Welcome to the Spring 2010 Graduate Teacher Education Program offerings.
For most of the classes they will be offered on the campus of Calvin College.
The method of delivery will be indicated by:
- on-line: courses taken all on-line OL
- on campus: on campus for the duration of the course OC
- hybrid: on campus, them on-line, finish up on campus Hybrid
- on campus/on-line: come to campus for first few days of class them complete rest on-line Off-C
To register as a guest for any course
Education 510 Advanced Educational Foundations (OL) with Doug Blomberg
This course includes exploration into the disciplines of philosophy, history and socio-cultural context of education. Course material, lectures and assignments engages students in developing a perspectival orientation centered on shalom and social justice. That Christian lens shapes an examination of the interaction between schooling and sustainability, globalization, economic and social justice, and the role of educators as agents of change and transformation. Course content focuses on investigating philosophy’s questions regarding the nature of humanness and schooling, history’s account of the role of schools, and social science’s view of structures, ideologies and agency as they relate to schooling.
Education 533 School Law, Ethics and Policy (OL) with Al Boerema
An examination of the legal and ethical frameworks of schooling through a biblical lens. Students will learn the basics of their national and local school policies and laws as they have been developed, as well as surveying the major legal decisions affecting schools. Prerequisite: 530 or permission of the instructor.
Education 543 Adolescent and Adult Literacy (OC) Thursdays 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. with Jo Kuyvenhoven
This course is designed to meet the new state literacy course requirements under PA-118 for professional certification. It is currently required as part of the masters in literacy program and will count as an elective in any of the other masters' degree programs. As part of the course students develop a cognitive framework for diagnosing and planning instruction for students in grades K-12 who find learning to read difficult. Students study reading theory and current approaches for supporting reading and writing development and construct a case study through approx. 15 hours practicum work with a focal student. Students learn about as well as use informal and formal assessment materials to diagnose difficulties and then will work with one student (either elementary or secondary depending upon certification level) to implement a plan for supporting literacy development in targeted areas of weakness. Additional topics include: supporting literacy learning of second language learners; the role of phonemic awareness in reading; writing development across content areas; the nature and politics of dialects in oral and written language registers; effective remediation of reading difficulties in grades K-12.
Education 551 Assessment for Understanding: LD (Hybrid) Tuesdays 5 - 9 p.m. with Phil Stegink
This course focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary to perform and analyze comprehensive educational evaluations of the atypical learner and to utilize the diagnostic data to construct appropriate instructional recommendations for students with learning disabilities. Students will gain experience administering, scoring, and interpreting a variety of diagnostic assessments as well as reading and writing educational reports. Supervised clinical experiences are required to demonstrate application of theoretical knowledge. Informal, non-standardized assessments and adaptations in standardized group assessments will also be explored. Prerequisites: Education 202, 606 and 550 or permission of the instructor. Phil Stegink will be teaching this course.
Education 557 Practicum Seminar: Learning Disabilities (OC) Mondays 5 - 8 p.m. with Phil Stegink
This seminar accompanies the LD practicum experience bridging theory and a developing reflective practice. Students will work as a community of practice to explore decision-making complexity in the design, implementation, reflection, and refining of instructional practice with students identified with LD. Course components such as book club discussions, role-play, video analysis coupled with an action research inquiry structure support an emphasis on teaching communication, literacy, and thinking skills. Discussions and journaling will also address contextual and schooling issues encountered by a special education professional. Phil Stegink will be teaching this course.
Education 558 Practicum Field Placement: LD (OFF-C) with Phil Stegink
A teaching certificate endorsement in Learning Disabilities (LD) from the State of Michigan requires completion of a directed teaching experience with students identified with learning disabilities at either the elementary or secondary level. Practicum teachers who have not had prior supervised teaching experience in special education are required to complete a ten-week full-time supervised teaching experience working with a mentor teaching endorsed in LD. Those who are seeking a second endorsement in special education must complete a practicum with a minimum of 180 hours in an appropriate setting. The practicum is taken concurrently with a seminar course, Education 558. The application for the practicum experience can be found on Calvin’s Graduate Education web site and must be completed by October 1. Phil Stegink will be teaching this course.
Education 592 Seminar: Curriculum and Instruction (OC) Wednesdays 5:30- 8:30 p.m. with Jan Simonsn
The seminar is designed to integrate components of the M.Ed. program in Curriculum and Instruction. Theories and practices in the contexts of schooling, curriculum, instruction, learning and disciplinary concentrations are reviewed. By means of broad unifying themes, students integrate into a coherent unity what they have learned in the program. The seminar includes a final research project/practicum that takes place in an educational setting. Prerequisites: All other courses in the M.Ed. C & I Program. Jan Simonson will be teaching this course.
Education 593 Seminar: Educational Leadership (OC)
The graduate seminar and internship is designed to integrate the components of the Educational Leadership M. ed. program. The internship allows prospective school leaders to work closely with a mentor in a school setting for 80 hours over a period of 10 weeks during the school year. Participants will examine nine critical skills of leadership and undertake activities in twelve investigative areas in a school setting. The seminar will focus on integrating the broad unifying themes of the program and the internship experiences. Developments in the theory and practices in leadership and organizational theory, the context of education, and curriculum and instructional theory will be reviewed. In the process, students will reflect on how their education and professional experiences can be used for personal growth and to influence society. The seminar and internship will include a final educational portfolio. Prerequisites: All other courses in the M.Ed. Leadership Program and permission of the Educational Leadership advisor. Al Boerema will be teaching this course.
Education 594 Seminar: Literacy (Hybrid) Wednesdays 5:30 -8:30 p.m. with Debra Buursma
This seminar integrates M.Ed Program components in LD and literacy through students’ construction of a synthesis project which integrates the theoretical, research, and practice literatures associated both with their program of study as well as their own personal/professional goals. This synthesis work may take the form of an action research project; portfolio; literature review; development, implementation, and evaluation of a workshop for teachers; or some other project in which students are able to relate current issues and research in their field to their particular instructional practice. Discussion and readings will facilitate clarification of how beliefs, values, and core perspectives affect professional work. The course includes guided supervision of student synthesis work by the professor and within a community of practice culminating in a final integrative master’s project. Debra Buursma will be teaching this course.
Education 595 Seminar: Learning Disabilities (Hybrid) Wednesdays 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. with Debra Buursma
This seminar integrates M.Ed Program components in LD and literacy through students’ construction of a synthesis project which integrates the theoretical, research, and practice literatures associated both with their program of study as well as their own personal/professional goals. This synthesis work may take the form of an action research project; portfolio; literature review; development, implementation, and evaluation of a workshop for teachers; or some other project in which students are able to relate current issues and research in their field to their particular instructional practice. Discussion and readings will facilitate clarification of how beliefs, values, and core perspectives affect professional work. The course includes guided supervision of student synthesis work by the professor and within a community of practice culminating in a final integrative master’s project. Debra Buursma will be teaching this course.