Summer+Clinical+Coursework

EDUC 715- Secondary School Curriculum, Teacher of the Middle and High School
Greetings,

Bridges to the Future Cohort Members, and HAPPY SUMMER to you all! Welcome to all the members of the 2014-2015 Bridges to the Future (TB2F) cohort. We are looking forward to a tremendous year of learning and accomplishment.

First, everyone is excited about our successful interview and recruitment process. Our school partners were impressed with the backgrounds and talents of all who attended the program. We have school placements ready to go and many of you have already visited schools, met with teachers, and are getting ready for classes in August and September.

Second, we have dates set for our beginning of the school year orientation. TB2F orientation begins: August 19th-22nd 2014 and will take place on:
 * Tuesday, August 19th, 9:00am-noon
 * Wednesday, August 20th, 10:00am- 3:00pm
 * Thursday August 21st, 9:00am-noon
 * Friday August 22nd, 9:00am-noon

We will meet at Furcolo Hall, College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. A mid-morning treat will be served on the 19th and a light lunch will be served on the 20th.

During orientation we will:

and get to know each other as we begin to work together;
 * Meet all the other candidates, plus the UMASS Faculty and Administration,

financial aid, ID cards, parking, computer accounts, DESE CHRI (Criminal History Record Check) kiosk (likely on Friday).
 * Preview of the Bridges Program to overview the year and the expectations;
 * Confirm course registrations;
 * Attend to the logistics of related matters -i.e. health insurance,

Third, we want to use the summer to begin reading and reflecting on the roles of middle and high school teachers and to begin the graduate coursework that everyone must complete as part of their masters degree and teacher license program.

The following activities count toward Bridges to the Future graduate coursework and serve to orient you toward the year ahead. As you read and study, you are starting your first course, EDUC 715: Secondary School Curriculum. These activities, when done thoughtfully and thoroughly, will require 60 to 70 hours of time, and constitute the first eight meetings of the EDUC 715 course. All of the suggested readings are preparation for discussions that will happen during our orientation meetings.

TB2F Summer Independent Activities 2014-2015

Topic: Exploring and Building Your Identity as a New Teacher Counts as Independent Education 715 Classes #1-4 Due: Orientation Week, and Beyond Assignment: Read and Respond to the following Books

Rutherford, Paula. Why Didn't I Learn This in College? Teaching & Learning in the 21st Century. Second Edition, Alexandria, Virginia: Just ASK Publications, 2009. New books will include a CD ROM of teaching resources.

Assignment associated with this book: Use Post-Its or paper bookmarks to highlight ten ideas that you think will apply to your first few months of teaching. What are the outcomes you are hoping will be a result of these practices/ideas?

Read: Prensky, Marc., Teaching Digital Natives: Partnering for Real Learning. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin 2010.

Assignment associated with Prensky's book: While reading, pick one idea from each chapter that your parent(s) or family members would find new and surprising. Find two ideas inside each chapter that you find new and or surprising. Take notes to help you explain these differences.

Read: Lenov, D. Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College. CA: Jossey-Bass. 2010.

Writing Assignment for Lemov's book: Choosing one strategy from each chapter, describe your past memories of an influential adult who you remember using the specific strategy. Then, answer the following questions:

Do you recall anyone who you would call a 'teacher' using some or all of the techniques written about in Lemov's book?

Who were these teachers and at what level did they teach, elementary, middle, high school or all three?

How did the students in the class respond to your teacher(s) employing these techniques/strategies?

If you were a student of this teacher, how did you respond and or feel about these types of strategies?

Read the books in any order you'd like. Most online booksellers offer reduced rates. Please be sure to check the publication dates before you purchase these books. As you read the three texts, take notes and be ready to discuss the big take-away ideas you find most helpful, interesting and puzzling with large and small groups. We will talk about these ideas during the TB2F Orientation and continue to explore these during the first few weeks of the TB2F courses.

Please type your notes inside a digital word document. Label each document so that you can access it easily during the first month of school. You will need to access these documents and archive them inside your official licensure portfolio Tk-20, the University's online teacher license record keeping system. These are notes and you may use an informal writing style, includingbulleted lists.

Topic: Exploring and Building Your Identity as a New Teacher Counts as Independent Education 715 Class# 5 Due: Orientation Week, and Beyond Assignment: Social Identity Paper Reflect and Write 500 words

As a step towards understanding the impact that race, ethnicity, class,

gender, etc. have on the school experience; this paper is designed to help you explore your own sense of social identity. Social forces such as gender, social class, ethnicity, religion, etc. become aspects of individual social identities. Describe the historical development of your own sense of identity. For example, you might address ethnic background, social class, gender identity, religious identity, etc. In your description, include how your family, school, work, and social and religious experiences have contributed to the development of that identity. Do not use your peer teacher's name or their school name. Please use *pseudonyms* instead.

Share to the level that you think will be of interest and significance to your class. Be thoughtful about how vulnerable you want to make yourself.

Topic: Investigating Community: Teacher Interview Counts as Independent Education 715 Class #6 Due: Orientation Week Assignment: Interview a Teacher and Write 500 Word Profile

Teacher Interview: “What brought you to teaching?" Interview that teacher you know by phone or in person for a meaningful period of time (1/2 hour is suggested).

1. Note that the question is not “why did you want to be a teacher?” although that can certainly be a question asked in the interview. “Why” is often an ineffective question with which to begin an interview. By presuming a simple, linear approach it can push a participant to oversimplify past experiences. What is needed for an interview is not an analysis, but a description of events, over years, leading to a decision. Substituting “how” for “why” seems to work better.

2. Make sure that your partner understands the nature of the interview and that those aspects of it will be shared in class.

3. Take notes on what the person is saying to you (or tape record the interview and take working notes). Try to capture the essence and detail of what the teacher is saying in his or her own words.

4. Construct a report on the interview in the first person voice of the teacher. This can be done if you have paid attention to number 3 above. Review your notes and underline those parts of the interview that are of compelling interest to you. Weave these together into a narrative that you will read to the class, in the words of the teacher. You should be able to read the paper in approximately five minutes.

5. The material you select for your report must be fair to the larger interview and must be consistent with the dignity of your partner. After you have written the report, it is best if you let the teacher you interviewed read it before you share it with the class--that way they can edit any parts out if they decide not to share certain information.

6. Be sure to confirm the date that your teacher is expecting you to begin your placement. Its optional however, we highly recommend that you try to attend any professional development days that you are invited to attend before school opens. You should be present on the first day of school.

Topic: Articles for your Exploration Independent Education 715 Class #7 and 8 Due: Week of September 8-12th, 2014 Assignment: Articles

Explore the variety of Internet websites and articles below. Once you haveread all of the resources, write about one or more experiences that you had in "school" that mirrored or mimicked one or more of the themes discussed in the resources.

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Needs A Champion from TED Talks

@http://www.ted.com/talks/rita_pierson_every_kid_needs_a_champion.html

New York Harbor School

@http://www.newyorkharborschool.org/

Benefits of Student Participation in Community Service from the University of Michigan

@http://sitemaker.umich.edu/356.black/benefits_of_participation_in_service

Actions Speak Louder Than Words, Celia Oyler (first chapter free on Amazon)

@http://www.amazon.com/Actions-Speak-Louder-than-Words/dp/0415881625/ref=la_B001KHQMOK_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370541848&sr=1-1

REGISTRATION

Fourth, we will be forwarding information sent via the dean's office regarding "Registration Support" for Fall 2014 STEP Bridges to the Future. Enrollment opens mid-July.

Here are the courses you can expect will appear inside your registration packet. Please wait for the registration packet to arrive before you attempt to register.:

FALL COURSES

EDUC 510-02: Teacher of the Middle/High School Classroom

EDUC 715: Secondary School Curriculum

EDUC 592SS-02: Seminar: Pre-practicum in Education

EDUC 615TT-01: Education in Context

EDUC 500 M-02 Student Teaching Middle School 5-8

OR

EDUC 500S S-02: Student Teaching Secondary 8-12

TEACHING METHODS

Math Interns - Register for: EDUC 511 - 02: Teaching Math In Mid & Hs

Science Interns -Register for: EDUC 512 - 02: Teaching Science In Mid & High Schools

History Interns -Register for: EDUC 514 - 02: Teaching History & Political Science in Mid & High School

English Interns - Register for: EDUC 515-02: Teaching

English in Mid & High School

Questions?

Offices are available to swiftly address student needs:

UMail and SPIRE accounts - the OIT Help Desk is available to address access and technical issues; please visit anytime at www.oit.umass.edu/help.html or call (413) 545-9400 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 EST).

Registration Information - for help in ascertaining your enrollment status, contact Continuing & Professional Education Registration & Records Office, regoff@contined.umass.edu or call (413) 545-3653 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 EST). Billing/Payment Information - for assistance with your financial obligations for your classes, contact the Bursar's Office Continuing & Professional Education representative at busoff@contined.umass.edu or call (413) 545-0337 during normal business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 EST)

If you have questions about *the summer reading and writing projects, don't hesitate to contact me via email: ruth-ellen@educ.umass.edu.

If you have questions about your placement, please email your mentor teacher directly.

Subsequent emails will address your professional role as a teacher of students and a student of teaching.

Best,

Ruth-Ellen Verock-O'Loughlin and Committee

 Secondary Teacher Education  TEACH Bridges to the Future Pathway  College of Education 108 Furcolo Hall  University of Massachusetts Amherst  813 North Pleasant St.  Amherst MA 01003 413.545.1565