421 Placement Syllabus I

1. 421 Placement Syllabus I

2. Map • Due once, week 3 • Must be computer generated • Answer the questions a) how does the classroom environment demonstrate expectations and beliefs about children (and age) b) what are the environment’s strengths and limitations?

3. Letter of Introduction •1 page long •nicely presented •give professional AND personal information •what are you learning about your students that will help you write this? (pets, what you liked to do when you were in school, girl scouts, favorite food, etc) •include contact info (email & school #) •include a picture

4. August 24, 2009 Week 1 Observation 10:05-10:10 Ali Description: Ali sits in the sandbox on his bottom with his legs stretched out in front of him. He is wearing long pants, gym shoes and a bulky winter coat. He runs his hands back and forth in the sand as he watches his friend Devon scoop sand with a shovel into a red bucket. Devon leaves the sandbox. Ali gets up to get Devon's bucket and shovel. He crouches in the sandbox, using the shovel to scoop the sand. He holds the shovel in his right hand and moves it with ease. He uses his left hand to hold the bucket. He places five scoops of sand in the bucket, then pats the excess down on the top of the bucket with the shovel, wacking the sand. Still crouching, he searches for rocks in the sand while still holding the shovel in his right hand. He places rocks in a pile in the middle of the sand with his left hand. He places them carefully, a couple at a time. Ali’s friend, Aidan, runs past the sandbox, calling his name. Ali looks up and smiles at his friend. He immediately flips the shovel out of his hand behind him, and runs out of the sandbox after Aidan. Interpretation: Ali usually plays tag and chase with a regular group of friends so I was surprised to see him playing in the sandbox. This was the first time I’ve seen him play there all semester. I was wondering what Ali was thinking when he was running his hands through the sand as he seemed to be in a trance. Perhaps the movement and tactile stimulation was soothing to him. Does Ali engage in tactile play (like the water table, finger paint) in the classroom? I wonder if he was watching Devon in an attempt to understand what to do in the sandbox. He was especially observant of his friend. Ali went right to the sandbox when we went outside. What prompted this today? Did he have a busy morning at home and needed some solitude? Were his friends giving him a hard time in the classroom this morning? Ali is confident and verbal and has the skills to express his feelings. He looked very comfortable. Physically he was adept at using the shovel and bucket. He seemed comfortable perched in a squatting position for a while, even with his bulky winter coat. And he seemed socially comfortable-he didn’t look up to search for his friends at any time in the sandbox. He was engaged in his play the entire time. When his friend called to him, he looked up with a smile. He wasn’t upset by being interrupted or seem to hold any bad feelings toward his friend.

5. August 24, 2009 (Date) Week 1 (week) Comments 1. Desmond (9:00) The children are arriving in the morning. Desmond hangs up his coat and approaches me. (at least 2 sentences to describe context.) D: Do you know what I had for breakfast? Me: No, what? D: Yucky Charms! 2. Sam (9:10)The teacher was teaching a lesson on national symbols. The discussion veered towards war and how war has changed since the colonists began the American Revolution. Sam raised his hand to ask a question. S: "Do the soldiers today, like the ones in Iraq, still have swords and stuff?" 3. Nora (9:55)The class was waiting for a few minutes after the history lesson was done for the next activity. Several students around Nora were talking. Tyler: "I've looked at people's desks and they're messy. Jennifer has a lot of stuff inside." Nora: "If you're complaining about messy desks, you should look at your own desk!"

6. Learnings (Week 1) Monday (8/24) day and date Today I learned some good behavior incentives that Ms. Brown uses. Throughout the week she will write down students that are working on task, being good listeners, etc., and then on a random day she will put a post-it note on the bottom of one of their chairs. Whoever has the note gets to choose a prize from the treasure box. Another one is to hand out raffle tickets throughout the week and then have a drawing on Fridays for prizes. Tuesday (8/25) I learned that my coop has 2 children: a girl named Heidi and a boy named Brian. They are fraternal twins and attend Illinois State University. Wednesday (8/26) Today I met our speech and language therapist. We had a classroom planning meeting. I learned that many of the activities that we routinely do, such as opening, help address some students’ IEP goals. Thursday (8/27)-No School-Spring holiday Friday (8/28)-No Placement (Friday Lab) •start each sentence with “I learned…”

7. Mrs. Newport had promised the students that she would feed Lulu during the school day so that they could watch. That morning she had the mice ready, and the students were anxious to watch Lulu’s meal.

8. Resources •teacher handouts •classroom newsletters •teacher training information •school information •student work •organize by subject matter

9. August 24, 2010 Week 1 Connection Paper Title •format paper as shown above (date & week in opposite corners; title centered) •connect a placement experience to class •specifically cite a reading, class or discussion •1-2 pages long •try to make sense of the experience. How did the experience challenge or reinforce your beliefs as a teacher? •week 7’s paper must be about your “teach/reteach” experience (details to be discussed in labs)

10. Lesson Plans • LPs for weeks 6 & 7 for a lesson you will design & teach (part of Friday lab) • LP for mentor sessions • Word processed • 2 mentor sessions during the first 7 weeks • Give to mentor upon arrival • Complete post-evaluation section after your lesson and submit in your next packet

11. Other • Mandatory paperwork due in your second packet, on Wednesday, 9/8. • Makeup due the week following your absence.