Fall 2008 Course Syllabus
Meeting Times:
Tuesday, Thursday 9:45-11:45, Tribble B216
Course Description:
The purpose of this
course is to provide preservice social studies teachers with the means
and wherewithal to design effective instruction for secondary students.
The thrust of the course will be the development of practical teaching
and assessment methodologies for the secondary social studies classroom
that are grounded in theory and research. Participants will gain a variety
of teaching techniques for the wide variety of content areas in social
studies, including United States and world history, government/civics,
economics, geography, sociology, psychology, and anthropology, and will
engage in microteaching experiences. State standards and the effective
use of technology to teach social studies will be addressed.
Course Goals:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able
to:
- Develop unit plans, lesson plans, and assessment tools for effective secondary social studies instruction that address state and national standards;
- Utilize a variety of methodologies and instructional techniques in order to teach social studies in a student-centered, activity-based manner;
- Effectively integrate technology resources in their teaching;
- Engage students in critical and higher-order thinking as they present multiple perspectives;
- Create and maintain an Internet-based social studies resource repository replete with teaching strategies and contextualizing information;
- Become a reflective practitioner;
- Develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions of an effective educator as espoused by the Wake Forest University Education Department's Mission Statement.
Materials:
Required Textbooks (available in the WFU Bookstore):
Beal, C., Bolick, C. M., & Martorella, P. H.
(2009). Teaching social studies in middle and secondary
schools. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
ISBN: 0-13-159181-9
Bower, B., Lobdell, J., & Owens,
S. (2004). Bring learning alive! The TCI approach for middle and high
school social studies. Palo Alto, CA: Teachers’ Curriculum
Institute.
ISBN: 1-58371-011-6
Williams, M., Ratte’, L., &
Adrian, R. K. (2001). Exploring world history: Ideas for Teachers.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
ISBN: 0-325-00342-4
ALSO:
Please consider joining the National Council for the Social Studies as
a student member. Go to socialstudies.org/membership.
Fill in and submit the on-line form. Under the section “Choose a
Journal,” please select the option that offers 7 issues of Social
Education and 2 issues of Middle Level Learning.
Expectations and Grading:
To do well in EDU 354/654, you should
come prepared to all class sections and actively participate in them.
You must complete your assignments fully and turn them in on time. Assignments
turned in late (i.e., after the beginning of class on the due date) will
be penalized according to the following scale: up to 24 hours late: -10%,
24-48 hours late: -25%, 48 hours-1 week late: -50%, >1 week late: -100%.
Unless otherwise noted, all assignments must be completed individually.
The grading structure of EDU 354/654 is arranged according to a point structure. You earn points for each component or requirement of the class that you meet, and your final grade is determined by calculating the percentage of the total possible points that you have earned. This is elucidated in further detail on the course assignments page.
A field component, known as rounds, is a requirement of this course. As such, each student must observe four master teachers from Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools for a total of 40 hours, for an average of 10 hours of observation per teacher. Greater detail about this requirement can be found here.
Students who complete each assignment should not assume full credit will be given. The quality of the assignment will be considered during the evaluation process. Quality refers, but is not necessarily limited, to the following: standard English usage (punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc.), neatness, manner of presentation, organization, and APA guidelines.
Attendance is expected and assumed. If you are not present in class, there will not be a reenactment of what transpired during class time. You have one “free” absence. For each subsequent class absence 10 points of your participation grade will be deducted. Please contact the instructor regarding any pre-planned or emergency absences. Students are expected to be on-time. You have one “free” late arrival. For each subsequent late arrival, 5 points of your participation grade will be deducted.
Please turn off all cell phones, beepers, pagers, etc., as they are very disruptive to the learning environment.
Academic Integrity: The policies and procedures of the Wake Forest University Honor System will be strictly followed in this course. The honor system requires that all work be pledged.
Grades of Incomplete: Grades of Incomplete will NOT be given to students who turn in assignments late. Incomplete as a grade will only be given to students who are unable to attend part of the course due to illness or for other reasons approved by the instructor in advance.
If you have a disability that may require an accomodation for taking this course, please contact the Learning Assistance Center (758-5929) within the first 2 weeks of the semester.