EDME 410: Community: A Middle School Perspective
Prerequisites: Admission to Teacher Education Program and a minimum 2.5 GPA
Credit Hours: (2)
To prepare early adolescents for the 21st Century, middle school educators are challenged to "create small communities for learning" which connect and empower teachers and students. Students study and practice community building through interdisciplinary teaming, advisor/advisee programs and parental involvement.
Detailed Description of Content of Course
1. Interdisciplinary Teaming
(a) Purpose
(b) Team building process and strategies
(c) Professionalism and collaboration
(d) Involving students
2. Advisor/advisee Programs
(a) Purpose
(b) Teacher's role and responsibilities
(c) Planning programs
(d) Community service and resources
3. The Classroom Community
(a) Physical arrangements
(b) Expectations and goal setting
(c) Student behaviors/teacher responses
(d) Student responsibility
(e) Conflict resolution and consensus building
4. Working With Parents
(a) Beginning the year/Invitational approaches
(b) Communicating effectively
(c) Involving parents
(d) Conferencing
(e) Professionalism and angry parents
5. Connecting With the Community
(a) Ways to get to know the community
(b) Identifying and using resources
(c) Possibilities for service
Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
EDME 410 is taught during a middle school placement and students are assigned to interdisciplinary teaching teams. Lectures and class/group discussions are used to help students examine their experiences in the context of related literature. Within the cohort group, students practice and evaluate community building as interdisciplinary teams.
Goals and Objectives of the Course
Having successfully completed this course, the student will be able to:
(1) Gather and use information about the school and its community.
(2) Articulate a clear understanding of the concept of teaming.
(3) Identify ways to promote team building and effective communication.
(4) Plan for an advisor/advisee group in the classroom.
(5) Develop a plan for a teaching/learning environment.
(6) Establish classroom rules and goals with students.
(7) Be proactive in reducing student misbehavior.
(8) Demonstrate appropriate ways to respond to students and parents.
Assessment Measures
(1) Class attendance and participation. Students will do peer evaluations regarding whole group and interdisciplinary teams.
(2) Role Play. Students will use role play to demonstrate their understanding of appropriate ways to respond to colleagues, parents and students.
(3) Written examinations. Brief quizzes will be used to check students' understanding of concepts.
(4) Term project. In the professional portfolio students will include: (a) a plan for organizing a classroom and handling routines, (b) a description of their junior clinical experience, (c) a sample letter to parents, (d) a plan for an advisor/advisee unit.
Other Course Information
Assignments will be differentiated for graduate students. For example, they will assume a leadership role on the interdisciplinary team and lead group meetings.
Review and Approval
August 14, 2006 Reviewed Dr. Elizabeth D. Dore, Coordinator
