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= Teacher Education 801 Section 001 = Fall 2009 Th 9:10 am – 12:00 pm 223 Natural Resources

Instructor: Justin N. Thorpe Office: 142 Erickson Hall Office Hours: Before or after class & arranged by appointment Email: thorpeju@msu.edu Cell: This has been removed because of posting this syllabus on a public wikispace

Objectives
TE 801 is a continuation of TE 402. We will **expand our understanding** of teaching elementary mathematics by working on tasks that examine measurement, data & statistics, and geometry. We may also review the concepts taught in TE 402, which include number & operations; fraction, decimals, & percents; and algebra techniques. We will not cover these topics in extreme detail, but we will use these mathematical topics as springboards for developing and reinforcing your teaching skills.

This course is an opportunity for you to discuss your teaching and internship year. You will have questions; I expect and welcome your questions. As you ask questions either to me or to the class, you will **gain advantages in your pedagogical skills**. Not every question will have a “right” answer. Many of the questions you will encounter will have different solutions and different viewpoints, this means that we will learn and grow from other people’s ideas and opinions. There are a variety of other resources that will help you; we will have the opportunity to read and discuss ideas presented in professional journals and select chapters from other texts.

Through a set of readings, assignments, reflections, and discussions, you will be exposed to group work**, understanding the nature of the classroom, looking beyond a single lesson by planning units, and interviewing and transcribing students to assess not only their understanding of the material but also your teaching methods**. The assignments will employ both group and individual work. As a teacher you will be exposed to professional learning in collaborative settings, but you must also learn and improve as an individual through reflection and personal analysis.

We will strive to help you **develop the pedagogical skills that will help children learn mathematics** regardless of race, gender, socio-economic background, or individual disabilities. As part of this goal, we will interrogate some of the current practices that take place in schools and develop strategies for the day-to-day aspects of teaching elementary mathematics. We will look through different methods of assessment both for the individual student and in group settings.

This year puts you in a unique position to start your journey of becoming a teacher. You will not only lead and teach in the classroom – you will learn from our discussions. This is your chance to try and refine teaching techniques. You will develop your teaching character during these next few years, especially through your internship exposures. This teaching character is developed day-by-day and experience-by-experience. The way you think, talk, dress, and teach reflect your beliefs and attitudes toward the subjects you teach and the children with whom you work.

Required Course Materials

 * Textbook: Chapin, S. H., O’Connor, C., & Anderson, N. C. (2003/2009). //Classroom discussions: Using math talk to help students learn.// (1st/2nd Edition). Sausilito, CA: Math Solutions.
 * Student Membership to National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) including access to the journal //Teaching Children Mathematics.//
 * This can be purchased online ([|www.nctm.org]) or through the mail by completing the downloaded PDF form [|NCTM Membership Form.PDF].
 * You need to declare a professor to get the student membership: You may use my information: Justin N. Thorpe, thorpeju@msu.edu, NCTM #: Removed for the wikispace
 * Additional Readings will be posted on the course ANGEL site ([])
 * Notebook/Computer: This course will be taught through a mixture of presentations, using the chalkboard, group discussions, and personal reflection. As this is a mixture of teaching methods, your notes will help you to capture the nuances of the discussions and presentations. You will be completing mathematical tasks which will require writing and computations.
 * Calculator (Optional)

Course Projects
There will be four major assignments throughout the semester. A full collection of the detailed project descriptions will be posted on ANGEL. All students are required to read these descriptions and ask questions to clarify. Assignments (in general) will be electronically submitted through the ANGEL website.

Please use the following file name when you save assignments: TE801_LastName_Assignment.doc

So, I would submit the Discussion Analysis Project as follows: TE801_Thorpe_DiscAnalysis.doc


 * Lesson Study Project**:** This project will have you working in groups of 3 to 5 interns, with one of the interns teaching the lesson while the others observe. The primary focus will be on the students in their environment where they learn – the classroom – not on the person teaching the lesson. Observations and attention will be about what **the students** do and say. You will then write about what you have learned about the mathematics you teach and the pedagogical skills you employ.
 * Unit Planning Project**:** This project is designed to have you look beyond the daily lessons in mathematics and plan a unit of instruction by identifying “big ideas” and developing the curriculum `so that the students understand these ideas. This will be a consecutive two-week plan implemented during the Guided Lead Teaching (GLT). There will be two detailed lesson plans. If you have turned in the Unit Planning Project before your Guided Lead Teaching, you will not be allowed to complete the Guided Lead Teaching requirement of this course until the plan is completed.
 * Discussion Analysis Project**:** During your two week unit lesson during the Guided Lead Teaching, you will make an audio or video recording of a whole-class mathematical discussion. You will then listen to the entire tape and the select a section (five or so minutes) of the conversation to transcribe. Using specific ideas presented in class and some readings, you are then to analyze the data to see if you have met your goals for the unit and the lesson.
 * Reflection Writings: During the course of the semester you will have a chance to respond to a reflection writing (RW) assignment based on a prompt provided. This writing assignment should be between 500 to 600 words. These reflections are meant to connect the practice you are seeing in the field, the readings for the course, and the lessons you have learned through your time in teacher education.

Course Grading
There will be 100 points possible for this course, distributed as follows:


 * Lesson Study Project (20 points)
 * Lesson Introduction (5 points)
 * Lesson Plan (7 points)
 * First Draft: Friday, September 19, 2009 by 12:00 noon
 * Individual Reflection (5 points)
 * Final Draft (Introduction, Plan, & Reflection): Friday, September 26, 2009 by 12:00 noon
 * Group Presentation (3 points)
 * Given in class on October 1, 2009
 * Unit Planning Project (40 points)
 * Part 1: Big Ideas, District Learning Goals, and Related Skills (5 points)
 * Part 2: Assessments (5 points)
 * Part 3: Differentiating Instruction (5 points)
 * Parts 1, 2, & 3 due: Friday, October 9, 2009 by 12:00 noon
 * Part 4: Projected Sequence of Lesson Plans (5 points)
 * Part 5: Detailed Plans for 2 Lessons (10 points)
 * Part 6: Parental Involvement and Communication (5 points)
 * Parts 4, 5, & 6 due: Friday, October 16, 2009 by 12:00 noon
 * Part 7: Final Reflection and Analysis (5 points)
 * Part 7 due after you teach the unit or by Friday, November 13, 2009 by noon
 * Discussion Analysis Project (15 points)
 * Discussion Record
 * Annotated Discussion Moves
 * Transcription
 * Project Write-Up
 * Due: Friday, December 11, 2009 by 12:00 noon
 * Reflection Writing (15 points)
 * Class Participation (10 points)
 * In class tasks
 * Posts/Discussions
 * Attendance: You will be allowed 2 absences

Elementary Math Team Policy for Late Assignments
Assignments are due on the due date as determined //by the instructor//, through electronic submission via ANGEL, unless otherwise specified. Conflicts with an assignment deadline should be discussed and resolved with the instructor //before// the class of the assignment's due date. Justifiable late assignments (i.e., ones with extreme extenuating circumstances as determined by the instructor) will be accepted with point deductions determined by the instructor. Unexplained late assignments will not be accepted and a grade of zero will be assigned. If you are absent on a due date, you must make other arrangements to get the assignment to the instructor on the due date or it will be considered late.

Grade Assignments

 * Grade || Point Allocations ||
 * 4.0 || 95 – 100 ||
 * 3.5 || 90 – 94.9 ||
 * 3.0 || 85 – 89.9 ||
 * 2.5 || 80 – 84.9 ||
 * 2.0 || 75 – 79.9 ||
 * 1.5 || 70 – 74.9 ||
 * 1.0 || 65 – 69.9 ||
 * 0.0 || 00 – 64.9 ||

Class Policies & Expectations

 * Attendance and Participation:**

I understand that class participation takes a variety of forms. As such, your learning style may differ from others in the class. This is expected and will help the class to learn from all view points. I will do my best to maintain an environment where the students can benefit from the seminars.

Regular on-time attendance and full participation in class is critical to learning. Of course, illness and other emergencies cannot be avoided. If you are unable to attend a class session, you must call or email the instructor in advance. Similarly, you must call your collaborating teacher in advance if you are unable to meet a field visit commitment. You will make up all field absences. If you are unable to attend school, you need to call your collaborating teacher in advance. Do not rely on your peers to relay messages—make sure you communicate directly with your CT.

This course is planned on the assumption that you will come on time and come prepared to participate. The instructor reserves the right to adjust your grade as a response to absences or excessive tardiness.

In accordance with the Teacher Preparation Program’s Professional Conduct Policy, attendance and punctuality in class meetings and field experiences are critical to your success in this course and in the Program. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the policy that is in your Guidebook (and on the web: []). In the case of recurring absences or tardiness, your Coordinator will be notified and you may be required to attend a meeting regarding your attendance. More than two absences in class or in your field placement will affect your grade and may result in a failing grade for the course.


 * Mathematics Tasks:**

This course will involve completing some mathematical tasks. I expect that you participate in the group or individual work that will be required of you. The tasks are designed to show you how to use high level tasks within the classroom. The tasks will come predominately from the fields of geometry, measurement, and probability & statistics.


 * Grading:**

All assignments and requirements must be completed satisfactorily to receive a passing grade in the course, including those assignments related to your field placement.

The grade "incomplete." MSU policy is that “the ‘I’ (incomplete) grade may be given only when the student (a) has completed at least 12 weeks of the semester, but is unable to complete the class work and/or take the final examination because of illness or other compelling reasons; __and__ (b) has done satisfactory work in the course; __and__ (c) in the instructor’s judgment can complete the required work without repeating the course.” For the entire grading policy at MSU, please visit: []. Since each course from TE 301 on is a prerequisite for each succeeding course, incompletes must be cleared before the first meeting of the succeeding course. Therefore, it is wise to avoid Incompletes entirely.


 * Academic Honesty and Integrity:**

The Department of Teacher Education assumes that the student is honest and that all course work and examinations represent the student’s own work. Violations of the academic integrity policy such as cheating, plagiarism, selling course assignments or academic fraud are grounds for academic action and/or disciplinary sanction as described in the university’s student conduct code. //Incidents of plagiarism are taken very seriously and will be pursued.// Students are strongly cautioned not to copy any text verbatim on class quizzes, tests, reports, projects, or other class assignments without using appropriate quotations and source citations. For University regulations on academic dishonesty and plagiarism, refer to: []


 * Problem solving:**

If problems arise within this course, you should first contact your course instructor. If a resolution is not reached then, the student should speak with the Elementary Mathematics Area Coordinator, Dr. Beth Herbel-Eisenmann (bhe@msu.edu) to seek for a resolution. If a problem exists with the field placement the field instructor should be consulted.


 * Accommodations for disabilities:**

It is Michigan State’s policy not to discriminate against qualified students with documented disabilities in its educational programs. If you have a disability-related need for modifications in this course, contact your instructor and the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities. Instructors should be notified as early in the semester as possible. For an appointment with a counselor, call 353-9642 (voice) or 355-1293 (TTY). Instructors in the course may request a VISA Form (Verified Individual Student Accommodations Form) from a student requesting services. The OPHS website is at [].


 * Rights of Instructor:**

The instructor reserves the right to make any changes that are considered academically advisable. Changes will be announced in class, and you are responsible for the changes that are announced.

Advice
You will encounter questions and problems; even normal, capable, intelligent, and reasonable persons, like the members of this class, sometimes face situations and problems that they find difficult to deal with by themselves. LAET’s course instructors, field instructors, or cluster leaders might be able to help. Also, MSU has an Office of Student Affairs and Services, with a Counseling Center, for which the phone number is 355-8270. The Center is at 207 Student Services Building.

The confidentiality of the children and their families MUST be maintained at all times. Information of a sensitive nature, including the names of students, should never be shared in class. This can be difficult especially when talking with interns that are placed in the same school. If student work is to be shown, making a photocopy and blacking out the name is appropriate.

We need to be respectful and thankful to the collaborating teachers, who have generously opened up their teaching practices to you. While it is important to learn how to analyze and critique our own teaching practices and those of others, we also need to make an effort to understand the complexity of the decisions that teachers make and the reasons for making decisions with which we may disagree.

When you communicate, whether verbal or written communication, be mindful of the professional role that you have. Part of professional communication includes being able to understand constructive feedback from peers, mentors, and administrators. The grammar and words you choose will help to maintain your professional position in the classroom. If you need more help in meeting those expectations than you can get from your instructors and other teacher candidates, try the Writing Center at 300 Bessey Hall, 432-3610. Grammar Hotline: 432-1370. Website: [].

Maintain ideas for your portfolio, although you must remember confidentiality. As you develop skills in your teaching you will want to have evidence to show in interviews and in grade or school correlation meetings.

Understand the norms of the class within you are working. As you visit other classes, ensure that you understand what is expected. Part of understanding the norms of the classroom is recognizing what the role of the teacher is as well as the role of the students.

Keep your Cooperating Teacher (CT) informed of what assignments you have, visitors that maybe coming to the classroom and the schedule you are keeping. Your Cooperating Teacher is not perfect, but you should try to learn as much from then as possible. They will be a valuable resource as you transition into your role as a professional teacher.

Remember your professional role. The Department of Teacher Education has created a document regarding the professional roles of the teacher; this may be viewed at the following website: []

Remember that you also have rights and responsibilities. These may be viewed at [].

Have fun.

Seminar 1 – September 10, 2009
Topics: Syllabus Understanding the roles of Groupwork Understanding NCTM/GLCEs

Readings:

Cohen, Elizabeth (1994). //Designing groupwork: Strategies for the heterogeneous classroom (2nd ed.).// New York: Teachers College Press. Chapter 3 – The Dilemma of Groupwork Chapter 8 – Treating Expectations for Confidence

Smith, M. S., & Stein, M. K. (1998). Selecting and creating mathematical tasks: From research to practice. //Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School//, 3(5), 344 – 350.

Seminar 2 – September 17, 2009
Topics: Lesson planning Planning group worthy tasks

Readings: Chapin, S. H., O’Connor, C., and Anderson, N. C. (2003/2009). //Classroom discussions: Using math talk to help students learn//. Sausalito, CA: Math Solutions 1st Edition: Chapter 10 – Planning Lessons 2nd Edition: Chapter 9 – Planning Lessons

Cohen, E. //Designing groupwork.// Chapter 5 – Planning Groupwork in Stages

Seminar 3 – September 24, 2009
Topics: Designing a unit plan Big ideas, assessments, and how to get there

Readings: Wiggins, G & McTighe, J (2005). //Understanding by design// (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Stages of Backward Design Thinking Like an Assessor

Ritchhart, R. (1999). Generative topics: Building a curriculum around big ideas. //Teaching Children Mathematics,// 5(8), 462 – 468.

Assignments Due: Lesson Planning Project is due **Friday, September 25th by 12:00 noon**

Seminar 4 – October 1, 2009
Topics: Mathematics discussions in the classroom Understanding mathematical concepts

Readings: Chapin, et al. Chapter 2 – Tools of Classroom Talk

Chapter 3 – Mathematical Concepts

Assignments Due:
 * Lesson Planning Project Presentation** in Class

Seminar 5 – October 8, 2009
Topics: Student based assessments Solutions to mathematics problems

Readings: Chapin, et al. Chapter 5 – Solution Methods and Strategies

Assessment readings packet (to be discussed later)

Assignments Due: Unit Planning – Parts 1, 2, & 3 by **12:00 noon Friday, October 9, 2009**

Seminar 6 – October 15, 2009
Topics: Implementing classroom talk into the lessons

Readings: Chapin, et al. 1st Edition: Chapter 9 – Getting Started 2nd Edition: Chapter 8 – Getting Started

Chapin, et al. 1st Edition: Chapter 11 – Troubleshooting 2nd Edition: Chapter 10 – Troubleshooting

Assignments Due: Unit Planning Parts 4, 5, & 6 by **12:00 noon Friday, October 16, 2009**

Seminar 7 – October 22, 2009
Topics: Moving beyond the textbook

Readings: Stein, M. K. (2001). Putting umph into classroom discussions. //Teaching Children Mathematics//, 7(2), 110-112.

Beto, R. A. (2004). Assessment and accountability: Strategies for inquiry-style discussions. //Teaching Children Mathematics,// 10(9), 450 – 454.

Leatham, K. R., Lawrence, K., & Mewborn, D. S. (2005). Getting started with open-ended assessment. //Teaching Children Mathematics//, 11(8), 413 – 419.

Seminar 8 – November 19, 2009
Topics: Diversity in learning Language learning

Readings: Frankenstein, M. (2006). Reading the world with mathematics: Goals for a criticalmathematical literacy curriculum. In E. Gutstein and B. Peterson (Eds.), //Rethinking mathematics: Teaching social justice by the numbers// (pp. 19 – 28). Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.

Edwards, L. D. (2003). Collaborative problem solving in mixed-language groups. //Teaching Children Mathematics//, 9(9), 534 – 538.

Seminar 9 – December 3, 2009
Topics: Teaching across the curriculum Mathematical Reasoning

Readings: Peterson, B. (2006). Teaching math across the curriculum. In E. Gutstein and B. Peterson (Eds.), //Rethinking mathematics: Teaching social justice by the numbers// (pp. 9 – 18). Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools.

Chapin, et. al.: Chapter 6 – Mathematical Reasoning

Seminar 10 – December 10, 2009
Topics: Implementing mathematical tasks Using cases in our work as teachers Final thoughts

Readings: Chapin, et. al. Case Study – Fair or not fair

Stevens, B. A. (2001). My involvement in change. //Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School,// 7(3), 178-182.

Featherstone, J. (2003) Letter to a young teacher. In J. Featherstone, L. Featherstone, and C. Featherstone (Eds.) //Dear Josie: Witnessing the hopes and failures of democratic education// (pp.163 -- 172). New York: Teachers College Press.

Assignments Due: Discussion Analysis Assignment by **12:00 noon on Friday, December 11, 2009**