the instructor, students must have certified eligibility through the Office of
Student Disability Services. Any student with a documented disability should contact the Office
of Student Disability Services at 777-6142 to make arrangements for appropriate
accommodations.
Written work
Writing proficiency is an important requirement for satisfactory completion of this course. If you
know you have writing difficulties, see me as soon as possible, so we can discuss them, your
goals for improvement, and how I can be helpful directly or how you can find assistance through
The Writing Center (Room 014, Humanities Classroom Building, 777-2078,
http://www.cas.sc.edu/write/ ). Please do no feel embarrassed about coming to me for help –
assisting you is my job as your professor.
All written work must follow APA guidelines (particularly focusing on page numbers, doublespacing, citations, and references). Please edit your work carefully and check for
spelling/typographical and grammar errors before turning it in.
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Grading Scale and Assignment Weighting
Grading for this course is on a 0.0 – 4.0 scale. All assignments will receive the following scores:
4.0 (93-100)
3.5 (89-92)
3.0 (85-88)
2.5 (80-84)
2.0 (77-79)
1.5 (74-76)
1.0 (70-73)
Outstanding work that meets and/or exceeds all course expectations
High quality work that meets all course expectations
Work that meets nearly all course expectations
Work that meets some course requirements, but perhaps in a less developed
way than work receiving higher scores
Work that meets minimal course requirements
Low quality work that does not meet minimal course requirements (on major
assignments, work receiving this score will need to be revised and resubmitted
within an appropriate timeframe as designated by the professor)
Low quality work that does not address course requirements (on major
assignments, work receiving this score will need to be revised and resubmitted
within an appropriate timeframe as designated by the professor)
EDTE J711 Assignments
Points
Attendance, Preparation and Participation (10%)
20
Current Events (15%)
30 (5 x 6 points each)
Critical Commentaries & Responses (25%)
50 (10 x 5 points each)
Book Review (20%)
40
Case Study (30%)
60
__________________________________________________________________
200 points total
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Course Schedule and Class Activities
*The course schedule found below is a guide and is subject to change depending on the needs
of the class.
** [BB] = denotes that text can be found on the course Blackboard site
Date
Session 1
Jan. 13
Session 2
Jan. 20
Part 1: Setting the Stage
Topics & Readings
Assignments Due
Introduction to the Course:
Introductions, Course Overview, Course Requirements,
Establishing norms for our learning community
Critical Questions: What are the criticisms of multicultural
education from the traditional educational canon and what are
the counter arguments? Why is the “achievement gap”
important to understand within a multicultural framework?
What are some of the problems with the term “achievement
gap”?
Update your profile
on Blackboard and
respond to my email
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 1- Understanding the Sociopolitical Context
of Multicultural Education
Chapter 2- About Terminology
Williamson et al. (2007). A selected history of social
justice in education. Review of Research in Education,
31, 195-224. [BB]
Part 2: Developing a Conceptual Framework for Multicultural Education
Session 3 Critical Questions: Why do you think racism is so hard to
Jan. 27
talk about? What can teachers do to combat racism?
Nieto and BodeChapter 3- Multicultural Education and School
Reform
Chapter 4- Racism, Discrimination, and Expectations
of Students’ Achievement
Session 4
Feb. 3
Critical Questions: Describe “typical” parental involvement
from a dominant or mainstream perspective? Problematize this
stereotype. What are other ways that families show support
for their children? How can teachers and schools involve
parents who often feel alienated from schools?
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Group B- Commentary
Group A- Respondents
Current Event Option
Group A-Commentary
Group B- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 5- Structural and Organizational Issues in
Schools
Book Selected and
Approved
Weinstein et. al. (2004). Toward a conception of
culturally responsive classroom management. Journal of
Teacher Education, 55(1), 25-38. [BB]
Brown, S. & Souto-Manning, M. (2008). “Culture is the
way they live here”: Young Latin@s and parents
navigate linguistic and cultural borderlands in U.S.
schools. Journal of Latinos and Education, 7(1), 25-42.
[BB]
Session 5
Feb. 10
Critical Questions: Define the terms culturally compatible
and multiculturally sensitive. How does this information inform
your thinking about learning styles, communication and overall
student achievement in classrooms and schools? What are the
dangers of essentializing?
Group B- Commentary
Group A- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 6- Culture, Identity, and Learning
Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good
teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy.
Theory Into Practice, 34(3), 159-165 [BB]
Case Study
Proposal due
Chang, B., & Au, W. (2007). You're Asian, How Could
You Fail Math?: Unmasking the Myth of the Model
Minority. Rethinking Schools, 22(2). [BB]
Session 6
Feb. 17
Critical Questions: With research confirming the positive
influence of knowing more that one language, why is there
resistance to bilingualism? Why do you think current national
education policy supports English-only programs?
Group A-Commentary
Group B- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 7- Linguistic Diversity in U.S. Classrooms
Gallagher-Geurtsen, T. (2007) Linguistic privilege: Why
educators should be concerned. Multicultural
Perspectives, 9(1), 40-44. [BB]
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Session 7
Feb.24
Critical Questions: How do deficit theories explain school
achievement? What are the detrimental roles that low
expectations play in school achievement? How can teachers’
best intentions at “accommodating” the curriculum for
students of color, low-income students, and students who are
speakers of other languages actually be patronizing? What are
the key lessons for schools and educators pertaining to raising
expectations and providing high standards for all students?
Group B- Commentary
Group A- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 8- Toward an Understanding of School
Achievement
Steele, C.M. (1997). A threat in the air: How stereotypes
shape intellectual identity and performance. American
Psychologist, 52(6), 613-629. [BB]
Session 8
Mar. 3
Critical Questions: What are the ways we assess students?
How do these assessments guide and inform teachers’
practice? How do students use assessment? How do we create
assessments that are fair to students and their learning?
Group A- Commentary
Group B- Respondents
Current Event Option
Abrams et.al. (2003). Views from the classroom:
Teachers’ opinions of statewide testing programs. Theory
Into Practice, 42(1), 18-29. [BB]
Book Review due
Horn, C. (2003). High-Stakes testing and students:
Stopping or perpetuating a cycle of failure. Theory Into
Practice, 42(1), 30-41. [BB]
Sloan, F.C. & Kelly, A.E. (2003). Issues in high-stakes
testing programs. Theory Into Practice, 42(1), 12-17.
[BB]
Spring Break ~ March 9-13
Part 3: Implications of Diversity for Teaching
and Learning in a Multicultural Society
Session 9
Mar. 17
Critical Questions: In what ways can teachers know about
their students’ realities? Based on the research reported, what
were the most important characteristics students looked for in
teachers? How did the teachers show these characteristics?
What characteristics do you value in teachers? How were you
affirmed, empowered or devalued by teachers?
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Group B- Commentary
Group A- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 9- Learning from Students
Howard, T.C. (2001). Telling their side of the story:
African-American students’ perceptions of culturally
relevant teaching. Urban Review, 33(2), 131-149. [BB]
González, M.S. et al. (2003). Testimonios de
Inmigrantes: Students educating future teachers. Journal
of Latinos and Education, 2(4), 233-243. [BB]
Session
10
Mar. 24
Critical Questions: How do teachers develop multicultural
curriculum?
Nieto and BodeChapter 10- Adapting Curriculum for Multicultural
Classrooms
David, G.C. & Ayouby, K.K. (2005). Studying the exotic
other in the classroom: The portrayal of Arab Americans
in educational source materials. Multicultural
Perspectives, 7(4), 13-20. [BB]
Session
11
Mar.31
Critical Questions: Knowing that teachers have such a
profound impact on students and based on the
recommendations in the text, what can be done to improve
the academic achievement of students? What can you do
personally? What can teacher education programs do? What
can policy do?
Group A-Commentary
Group B- Respondents
Current Event Option
Case study data
analysis memo due
Group B- Commentary
Group A- Respondents
Current Event Option
Nieto and BodeChapter 11- Affirming Diversity Implications for
Teachers, Schools, and Families
Melnick, S.L. & Zeichner, K.M. (1998). Teacher
education’s responsibility to address diversity issues:
Enhancing institutional capacity. Theory Into Practice,
37(2), 88-95. [BB]
Colombo, M.W. (2007). Developing cultural
competence: Mainstream teachers and professional
development. Multicultural Perspectives, 9(2), 10-16.
Session
12
Apr. 7
Critical Questions: What does it mean to be a teacher
learner, teacher researcher, and change agent? Why does
accepting these roles matter in teaching for social justice?
Delpit, L. (1995). Other people’s children: Cultural
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009
Group A- Commentary
Group B- Respondents
conflict in the classroom. New York: The New Press.
[Education in a Multicultural Society: Our Future’s
Greatest Challenge, pp.167-183.]
Oral Presentations
Howard, T.C. (2003). Culturally relevant pedagogy:
Ingredients for critical teacher reflection. Theory Into
Practice, 42(3), 195-202. [BB]
Session
13
Apr. 14
Session
14
Apr. 21
NO Class—AERA
INDEPENDENT WORK SESSION
Critical Questions: In what ways have you become more of
a reflective practitioner? What are you willing to admit that
you need more information and assistance with to create a
classroom for equity and social justice?
Oral Presentations
Course Evaluation
May 1
and Case Study due
by midnight
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Ideas and Issues in Teaching ~ Dr. Jackson ~ Spring 2009