BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF COURSES
AND PRACTICUM REQUIREMENTS
SIGN-UP WEB ADDRESS: http://filemaker.umw.edu:591/education
Title: EDUC 203/204 – Introduction to Learning and TeachingEmphasis: Introduction to the Classroom Setting
Course Description:
EDUC 203/204 will provide beginning students in the University of Mary Washington Teacher Education Program with an introduction to teaching in public schools. This introduction to learning and teaching will be accomplished through field experience, cooperative learning, class discussion, and lecture. EDUC 203/204 is a survey course—each of the major topics (classroom management, student motivation, curriculum, instruction, and professionalism) introduced will be more thoroughly examined in both content and field experience in subsequent coursework and practica.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Observe and note basic routines and procedures and procedures: morning work, collecting papers, traveling to lunch and specials, classroom management strategies;
- Work with individual students;
- Plan and teach at least one lesson to the whole class
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Title: EDUC 303 – Scientific Inquiry
Emphasis: Planning and Teaching Science
Course Description:
EDUC 303 is an elementary science methods course. The main focus of this course is on preparing future teachers to plan and implement science instruction including: lectures, demonstrations, experiments, the use of learning centers, and other techniques for teaching science. The course also provides a good deal of instruction on the integration and use of computer-based technology in teaching elementary science. This course uses a constructivist approach to teaching and learning.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20-30
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Develop and teach a grade level appropriate science lesson, related to a particular SOL, using Science Process strategy as a lesson plan format.
- Develop and utilize, in the classroom, a Learning Center related to a particular Science SOL.
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Title: EDUC 311 – Literature and the Arts in the Elementary Classroom
Emphasis: Children’s Literature and the Arts
Course Description:
EDUC 311 is based on an understanding of the transactional nature of the relationship between the reader and the text that considers both the aesthetic and the efferent functions of literature. Students will learn why and how to integrate the arts into teaching in the elementary classroom by using children’s literature. We will focus on various genres of children’s literature and the arts including drama, music, visual art, and dance. Students will design lesson plans for a variety of subjects using children’s literature and the arts. In addition, students will consider how technology can be used in the classroom as a tool to enhance the use of the arts and literature in their teaching.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Choose and read stories to children in your practicum class;
- Create a “book on tape” for your class;
- Keep a journal of observations of lessons in various subjects (math, science, languages arts, social studies) and sketch ideas for using arts activities in these lessons;
- Interview teachers about their use of children’s literature and/or the arts in their classroom.
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Title: EDUC 318, 319, 320, 321, 322, 323, 324 – The Teaching of Courses
Emphasis: Teaching of Specific Content Area Course
Course Description:
The series of “teaching of” courses reviews the instructional and managerial techniques to teaching explored in EDUC 204, focuses on the curriculum objectives and instructional methods of the particular content area, and introduces the examined content area-specific developmental approaches to teaching in the secondary schools.
Number of Practicum Hours: 30
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Relates the diagnostic-prescriptive approach to the teaching of the particular content area (e.g., Music, Foreign Language, Art, Mathematics and Computer Science, Social Studies, Sciences and English) and introduces the developmental approaches to teaching;
- Participate in classroom instruction with preparation of at least two lessons.
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Title: EDUC 351 – Constructivist Teaching in the Secondary School
Emphasis: Constructivist Teaching
Course Description:
EDUC 351 is one of the last courses students take before their student teaching semester. The course focuses on constructivist theory and teaching. Students develop conceptual units of study that integrate subject areas around a major social studies concept. They study different teaching strategies that accommodate needs of different learners and that helps all learners develop skills and construct knowledge.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Work with individuals and small groups;
- Observe a special needs student; work with the student if possible; interview the teacher and hopefully the special education teacher concerning the needs of the student and accommodations for instruction;
- Plan, create, implement and reflect on a self-sustaining learning center that focuses on a History and Social Science SOL (art or music or foreign language certifiers focus on an SOL in their area);
- If a learning center is not appropriate for the practicum classroom, then plan, create, implement and reflect on a small group or whole class lesson on a History and Social Science SOL (are or music or foreign language certifiers focus on an SOL in there are);
- Assist the teacher in ways that will benefit the classroom and help the practicum student understand the day-to-day routines of an elementary teacher.
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Title: EDUC 371 – Language Development and Literacy Instruction: Primary
Emphasis: Reading and Language Arts
Course Description:
EDUC 371 is an introductory exploration of children’s reading, writing, and language development, with a focus on how language development is an integral part of the literacy process. The use of literature and understanding writing development as a mirror of literacy is emphasized.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20-30
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Design a lesson plan for one of the three areas of English SOL and teach your class. Reflect on the planning and implementation of the lesson;
- Observe teachers implementing the English SOL. Include reflections on these observations in a learning log;
- Collect samples of a student’s work over a period of time and note any changes in the student’s writing (spelling, sentence structure, language, etc.);
- Work with an individual student or small groups of students to improve students’ reading/writing skills.
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Title: EDUC 373 – Language Development and Literacy Instruction: Intermediate
Emphasis: Reading and Language Arts (grades 4-6)
Course Description:
EDUC 373 is the second course in a two-part sequence on language development and literacy instruction. Through this course we will examine our identity as readers and writers and reflect upon how this impacts our teaching. We will also learn various strategies for assessing and developing upper elementary grade (3-6) children’s word knowledge, reading fluency, reading comprehension, and writing skills.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Administer the Developmental Spelling Assessment, analyze the results, and make three instructional suggestions that will help the child progress to the next stage of spelling;
- Administer the Qualitative Reading Inventory, analyze the results, and describe three activities that are developmentally appropriate and will help the child grow as a reader;
- Design and teach a strategy that specifically addresses one of the four domains of reading: fluency, word study, comprehension, or writing;
- Observe at least three different reading instruction grouping structures (i.e. Guided reading, Literature Circles, Literature Focus Unit, Paired Reading, or Reading Workshop), schedule time to discuss these structures with your cooperating teacher, and write up a summary of your observations and discussion.
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Title: EDUC 381 – Student Academic and Behavioral Diversity in the Secondary Classroom
Emphasis: Classroom Management, Cooperative Learning, Multicultural Education
Course Description:
EDUC 381 is a course is to assist preservice teachers in understanding and accommodating the diversity of students in the general education secondary classroom. Participants will meet this objective through investigations of instructional differentiation, special education, classroom management, and discipline strategies.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Teach at least one lesson: Design and implement one lesson plan using differentiated instruction.
- Individually help students one-on-one
- Spot teach from teachers lesson plans as appropriate
- Lead procedural activities (e.g.: Lining up, taking lunch count, etc.)
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Title: EDUC 383 – Social Studies and Social Development
Emphasis: Classroom Management, Cooperative Learning, Multicultural Education
Course Description:
EDUC 383 has two purposes. One purpose is to assist preservice teachers in understanding and accommodating the diversity of students in the general education elementary classroom. Participants will meet this objective through investigations in special education, classroom management and discipline strategies. The second purpose of the course is for preservice teachers to develop the knowledge, skills, and understandings needed to teach social studies in elementary classrooms. Participants will meet this objective by investigations of the most effective approaches to planning, implementing, managing, and assessing successful and effective learning experiences for students.
Number of Practicum Hours: 20
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Teach at least one lesson: Design and implement one lesson plan based on the Virginia Social Studies SOLs.
- Individually help students one-on-one
- Spot teach from teachers lesson plans as appropriate
- Lead procedural activities (e.g.: Lining up, taking lunch count, etc.)
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Title: MATH 204 – Mathematical Concepts and Methods I
Emphasis: Teaching Mathematics
Course Description:
MATH 204 is the first of two courses designed to prepare future elementary teachers to teach mathematics. These courses integrate relevant mathematics content and instructional strategies. In MATH 204 students focus on early mathematics skills, number sense and numeration, operations with whole numbers, fractions, decimals, proportions and percent.
Number of Practicum Hours: 30
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Work with individual and small groups of students;
- Prepare and display a bulletin board on mathematics;
- Discuss assigned questions with host teacher;
- Grade or check students written work in mathematics;
- Plan, teach, and reflect on a whole-class lesson;
- Gather mathematics resource materials.
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Title: EDUC 305 – Mathematical Concepts and Methods II
Emphasis: Teaching Mathematics
Course Description:
EDUC 305 is the second of two courses designed to prepare future elementary teachers to teach mathematics. These courses integrate the relevant mathematics content, and instructional strategies. In EDUC 305 students focus on algebraic thinking, geometry, measurement, probability, and statistics.
Number of Practicum Hours: 30
Specific Practicum Requirements:
- Work with individual and small groups of students;
- Discuss assigned questions with host teacher;
- Grade or check students’ written work in mathematics;
- Evaluate students’ development levels;
- Plan, teach, and reflect on one whole-class lesson;