HARDING UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

SEED 416/516

The Middle School

3 hours credit – Summer 2005– Daily – (12:50-4:50) – A.S. 204

July 6 – July 16

Mr. Michael B. Wood Office Phone: 279-4615

Home Phone: 279-0923 Office: A.S. 121 (by appointment)

Email: mwood@harding.edu Website: www.mbwood.com

Prerequisite: Admission to the Teacher Education Program.

Text: Knowles, T. & Brown, D. (2000). What Every Middle School Teacher Should Know. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Course Description:

v Methods and materials of teaching in the middle school.

v Organization and development of the middle school curriculum.

v Exploration of future trends in the subject-field content through discussion, problem solving, and projects.

Course Content:

v Current research and writings concerning middle level education

v Early adolescent development

v Middle level leadership

v Organization of middle schools

v Interdisciplinary/Integrative curriculum designs

v Team development in middle schools

v Instructional objectives for middle schools

v Assessment appropriate for the middle school student

v At-risk students and motivation

v Building parent/community partnerships for the middle school

Goals and Objectives: (NCATE program standards in parentheses)

Upon completion of this course, each student will be able to:

v Recognize the physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and moral characteristics of the developmental period of early adolescence. (PS 2.1)

v Identify the changes in family settings, social contexts, threats to health and safety, and risk behaviors in contemporary society that affect the healthy development of young adolescents. (PS 2.2)

v Plan developmentally and culturally appropriate instruction, and create supportive school environments. (PS 3.1, 3.3)

v Understand the basis for, teacher participation in, and function of: interdisciplinary teams, teacher-based guidance programs, flexible grouping and scheduling arrangements. (PS 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 6.1)

v Identify best practices for working with colleagues, families, resource persons, and community groups. (PS 4.5, 4.6, 6.2)

v Design and employ teaching and learning approaches which:

o Honor individual differences

o Incorporate curricular exploration

o Emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge

o Teach skills of inquiry

o Cultivate problem-solving

o Utilize grouping strategies

o Include multiple strategies for evaluation and assessment

(PS 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, 5.8)

Assignments and Expectations of Students:

1. Select, read, and write about three (3) research areas dealing with the Middle School. Your 2-page papers must include an analysis of the research and your critique. An oral presentation will be required.

Select one article from each of the following areas: (handout)

v Research in Middle Level Education

v Research Articles

v Research Summaries

This information can be found online at http://www.nmsa.org/

Click on the link entitled “Research” which can be found on the left hand side of the webpage.

2. Internet Exploration Data Sheets – Once during class time we will go to one of the campus computer labs and explore different middle schools and middle school resources. There will be an accompanying data sheet to be filled out, by you, as you collect helpful information. These sheets will be turned in and graded.
3. Prepare an integrated/interdisciplinary/thematic curriculum unit for one (1) week appropriate for middle school. It must include at least three (3) “disciplines” of study. This project will be performed in teams. An oral presentation from each team member will be presented on the curriculum unit. The use of technology is encouraged. Make enough copies of the integrated/interdisciplinary/thematic unit for each class member and professor.
4. Share two (2) “Icebreaker” activities with the class. Each “Icebreaker” should be a written description of approximately a paragraph and demonstrated with class participation. Make enough copies of the description for each class member and professor.

Students with Disabilities:

It is the policy for Harding University to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Therefore, any student with a documented disability condition (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange reasonable accommodations must contact the instructor and Student Support Services at the beginning of the semester. SSS is located in Room 109 of the Lee Academic Center, telephone 279-4028.

Attendance Policy:

Attendance in this class is essential for its success not only for each student, but also for the class as a whole. Excused absences include only authorized school trips and verified illness. You should notify the instructor personally or by telephone prior to being absent from class regardless of the reason for the absence. Excuses from nurse or doctor must be presented to “excuse” your absence. There is a limit of three (50 minute class periods) absences accepted for married students or students living off campus. Any excuses after that must come from nurse or doctor.

Class will begin on time. If you are tardy to class, please check with the instructor to be sure you have not been marked absent. Leaving class before it is dismissed will count as an unexcused tardy. Three tardies will count as one unexcused absence.

All students that are absent will be assigned out of class work that is equivalent to the class time missed – as determined by the instructor. Students with unexcused absences of more than three (50 minute class periods) are subject to being dropped from the class with an “F.” Students are encouraged to attend all classes.

Dress Policy:

Students need to be aware and follow Harding’s dress policy. Also, do not wear the following to this class:

v Caps or hats or skull caps or “doo rags”

v Bandanas

v Visible body piercing; women can wear pierced ears only

Academic Honesty Policy:

You are encouraged to maintain personal integrity on all assignments. Violations of integrity (cheating, plagiarism, etc.) will be treated as behavioral, not academic situations. Tests and assignments affected will not be graded.

Missed Assignment Policy:

Each assignment is due in class on the date indicated. Assignments will be due when asked for by the professor. Late assignments will receive a zero, “0”. Example: If you are late to class when the professor asks for your assignment, you will receive a zero, “0”.

University Assessment:

Harding University, since its charter in 1924, has been strongly committed to providing the best resources and environment for the teaching-learning process. The board, administration, faculty, and staff are wholeheartedly committed to full compliance with all criteria of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The university values continuous, rigorous assessment at every level for its potential to improve student learning and achievement and for its centrality in fulfilling the stated mission of Harding. Thus, a comprehensive assessment program has been developed that includes both the Academic units and the Administrative and Education Support (AES) units. Specifically, all academic units will be assessed in reference to the following Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose: The University provides programs that enable students to acquire essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions in their academic disciplines for successful careers, advanced studies, and servant leadership.

Assessment in the College of Education:

Harding University College of Education is committed to ensuring that graduates are knowledgeable in all subjects they will teach and skilled in teaching and disposed to ethical practice. All teacher education students must take teacher licensure examinations in the subjects they will teach and in teaching methods. The website: http://www.ets.org/praxis/prxar.html provides study guides for these examinations. Written assignments completed in this course will be assessed again during the supervised teaching semester as part of the working portfolio. It is the student’s responsibility to retain the assignments and make any needed corrections to them.

Course Assessment and Grading:

Assessment of the knowledge, skills, and disposition of each student for the purpose of assigning a letter grade at the completion of this course will be based on successful completion of all assignments.

Schedule

July 6 - Internet Research/Exploration (Library Computer Lab)

July 8 - Research Summaries paper due

July 12 - Research Article paper due

July 14 - Research in Middle Level Education paper due

July 16 - Integrated/Interdisciplinary Curriculum Unit due and presentations