Overview

Communication is pervasive and taken for granted, so it is easy to
forget.  When do we not communicate?  Does someone else have to be
present for communication?  What is communication?  Communication
perfuses our lives.  It is hard to imagine an activity more common,
flexible, emotional, intellectual, useful, creative, clear, constant,
or ambiguous than communication.

In this course we will study communication from the point of view of
education.  Among questions we will ask are: what is communication,
and what is education; how does communication contribute to learning;
what are components and kinds of communication; how do they function
in classrooms and schools; what is the relationship of communication
and community; how does communication promote safety and resolution of
conflict; how can teachers communicate effectively with parents?

We will pursue these and other questions by means of discussion,
demonstration, practice, readings, observation, written reflection,
and examination.  I hope you will find many ways to discover
communication and education.  If the course is successful, many of the
ways you discover will be ways of your own creation.  I encourage you
to seek truth boldly, learn, participate, risk, and take
responsibility for your own and others' education.


Schedule of Topics

Mon Jan 7 Introductions and Course Overview
Wed Jan 9
Mon Jan 14 Schools, Education, and Society
Wed Jan 16

Mon Jan 21 Classroom As Community
Wed Jan 23

Mon Jan 28 Techniques of Communication
Wed Jan 30

Mon Feb 4 Teaching As Relationship
Wed Feb 6

Mon Feb 11 Learnings and Assessments
Wed Feb 13

Mon Feb 18 Difference and Diversity
Wed Feb 20 Visiting Teacher, Melissa Badger, Armstrong award recipient

Mon Feb 25 Teacher As Consultant
Wed Feb 27

Mon Mar 4 Group Processes in the Classroom
Wed Mar 6

Mon Mar 11 Classroom Management
Wed Mar 13

Mon Mar 18 SPRING BREAK-Have Fun!
Wed Mar 20

Mon Mar 25 Parent-Teacher Communication
Wed Mar 27

Mon Apr 1 Collaborative Inquiry & Teaching
Wed Apr 3

Mon Apr 8 Collaborative Inquiry & Teaching
Wed Apr 10

Mon Apr 15 Collaborative Inquiry & Teaching
Wed Apr 17

Mon Apr 22 Collaborative Inquiry & Teaching
Wed Apr 24

Mon Apr 29 Collaborative Inquiry & Teaching
Wed May 1 Assessments and Farewells

Examinations

Examinations will be negotiated with the instructor.

Papers

One paper (minimum of 25 pages) is required.  The title of the paper
will be:  My Vision of Teaching.  You will write and submit the paper
in four sections with the following titles:

Education and Society  Due Feb 4
Teaching and Learning  Due Mar 4
Classroom Communication and Community  Due Apr 1
Your Own Section  Due May 1
Final Paper  Due May 1

Each section must be a minimum of 6 pages, double-spaced, with normal
(approximately 1-inch margins).  The objective of the paper is for you
to express your idea, theory, vision, philosophy of teaching.  Each
section must have three references.

Text

There is one textbook, Counseling Skills for Teachers, by Jeffrey A.
Kotter and Ellen Kottler, Corwin Press, Inc., 2000.  Additional
readings will be distributed in class.

Collaborative Inquiry and Teaching

You are responsible for teaching, with a partner, one class period.
We will talk more about this assignment in class.

Grading and Evaluation

Evaluation will be based on in-class writing, collaborative inquiry
and teaching project, and final paper, according to the following
schedule:

In-class writing  2 pts/per class (Total: 50 pts.)
Collaborative Inquiry and Teaching 25 pts.
Final Paper 25 pts.