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Education L511
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Syllabus
Spring 2004
Debbie East, Instructor
E-mail:
dkeast@indiana.edu
Fax: (812)-856-8287
(Language Education Office)
Required Texts:
You can order your readings from either the IU Bookstore or TIS Bookstore.
- To order your readings from the IU Bookstore, just call Brenda Young at 1-800-553-6471 or (812) 855-4668 and state that you are a Distance Education student and provide your class number(s), or contact her via email at bkstext@indiana.edu . If you are in Bloomington, you can purchase the books and course packets at the Bookstore in the Indiana Memorial Union building.
- To order your readings from TIS Bookstore, call 1-800-238-1229 or (812) 332-3306. If you are in Bloomington, you can purchase the books at TIS Bookstore, 1302 East Third Street, Bloomington, IN 47401. They are shelved with the other Education course texts.
Some readings are available on the IU School of Education Library Electronic Reserves .
Anderson, C. (2000). How's it Going? Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Laminack, L. and Wood, K. (1996) Spelling in Use NCTE
Course Description:
This course explores teaching writing in elementary and middle schools from the perspectives of theory, research, cultural issues, and practice. Students will examine current literature in the field; investigate how theoretical perspectives can be enacted into practice, and join a class writing group.
Course Goals:
- To develop understandings of the composing process from multiple perspectives, as well as building confidence and competence in personal writing abilities;
- To examine a range of theories, principles, and practices in teaching process writing in elementary and middle schools;
To conduct an individual or partner inquiry into an intriguing aspect of teaching writing.
1. Getting with Oncourse and Each Other: Go to the Oncourse site and become familiar with the system. Then fill out your user profile so everyone will know about you. Finally, visit the Help section so that you are familiar with this resource before you start the course.
2. Keep a Writer’s Notebook – a place for jotting things down that you notice and wonder about as you’re going about your daily routine: observe the details in your life and write down those you consider significant. You’re entries might be ideas, feelings, lists, quotes, sketches, or objects you’ve pasted in that intrigue you such as a newspaper article, a leaf you gathered on a hike, or something that reminds you of a conversation you had with a friend. Some of you might jot down ideas for papers and projects in other courses you are taking or new strategies to try with your students. As you glance back through your writers notebook, you’ll be searching for entries that catch your attention and can be developed into more complete pieces. Try to write in your notebook daily . Twice during the semester you will snail mail or fax copies of the portions of your notebook you are willing to share with the instructor. Bird By Bird will be a helpful inspiration and guide for keeping a writer’s notebook.
3. Three times during the semester you will meet online in small Writing Groups. Here you will share the writing pieces that you have developed from your Writers Notebook. This is an opportunity to have other students read your pieces and receive their responses and suggestions for strengthening and refining your writing. You will also design a rubric with your team members to guide each other in the team conferencing. You can find your writing group under Class on Oncourse (choose Show Groups).
4. You will be posting weekly Reader Response pieces on Oncourse in In Touch under L511 Reader Response Discussion. You have the choice of responding to the books or to the additional articles. In your response postings, articulate your reactions, agreements, concerns, and questions. You are also encouraged to make connections between one piece and other class readings or discussion topics and instruction in the classroom. Your response to an article or book chapter should NOT be a summary, but rather a critical analysis of the piece or how the author's ideas relate to your own experience. This online forum will also give you the opportunity to React to the ideas of other students in the class. It is a place to discuss your current understanding and questions about the class readings, your own writing processes, how your students develop as writers, and how to become knowledgeable and effective writing teachers. No class readings are due during the last three week block which will be devoted to your individual Inquiry Projects .
5. Author an individual Inquiry Project based on an issue presented in the class readings, Oncourse, your experience, your personal reading, or some other significant “writing experience” that you find intriguing or puzzling. This project will include formulating a research/inquiry question, conducting library research, and designing and carrying out field research. See description of Inquiry Project for more details.
Course Evaluation:
Writer’s Notebook (20%)
Copies of your Writer’s Notebook can be sent to the instructor twice via regular mail or fax. You may also hand deliver it to my Language Ed. mailbox (room 3040) if you are in the Bloomington area.
Writing Group (15%)
Participate in three writing group sessions and submit with your Inquiry Project one piece of writing that you feel best exemplifies your writing.
Site Scape Forum Reader Response and Discussion (30%)
Since we are meeting online, participation in the Reader Response Forum is similar to attending class sessions and participating in class discussions in traditional settings. Participation is an extremely important part of this course. Respond to readings listed on the class schedule and react to other students’ responses weekly.
Inquiry Project (35%)
This page
was last updated 10/24/03 by Chris Essex
Contact: dkeast@indiana.edu
Copyright 2003, The Trustees
of Indiana University
