EE497: Student Teacher Supervision-

Pre-School

Course Description, Rationale, and Outcomes

Competency Based Documentation Packet and PPA

Course Description, Rationale, and Outcomes

Supervised student teaching experience in a preschool setting with children, infancy through age five. Emphasis on development, implementation and evaluation of innovative preschool programs. The student participates in a total program, five days a week for eight weeks in either a day care center, nursery school or Head Start program.

Course Rationale:

After careful research, discussion, and reflection, the faculty of the Early Childhood Education program voted to commit themselves to the constructivist paradigm for teaching and learning. In the professional courses, strategies are modeled where candidates experience inquiry learning. Candidates are provided multiple opportunities to interact with partners and engage cooperatively in small group discussions and class assignments. It is through experiencing and reflecting upon these strategies that candidates begin to understand the impact of such strategies on academic achievement. In the professional courses, the role of the instructor is not primarily to tell and correct, but rather to watch and ask such questions as: What happened? What did you notice? Professional Education students take responsibility for their own learning.

The Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks provide a common guide for Massachusetts schools to develop curriculum grounded in an understanding of how children learn most effectively. The faculty of the Early Childhood Education program illustrate the use of these frameworks as they design learning experiences that help candidates understand how to create powerful learning environments that meet the needs of diverse learners.

The faculty of the Early Childhood program encourage candidates to use technology as a learning tool and teaching tool during their prepracticum experiences. The Teacher Technology Center is an integral resource in assisting candidates to demonstrate their understanding of the role of technology in learning and teaching.

Course Objective and Outcomes

1. Candidates will teach and observe a variety of lessons demonstrating knowledge of developmentally appropriate practices and the subject matter of early childhood school curriculum, as outlined in the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks and NCATE standards. Students will demonstrate knowledge of content, current methodology and organizational skills and appropriate technology to effectively meet the needs of all learners, including culturally and linguistically diverse and special needs learners.

2. Candidates will design, teach and evaluate an integrated unit, utilizing a variety of instructional strategies that take into account the developmental stage and needs of all children as well as the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.

3. Candidates will show the ability to communicate (orally and in writing) with children, parents, community members, school personnel, and other professional colleagues in a clear, understandable, and sensitive manner.

4. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to reflect upon and self-evaluate activities designed and taught by the candidate and use this reflection to improve practice.

5. Candidates will participate on staff committees and in workshops, seminars and other professional growth activities, and will be encouraged to join professional organizations.

6. Candidates will demonstrate the ability to organize and manage a classroom so as to foster children’s creative and analytical thinking skills, deal equitably and responsibly with all learners and show sensitivity to cultural and learning differences.

7. Candidates will use multiple forms of assessment, showing sensitivity to learning styles and the needs of all learners and using assessment results to inform instruction.

8. Candidates will take sole responsibility for an extended period of time – typically one week – for all aspects of the classroom, including designing activities/lessons, setting up a safe and stimulating environment, teaching, managing the classroom, administering IEPs, and communicating with administration, support staff, and parents.

9. Candidates will familiarize themselves with the individual learning needs of the children, including IEP assessments and goals, and will participate in adapting strategies, environments, and curriculum to meet identified needs.

10. Candidates will create a competency portfolio (see requirements, separate page), illustrating and corroborating competence in the state-mandated areas of: subject matter knowledge, communication skills, instructional practice, evaluation, problem solving, equity, collaboration with families, and professionalism.

Texts, Suggested Readings, and Resources

Texts:

Shafer and Gower, The Skillful Teacher, is strongly recommended. All prepracticum materials, notebooks, texts, etc. should be reviewed for instructional ideas and strategies. Your professors selected their textbooks and materials with care. Use them as resources for weak areas and guidance for unit design. Remember the Massachusetts Curriculum Framework (always on the web) is another excellent resource.

Product List

11-10

All students who graduate from Bridgewater State College’s Early Childhood and Elementary Education programs must successfully achieve each of the Massachusetts teaching competencies. The purpose of the Documentation Package is to assist you in documenting your achievements with evidence. The Department of Elementary & Early Childhood Education has products (explained below) as vehicles for providing this evidence. All products should be viewed in light of developmental appropriateness. Your evidence should represent your own work. However, it may include information gathered and/or implemented as part of a professional team.

Please refer to the Student-Teaching Documentation Guidelines for information regarding the structure you should use to present your evidence of competencies. In addition to the Student-Teaching Documentation , there are FOUR Early Childhood Key Assessments. These items are discussed at the end of this section. These reflections and documents should be included at the end of the Documentation Package and submitted to the Department.

When composing your reflections, be sure to review the standards listed above each section and incorporate them your responses. Each product / reflection should be 1-2 pages in length.

Standard A – Plans Curriculum and Instruction

Standard A: Candidate Plans Curriculum & Instruction

· NAEYC 1 – Promoting child development: Candidates use their understanding of young children’s characteristics and needs, and of multiple interacting influences on children’s development and learning, to create environments that are healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging for all children.

· NAEYC 4 – Teaching and learning: Candidates integrate their understanding of and relationships with children and families; their understanding of developmentally effective approaches to teaching and learning; and their knowledge of academic disciplines, to design, implement, and evaluate experiences that promote positive development and learning for all children.

· NAEYC 4a – Connecting with children and families: Candidates know, understand, and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children.

· NAEYC 4b – Using developmentally effective approaches: Candidates know, understand, and use a wide array of effective approaches, strategies, and tools to positively influence children’s development and learning.

· NAEYC 4c – Understanding content knowledge in early education: Candidates understand the importance of each content area in young children’s learning. They know the essential concepts, inquiry tools, and structure of content areas including academic subjects and can identify resources to deepen their understanding.

· NAEYC 4d – Building meaning curriculum: Candidates use their own knowledge and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate meaningful, challenging curriculum that promotes comprehensive developmental and learning outcomes for all young children.

· DESE – Candidate draws on content standards of the relevant curriculum frameworks to plan sequential units of study, individual lessons, and learning activities that make learning cumulative and advance students’ level of content knowledge.

· DESE - Draws on content standards of the relevant curriculum frameworks to plan sequential units of study, individual lessons, and learning activities that make learning cumulative and advance students’ level of content knowledge.

· DESE - Draws on results of formal and informal assessments as well as knowledge of human development to identify teaching strategies and learning activities appropriate to the specific discipline, age, level of English language proficiency, and range of cognitive levels being taught.

· DESE - Identifies appropriate reading materials, other resources, and writing activities for promoting further learning by the full range of students within the classroom.

· DESE - Identifies prerequisite skills, concepts, and vocabulary needed for the learning activities and design lessons that strengthen student reading and writing skills

· DESE - Plans lessons with clear objectives and relevant measurable outcomes.

· DESE - Draws on resources from colleagues, families, and the community to enhance learning.

· DESE - Incorporates appropriate technology and media in lesson planning.

· DESE - Uses information in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) to plan strategies for integrating students with disabilities into general education classrooms.

Required Products – Standard A

Product #A1 . Interdisciplinary Thematic Unit

Provide evidence that you have designed and taught a unit (a collection of lessons – approximately 8-15 lessons -- that integrates at least two disciplines and uses a theme. The Unit should be presented in such as way to demonstrate your in-depth, accurate understanding of the content that you are teaching. This Unit should have between 3-5 major objectives (connected to the Massachusetts Frameworks) and should include assessments related to your stated major objectives.

Required Products – Standard A

Product #A2. Lesson Planning (Various Approaches)

Candidates must provide evidence of using various approaches to teaching. We suggest that you consider providing evidence of these types of strategies. These lessons MAY BE part of your unit. Objectives and the connection to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks should always be stated on the Lesson Plan.

Reflection #A1: - Standard A

Write a narrative on the importance of knowing child development and using developmentally appropriate curriculum and instruction within an environment that is healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging for young children. In your narrative, provide evidence from your lesson plans and/or unit of how you accomplished this.

Standard B – Delivers Effective Instruction

Standard B: Candidate Delivers Effective Instruction

NAEYC 3 – Observing, documenting, and assessing to support young children and families: Candidates know about and understand the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment. They know about the use systematic observations, documentation, and other effective assessment strategies in a responsible way, in partnership with families and other professionals, to positively influence children’s development and learning.

· DESE - Communicates high standards and expectations when beginning the lesson, carrying out the lesson and when extending a lesson as well as when evaluating student learning..

Required Products –

Product #B1 - Various forms of assessment

Provide samples of the various forms of assessment that you used. (eg open-ended questions and rubrics, observation checklists, teacher-made tests, running record, etc.

Reflection #B1: Evidence of Student Learning - Write a narrative that discusses and provides evidence that your students learned from your teaching. Discuss how you used assessment to guide, modify and differentiate your instruction. Also discuss how you were able to maintain high standards and expectations.

Standard C – Manages Classroom Climate and Operation

Standard C: Candidate Manages Classroom Climate and Operation

1. Creates an environment that is conducive to learning.

2. Creates a physical environment appropriate to a range of learning activities.

3. Maintains appropriate standards of behavior, mutual respect, and safety.

4. Manages classroom routines and procedures without loss of significant instructional time.

Required Products

Product #C1 – Classroom Climate

Provide a description of your classroom climate, operation procedures, and classroom discipline (provide evidence from both placements). Note, this is NOT intended to be a reflection.

Reflection C1: Write a personal statement that reflects upon your work to develop and manage an effective classroom climate.

Standard D – Promotes Equity

1. Encourages all students to believe that effort is a key to achievement.

2. Works to promote achievement by all students without exception.

3. Assesses the significance of student differences in home experiences, background knowledge, learning skills, learning pace, and proficiency in the English language for learning the curriculum at hand and uses professional judgment to determine if instructional adjustments are necessary.

4. Helps all students to understand American civic culture, its underlying ideals, founding political principles and political institutions, and to see themselves as members of a local, state, national, and international civic community.

. Required Products

Product #D1. Adapting for Differences

Adapting for Differences – Describe what accommodations you made in your classroom for students who were on IEP’s, 504 plans, or who have linguistic needs (ELL)?

Reflection #D1: # Write a personal statement that discusses how you promoted equity for all students.

Standard E – Meets Professional Responsibilities

Standard E: Candidate Meets Professional Responsibilities

1. NAEYC 5. Becoming a professional: Candidates identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.

2. NAEYC – Becoming a professional: Candidates identify and conduct themselves as members of the early childhood profession. They know and use ethical guidelines and other professional standards related to early childhood practice. They are continuous, collaborative learners who demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources. They are informed advocates for sound educational practices and policies.

3. Understands his or her legal and moral responsibilities.

4. Conveys knowledge of and enthusiasm for his/her academic discipline to students.

5. Maintains interest in current theory, research, and developments in the academic discipline and exercises judgment in accepting implications or findings as valid for application in classroom practice.

6. Collaborates with colleagues to improve instruction, assessment, and student achievement.

7. Works actively to involve parents in their child’s academic activities and performance, and communicates clearly with them.

8. Reflects critically upon his or her teaching experience, identifies areas for further professional development as part of a professional development plan that is linked to grade level, school, and district goals, and is receptive to suggestions for growth.

9. Understands legal and ethical issues as they apply to responsible and acceptable use of the Internet and other resources.

Required Products

Product #E1. Professionalism

Collection of professional activities such as attending in-service workshop, taking an advocacy workshop in your community, etc.

Reflection #E1: Discuss how you have grown as a professional educator since entering the teacher preparation program. Tell what you have done along your path to becoming a professional educator (eg joining SEAM or KDP, volunteering in the Childrens Physical Development Clinic, etc)

Early Childhood Key Assessments

· Early Childhood Assessment #1: Working with and Advocating for Families: Offering Ideas and Identifying Resources

· Early Childhood Assessment #2: Meeting the Needs of All Students

· Early Childhood Assessment #3: Video Reflection

· Early Childhood Assessment #4: Candidate Dispositions

These reflections and documents should be uploaded to Taskstream

EC NCATE Assessment 1 - Working with and Advocating for Families

Target: NAEYC Standard 2: Building Families and Community Relationships

NAEYC 2. – Building family and community relationships: Candidates know about, understand, and value the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning.

NAEYC 4a – Connecting with children and families: Candidates know, understand, and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children.

DOE – Candidate draws on resources from colleagues, families, and the community to enhance learning.

Required Product: -- Community Context Essay

Task: Write a narrative on the importance of the family in early childhood education. In your narrative, include references to things you did in your student teaching experience. Provide evidence.

SCORING RUBRIC- Assessment 1

NAEYC Standard 2: Building Families and Community Relationships – The candidate knows about, understands, and values the importance and complex characteristics of children’s families and communities. They use this understanding to create respectful, reciprocal relationships that support and empower families, and to involve all families in their children’s development and learning. Candidates know, understand, and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children.

NAEYC 4a – Connecting with children and families: Candidates know, understand, and use positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation for their work with young children.

DOE – Candidate draws on resources from colleagues, families, and the community to enhance learning

The reflection and the required product – “Family & Community Package” – will be reviewed holistically using this rubric.

Unacceptable 0-1	Acceptable 2-3	Target 4-5	Rating
The language used in the reflection or in the various documents either don’t show respect and value of families or it is difficult to tell how the candidate feels about the importance of families.	The reflection and the documents show respect and value of families.	Documents show clearly The reflection and the documents clearly show respect and value of families.	/5
The reflection, the Context essay and/or the documents are poorly designed and/or contain numerous errors – either factual or related to conventions of writing.	The reflection, the Context essay and/or the documents are well designed with few errors related to conventions of writing.	The reflection, the Context essay and/or the documents are well designed and well written.	/5
Minimal evidence of involving parents/families in their children’s education.	The “List of How You Worked with Parents” provides tangible evidence of involving parents/families in their children’s education.	The “List of How You Worked with Parents” provides numerous and significant efforts to involve parents/families in their children’s education.	/5

TOTAL: /15

_____ 12-15 Target _____ 6-11 Acceptable _____ 0-5 Unacceptable

EC NCATE Assessment 2: Meeting the Needs of All Students

This key assessment should be submitted with the Documentation Package. It will be reviewed by the Early Childhood Department to assess a candidate’s work with and advocacy for families.

Reflection: Write a personal statement that discusses and reflects upon how you differentiated your instruction for a child with a special need or an English Language Learner. Use the required product to provide evidence for your statement.

Required Product: “Case Study: Modifying Instruction for a Child with Special Needs and/or an English Language Learner”

Task: With the assistance of your cooperating teacher, identify a child who has a special need (who has an IEP or a 504 Plan or who is currently being observed for possible referral) or is designated as an English Language Learner. Observe the child for a period of time – using various assessments, including anecdotal notes and using other kid-watching techniques. Based on your findings, write a plan to modify the instruction or to modify the environment to meet the needs of this student. Implement modifications and continue to observe and continue to modify instruction and providing appropriate supports, if necessary.

Directions:

Write a narrative that describes the case-study child. Identify his/her strengths/weaknesses (learning styles, preferred multiple intelligences) and your recommendations on how to modify (differentiate) instruction or classroom procedures for this child.

Include copies of: the following:

· The assessments that you used (including samples of student work)

· Your lesson plan or your classroom procedure and indicate how you modified the instruction or the procedures for the particular case-study child.

· Include copies of any teaching tools (i.e., graphic organizers that you used; photographs of adaptive devises that you provided; and/or descriptions of modifications that you made).

Write a narrative that describes the results of your modifications with the child. We are particularly interested in hearing about how you used assessment to continuously guide instruction and make on-going modifications for the child.

EC NCATE Assessment 2: Meeting the Needs of All Students

Scoring Rubric

Standard: The candidates know about, understand, and modify instruction for children with special needs.

The reflection and the required project – “Case Study: Modifying Instruction for a Child with Special Needs and/or an English Language Learner” – will be reviewed holistically using this rubric.

Unacceptable 0-1	Acceptable 2-3	Target 4-5	Rating
Limited or ineffective use of assessments – i.e., lack of various types, bias assessments, unreliable or invalid assessments. Minimal or no evidence that the candidate understands the use of assessments to guide instruction. Assessments and samples of student work are not provided.	Evaluator has some concerns re: bias, reliability or validity – although not to the point of total ineffectiveness. The candidate’s work demonstrates an understanding of the use of assessments to guide instruction. Limited number of assessments and few (or no) samples of student work are not provided.	Effective use of assessments. The candidate’s work demonstrates an understanding of the use of assessments to guide instruction. Assessments and samples of student work provided.	/5
Minimal evidence that the candidate researched or worked with other resource personnel to design ways to modify instruction for the student.	The candidate’s work provides some evidence that he/she conducted researched and/or worked with resource personnel to design ways to modify instruction for the student.	The candidate’s work demonstrates that he/she researched or worked with resource personnel to design numerous effective ways to modify instruction for the student.	/5
The reflection and/or the case study are poorly organized and/or poorly written (i.e., containing numerous efforts – either factual or related to conventions of writing).	The reflection and/or the case study are generally well organized and well written.	The reflection and the case study are well designed and professionally produced.	/5

TOTAL: /15

_____ 12-15 Target _____ 6-11 Acceptable _____ 0-5 Unacceptable

EC NCATE Assessment 3: Video Reflections

Components: Two video are to be recorded during designated times in your student teaching experience. One is to be recorded within the first three weeks of your experience, the second is to be done during the instruction of your unit. Each video should have its own reflection.

You are to reflect upon these two lessons by viewing the tape and writing your thoughts down.

Use the following questions to guide this reflection.

1. Discuss the components of your lesson, the sequence such as the approach, procedures, culmination, and adaptations. Were any pieces stronger than others? Explain your thinking.

Discuss your management and teaching style. Perhaps movements and actions you notice most, distractions caused by yourself or the class, and points of clarification.

Do you notice any portions of the lesson that could have been shorter or longer? Do you see any spots in the lesson that needed clarification? Are there any areas in which the preparation should have been different?

Think about the learning of your students. Can you assess through this tape that progress has been made? Where your adaptations successful? Should you have done something differently to meet the needs of all learners?

Were you equitable in the management of the class and students. Did you call on one gender more than the other? Did you elicit answers from the same students or did you have a high level of participation?

In your overall opinion what do you see as the strength of the video?

After viewing each tape, write one or two goals for yourself.

EC NCATE Assessment 3: Video Reflections

Scoring Rubric

Unacceptable 0-1

Acceptable 2-3

Target 4-5

Rating

The reflection/evidence does not include most questions or components of the question. 2.The reflection/evidence is not directly related to the standard. 3.The reflection/evidence shows minimal thought and effort in the explanation of the component

The reflection/evidence includes most questions or components of the question. 2.The reflection/evidence supports the standard. 3.The reflection/evidence shows some insight and analysis of the required component

1.The reflection/evidence includes all questions or components of the question. 2.The reflection/evidence strongly supports the standard. 3.The reflection/evidence shows deep insight and analysis of the required component.

TOTAL: /5

_____ 4-5 Target _____ 2-3 Acceptable _____ 0-1 Unacceptable

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PPA – Pre-Service Performance Assessment

The Massachusetts Department of Education has developed a set of five standards for the practicum. Each standard has a number of indicators. Candidates must provide evidence for each indicator. This evidence will be reviewed by the cooperating practitioner and college supervisor and rated. Each of the five standards must receive at least a “meets the standard” for licensure (Form D).

Seminars

Three times during the semester the Early Childhood teaching candidates are required to gather as a group to compare notes and receive additional training on topics related to the classroom experiences they are having. The seminars focus specifically on contextualizing the role of the early childhood educator within broader professional and societal contexts. As student teachers now experiencing real-life examples of these issues on a daily basis, candidates eagerly attend to new information and new resources and assimilate the information in meaningful ways. ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY!!!

EE497: Student Teacher Supervision-

Pre-School

Contents

Course Description, Rationale, and Outcomes

Texts, Suggested Readings, and Resources

Texts:

Suggested Readings:

Student Teaching Competency

Documentation Guidelines

Product List

Standard A – Plans Curriculum and Instruction

Standard B – Delivers Effective Instruction

Required Products –

Standard C – Manages Classroom Climate and Operation

Standard D – Promotes Equity

. Required Products

Standard E – Meets Professional Responsibilities

Required Products

Scoring Rubric

1. Discuss the components of your lesson, the sequence such as the approach, procedures, culmination, and adaptations. Were any pieces stronger than others? Explain your thinking.

Scoring Rubric

Seminars

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