Sherry TCSS11

LIFE Lessons in Field Experiences

Purpose
To practice applying the process of gathering info about students, planning, teaching, and reflecting
Planning Learning from your Teaching Instruction

Big Questions: What are the characteristics of good lesson/unit plans? What makes good ELA instruction?

Assessment

Rationale
Soon, youll graduate to a full-time teaching practicum. There, your task will be to learn about the institution, the curriculum, and the students in order to plan, teach, assess, and continue to improve your practice. By visiting a field placement once a week this fall, and gradually moving from observing, to assisting, to co- teaching, to leading a single lesson, you will be ready.

Assignment
You will be assigned to a school and mentor teacher with a partner from our class. As emissaries for our class and our university, please make sure to carefully read the guidelines for mentors and teacher candidates on the attached page. If you have concerns at any point, please contact Dr. Sherry. 1. (SEPTEMBER) Your first task is to contact your mentor to set up a time to meet and/or visit the school. At this meeting, discuss with your mentor what your role in the classroom will be: a. When, where, and how should you present yourself at the school? (this includes dress code, security passes, classroom numbers, dates, times, etc.) b. Which class will you participate in regularly? What, if anything, do you need to do to prepare for that participation? c. When will you begin observing? assisting? co-teaching? lead teaching? (please see attached page for a suggested schedule for this progression) 2. (SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER) You should plan to visit the same class once a week (this includes arriving in advance and leaving later in order to confer with your mentor and your partner before or after a visit). For each visit you should: a. Before the lesson: Make sure you know whats expected of you; get a copy of the book; know the lesson plan; figure out where to sit

and how you plan to work with students, if necessary. email) about how things went or about questions you had.

Sherry TCSS11

b. After the lesson: Follow up with your mentor (this may mean waiting till later to talk or c. After the lesson: Write a journal entry/letter to me and to your classmates (post to a new page linked to your wiki personal page) describing your experiences during that lesson. Topics you may attend to include (but are not limited to): i. How was the classroom arranged for this lesson? Why? ii. How was time used during the course of this lesson? Why? iii. What was the sequence of activities? Why this order? iv. What were the goals of the lesson? Were they met? Why or why not? v. How did students respond? Why? vi. What might the teacher decide to do next? Why? vii. What surprised you? What else did you notice? 3. Use what you learn from your observation and journal/letters to inform your work with students: a. (OCTOBER) As you begin to assist with individuals and small groups, try to learn from the students how to teach themwhat are their interests? strengths/struggles? b. (NOVEMBER) As you begin to co-teach, planning and implementing a lesson with your mentor, consider how your teaching fits with what precedes and follows. c. (DECEMBER) When you lead teach, planning and implementing a lesson with your mentors assistance and approval, examine student work from prior lessons to build on what students have already done. 4. (DECEMBER) Post to the wiki your lead-teaching lesson, with a reflection/explanation of a. How it arose from what you learned through your visits b. How it went when you taught c. What you would change/add/do next

Sherry TCSS11

English teachers candidates, As a former middle/high school English teacher, I know some of the challenges you will face. To help prepare you, I hope to help you observe and to assist at least once a week in a mentor teachers classroom, and eventually to lead a lesson by the end of the 15-week semester. Being a student-teacher can be a rewarding experience. Heres what you can expect:

Semester-at-a-glance September Choosing a focus Student-teachers begin visiting, discuss their role in the classroom with mentor teacher

October Observing & Assisting Student-teachers observe, get to know students/school,

Student-teachers and mentor choose a focus class for student-teachers to attend regularly

November Co-planning & teaching When mentor agrees, student-teachers each help to co-plan and After a lesson, student-teachers discuss implement a lesson: with mentor (if possible) and with each before and after, they other discuss plan and implementation with When mentor agrees, student-teachers mentor begin to assist in lessons (e.g., working with student-groups, leading activities)

December Teaching a lesson When mentor agrees, student- teachers each lead the planning/ teaching of a lesson: before and after, they discuss plan and implementation with mentor

What can student-teachers expect from mentors? Though the specifics may differ from classroom to classroom, the mentor will: 1) Help the student-teacher(s) to get to know the school, the curriculum, and the students 2) Explain (at his/her convenience) decisions s/he made before, during, and after each lesson (how s/he prepared, why s/he did certain things, and how s/he assessed student learning) 3) Direct student-teachers as they gradually take on the role of assistant-teacher in the classroom (Note: this is not the same as an aide who does photocopying and grading) 4) Guide student-teachers in planning and implementing a lesson with mentor as co-teachers 5) Support student-teachers as they each take the lead in planning/implementing a lesson

What can mentors expect from student-teachers? As guests in the classroom, student-teachers will: 1) Arrive early, in professional attire, fully prepared to participate, on a regular basis 2) Interact with students, mentors, and staff as intelligent, enthusiastic, curious professionals 3) Ask questions (politely and at the appropriate time) about all aspects of teaching, including institutional expectations, planning, lesson activities, assessment, and of coursestudents! 4) Support the mentor-teachers decisions with regard to students, curriculum, instruction, and assessment

Your participation in this partnership could provide valuable experience and contact with potential employers. It could also help establish on ongoing relationship between local schools and the university. If you have questions, please contact me.

Sincerely, Dr. Michael Sherry 106A Bakeless Hall Department of English Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania (734)255-3241|msherry@bloomu.edu