Week 1 (Jan.23, 2007)

Agenda for today Learning community building Course overview Next week

Top 10 reasons why taking EDU651

Reason 1: I have to Reason 2: I have to … … Reason 10: I have to… …Gee, do I have to!!!

Wish List Get an A if not an A+ No stress No readings. No lectures… Writing? Tell me what to write and show me

how, or you write it for me

Why this course

My Teaching Philosophy

What do I believeThe goals of College Education

Broaden students’ intellectual horizons Provide a moral compass Develop critical thinking Develop both hubris and humility knowledge and skills to earn a living Promote character and integrity

Why this courseAsking questions about education in generalAsking questions about your own classroom

teaching in specific

Brainstorming…

Hot Topics School Homework? Constructivism? High-Stakes Assessments? Full Inclusion of Disabled Students? Computers Home Schooling Bulling, school Violence, Zero-Tolerance

Policy?

My Teaching Philosophy I strongly believe the social-cultural

perspectives of learning. Instruction is more effective when it takes form in discussions or dialogues in small groups wherein learners interact with peers and teachers who challenge, support, and scaffold their learning.

I expect you participate in both small group discussion and whole class discussion.

My Teaching Philosophy (cont.)

I measure the value of a student not by aptitude, but by a desire and motivation for learning.

I measure my success not by popularity, but by the progress of my serious students. I will consider myself a successful teacher if these students know that they are more knowledgeable and better thinkers because they have taken my course.

Developing a Goose Sense of Community The Goose Story

This springwhen you see geese

heading north for the summerflying along in a "V" formation, you

might be interested in knowing what sciencehas discovered about why they fly that way. It

has been learned that as each bird flaps itswings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately

following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71%

greater flying range than if each bird flew on

its own.

People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

Whenevera goose falls out

of formation, it suddenlyfeels the drag and resistance

of trying to go it alone, and quicklygets into formation to take advantage of the

lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (Ifwe have as much sense as a goose, we will stay

in formation with those who are headed thesame way we are going.) When the lead goose

gets tired, she rotates back in the wing andanother goose flies point. (It pays to take turns

doing hard jobs - with people or with geeseflying north.) The geese honk from behind to

encourage those up front to keep up theirspeed. (What do we say when we honk from

behind?)

Finally(Now I want

you to get this),when a goose gets sick,

or is wounded by gun shotsand falls out, two geese fall out of

formation and follow him down to help andprotect him. They stay with him until he is

eitherable to fly or until he is dead, and then they

launch out on their own or with anotherformation to catch up with the group.

(If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.)

Classroom Guidelines and Expectations Bring with you a positive attitude and

enthusiasm to the class every Tuesday evening.

Be punctual (3 points bonus). Refrain from side-conversation.

Shufang Shi

Homepagehttp://web.cortland.edu/shis

EDU651 Course Website http://web.cortland.edu/shis/651

Course Overview Syllabus Outcomes: EDU652 Master Theses and

EDU651 Research Proposal Assignments and Due dates

For next week Lib time and WebCT1. Bring one article2. Post a bio on WebCT next Tues.

Bio posted to WebCT Your full name, where are you from? Your

major. Where do you teach or substitute teach

or work? Who are the significant others in your

life? (Pets are people too) Your strong point and weak point

Readings for next two weeks