Victor Donnay, Ph.D. 610-526-5352 vdonnay@brynmawr.edu

Deborah Pomeroy, EdD, 215-572-2123 pomeroy@arcadia.edu

Nell Anderson, Praxis Field Coord., 610-526-5031 nanderso@brynmawr.edu, Daulton #9.

Description: Students will observe and tutor in classrooms in which teachers are implementing new curriculum or teaching strategies in either science or mathematics. A weekly colloquium is provided in which professional educators will present their experiences in educational change and related issues. These sessions will provide the theoretical framework to help students understand their praxis experiences. A weekly reflection session is provided in which students will discuss their praxis experiences and make connections with the theoretical frameworks.

Objectives: Students will

• become keen observers of and active participants in pedagogical change in classrooms.
• understand the theoretical, economic and political underpinnings of pedagogical change in mathematics and science.
• understand the pedagogical strategies inherent in current curricular innovations and will understand their rationale and implementation.
• become familiar with personal, institutional, community and systemic incentives for and resistance to change.
• develop a heightened analytical sense of themselves as learners.

Grading:

15% Attendance and Participation in Reflection and Colloquium Sessions (including audits)

15% Fulfillment of Praxis Expectations — attendance, professional demeanor, tutoring

15% Class Assignments

25% Journal

30% Case Study

a. Praxis Placement Workshops, Monday, 1/28, from 7 - 8:30pm, Taylor F and

Thursday, 1/31, from 6-7:30pm, Dorothy Vernon Room at Haffner. You must attend one of these two sessions.

b. Tutoring workshop, Saturday, February 2, 9am - 4pm, in English House.

Note: The following topics may be shifted to accommodate guest speakers. Additional readings and one page papers may be added at any point.

1/22 Week 1

Colloquium (2.0 hrs)

Introduction to Course: What, How and Why

Reflection (1.0 hr)

Specifics on Praxis

Logistics and processes of assignments

Assign Paper #1: Example of Theory of Practice

Assign Readings (on E-reserves unless otherwise noted):

Bransford, et al. "How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School"

American Asso. for the Advancement of Science. "Science for All Americans - Project 2061." Read Chapter 1.

Browse NCTM Standards: http://standards.nctm.org/ Search the e-standards.

Browse NSES Standards: http://books.nap.edu/html/nses/html/index.html

1/29 Week 2

Colloquium (1.5 hrs)

Why Change con’t

Nature of disciplines-literacies

Content Standards

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Assign: Glenn Report

Examples from media re school change

2/5 Week 3

Reflection 7- 8:30

Case Study Assignment

Sharing field experiences

Assign Paper #2: Describe tensions and support for change in field placements

*2/8 Week 3: Special Colloquium, Friday February 8, 7:30-9pm, Thomas Great Hall

Why change from the perspective of government and business with

Congressman Curt Weldon, Pa. State Senator Connie Williams, Dr. Karen Hanson, Greater Philadelphia First.

Praxis: Starting in schools.

2/12 Week 4

Colloquium (1.5): Individually initiated change (Micro)

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

The classroom context

Assign Paper #3: Describe your teacher as change agent (1 p.)

Praxis: In schools

2/19 Week 5

Colloquium (1.5)

Tensions and support of change: Personal, Institutional, Socio-Political

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Teacher as change agent

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

2/26 Week 6

Colloquium (1.5)

Institutional and National Change

Assign:

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

3/5 Week 7

Colloquium (1.5)

Systemic Curricular Change

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

3/12 Spring Break

3/19 Week 8

Colloquium (1.5)

Understanding Children’s Understanding: Education theories of how students learn (mathematics).

Students’ Views of Change

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

3/26 Week 9

Colloquium (1.5)

Change in pedagogical strategies

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Praxis: In schools

4/2 Week 10

Colloquium (1.5)

Resources for Change & program implementation

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Praxis: In schools

4/9 Week 11

Colloquium (1.5): Changes in Pedagogical strategies

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

4/16 Week 12

Colloquium (1.5): Teaching Around Essential Questions

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

4/23 Week 13

Colloquium (1.5): Community Voices -- Panel

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Assign: Deborah Meier: The Power of Their Ideas

Praxis: In schools

4/30 Week 14

Colloquium (1.5): Wrap up with Carlo Parravano.

Assessment

Reflection (1.5 hrs)

Journal sharing

Praxis: In schools

Case Study due 5pm, May 3.

5/7 Exam Week: Tuesday May 7, 7-10pm

Student Presentations (10 minutes each):

What I’ve learned about school/classroom change

Overview of Assignments: more details will be provided in class

#1 Students will write up two very different learning experiences of their own. At least one must be in science or mathematics. Each experience (2-3 pg.) should include the following:

* Description of context

* Description of learning experience

* Description of how this felt as a learner

* Inference as to what this kind of pedagogy tells us about the teacher’s theory of practice? (e.g. Whose knowledge and experience counts? How do children learn best? What counts as knowledge and evidence of it?)

#2 Other single page assignments designed to help students focus their thinking about their praxis experiences. Such assignments may become part of the students’ final papers.

#3 As a part of class assignments, students will do several media reviews of school change as assigned.

#4 Journal -- to be handed in mid-course and at the end. At mid-course, these will be evaluated as outstanding, strong, adequate and inadequate for the purpose of providing feedback to students. Journals must have enough detailed observations that will provide evidence for discussion in the case study. They should also include reflections that raise questions, make connections to other observations and/or material discussed in class, and pose hypotheses.

#5 Case Study of Pedagogical Change — this 10-15 page paper should synthesize the student’s praxis experience in terms of class discussions and readings. The paper should contain quotes and detailed description of evidence used to present the case. The school, district, and teacher should be referred to with pseudonyms only. The student should avoid making evaluative pronouncements about the teacher, program and/or students. The evidence should speak loudest. The paper should include a conclusion that discusses what the student has learned about changing curricular and pedagogical practices from this experience.