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TLT 444, Fall 2011 - Course record

TLT 444, Fall 2011 - Course record

Nov 17, 2011

Navigation short-cut: Session jump by number

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Session 1 - Tuesday, 30 Aug

Before class

  • Get a copy of the textbook, if you can

  • Log into CourseSite and explore the course documents, if you can

  • Bring to class: An artifact to represent where you are in your teaching process at the moment

During class (ppt)

  • Introductions

  • Reviewing syllabus and assignments

  • One thing I would have added to the orientation: You're entering a profession, and its has rules/standards but also lots of judgment calls. See for yourself. 

  • "Portrait of Practice" photo #1

  • Intro to action research

  • Closure

After class

  • Reading: Start working on Parsons & Brown

  • Assignments

    • WTL

    • Work on reading quizzes

    • Check out action research samples

Session 2 - Tuesday, 6 Sep

Before class

  • Get the textbook, start reading, take quizzes along the way.

  • Poke around more in CourseSite & the wiki, as needed

  •  

During class (ppt)

  • Check in: How was the first week? We'll do a quick technique called photo elicitation. Start in WTL, then we'll share. (If you want the ppt that I'm using, it's linked in CourseSite.) 

  • Conceptual work

    • Consider the challenge that you shared. Is it INSTRUCTIONAL (e.g., how to teach something) or INTERPERSONAL (adjusting yourself to the classroom; working out the relationship between yourself and a student)? 

    • Framework for parsing the 'teaching' part of being a teacher: (t)PCK (aka TPCK, TPACK, or just PCK)

    • Stop-and-jot: An emerging area of interest for me in my classroom practice is....  A potential action research topic might be.....

    • (I'd encourage people at the same cert level to take a look at one another's threads, comment as you feel appropriate)

    • Action research: Getting started

      • Purpose --> Questions

      • Definitions

      • Lit review -- I'll use eric.ed.gov to model this.

    • Closing off conceptual stuff.

  • Housekeeping

    • How are things coming with the textbook? Reading quizzes? Don't forget about the Help Me! forum. 

    • Portfolios

      • Help sessions

      • Portfolio URLs -- please locate and share! Link is in CourseSite and right here.

    • Putting together our portraits of practice--I'll post these in the hallway later tonight. A template is in CourseSite (and right here); here's a couple of samples: previous peer, your fearless instructor. 

After class

  • Reading--keep chugging on the textbook! Take your reading quizzes!

  • Assignments 

    • WTL -- I'm curious as to how schools 'observe' the 10th anniversary of Sept 11th (if at all), so feel free to write about that...

    • If you need help working your portfolio, it's probably a good idea to show up at one of the sessions. 

Session 3 - Tuesday, 13 Sep

Before class

  • Complete reading

During class (ppt)

  • Housekeeping -- how are things looking with the textbook? Portfolios? 

  • Conceptual work: By popular demand, certification & job-searching!

    • Certification

      • What paperwork is required? Here you go. NOTE: DO NOT DO ANYTHING WITH THIS UNTIL THE END OF THE SEMESTER. This is just for your informational purposes at the moment. Donna T. and/or the Office of Field Placement and Teacher Certification will contact you when you need to get this done. 

      • How long is this going to take? No idea, but you can track the progress of your certificate as it goes through. 

      • What's it good for? Where can I get reciprocity?

        • The official group that has all the legal info is NASDTEC, but I think to get into their "Knowledge Base" you need to be a member ($$). I find this frustrating and even unethical, but there you go. 

        • Lots of places give info derived from the official legal sources. For example, certificationmap.com, thanks to the increasingly omnivorous USC. Keep in mind that this info comes with disclaimers (or it should).

        • You can also go straight to the state depts of ed for info. For example: Vermont! (Why Vermont? Why not!)

    • Job searching

      • First, know what resources exist to help you. Lehigh has a Career Services office, with a section specifically for grad students.  One of the staffers focuses on education jobs: Lynn D'Angelo (lmd204). They have workshops and events -- again, look for the ones that are specific to the teaching field. Talk to these folks for more detailed info than what I can give you.

      • Second, know the territory. For example, in Pennsylvania, consult the following handy map of districts and IUs. There's a lot! Keep in mind that private and independent schools are NOT listed here. 

      • Third, know your opportunities

        • Job fairs. 

          • This is a hodgepodge, but search around. For example, the Delaware Valley Education Consortium offers a "Greater Philadelphia Teacher Job Fair"every spring. 

          • In our neck of the woods, Kutztown University does the largest job fair--their own students get first shot at the recruiters, then the rest of us get in. So: Find the regions you're interested in and find out which job fair(s) cover that region.

          • Keep in mind that you get better results when you prepare: AHEAD OF TIME, know what schools will be there, what openings they have; have applications filled out (if you can get your hands on them); have extra copies of your resume; bring something to write with and write on, etc. For more tips, see Kutztown's page o' advice. 

        • Districts may also post openings--look for the Human Resources department. (Example: Allentown; Bethlehem) If there are no openings, PHONE THEM. Don't assume that what you're looking at is current/correct. 

        • Below the district level it gets very hit-or-miss, but go ahead and work your network: Make sure principles / counselors / etc. know who you are and what you're good at, pass along contacts and opportunities among your peers.

  • Closure