“…a
necessary first step in reevaluating the failure or success of particular
instructional methods used with subordinate students calls for a shift in
perspective — a shift from a narrow and mechanistic view of instruction to one
that is broader in scope and takes into consideration the sociohistorical and
political dimension of education…” (176)
Per her charge, our course has taken a
largely theoretical approach, pushing us to have conversations
about how we see teaching, learning, our students and ourselves.
For the final project in SED 561, I
want you to make theory into practice.
Your final assignment for this course has two parts:
1) PROJECT (see below)
2) PRESENTATION (6 minutes and 40 seconds in Pecha Kucha format, followed by 10 minutes of discussion — see resources in sidebar of this blog)
OPTION
#1: CURRICULUM
Create something new/revise something
old. (De)design a lesson, unit, or curricula of some kind that
reflects the work we have done this semester. You can use the
Rethinking Schools website (or any other resources you find) for ideas if you
want, or create something from scratch. Be true to your content
area, and design something that takes into account the issues of privilege,
power and difference we have discussed this term. Or revisit something that you
know you could do better now that you know what you know.
OPTION
#2: PEDAGOGY
Reimagine the WAY you plan, prep, organize,
connect, evaluate, discipline, assess. This option is about the HOW,
rather than the WHAT. Write up a new action plan that explains what you
used to do, what you plan to do differently, and why drawing from our course
texts and discussions.
OPTION
#3: PRACTICE
Teach others about what we have
learned. Create a PD for colleagues that helps them take the things we
have learned this semester into their own classrooms. Be specific and focused
in this option — no one can learn everything in an hour so be selective and
what the share and how.
OPTION
#4: REFLECTION
Look inward. Write about who
you are as a teacher and how the things we have read this semester influence
how you think about who you are and who you want to be as a teacher. Think of
this as a Teaching Philosophy, or a Statement of Pedagogy.
OPTION
#5: ANYTHING ELSE
Show me what you know. Use any format you want to take our course
material and make it real for you and your students.
In
all of these options, I want you to be able to demonstrate the following:
--> Knowledge of and
fluency in at least 4 of our course texts
--> Self reflection (lots and lots
of “I” voice)
--> Connections to your
day to day teaching life
You can demonstrate these core tenets
of our course in a reflective writing piece that accompanies your project or in
the text of the project itself. Feel free to use multimedia options
(powerpoint, video, blog, photographs, or other creative designs) as you pull
together your ideas. I really hope that you can find a way to
approach this so that it does not feel like busy work for me, but instead is
cumulative, reflective work for you to get something concrete out of this
seminar. Make it real for you.
Email me with questions, ideas, or wonderings... :)
