Courses and Coursework
These are the courses that I have taken at Michigan State University as a graduate student. My major focus was in literacy and my secondary concentration was in special education. I began my journey in the spring of 2010 and hope to complete the experience this fall 2011.
Spring 2010
ED 800 Concepts in Educational Inquiry
Instructor: Weiland
ED 800 focused on inquiring about learning. In general we focused on topics such as deciding how to incorporate best practices into learning, what impact changing strategies has on teachers and students, and how different types of learning techniques can help or hinder students. We read scholarly articles that pertained to cognitive learning with a special interest in the strategies that students used to learn and remember knowledge. It was interesting to think beyond rote learning into the idea of how students think about thinking by activating schema or using various learning tricks to engage students.
TE 838 Children's Literature in Film
Instructor: Apol
This course was focused around the use of children's books in film for purposes of the classroom. It discussed various aspects such as the stereotypes that films about books might reinforce for the students and made us as teachers evaluate the effectiveness of movies to teach material. It also allowed us as teachers to ask questions regarding why we show certain movies and for what purposes. The focus was on children's favorites such as Charlotte's Web, The Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was interesting to look at the original texts and to see how each movie adheres or strays from what was written. This really opened my eyes as a teacher and allowed me to see how the movies, video clips, and even pictures can reenforce or divert from my original intentions.
ED 800 Concepts in Educational Inquiry
Instructor: Weiland
ED 800 focused on inquiring about learning. In general we focused on topics such as deciding how to incorporate best practices into learning, what impact changing strategies has on teachers and students, and how different types of learning techniques can help or hinder students. We read scholarly articles that pertained to cognitive learning with a special interest in the strategies that students used to learn and remember knowledge. It was interesting to think beyond rote learning into the idea of how students think about thinking by activating schema or using various learning tricks to engage students.
TE 838 Children's Literature in Film
Instructor: Apol
This course was focused around the use of children's books in film for purposes of the classroom. It discussed various aspects such as the stereotypes that films about books might reinforce for the students and made us as teachers evaluate the effectiveness of movies to teach material. It also allowed us as teachers to ask questions regarding why we show certain movies and for what purposes. The focus was on children's favorites such as Charlotte's Web, The Wizard of Oz, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was interesting to look at the original texts and to see how each movie adheres or strays from what was written. This really opened my eyes as a teacher and allowed me to see how the movies, video clips, and even pictures can reenforce or divert from my original intentions.
ED 800 Sample Work
| TE 838 Sample Work
|
Summer 2010
CEP 841 Classroom Management in Inclusive Classrooms
Instructor: Mariage
The course focused on classroom management of all students in the classroom setting. We specifically looked at how to minimize behaviors of students with special needs in the classroom and learned strategies to create a conducive environment for everyone to learn in. This was extremely helpful and relevant to my previous teaching job and I learned a lot of tools that I use in the classroom today. The course had us look at many different styles for management and we evaluated our own teaching management in order to find areas to improve on.
CEP 841 Classroom Management in Inclusive Classrooms
Instructor: Mariage
The course focused on classroom management of all students in the classroom setting. We specifically looked at how to minimize behaviors of students with special needs in the classroom and learned strategies to create a conducive environment for everyone to learn in. This was extremely helpful and relevant to my previous teaching job and I learned a lot of tools that I use in the classroom today. The course had us look at many different styles for management and we evaluated our own teaching management in order to find areas to improve on.
CEP 841 Sample Work
cep_841_final_erica_lewis.pdf | |
File Size: | 115 kb |
File Type: |
Fall 2010
TE 865 Teaching and Learning k-12 Social Studies
Instructor: Missias
Because Social Studies is part of my teaching field, I found this course to be very helpful. The course focused on discussing what constitutes Social Studies teaching in order for us as teachers to master the art of teaching this subject better. Themes included looking at various misconceptions or challenges that Social Studies curriculum faced and new outlooks or alternatives to those views. We determined how we as Social Studies teachers stand with how we teach each specific subject within the core discipline of Social Studies. We focused on looking at how textbooks can distort the stories or persuade students to view history in certain ways and how to teach our students to challenge those views.
TE 865 Teaching and Learning k-12 Social Studies
Instructor: Missias
Because Social Studies is part of my teaching field, I found this course to be very helpful. The course focused on discussing what constitutes Social Studies teaching in order for us as teachers to master the art of teaching this subject better. Themes included looking at various misconceptions or challenges that Social Studies curriculum faced and new outlooks or alternatives to those views. We determined how we as Social Studies teachers stand with how we teach each specific subject within the core discipline of Social Studies. We focused on looking at how textbooks can distort the stories or persuade students to view history in certain ways and how to teach our students to challenge those views.
TE 865 Sample Work
lewis.te865.essay5.nov21st2010.pdf | |
File Size: | 47 kb |
File Type: |
Spring 2011
TE 843 Reading, Writing, and Reasoning in Secondary Education
Instructor: Clara
This highly technologically advanced course focused on how to incorporate reading strategies and reading sources into our classes. The course used various outlets to discuss topics. Rather than writing papers each week, we created an online concept web, used VoiceThread.com, and revamped current lessons to incorporate better literacy practices. We looked at a variety of topics including how to use non-conventional readings to promote ideas that relate to all different subjects and what consistutes appropriate readings for students. I took away not only a different view on how to utilize reading in class, but also learned some new ways to create lessons based on different technologies.
TE 846 Accommodating Differential Literacy Learners
Instructor: Protacio
This course focused on the statistics of readers at different learning levels, especially elementary school. It went into detail regarding how to improve student comprehension through better reading strategies. These strategies included both individual and partner based activities that could be used at elementary levels. The course went into the struggles that different learners face such as phonetics difficulties, decoding issues, and English as a second language issues. The practices were simple yet effective and can even be altered to use in secondary classrooms for struggling readers.
TE 843 Reading, Writing, and Reasoning in Secondary Education
Instructor: Clara
This highly technologically advanced course focused on how to incorporate reading strategies and reading sources into our classes. The course used various outlets to discuss topics. Rather than writing papers each week, we created an online concept web, used VoiceThread.com, and revamped current lessons to incorporate better literacy practices. We looked at a variety of topics including how to use non-conventional readings to promote ideas that relate to all different subjects and what consistutes appropriate readings for students. I took away not only a different view on how to utilize reading in class, but also learned some new ways to create lessons based on different technologies.
TE 846 Accommodating Differential Literacy Learners
Instructor: Protacio
This course focused on the statistics of readers at different learning levels, especially elementary school. It went into detail regarding how to improve student comprehension through better reading strategies. These strategies included both individual and partner based activities that could be used at elementary levels. The course went into the struggles that different learners face such as phonetics difficulties, decoding issues, and English as a second language issues. The practices were simple yet effective and can even be altered to use in secondary classrooms for struggling readers.
TE 843 Sample Work
| TE 846 Sample Work
|
Summer 2011
CEP 840 Policy Practices of Perspective Special Education
Instructor: Mariage
This course was very useful in helping to develop practices relating to special education. We focused on many different topics. These topics includes IEP's and transition plans for students with special education needs. The two major projects incorporated creating a syllabus for a future course on a special education topic of our choice and also creating a Wiki that was on a topic of our choice as well relating to special education. The course also went into the lesser known special education practices relating to students who have hearing or vision impairments. Overall, the course introduced a general level of useful information pertaining to special education.
TE 836 Awards and Classics of Children's Literature
Instructor: Apol
The focus on this course was on awards given to children's literature. It was interesting to focus on why awards are given and to which books. As a class we looked at the two major awards (the Caldecott and the Newbery) and looked at numerous lesser known awards that books can receive. The discussions focused on if these awards reenforce stereotypes or if they have merit today considering that some books gain more prestige even when they do not win the award. The class also allowed for exploration of how these award winners can enhance the subject materials that you teach. I learned that even children's short story books can be beneficial to my Social Studies classroom in creating a different perspective on the events I teach.
CEP 840 Policy Practices of Perspective Special Education
Instructor: Mariage
This course was very useful in helping to develop practices relating to special education. We focused on many different topics. These topics includes IEP's and transition plans for students with special education needs. The two major projects incorporated creating a syllabus for a future course on a special education topic of our choice and also creating a Wiki that was on a topic of our choice as well relating to special education. The course also went into the lesser known special education practices relating to students who have hearing or vision impairments. Overall, the course introduced a general level of useful information pertaining to special education.
TE 836 Awards and Classics of Children's Literature
Instructor: Apol
The focus on this course was on awards given to children's literature. It was interesting to focus on why awards are given and to which books. As a class we looked at the two major awards (the Caldecott and the Newbery) and looked at numerous lesser known awards that books can receive. The discussions focused on if these awards reenforce stereotypes or if they have merit today considering that some books gain more prestige even when they do not win the award. The class also allowed for exploration of how these award winners can enhance the subject materials that you teach. I learned that even children's short story books can be beneficial to my Social Studies classroom in creating a different perspective on the events I teach.
CEP 840 Sample Work | TE 836 Sample Work
|
Fall 2011
CEP 843 Characteristics and Educational Practices: ASD
Instructor: Ferreri
The focus of this course is on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Each week we discuss and look at various issues that pertain to ASD that have significance inside and outside of our classrooms. The course uses different media outlets to teach about ASD such as video clips, powerpoints, articles, and research based readings. We shadow a child with ASD in our school in order to provide information on how to properly diagnosis the student as well as creating a transition plan for their post high school experiences.
ED 870 Capstone Seminar
Instructor: Koehler
The purpose of this course is to wrap up all that we have done in graduate school. It helps to tie together and create purpose for the courses we took along the way. It is also a great way to showcase our favorite works, struggles, as well as achievements we have had. It provides a springboard into looking at our future as educators and for what purposes we took the course that we did throughout the masters program.
CEP 843 Characteristics and Educational Practices: ASD
Instructor: Ferreri
The focus of this course is on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Each week we discuss and look at various issues that pertain to ASD that have significance inside and outside of our classrooms. The course uses different media outlets to teach about ASD such as video clips, powerpoints, articles, and research based readings. We shadow a child with ASD in our school in order to provide information on how to properly diagnosis the student as well as creating a transition plan for their post high school experiences.
ED 870 Capstone Seminar
Instructor: Koehler
The purpose of this course is to wrap up all that we have done in graduate school. It helps to tie together and create purpose for the courses we took along the way. It is also a great way to showcase our favorite works, struggles, as well as achievements we have had. It provides a springboard into looking at our future as educators and for what purposes we took the course that we did throughout the masters program.
CEP 843 Sample Work
| ED 870 Sample WorkThis website is the sample work used for my capstone class.
|