The course is an introduction to
life in the elementary school. It is designed to provide students, through
observation and participation in an elementary school classroom, with the early
knowledge and skills necessary to further pursue a career as an elementary
school teacher.
Reading and Writing Grade by Grade: Primary Literacy
Standards for Kindergarten through First Grade
- New
Standards Primary Literacy Committee 1999
Numerous articles and handouts will be given out in
class. Please obtain a three
ring binder for organizing these materials.
Terry Shue Syllabus
& Handouts Calendar
The student should be able to:
1.
Identify and analyze the multiple roles of the elementary school teacher
2.
Describe and analyze the daily functioning of an elementary school
classroom
3.
Observe, record, and analyze the classroom behavior of children from
differing cultural, social, and
linguistic backgrounds
4.
Describe
and demonstrate strategies for remediation, support, and extension of
children’s early literacy skills
5.
Demonstrate a variety of interaction styles in his/her tutoring of
elementary
school children
6.
Examine the relationship between his/her own academic studies and the
elementary curriculum
7.
Collect
and organize field work journal entries to be included in his/her
professional
portfolio.
A.
Life in the Elementary School
1.
Students’ reflections and narratives of early school and
classroom experiences
2.
The Daily Schedule of the School and Primary Classroom/
Rituals, Rules, Regulations
B.
The Primary Grade Child (Kindergarten - 4th Grade)
1.
Brief overview of the behavior of 5 to 9 year olds
2.
Issues of student diversity: gender, ethnicity, language, skills
3.
Classroom diversity
C.
The Elementary School Teacher
1.
The teacher’s role in the classroom and beyond
a)
Daily life and work of teachers
b)
The teacher as learner, model, researcher, family advocate,
and community activist
c)
Teachers’ Challenge: Confronting issues of power, equity, and bias in the
teacher-child relationship
2.
Developing as a Professional Educator
a)
Reflecting on teaching practice
b)
Developing collegial relationships
c)
Learning about the “neighborhood of the school”
d)
Communicating effectively with diverse families
e)
Establishing professional learning goals
D. Literacy
Development
1.
Addressing State Standards in Language Arts
2.
Developing and extending children’s reading and writing skills
3.
Tutoring strategies for mono- and bilingual children to support and
enhance their English literacy skills
4.
Developing literacy tutoring activities
E. Professional
Portfolio Development
1. Teaching Portfolios:
a)
What Goes in a Teaching Portfolio?
b)
Styles of Portfolios
c)
Using Standards to Construct Your Portfolio
2. Presenting Your Professional Best
a)
Professional dress and behavior
b)
The need for reflection
c)
Recognizing and expressing your philosophy of education and teaching
4 hours per week
Students
are assigned to work with children in literacy skills in a local elementary
school classroom twice a week. Students may be assigned to one or several
different grades, from kindergarten through 5th grade. A typical
session may include working individually or in small groups with children.
Students work closely with the cooperating elementary school classroom
teacher as well as the schools literacy coach. Students will receive orientation
and training prior to placement in a classroom.
Students
will have multiple opportunities to observe, record, and evaluate the school’s
physical
plant, daily functioning, and a teacher’s classroom behaviors. Tools and
strategies
include checklists, interviews, diagrams, assessment forms, and anecdotal notes
and
records.
Students will keep detailed field work journals
that reflect experiences and thoughts covering the following items:
A.
The Environment as the Third Teacher: Mapping the physical
environment
and functions of a public elementary school classroom and primary
classroom
a)
Room placement and relationship of rooms to each other
b)
Personal v. communal space
c)
Child v. adult space
d)
Private v. open space
e)
Furnishings and materials
f)
Literacy materials and resources
g)
Room layout, traffic flow, boundaries, barriers
B.
Observing and Recording the Daily Functioning of an Elementary School
a)
Scheduling
b)
Rituals
c)
Rules-Explicit and Implicit
d)
School Regulations: attendance, dress, behavior, discipline
C.
Observing, Recording, and Evaluating Teacher Behavior
a)
Classroom management
b)
Apparent knowledge of the curriculum
c)
Sharing classroom control
d)
Organization of the daily classroom flow and curriculum
e)
Time use and out-of-class responsibilities
D.
Interactions
and relationships with children during teaching,
transitions, conflicts, and challenge to knowledge or authority
West Valley College 
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