AUBURN UNIVERSITY
SYLLABUS
CTEC 4910
Spring 2012

Course Instructor: Sandra Little and Aimee Whorms
Email: littlsj@auburn.edu; saw0021@auburn.edu
5094 Haley Center
Office Hours: By Appointment
Phone: 334-319-3208, 334-740-7598

1.	Course Number:	CTEC 4210
	Course Title:	The Constructivist Teacher: Growing Professionally
	Credit Hours	3 semester hours
	Prerequisite:	Admission to Teacher Education, CTEC 4200
	Corequisite:	CTEC 4920
	 
2.	Date Syllabus Prepared:	August 1998; Reviewed January 2009; Revised August 2011

3.	Texts: NO required texts. On-line readings posted on blackboard.

4.	Course Description:

Students will construct an operational understanding of the roles and responsibilities of being an early childhood professional and will develop the knowledge necessary to make wise decisions related to professional ethics with children, families and colleagues, as well as those related to classroom management, organization and administration of early childhood programs.

The components of this course are completed on-line and do not require on-campus attendance. All books and course materials should be purchased promptly. A mid-semester meeting and end of semester meeting may be called. All students within 90 miles will be required to attend these meetings. Meetings will be held in the evening to accommodate commute times.

5.	Course Objectives1:

This course provides students the opportunity to construct knowledge of:

	A.	how to accommodate to individual learners needs by adapting teaching techniques and strategies to individual and cultural learning styles in a multi-cultural learning environment.  [PS 2.b.2(i),(ii), & (iii)]   [PS 2.c.2(x)]  NAEYC 1.2.2 & 2.3]

	B.	how to plan, organize, implement, and manage a constructivist program in relation to the total school program.  [ECE 2.a.1]  [PS 2.c.2(iv) & (vii)]  [PS 2.d.2(ii)]  [NAEYC 2.4.1 & 5.1] [ECE 2.a.8]

	C.	what it means to be a professional in terms of the responsibilities to children and their families, as well as awareness of the need for continuous growth and avenues for that growth.  [ECE 2.a.9 and 2.b.4]

	D.	cultural values, issues, and the existence of codes of ethics in professional life.  [ECE 2.a.6]  [NAEYC 2.4.2, 2.4.5 & 5.4]

	E.	family life and multicultural patterns which exist in homes, schools, and communities, as well as techniques for working with families and for involving family members in the education of young children.  [ECE 2.a.5, ECE 2.a.6, & ECE 2.a.7]  [NAEYC 3.3, 5.2, 5.6 & 5.7] [ECE 2.a.9]

	F.	current trends and research and their applications to early childhood education as well as techniques for creating and maintaining a wholesome environment that meets individual needs and fosters the development of interpersonal relationship skills with emphasis on the use of manipulative materials and play as instruments for enhancing development and learning.  [PS 2.c.2(xi)]  [NAEYC 2.1.1]

	G.	criteria to be used in selecting, organizing, and evaluating available space, resources, textbooks, experiences, and equipment appropriate to the divergent components of the early childhood curriculum  [PS 2.c.2(ix)]  [NAEYC 2.1.7] [ECE 2.a.8]

	H.	techniques and instruments for observing, recording and assessing behavior and development.  [PS 2.c.2(ix)]

	I.	the impact of federal and state laws and regulations, as well as local policies and procedures, on the work of the teacher and curriculum development.

	J.	the role and use of paraprofessionals [NAEYC 2.2]

	K.	how to use appropriate classroom management and discipline techniques [PS 2.d.2(iv)]  [NAEYC 2.2]

6.	Course Content and Schedule:

	TBA on blackboard

7.	Course Requirements/Evaluation:
	I.	Respond to post and comment on two peer posts weekly on blackboard. (Peer response posts begin 	
		week 2.)
	II.	Complete all assigned readings and view all video segments.
	III.	Complete all posts on time.
	IV. Submit all responses to questions on your individual blog page which will serve as the medium for your 
             electronic portfolio. (Directions will be provided on week 3.)
	IV.	The course content is organized around the following four sets of questions that must be researched, answered and documented in the student electronic portfolio. Due dates are listed with each question. 

		A.	 
			How do I address questions that arise relating to the ethics involved in working with children, parents, paraprofessionals, and school officials?  How do I ensure that current research, codes of ethics, school regulations, and my understanding of the family values and cultures of the child guide my relationships?  This question should be documented via an audio pod cast. Directions for creating audio pod casts will be given and support will be offered to those who experience difficulty. 

		B.	 
			How do I plan, create and maintain the classroom environment and curriculum necessary to meet the academic, cultural, social/moral, physical and personal needs of the children?  How do I ensure that my classroom environment and curriculum value and display children's work?  How do I ensure that my classroom environment and curriculum meet the academic, cultural, social/moral, physical and personal needs of the children/  How do I ensure that my classroom environment and curriculum value and display children's work?  How do I ensure that my classroom environment and curriculum facilitate children's thinking?  This submission will be documented via windows movie maker. Each candidate will create a movie maker movie with photographs and subtitles to document the information within this question. Directions for movie maker and support for completing this assignment will be provided. 

		C.	
 			How do I manage guidance and discipline in a constructivist classroom, so that children have ownership of their problems, can devise strategies for solving those problems, and can monitor each other according to cooperatively constructed rules?  This will be documented via video.  Each student will create a short video segment documenting their beliefs regarding guidance and discipline in the constructivist classroom.  

		D.	
			How do I adapt instruction to meet the needs of the children, parents, and community and still meet the state and local school curriculum standards?  How do I evaluate my ability to consider all perspectives as I work with the children? Students will document differentiated instruction techniques via advanced power point. Each student will include samples of differentiated lesson plans and photo documentation of the implementation of the lesson. 

Constructivist roles and responsibilities should be examined through a literature review, including but not limited to, course texts and assigned articles.  Your observations and reflections of children engaged in the learning process should be an integral part of your research as represented in your portfolio.  Your management decisions should reflect either established constructivist strategies you have designed according to the children's present schemes and behaviors.  Portfolio content must be representative of your knowledge, participation, reflections and observations concerning the child's construction of all three kinds of knowledge.

All objectives will be assessed through a multi-dimensional, integrated portfolio and classroom activities.  Students will have opportunities to perform, create, share, or produce something that documents their knowledge of the criteria.  The documentation must include oral, written, and graphic activities that are both process and product oriented.

	Assistance with the technology requirements for this course is the responsibility of each student. The instructor will provide individual assistance with projects upon request. General instructions for technology use will be posted on the course site.

Portfolio Evaluation Criteria:
	A.	Evidence of reflection on what you learned through the assigned readings.
	B.	Evidence of use of what you learned in your management decisions with children.
	C.	Competence in grammar and spelling.
	D.	Evidence of reflection on and growth in the following areas:
		1.	planning for all curriculum goals
		2.	management of time, materials, space, instruction and people
		3.	observations for assessing, evaluating and advancing thinking
		4.	questioning to facilitate, challenge, provoke or find out
		5.	responding authentically and purposefully
		6.	constructively guiding and disciplining
	E.	Evidence of the ability to work cooperatively with others
	F.	Competence in the knowledge base related to the above research questions
	G.   Competence in documenting portfolio requirements via technology. 

Final grades are based on the weight and grade of each of the assignments.  The instructor according to the specified criteria evaluates all requirements.

	Teaching Reflection
	Post Question 1		10%		
	Post Question 2		10%		
	Post Question 3		10%		
	In-Class Seminar Discussion		10%
	Professionalism		10%
	Reflection Component of PWS	10%

	Preparation for Professional Interview: 
	Mock Interview Session		10%
	Buisness Dress		 5%
	Resume		 		10%	
	Cover Letter			 5%
	Participation in Interview Day	10%

	Grades are assigned as follows:
	A-(90-100)
	B-(80-89)
	C-(70-79)
	D-(60-69)
	F-(00-59)

8.	Class Policy Statements

Participation:  Students are expected to participate in all class discussions and participate in all exercises. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the instructor if assignment deadlines are not met. Students are responsible for initiating arrangements for missed work.

Attendance/Absences:  Blackboard posts are due by Monday at midnight.  Each week will include a new post. You should respond to the post weekly.    If a post is missed, a make-up post will be given only for University-approved excuses as outlined in the Tiger Cub. Arrangement to take the make-up posts must be made in advance.  Students who miss a post because of illness need a doctor’s statement for verification of sickness and should clear the absence with the instructor as soon as you return to your placement.  Other unavoidable absences from campus must be documented and cleared with the instructor in advance.

	Accommodations:  Students who need accommodations are asked to arrange a meeting during office hours the first week of classes, or as soon as possible if accommodations are needed immediately.  If you have a conflict with my office hours, an alternative time can be arranged. To set up this meeting, please contact me by e-mail. Bring a copy of your Accommodation Memo and an Instructor Verification Form to the meeting. If you do not have an Accommodation Memo but need accommodations, make an appointment with the Program for Students with Disabilities at 1244 Haley Center, 844-2096 (V/TT).

	Honesty Code:  The University Academic Honesty Code and the Tiger Cub Rules and Regulations pertaining to Cheating will apply to this class.

	Professionalism:  As faculty, staff, and students interact in professional settings, they are expected to demonstrate professional behaviors as defined in the College’s conceptual framework. These professional commitments or dispositions are listed below:

•	Engage in responsible and ethical professional practices
•	Contribute to collaborative learning communities
•	Demonstrate a commitment to diversity
•	Model and nurture intellectual vitality