Instructor: | Joseph A. Erickson, Ph.D. |
Office: | Sverdrup Hall, Room 3C (lower level of Sverdrup Hall) |
Communications: | (612) 216-8622 (talk/text) | (email) |
Course web site: | Log into <http://augnet.augsburg.edu> then click on --> Moodle link |
Office hours: |
Mondays 3:30-4:30 P.M. and Graduate School Fridays, 2:30-4:30 P.M. (during the school year only). Please click here to --> schedule a meeting with me. |
Knowledge of: | Skills in: | Professional attitudes related to: | ||
• philosophies of education | • applying theory to solve practical problems | • critical self-reflection/examination | ||
• relevant history of American education | • analyzing social and philosophical forces | • appreciating diverse learning preferences and instructional differentiation | ||
• current issues impacting public schools | • shaping American education | • establishing a belief that all students can learn | ||
• future trends in American education | • developing partnerships with parents | • developing a foundation for leadership | ||
• standards of
professional conduct |
|
|
Choose one of the following books (This list was generated primarily with your classmates' input from previous semesters. If you have other suggestions, please let me know.):
- Benson, P. (2008). Sparks: How parents can ignite the hidden strengths of teenagers. New York: Jossey-Bass.
- Berliner, D., Glass, G. and Associates (2014). 50 myths and lies that threaten America's public schools: The real crisis in education. New York: Teachers College Press.
- Brick, M. (2012). Saving the school: The true story of a principal, a teacher, a coach, a bunch of kids and a year in the crosshairs of education reform. New York: Penguin Press HC.
- Caplan, B. (2018). The case against education. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
- Cody, A. (2014). The educator and the oligarch: A teacher challenges The Gates Foundation. New York: Garn Press.
- Comer, J. (2009). What I learned in school: Reflections on race, child development, and school reform. Hoboken, NJ: Jossey-Bass.
- Darder, A. (1991). Culture and power in the classroom: Foundations for the schooling of bicultural students. New York: Bergin & Garvey.
- Davidson, C. (2011). Now you see it: How the brain science of attention will transform the way we live, work, and learn. New York: Viking Press.
- Davidson, C. and Goldberg, D. (2010). The future of thinking: Learning institutions in a digital age. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. (This book is available in a free digital edition on the MIT Press website and at Project Muse.)
- Dweck, C. (2007). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Ballantine Books: New York.
- Eklund, N. (2008). How was your day at school?: Improving dialogue about teacher job satisfaction. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.
- Gallagher, C. (2007). Reclaiming assessment: A better alternative to the accountability agenda. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
- Glasser, W. (2010, revised edition). The quality school. New York: Perennial Library.
- Godin, S. (2012). Stop stealing dreams (What is school for?). Irvington, NY: Do You Zoom, Inc. (This book is available in a free PDF edition at this website.)
- Kohl, H. (1989). Growing minds: On becoming a teacher. New York: William Morrow.
- Kohl, H. (2003). Stupidity and tears: Teaching and learning in troubled times. New York: The New Press.
- Kohn, A. (1999). The schools our children deserve: Moving beyond traditional classrooms and "tougher standards." Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Kolderie, T. (2014). The split screen strategy: Innovation + improvement. St. Paul, MN: Center for Policy Studies. (This book is available in a free digital edition on the Center for Policy Studies website.)
- Mathews, J. (2009). Work hard. Be nice. New York: Algonquin Books.
- Nathan, L. (2009). The hardest questions aren't on the test: Lessons from an innovative urban school. Boston, MA: Beacon.
- Nichols, S. & Berliner, D. (2007). Collateral damage: How high-stakes testing corrupts America's schools. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
- Ravich, D. (2010). The death and life of the great American school system: How testing and choice are undermining education. New York: Basic Books.
- Rhee, M. (2013). Radical: Fighting to put students first. New York: Harper.
- Rose, M. (2009). Why school?: Reclaiming education for all of us. New York: The New Press.
- Tough, P. (2008). Whatever it takes: Geoffrey Canada's quest to change Harlem and America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Vollmer, J. (2010). Schools cannot do it alone. Fairfield, IA: Enlightenment Press.
Due to the condensed nature of this course, regular class attendance is expected. If you must miss a class meeting due to an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances, please speak with the instructor, preferably ahead of time if possible. Students may, with the permission of the instructor, make-up unavoidable absences (e.g., illness or family emergency) by engaging in equivalent learning activities which they must document for the instructor. University policy permits only one absence in a reduced-contact format course (live or recorded) in order to receive academic credit for the course. Other avoidable absences may not be made-up.
Whatever documentation you propose to make up an excess absence, it should be prepared in such a way as to highlight your
careful understanding, reflection, analysis, and evaluation of
the concepts discussed in the class, not simply copying what was said or shared in class. Don't summarize...analyze. Click here to
view a checklist to review before handing in and make-up written work to
make sure you've done them correctly.
Course assignments must be handed-in on time. On time means the assignment is handed-in (i.e., shared digitally) by the beginning of the class meeting indicated on the course calendar below--not later that day. Late assignments cannot be re-done. Habitual late work will impact your class participation (see above).
Documents in this class are submitted digitally via GoogleDrive. The
documents should be converted to GoogleDocs format (not MS Word format) and
include all of the items physical paper assignments would include such
as your name and the title of the assignment. Make sure to include all
relevant identifying information. Make
sure to add the instructor as an editor (username:
erickson@augsburg.edu) so I am able to comment on your assignment
online.
Also make sure to save the file with your name and the name of the
assignment in the file's name, e.g., "Your Name - Assignment Name." If
you have any questions, please speak with the instructor. Documents not following this protocol will be returned. Further instructions are found on the course moodle site.
Augsburg University makes student
success a priority. As a result, this course is participating in the
Academic Alert initiative. As the instructor of this course, I may
choose to refer you to your faculty adviser or other campus resources
via the Academic Alert process if it is apparent that you are
struggling with issues such as attendance, class
participation/preparedness, and/or assignment/test preparation.
Academic Alert messages are sent via e-mail to your Augsburg e-mail
address. Additionally, alert messages are copied to your faculty
adviser and other campus resources. Your adviser may choose to
contact you to discuss ways to improve your performance in these areas.
You may also be contacted by campus resources regarding your situation.
Referrals and departmental outreach are designed to maximize your
chances of academic success at Augsburg, not as a punishment.
There are a total of 100 points available in this course. There are several components to your grade for this course:
Essay Exam: Essay
examinations covering all of the major concepts from 1) Sullo (10
points) and 2) Perricone
(10 points) are
available. No exam is available for the choice book. Each of your responses should be approximately 300-500 words each (about one single-spaced page, but remember, quality is more important than quantity). Your responses should be written in
such a way as to highlight your careful understanding, reflection,
synthesis, analysis, and evaluation of the concepts discussed in the
texts, not
simply repeating what the book says. Don't summarize...analyze. The exams are due at the beginning of
class on the dates indicated in the course schedule, so please advise
the instructor ahead of time that you want to take the exam.
Graduate-level Reading Assignment: The following book chapters/selections are found on
course moodle site. They are a required part of the course readings for graduate students (see above). The due date is listed in the course schedule (below).
Date Topic(s) Reading
Assignment (due by class time) Session One - Sept. 8 Challenging Expectations Notes: A copy of the videos shown in this course are available on the Moodle
site, on YouTube, in my AugNet Public Folder or are linked to the
Miscellaneous
Course Handouts page on our course website. Presentation notes, the course schedule, and many links to videos are also posted on the course Moodle site, Sullo, pp. 1-70 (pagination based on 2007 Ed. - your edition may vary Session Three - Oct. 6
Sullo, pp. 71-157 (pagination based on 2007 Ed. - your edition may vary) Session Four - Oct. 20 The Role of Teachers and Important Issues Impacting Teachers (testing, the factory model, et al.) Optional recommended readings: (not required but recommended
for some additional background and depth on the issues facing schools
and schooling in the United States): Link to Search Institute article, "Relationships First: Creating Connections That Help Young People Thrive."
(Several more resources on teacher-student-community relationships and
teaching are linked to the Moodle module for this week.) Session
Six - Nov. 17 Graduate-level Reading and Writing Assignments Due
Activities and
Resources:
Final educational philosophy paper due by class time -- share from Google Drive Activities and
Resources:
N.B.: The order and topics may change due to class needs and
media availability. Your reading and writing assignments are due at
the beginning of class on the date assigned. All assignments not
previously handed in are due no later than the final class meeting. Any variance from this
schedule must be pre-arranged with the instructor.
Session 0: Online
No later than 10:00am on Fri, Sept. 5
Pre-Course Activities
Complete no later than 10:00 am on Fri. Sept. 5
* A reminder (from the Course Procedures page
on our Moodle site): In general, posts in this course should usually be
about 200 - 500 words per question in length (3-5 solid paragraphs),
though additional expectations may be described in each forum. Your
responses to others, if you choose to provide them (they are not required
in this course unless specified in the forum), may be shorter (think
1-2 solid paragraphs) but should include new ideas that add to the
discussion, not just, "Bob, I like your ideas."
Doyle, 2019 (online link in syllabus and on course Moodle site)
Online Modules: Philosophy Paper Research Resources (Dates: ongoing)
I. Library
Research – Refining Your Paper Topic and Supporting Your Arguments:
You should
review several brief online videos from the Augsburg library called
"Library Research Tutorials" that discuss the databases to which we have
access at Augsburg and key elements of writing a successful scholarly
paper. Links to these videos are found on our course Moodle.
Then each student should strongly consider making an appointment with
one of the Augsburg reference librarians to assist you in searching for
literature that is relevant to your philosophy paper. These meetings may
be face-to-face or digitally-mediated via FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, or
another supported video service.
II. APA Format – Formatting Your Scholarly Paper
If you are unfamiliar with or need a refresher on APA format (APA format
is the standard scholarly format for scholarly papers in the social and
behavioral sciences), you may want to engage in the APA Style Review
activity. The link to this self-enrolled and self-paced Moodle course is
on our Moodle site.
If you can pass the quiz at the end of the course, you will earn a
badge, but even if you aren't able to reach that level, this online
course offers a thorough review of APA format and where to find more
help. You will also find APA format assistance on our course website at
this link.
Session Two - Sept. 22
Clarifying Important Aspects of My Philosophy: Motivation, Mental Models, and Why Study Philosophy?
Activities and Resources:
Developmental Writing Activities, APA Format Review, Preparation for First Draft/Outline of Philosophy Paper
Activities and Resources:
Activities and
Resources:
, not a W.
For example, "Ima Auggie - Educational Philosophy Paper." (Since this
is a shared document, not an attachment, there's no need to change the
name as you develop the paper.)
Session Five - Nov. 3
The Role of the
Community: Asset Building and K-12 Education, How Actually Does Behaviorism Work? Brief Introduction to ePortfolio
Activities and
Resources:
Perricone,
Intro. - p. 87 (entire book)
The Role of Metaphor in Shaping Schools
Activities and Resources:
Essay Questions for Graduate-level Writing Assignment:
Please
read the articles linked below discussing the controversy surrounding
the topic of parents' right to know what is being taught in schools.
These background articles will form the foundation of the academic
controversy in which we will participate in class, so please read these
articles carefully and come to class prepared to discuss this topic.
Session Seven - Dec. 1
Conflict and Conflict Resolution in the Classroom, Sharing our Philosophies: What's Your Story?
eFolio Preparation Assistance - Arranged
Developmental Writing Assistance - Arranged
Please contact the instructor directly if you want to arrange a time to work one-on-one on your philosophy paper or eFolio.
Online Module:
Due Dec. 8 and 10
Professional Development Plans: What are Your Challenges and Strengths and What are Your Plans to Grow as a Professional?
Activities and Resources:
Session Eight - Dec. 15
What
are Authors Proposing for the Future of American Schools?
eFolio Preparation Assistance - Arranged
Developmental Writing Assistance - Arranged
Please contact the instructor directly if you want to arrange a time to work one-on-one on your philosophy paper or eFolio.
Choice book reading, notes and brief presentation due
"The work of a school is determined by the needs of society." Francis Parker