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Okemos Summer Institutes (SI), 2017

University Of Pacific Post Graduate Level Credits

Course Syllabus

PDSI 9923 "Educating to Develop the Whole Student"

Instructor: Dick Comar

Email:

Grading: Grade Matching Work Required

Course Description:

Summer Institutes uses an immersive professional learning approach that includes:

Pre-Sessions:

  • Pre-work may include, but is not limited to: articles and/or online videos to review, short-answer questions to consider and/or answer, and personal reflection questions

Whole Education Sessions:

  • Large group interactive sessions with top quality presenters with expertise on a variety of best practices in education
  • Professional Learning Community (PLC) interactions and the sharing of ideas, breakout sessions and hands-on applications
  • Integration of Professional Teaching Standards required by districts and states for evaluation of teacher practice in the classroom
  • STEM Place Based Education – Grade/subject level groups will choose an appropriate grade/subject PBE venue to study and visit on PBE day
  • Wellness education activities to build a healthy approach to teaching
  • STEM Retirement Security (real life math lessons plans for students)

Post-Sessions:

  • Information will be sent to participants via the Summer Institutes free webinars/ newsletters/website blogs/emails/broadcasts and other social media.
  • Summer Institutes National PLC research data will be compiled and shared with all participants

Learning Objectives:

The relationship between professional learning and student results requires “standards-based professional learning, which creates and supports the changes in educator knowledge, skills, and dispositions, which effect the change in educator practice which in turn creates change in student results” (Standards for Professional Learning,

Participants will:

  1. Demonstrate how to bring Hope and Humanity to ALL students
  2. Understand that grit includes motivation and hard work with a never give up attitude - increases full potential
  3. Prepare 2017 course curriculum ideas from experiential field based learning activities during our STEM Place Based Education Day, encouraging partnerships with our diverse valley community and enhance communications with local business/organizations
  4. Practice that “relationships” is the most important “R” in education because it builds trust, honesty and integrity with all students
  5. Produce Common Core alignment lessons with Common Care Reasons
  6. Practice Relational Equity and Leadership
  7. Practice the discipline of Mindfulness; controlling teacher stress
  8. Prepareto teach students Rick Miller’s, Kids At Hope, concept how to “time-travel” to help set and achieve challenging personal goals
  9. Role model “Whole Education” to help students excel
  10. Evaluate educational opportunities and be better prepared to develop lessons that allow for alignment with ever evolving state standards
  11. Participate in professional development that includes PLC collaboration time to discuss appropriate pacing, differentiated instruction and scaffolding to actively engage students in an environment that fosters learning
  12. Focus efforts and outcomes towards growth in the Professional Teaching Standards of: The Learner and Learning, Content Knowledge, Instructional Practice, and Professional Responsibility
  13. Demonstrate the importance of personal health and wellness for developing mindset and grit, and what it means to be a role model and advocate leader for “Whole Child” wellness. “Whole Educator” practice must include “Mind & Body Wellness”
  14. Expand leadership skills of teachers, principals, and members of a school community so they can engage students and deliver instruction that will stimulate student grit, growth mindset, self-motivation and desire to become sociably responsible citizens
  15. Demonstrate best practices and current research to support teaching, student learning and leadership principles.
  16. Understand how to reach financial security and use STEM math lessons plans provided.

*How does Summer Institutes manifest graduate level work?

In this intensive graduate course– teachers will learn how relationships, relevancy and rigor, in that order, will combine to create a caring, learning environment that directly impacts student achievement. The first two days, our SI staff strives to develop a trusting and caring relationship with all participants. Then we provide world-class relevant presenters that inspire participants to rigorously use a grit mindset to take notes and complete other course assignments to help them retain the valuable knowledge presented.

Summer Institutes provides a unique opportunity to engage in courses that help participants learn new and effective ways to teach with “whole education” strategies and motivate students. The process maximizes the effort of the learner to understand new knowledge in best practice research with opportunity for application, in order to master the strategies needed to equip students for success in the real world - whether creating foundations for early learning, preparing youth for college, or enhancing skills for students joining the workforce. This professional learning format is designed to encourage teachers to engage in experiential learning, reflect on their personal beliefs in the content, and positively affect their classroom practice to increase the relationship, mindset and grit of their students, and promote greater student outcomes.

Credit Coursework Requirements:

1. Attendance:

Attendance and participation in all large group and small group professional learning community experiences is mandatory and will be logged daily by site coordinator. Students who are unable to attend a session or leave early because of an emergency will be responsible to contact the site coordinator in order to make appropriate arrangements for make ups. Failure to do this may affect the student’s grade, credits, or clock hours. Opportunities are also available to make up time at other Summer Institutes sites.

2. PLC (Professional Learning Community) groups:

Participants will engage in professional learning community groups to discuss, reflect, support and record ideas surrounding session components and outcomes.

3. Pre-Work may be required for all participants to complete before a presenter session. Pre-work may include, but not be limited to: a website link to review and discuss with table groups, an article to read and bring to presentation, and questions to think about before presentation.

4. Evaluation components must be completed as outlined for each workshop or session. These may include, but not be limited to: check for understanding of skills and concepts learned or products developed during conference.

Final Product/Outcomes/Grades

“Pass/Fail” Letter Grade Requirements

1) Attendance.

2) After each presenter, participants will complete multiple choice/fill in/T-F “Check for Understanding” Test(s). Remediation opportunities are available.

3) Participate in and complete Professional Learning Community assignments.

4) Course readings will be completed to support learningoutcomes of session or conference.

5) Information packets will be available from presenters.

6) FINAL PRODUCT: Within one month after the class, participants will turn in a digital zipped folder (this zipped process will be taught at the conference). The zipped (compressed) folder will consist of speaker notes, wellness log, PLC and PBE notes, A or B grade extra assignments.

  • “A” grade

1) Complete Pass/Fail requirements.

2) Submit a synopsis paper for each of the three speakers of your choice (three papers). Papers shall answer the following questions:

*What new knowledge and information, in this presentation, enhanced your current teaching style?

*Which connections were experienced that aligned with your specific teaching focus, content, and population?

*How did this presentation increase your current level of professional teaching standards to reflect personal growth?

*What information could you share in your school community with others?

Or “B” grade

1) Complete Pass/Fail requirements.

2) Type a synopsis paper for two (1) speakers.Papers shall answer the same questions found in “A” grade above.

Speaker Papers shall answer the following questions:

  1. What new knowledge and information presented by the speaker enhanced your current teaching style?
  2. Which connections did you experienced that aligned with your specific teaching focus, content, and population?
  3. How did this speaker increase your current level of professional teaching standards to reflect personal growth?
  4. What information from this speaker could you share in your school community with others?

Seeexamples of students’ sub-folder work in “Admin Packet” on website.

Course Credit Information

Upon successful completion of all course requirements, 3-semester hours graduate level credit will be awarded to each participant. These credits are professional development units that are not part of a degree program: rather, these credits are primarily used for professional advancement (such as salary increment steps and recertification). Some universities have accepted our courses as electives as a part of their degree program. Participants are advised to seek approval of appropriate district or college officials before enrolling in this course to satisfy any degree, state credential, or local school district requirements. State licensing departments vary regarding their criteria for credit acceptance and some states may not accept creed from universities that are located outside their respective state. The University of the Pacific is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Additional Course Overview

The growing fields of professional learning, teacher effectiveness, and teacher recertification have increased our desire to include more rigor and outcome-based evidence to improve the quality teaching and learning occurring at our graduate level courses. Our focus, as a profession, needs to be on “what happens before, during, and after the course”. Most importantly, our course will always incorporate strategies and practices to combat teacher burnout, low self-esteem and improve teacher health.

Teacher burnout is a serious psychological condition that affects the lives of thousands of highly effective teachers throughout the United States. An educator who is experiencing burnout has low morale, low self-esteem, and is physically exhausted (Roloff & Brown, 2011). Teacher morale directly correlates with student achievement; the higher the teacher morale, the greater the student achievement (Raines, 2011). The emotional experience of a teacher sets the tone for a class. Teacher burnout is one of the most common reasons that effective teachers leave the profession (Roloff & Brown, 2011). If more energy were put into providing emotional support for effective educators, they would be far more likely to continue to teach and to share their passion and knowledge in the years to come. If a teacher is clinically depressed, anxious, or experiencing physical illness, he will be more likely to retire early or to cease working to his capacity than if he is emotionally and physically well. With appropriate treatment and care, a teacher who is experiencing burnout will be revitalized and refocused on his work. Taking preventative measures will help educators to avoid the physical and emotional effects of prolonged stress and will provide them with the energy to continue to be successful teachers throughout their careers. Low morale is not only a problem for students; it is a problem for the faculty members themselves. In fact, burnout is not only a mental state, but also a true psychological condition that negatively affects every aspect of a teacher’s life. However, few educators realize that significance of the condition. Policymakers and community members often are completely unaware of the physiological and psychological ramifications of teaching (Raines, 2011).

“Professional development design that includes knowledge, experiential learning, and a personal opportunity in which to transfer learning, may influence the implementation of new strategies and practices in the classroom environment.” (Dixon, 2010). These components are the basis of this University of Pacific graduate level course.

“Instead of thinking that I am ‘The Teacher’ - the knowledge-giver who stands up front in total control - instead of that traditional pedagogy, we need a 21st-century vision of teaching, where there is less teacher talk and more student talk, where what I’m doing is thinking about how I am going to pull the most out of these kids; how I’m going to enable these students to be empowered; how I can make sure that I create a classroom that’s free from threat and stress, where they’ll be willing to take risks.” Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Center for the Collaborative Classroom

Teaching and learning today requires students and all school community members to develop proficiency in the three R’s of education; Relationships, Rigor & Relevancy. This focus requires rethinking the pedagogical, environmental and relational aspects of teaching and learning. Participants will reflect on and connect their current instructional practices to 21st century instructional demands. Participants will apply what is learned to modify and enrich their instructional practice, including specific units for their classroom instruction. Throughout the five-days, we will dig into a variety of topics including, diversifying instructional design to cultivate student success, school atmosphere & community building, multiculturalism in our modern society, conflict management and behavior modification, facilitative teaching, high-level protocols, technology in the classroom, interpersonal problem-solving strategies, and methods of fostering meaningful positive relationships among and between administrators, colleagues and students

Using facilitative presentations, active Professional Learning Communities (PLC) grade/subject level engagement protocols, Place Based Education (PBE), participants will interact with each other during activities and the materials in a supportive classroom community. Best practices concepts will be presented through the use of keynotes, discussion, debate, group and partner activities, presentations, and projects.

Conceptual Framework for Adult Learning:The overarching theme for all education preparation programs is "The Education as Purposeful Practitioner." The initial and advanced teacher education programs and the advanced program in educational leadership focus on the development of knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions to ensure that all candidates are well prepared and meet all institutional, state, and professional standards at the completion of their program. The Conceptual Framework describes the shared vision of teaching, learning, and the preparation of teachers and school leaders. It outlines the philosophy and commitment to the education profession, guides programmatic decisions, and ensures coherence among curricula, field experiences, clinical practice, and the unit's assessment system. The Conceptual Framework reflects the commitment to the ability to:

•Apply content and pedagogical knowledge to the teaching and learning process.

•Integrate technology to improve teaching and learning.

•Work with diverse populations.

•Demonstrate professional behavior and dispositions.

•Engage in best-practice exercises to improve teaching and learning.

*Summer Institutes Emphasizes the “Three R’s” in Education

1. Relationships: Trust

Research tells us that Building Classroom Relationships is The Key to Classroom Management(Marazano 2003). Relationship building has been a key component at Summer Institutes workshops since 1987. We are one of the few professional growth programs that promote that relationships are the most important “R”.

2. Relevancy: Buy In

All of our presenters have filled out a speaker application that explains how their presentations will align with national common core standards.

3. Relationships (trust) + Relevancy (buy in) = Rigor (manifested)

The definition of rigor states: Student centered learning that allows the student to explore and expand their current knowledge. This learning encourages the student to examine their emotional response and have a deeper understanding of the topic.

In order to achieve Rigor in the classroom, Relationships and Relevancy must first be established. A Summer Institutes graduate course provides the formula above to create rigor for our educators. For 30 years, the goal of the Summer Institutes has been for teachers to challenge themselves to make a positive difference in the classroom. This philosophy of teacher centered learning has led teachers attending the Summer Institutes to not only experience their own "rigor in the classroom" but to then transfer those skills to their students in the fall. Making a positive difference in the lives of students by learning how to utilize the two critical components to create rigor; the first two R’s of education, “Relationships and Relevancy”. What greater lesson can a teacher receive and deliver?

Alumni Descriptions of Summer Institutes 3 R’s of Education:

Replenish, Rejuvenate and Remember why you teach!

Do Participants Also Experience Rigor?

Absolutely, SI is a series of graduate level courses and participants are expected and coached to perform at a graduate level. The greatest value of Summer Institutes is our ability to deliver quality, thought provoking professional development in a stress-free fun atmosphere, which in turn allows our participants to be reflective of their own level of grit and teaching mindset. Yes, professional growth actually can and should be fun! Our classrooms should be the happiest place on earth!

Academic Integrity

Although many students may write about the same presentation, it is a violation of academic integrity to hand in copied materials. Students who have identical wording in their papers, unless it is a direct quote from the presenter, will be penalized for engaging in plagiarism with a lower grade or failure of the course.

Code of Ethics & Academic Integrity:University of Pacific’s Summer Course, Title PDSI 9920 "Increasing Whole Teacher Potential to Develop Whole Students (Equity, Mindset, Grit, Body & Character)!"has been designed with a significant emphasis on ethics; All participantswill be informed of this code of ethics, which reads as follows:

  • Am I being honest?
  • Am I being fair in all my dealings?
  • Am I seeking to build reciprocal relationships based on trust and goodwill?
  • Am I seeking relationships and transactions that benefit all concerned parties?

In accordance with the Summer Institutes Code of Ethics, our course is a place wherelearning occurs in a professional manner. To maintain a first-class environment and remainrespectful to all participants in our learning community, participants are asked to remain cognizantof these ethics.