History Teaching Tools and Tips - Check out the HIED Youtube channel for ideas and conversations about social studies teaching methods.
edTPA handbooks
Go to the HIED 4325 Bb site (I have made this available to both Undergrads and MATs) and look in "Course Documents" to find the instructions on how to access the edTPA handbook for secondary history.
Reflecting on practice
Relevant resources, forms, and documents for senior II
Academic Language Resources
What strategies/techniques has your CT used to prevent problem behaviors during various times of the lesson? We will share these after our class session...stayed tuned.
Ongoing discussion - what are some classroom management issues you are experiencing or observing that you would like to receive some support on how to handle?
What is a central focus?
According to the edTPA handbook (SCALE, 2016-2017), "the central focus should support students in learning and using facts, concepts, and inquiry, interpretation, or analysis skills to build arguments or conclusions about historical events, a topic/theme, or a social studies phenomenon." Here is a sample outline of what a central focus might look like:
PLC assignments
TBA
edTPA PLC Help Session - Guiding questions
Task 1 peer support questions:
1. Is the content developed in the central focus clearly stated? Is the central focus tied to an essential question(s) that guide the three lessons? Does the central focus generally describe how the content will be delivered in a way that develops concepts and ideas as well as content facts? Does the central generally explain how the learning segment activities will help students learn the content, skills, concepts, and ideas of the three lesson learning segment?
2. Are all required elements (UAM, lesson plans, and planning commentary) present and completed in their entirety?
3. Are my partner's plans CLEARLY aligned with the learning objectives they've identified?
4. Are the content, strategies, assessments, and instructional supports (students with needs) all clearly linked to the learning objectives? Do the activities planned help "get at" the stated objectives by accessing both the required content and the necessary skills?
5. Do all of my partner's lessons link together by building one on another or are the lessons handling very separate elements that do not link clearly, overtly, and completely to the central focus?
6. Do the lesson plans only develop content or do they provide opportunities for source analysis and discussion/deliberation/writing that require students to make and defend a position using evidence?
Task 2 peer support questions:
1. Are the interactions positive, with students as willing participants in the lesson?
2. Is your partner being facilitative in engaging students in skill-based activities related to source analysis?
3. Is your partner asking and having students answer questions that require interpretation or analysis of a source?
4. Is your partner having students using evidence from various sources to build and support an argument?
Task 3 peer support questions:
1. Is your partner providing feedback on student assignments that details what the students did good and what they can improve upon?
2. Does your partner explain precisely how they will help students use feedback to address the strengths and weaknesses you identified in question #1?
3. Does your partner explain exactly how they will provide specific support in future lessons to improve (a) understanding of facts, (b) skills related to source analysis or interpretation, (c) or developing a thesis and supporting arguments?
1. Is the content developed in the central focus clearly stated? Is the central focus tied to an essential question(s) that guide the three lessons? Does the central focus generally describe how the content will be delivered in a way that develops concepts and ideas as well as content facts? Does the central generally explain how the learning segment activities will help students learn the content, skills, concepts, and ideas of the three lesson learning segment?
2. Are all required elements (UAM, lesson plans, and planning commentary) present and completed in their entirety?
3. Are my partner's plans CLEARLY aligned with the learning objectives they've identified?
4. Are the content, strategies, assessments, and instructional supports (students with needs) all clearly linked to the learning objectives? Do the activities planned help "get at" the stated objectives by accessing both the required content and the necessary skills?
5. Do all of my partner's lessons link together by building one on another or are the lessons handling very separate elements that do not link clearly, overtly, and completely to the central focus?
6. Do the lesson plans only develop content or do they provide opportunities for source analysis and discussion/deliberation/writing that require students to make and defend a position using evidence?
Task 2 peer support questions:
1. Are the interactions positive, with students as willing participants in the lesson?
2. Is your partner being facilitative in engaging students in skill-based activities related to source analysis?
3. Is your partner asking and having students answer questions that require interpretation or analysis of a source?
4. Is your partner having students using evidence from various sources to build and support an argument?
Task 3 peer support questions:
1. Is your partner providing feedback on student assignments that details what the students did good and what they can improve upon?
2. Does your partner explain precisely how they will help students use feedback to address the strengths and weaknesses you identified in question #1?
3. Does your partner explain exactly how they will provide specific support in future lessons to improve (a) understanding of facts, (b) skills related to source analysis or interpretation, (c) or developing a thesis and supporting arguments?
Classroom Management
Classroom Management PLC discussion (April 4 - April 16)
The following steps must be taken by the PLC prior to our next face-to-face meeting on 4/18:
1. On Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of this week (4/4-4/6) video a brief (no more than 5 minutes) segment of a lesson for a class with which you have had classroom management issues this term. Make sure your video is collected in a format that will allow you to share face-to-face with your PLC members.
2. Schedule a meeting time with your PLC sometime between 4/7 and 4/16.
3. Review ALL of the following links prior to your PLC meeting:
1. On Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of this week (4/4-4/6) video a brief (no more than 5 minutes) segment of a lesson for a class with which you have had classroom management issues this term. Make sure your video is collected in a format that will allow you to share face-to-face with your PLC members.
2. Schedule a meeting time with your PLC sometime between 4/7 and 4/16.
3. Review ALL of the following links prior to your PLC meeting:
4. Print a hard copy of the PLC report form linked below. Report to your PLC meeting on time at the pre-determined location - this must be a face-to-face meeting. No exceptions. Bring your video to this meeting to share with your PLC members. No exceptions. You will want to bring some headphones to this meeting.
5. Watch the videos of each of your PLC members and take notes on their management of the classroom.
6. Assign a group facilitator and a group recorder (see word doc linked below that must be completed for each PLC group).
7. First, discuss the major classroom management themes that arose when looking at all videos. The central question for this discussion is, "What common classroom management problems/issues did each member of the PLC have in common in their videos?"
8. Next discuss this question, "What techniques do members of the PLC use to gain students' attention?" Share the perceptions of how these are working, how they differ from what the CT uses in his/her classroom management, and how you may adapt/change them in the future.
9. Third, discuss this question, "What is the most troublesome classroom management problem you have faced during senior 2?" In this discussion, explain what you do to address the issue, what the students' response to your handling of the issue is, and why you think it is not working. Discuss possible solutions to the problem using strategies shared by your CT AND using information shared in the links above.
10. Lastly, discuss what questions or problems you still have related to classroom management. What do you wish you had learned prior to coming into senior 2? What do you wish your CT had allowed you to do that you were not allowed to do? What is the classroom management area that most intimidates/bothers you as you get ready to head into the profession?
11. Have the PLC recorder complete the form linked below as you meet/discuss and be sure that the completed (handwritten, hard copy) form is submitted in class on 4/18. No exceptions.
5. Watch the videos of each of your PLC members and take notes on their management of the classroom.
6. Assign a group facilitator and a group recorder (see word doc linked below that must be completed for each PLC group).
7. First, discuss the major classroom management themes that arose when looking at all videos. The central question for this discussion is, "What common classroom management problems/issues did each member of the PLC have in common in their videos?"
8. Next discuss this question, "What techniques do members of the PLC use to gain students' attention?" Share the perceptions of how these are working, how they differ from what the CT uses in his/her classroom management, and how you may adapt/change them in the future.
9. Third, discuss this question, "What is the most troublesome classroom management problem you have faced during senior 2?" In this discussion, explain what you do to address the issue, what the students' response to your handling of the issue is, and why you think it is not working. Discuss possible solutions to the problem using strategies shared by your CT AND using information shared in the links above.
10. Lastly, discuss what questions or problems you still have related to classroom management. What do you wish you had learned prior to coming into senior 2? What do you wish your CT had allowed you to do that you were not allowed to do? What is the classroom management area that most intimidates/bothers you as you get ready to head into the profession?
11. Have the PLC recorder complete the form linked below as you meet/discuss and be sure that the completed (handwritten, hard copy) form is submitted in class on 4/18. No exceptions.
Preparing for Praxis II
To obtain your Standard Professional II licensure, you must take and pass two required Praxis II exams. According to state law you must (a) take the exams at least once during the first year of teaching and (b) pass the exam(s) in order to convert the Standard Professional I license (probationary) to the Standard Professional II license (continuing). The two Praxis II Exams you must take for social studies licensure are 5081 (Social Studies Content Knowledge) and 5624 (Principles of Learning and Teaching. Below are links to informational documents on each test: