San Diego State University

Policy Studies in Language and Cross-Cultural Education

 

Course Title: PLC 903, Bilingual Student Teacher Seminar (Single Subject)

Course Instructor: Evangelina Bustamante Jones

  • 594-1836 office (please state date & time of call on voice mail)
  • e-mail address is ejones@mail.sdsu.edu

Office Hours: TBA, ED 123

Required Texts:

Wink, J. (1997). Critical Pedagogy: Notes from the Real World. New York, NY: Longman

Watts, J. G. Watts. (1996). Critical Pedagogy Beyond the Classroom: Partnerships for Systemic Change. Ontario, CA: CABE.

 

Course Description

The student teacher seminar will focus on four interrelated areas:

  • The Bilingual Teacher as a Professional, an Intellectual, and a Change Agent
  • Equitable Environments for Teaching and Learning
  • Critical Pedagogy and Teaching for Change
  • Peer and Instructor-Generated Support, Feedback. and Problem-Solving

 

Course Objectives: You will be able to:

 

  1. Identify and use the five aspects of effective bilingual teaching, as defined by the department of Policy Studies, to organize a professional portfolio. These are:
    • The Teacher as a Member of the Profession
    • The Teacher as a Link with Community
    • The Teacher as a Mediator of Culture
    • The Teacher as a Director of Learning
    • The Teacher as a Counselor and Advisor
  2. Identify, develop, and effectively present your best teacher characteristics in employment interviews.
  3. Identify, analyze, and critique school and classroom learning environments in terms of motivation, engagement, and equity.
  4. Know, identify, and use the principles and language of critical pedagogy in class discussions, dialogues, and assigned products.
  5. Participate in problem-solving, problem-finding, and problem-posing class discussion and small group dialogues.

     

     Requirements
  6. Organization and Production of your Professional Portfolio according to the six aspects of effective teaching;
  7. Presentation of your Professional Portfolio at the Portfolio Showcase to members of the teaching profession and school district personnel coordinators;
  8. Completion of reflective essays and other and tasks assigned to you, active participation in classroom activities and events, and completion of course reading assignments.

 

Grading Policy

While this is a Credit/No Credit course, assignments and responsibilities will be monitored closely. Were necessary, rubrics will be given in advance for assignments. Work that falls below a "B" level of quality will not count toward credit.

 

PLEASE NOTE: The professor reserves the right to assign additional work that does not appear on this syllabus for the following reasons:

  • An assignment with an agreed-upon deadline is not turned in promptly, with no indication from student that the product will be delayed, or personal negotiation for additional time to complete the work--it is your responsibility, not the professor's, to communicate important information related to your work
  • The professor has assessed the level of understanding about a particular reading, concept, or issue in the class as a whole or in individual students, and based upon this assessment, has determined that more work is necessary to attain adequate levels as defined through grading criteria, project rubric, content of written reflection, or quality of class participation

 

Professionalism:

  1. Attendance and Participation: If you must miss a session, PLEASE CALL BEFORE CLASS so that we can make other arrangements for material or work to be turned in or done. Consider it this way--would you call your principal if you could not go to work?
  2. This is related to item #1: If you are working in a group and you are not able to attend, please give your part of the assignment to a group member if it is to be presented or turned in. Please do not let other group members down by not doing your share; if you are in a bind (for example, overwhelmed at work), do your group members the courtesy of letting them know you could not fulfill your part of an assignment so that they can cover the missing part.
  3. It is your responsibility to initiate a dialogue with the professor when you do not understand an assignment or other class activity, as you will be held accountable for following through on the work.
  4. Communication Style: All efforts must be made to assure that communication between you and your colleagues, and communication with the professor, is conducted with the following criteria--clarity, tactfulness, honesty, and respect. Professionals can discuss differing opinions and views openly and continue to feel respect and warmth for those who do not hold similar views. Professionals have the duty to seek clarity when faced with ambiguity, so that they can better understand their role in the task at hand. They also have the responsibility as role models for their students to maintain equitable, civil, and power sharing habits of communication among their peers.

     

    Standards of Quality

    All work will be typed, double-spaced and already revised and edited by you and/or a peer, unless the work is a rough draft in progress you wish to share for input. Points will be removed for substandard presentation. Please see me if you do not have access to typewriter or word processor.

     

     

    Course Schedule of Meetings and Assignments

     PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE;

    EACH SESSION WILL CONSIST OF STUDENT-GENERATED DISCUSSIONS BASED ON CLASSROOM/TEACHING ISSUES,

    IN ADDITION TO THE ITEMS DESCRIBED BELOW

     

    SESSION

     

    READING DUE//

    ASSIGNMENT DUE

     

    PRESENTATION//

    HANDS-ON ACTIVITY

     

    #1-1/25

     

     

    • Overview of Professional Portfolio

     

    #2-2/01

     

     

    • Intro to course
    • Self-Assessment
    • Reading the World and the Word

     

    #3-2/08

     

    • Watts, entire monograph

     

    Dialogue on questions on pp. 29-30

    In-class written reflection

     

    2/15

     

    Organize Contents of Professional Portfolio

     

     

    Work on your own

     

    #4-2/22

     

    • Wink, Introduction, Ch. 1, & Ch. 2 from pp. 17-25
    • Bring Wink book to class

     

    Jigsaw rest of Ch. 2 in a Word definition activity

    Overview of 5 Components of Teacher Effectiveness

     

    #5-3/01

     

    • Read assigned section Wink, Ch. 3; students (in pairs) will be assigned sections of text
    • Complete Checklist for 5 Components of Teacher Effectiveness
    • Bring handout of 5 Components of Teacher Effectiveness

     

    Jigsaw Presentations of Ch. 3

    Share Checklists

     

    #6-3/08

     

    • On-going organization of portfolios
    • Make appointment with professor

     

    Individual appointments with professor

     

    #7-3/15
  5. Reflection essay, Wink Ch. 3: Choose any 2-3 theorists (or movements) highlighted in the presentations of 3/01
    6.

     

    • Read-Around-Groups with reflections
    • Dialogue and problem-posing

     

    #8-3/22

     

    • On-going organization of portfolios
    • Make appointment with professor

     

    Individual appointments with professor

     

    3/29

     

    Spring Break Week

     

    No class session

     

    #9-4/05

     

    • Select 2 Components, bring to rough draft of same to class

     

    Sharing in class

     

    #10-4/12

     

    • On-going organization of portfolios
    • Make appointment with professor

     

    Individual appointments with professor

     

    #11-4/19

     

    • Bring entire portfolio-in-progress to class

     

    Inter-disciplinary groups will share & give feedback

     

    #12-4/26

     

    • On-going organization of portfolios
    • Make appointment with professor

     

    Individual appointments with professor

     

    #13-05/03-

     

     

    TBA

     

    #14-5/13

     

    TENTATIVE DATE

     

    • Completed Portfolio

     

    Presentation of portfolio at Portfolio Showcase