WOODRING COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
EDUC Pre-Assessment Seminar 3 Credits
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Instructor: MaryAnne Stine JoAnne Buiteweg and Allison Larsen |
| Course Description: |
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Orientation to professional teacher certification processes and standards; investigation and identification of professional teacher resources; instruction in methods for collecting and analyzing evidence. Participants develop and implement a self assessment study. |
| Targeted Woodring College of Education Standards: |
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Standard 1: Content Pedagogy The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful. Standard 2: Student Development The teacher understands how children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social, and personal development. Standard 3: Diverse Learners The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to diverse learners. Standard 4: Multiple Instructional Strategies The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of reading, writing, critical thinking, and problem solving skills Standard 5: Motivation and Management The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. Standard 6: Communication and Technology The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. Standard 7: Planning: The teacher plans instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals. Standard 8: Assessment The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner. Standard 9: Reflective Practice and Professional Growth The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. Standard 10: School and Community Involvement The teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being. |
| Course Objectives: |
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A successful candidate will: · Create a Professional Growth Team · Develop a Professional Pre-Assessment Growth Plan (PGP) in collaboration with the Professional Growth Team. The plan must include three to five objectives that focus on Professional Certificate criteria relevant to your specific teaching assignment. · Write a Student Learning Context Profile that describes current teaching environment, current student strengths and unique learning needs, desired characteristics of the environment, the school and community at-large, and goals/potential challenges related to the development of the desired classroom environment. · Participate in discussions about the professional literature base that supports professional practice represented in the following Professional Certificate Criteria: I. Effective Teaching: 1 (a) using instructional strategies that make the learning meaningful and show positive impact on student learning 1 (b) using a variety of assessment strategies and data to improve instruction 1 (c) Using appropriate classroom management principles, processes, and practices to foster a safe, positive, student-focused learning environment. 1 (d) designing and/or adapting challenging curriculum that is based on the diverse needs of each student 1 (e) demonstrating cultural sensitivity in teaching and in relationships with students, families, and community members 1 (f) integrating technology into instruction and assessment 1 (g) informing, involving, and collaborating with families and community members as partners in each student’s educational process, including using information about student achievement and performance. II. Professional Development: 2 (a) evaluating the effects of his/her teaching through feedback and reflection 2 (b) using professional standards and district criteria to assess professional performance, and plan and implement appropriate growth activities 2 (c) Remaining current in subject area(s), theories, practice, research, and ethical practice. III. Professional Contributions: 3 (a) advocating for curriculum, instruction, and learning environments that meet the diverse needs of each student; 3 (b) participating collaboratively in school improvement activities and contributing to collegial decision-making |
| Textbook(s) and/or Assigned Readings: |
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1. Candidates are expected to subscribe to ASCD’s Education Leadership. Subscription information is available from your instructor. Current and archived reports from this periodical will be a major source of information during seminar discussions about research underlying professional practice. Candidates should read and be prepared to discuss at least one on-topic article published in Education Leadership for each criterion scheduled for discussion at each seminar. A list of criteria that will be discussed in each seminar follows in the course outline. The criteria may be introduced out of alphabetical sequence, so be sure to consult the outline. 2. Western Washington University’s on-line Professional Certificate Handbook is available at: http://www.wce.wwu.edu/Resources/Certification/Pro/Handbook/ 3. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s on-line Professional Certificate Handbook is available at: http://www.k12.wa.us/certification/profed/handbook.aspx |
| Assessments/Assignments: |
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1. Create a Professional Growth Team by the fourth seminar meeting. The team will collaborate in the development of the PGP and must consist of: ü A District Representative – principal, Professional Development Director, or other administrator who understands the goals of the school district ü A Representative from the University – may be your seminar instructor ü You, the Candidate and ü A Colleague (Advocate) who understands the expectations of your teaching assignment. Note: The plan must be submitted to your instructor on a State of Washington Professional Growth Plan form, available on either the OSPI website or in the on-line Western Washington University Professional Certification Handbook. 2. Develop a Professional Pre-Assessment Growth Plan (PGP) that focuses on three-five criteria as agreed upon by the Professional Growth Team and with consideration of your school district’s School Improvement Program, strategic plan, and/or your own professional development goals. Goals that you include in your Professional Growth Plan will be re-visited as you select elective coursework in the core component of this program and again when you report on progress in the Culminating Seminar. Professional growth plans are due ____________________ . 3. 3. A written Student Learning Context Profile narrative that describes the candidate’s current teaching environment, current student strengths and unique learning needs, characteristics of the environment the candidate aspires to create, school and community at-large, and the goals and potential challenges related to the development of the candidate’s desired classroom environment. |
| Grading Scale: |
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S/U |
| Course Overview: |
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This seminar provides an “Introduction to reflective practice and the Professional Certification requirements. The candidate reflects on all 12 criteria to identify areas in which she/he has strengths and the areas in which she/he needs to increase capacity.” Professional development is a continuum spanning an educator’s entire career. The Professional Certificate component of the continuum asks that you think about professional practice in your current teaching assignment with a special emphasis on what you do that makes a positive impact on student learning. Professional Certificate Standards and Criteria are not about elegant teacher presentation styles – they are about the impact of what you do on student learning. In this seminar, you will review three Professional Certificate Standards, twelve criteria and the supporting professional literature. As each criterion is introduced you’ll be asked to consider these two essential questions: Ø How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? Ø What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
| Academic Dishonesty Policy: |
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Western Washington University students are responsible for reading, understanding, and following the policy and procedures regarding academic dishonesty as set forth in the WWU Academic Dishonesty Policy and Procedure (see Appendix D of the University Bulletin). |
| Reasonable Accommodation Policy: |
Session
| Topic
| Essential Questions
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Session One
Date: 10/12/06 | ·
Introductions
· The Professional Certificate Standards and Criteria and seminar outcomes · Discussion of Pre-Assessment Growth Plan and roles of Professional Growth Team members · Explanation of Professional Certificate Sequence and objectives · Reflection on current personal professional practice |
Overview of Educational Leadership Links between professional practice and professional literature |
Session Two
Date: 11/9/06 |
I. (a) Using instructional strategies that make learning meaningful and show positive impact on student learning; I. (f) Integrating technology into instruction and assessment; |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Three
Date: 12/14/06 |
Assignment: Student Learning Context narrative due. Check in – Progress on Professional Growth Teams (Roster of members due next meeting) I. (c) Using appropriate classroom management principles, processes and practices to foster a safe, positive, student-focused learning environment; | ·
Discussion about the role of each individual on the Professional Growth Team – including written information for team members
· Relationship between Pre-Assessment Growth Plan goals and Core Seminar elective credits 1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Four
Date: 1/11/07 | Assignment: Rough Draft of Professional Growth Plan
I. (g) Informing, involving, and collaborating with families and community members as partners in each student’s educational process, including information about student achievement and performance. |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Five
Date: 1/25/07 | Assignment: Submit Professional Growth Team Member
I. (b) Using a variety of assessment strategies and data to monitor and improve instruction; |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Six
Date: 2/8/07 |
I. (d) Designing and/or adapting challenging curriculum that is based on the diverse needs of each student; |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Seven
Date: 3/8/07 | Check in – Progress on Professional Growth Plans (Due next session)
I. (e) Demonstrating cultural sensitivity in teaching and in relationships with students, families and community members; |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Eight
Date: 3/22/07 |
Assignment: Professional Growth Plans due. Standard II Professional Development II. (a) Evaluating the effects of his/her teaching through feedback and reflection; |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Nine
Date: 4/12/07 |
II. (b) Using Professional standards and district criteria to assess professional performance, and plan and implement appropriate growth activities II. (c) Remaining current in subject area(s), theories, practice, research, and ethical practice. |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |
Session Ten
Date: 5/10/07 | Standard III
Professional Contributions III. (a) Advocating for curriculum, instruction, and learning environments that meet the diverse needs of each student; and III. (b) Participating collaboratively in school improvement activities and contributing to collegial decision making. |
1. How would you know if meeting this criterion improves student performance? What would you monitor/measure to give you the information you need? 2. What implications does this criterion have for your personal professional practice? |