Course Meeting: Wednesdays, 11:00-11:50 (January 14 - March 4th)
Student Support Hours:
In-person: Tuesday 10-12, Wednesday 10-11, 12-12:30
Virtual: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
By Appointment
General Education Outcomes are the knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and behaviors that students are expected to develop as a result of their overall experiences with any aspect of the college, including courses, programs, and student services, both inside and outside of the classroom. The General Education Outcomes specifically learned in this course are:
- Communication
- Responsibility
General Education/Course Objectives/Standards:
Standards and indicators listed below are addressed at an introductory knowledge level, unless otherwise specified.
Communication: Students will communicate with precision, clarity, fluency, accuracy, and coherence through their reading, writing, and verbal communications.
Quantitative Reasoning: Students will reason and solve quantitative problems from a wide array of contexts.
Ethical Reasoning: Students will apply skills in ethical reasoning and come to understand the ways ethical issues affect individual behaviors, individual lifestyles, and public life.
Inquiry and Analysis: Students will examine complex topics and apply systematic processes resulting in formed conclusions.
Faculty Contact Information
Monday and Tuesday 10-12
Wednesday 10-11, 12-12:45
MAE - Curriculum and Instruction
BS - History Education
- PEL - Secondary Education
- Middle School Endorsement
- Teacher Leadership Endorsement
- Paraprofessional Endorsement
Master Online Teacher
Course Information
At the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Examine the roles and the importance of including students with disabilities, as appropriate, and all team members in planning individualized education programs (i.e, IEP, IFSP, Section 504 plan) for students with disabilities.
- Observe local educators working with students in the Pk-12 classroom environment.
- Reflect on the classroom techniques and strategies used by local educators.
- Evaluate best practices and research-based materials against benchmarks within the discipline.
Braun, B. Illinois School Law Survey. 2025. ISBN-10: 1880331322
Esquith, R. Teach Like Your Hair’s On Fire. 2007. ISBN-10: 0670038156
Brooks, G. Go See The Principal. 2019. ISBN-10 978-0-7382-8506-1
| Title | Type | Description | IPTS Met |
| Observation Component | D5 Capstone projects or other culminating assignments
| Students complete 15 hours of observation in an educational setting ranging from ECE to High School. Students use comprehensive notes to write a thoughtful reflection on their experiences, connecting classroom topics to the real-world. | 4A) understands principles of and strategies for effective classroom and behavior management; 9A) evaluates best practices and research-based materials against benchmarks within the disciplines;
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| Reflective Teacher/Best Practices | D5 Capstone projects or other culminating assignments
| Students reflect on the best practices strategies presented in the book, Teach Like Your Hair Is On Fire by writing formally written analysis commenting/citing at least 2 specific ideas from the reading. | 9A) evaluates best practices and research-based materials against benchmarks within the disciplines;
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| Diversity and Multiculturalism | D5 Capstone projects or other culminating assignments
| Students research topics related to diversity and multiculturalism in the classroom. Using ERIC and Teaching Channel resources, students compare strategies to better connect with all students in the classroom. | 9A) evaluates best practices and research-based materials against benchmarks within the disciplines;
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| Lesson Planning/Danielson | D5 Capstone projects or other culminating assignments
D7 Oral presentations | Students must design a standards-based, developmentally appropriate lesson that reflects understanding of Multiple Intelligences Theory. In addition, students will “teach” the lesson that incorporates a classroom management plan. | 3A) understands the Illinois Learning Standards (23 Ill. Adm. Code 1.Appendix D), curriculum development process, content, learning theory, assessment, and student development and knows how to incorporate this knowledge in planning differentiated instruction; 3B) understands how to develop short- and long-range plans, including transition plans, consistent with curriculum goals, student diversity, and learning theory;
4E) knows how to assess the instructional environment to determine how best to meet a student’s individual needs; 4G) knows strategies to implement behavior management and behavior intervention planning to ensure a safe and productive learning environment; and
9D) identifies paths for continuous professional growth and improvement, including the design of a professional growth plan;
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| Public School Law | D5 Capstone projects or other culminating assignments
| Students research current law using the Illinois Public School Law book. Students complete scaffolded activities related to law topics which culminate in a team-building exercise (game) to display their knowledge. | 4F) understands laws, rules, and ethical considerations regarding behavior intervention planning and behavior management (e.g., bullying, crisis intervention, physical restraint);
9B) knows laws and rules (e.g., mandatory reporting, sexual misconduct, corporal punishment) as a foundation for the fair and just treatment of all students and their families in the classroom and school;
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| Midterm/Final Exams | D1 Course-embedded assessment D2 Student work samples from tests and exams
| Students complete a cumulative/comprehensive midterm in essay format. |
Business, Technology & Human Services
Dean, Paul Carlson; 815-802-8858; V105; pcarlson@kcc.edu; Division Office – W102; 815-802-8650
Absences
Unexcused absences exceeding the course credit value will result in a final semester course grade reduction.
Criminal Background Check Information
It is the policy of Kankakee Community College to adhere to all policies of educational facilities with which the College affiliates for student classroom observation experiences. Some of the schools require criminal background checks for students enrolled in an education program.
Kankakee Community College has determined that prior to being assigned to a classroom observation experience; the student must complete the prescribed criminal background check. The student is responsible for all costs incurred. Both requirements must be completed no later than two weeks prior to the student beginning his/her program. Students may be dropped from their course/program if this requirement is not completed. Arrests or convictions during the semester may also result in the removal from the course.
All reasonable efforts will be made to maintain the confidentially of results.
If you plan on observing with Kankakee School District 111, please see me before obtaining a background check!
You may not obtain your background check from a local police department!
Mandated Reporter
State law mandates that workers in certain professions must make reports if they have reasonable cause to suspect abuse or neglect. Mandated reporters include:
- Medical Personnel: Physicians, psychiatrists, surgeons, residents, interns, dentists, dentist hygienists, medical examiners, pathologists, osteopaths, coroners, Christian Science practitioners, chiropractors, podiatrists, registered and licensed practical nurses, emergency medical technicians, substance abuse treatment personnel, hospital administrators and other personnel involved in the examination, care or treatment of patients.
- School and Child Care Personnel: Teachers, school personnel, educational advocates assigned to a child pursuant to the School Code, truant officers, directors and staff assistants of day care centers and nursery schools, and child care workers.
- Law Enforcement: Truant officers, probation officers, law enforcement officers, and field personnel of the Department of Corrections.
- State Agencies: Field personnel from the Departments of Children and Family Services, Public Health, Public Aid, Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, Corrections, Human Rights, Rehabilitation Services. Also includes supervisors and administrators of general assistance under the Illinois Public Aid Code.
- Others: Social workers, social service administrators, substance abuse treatment personnel, domestic violence program personnel, crisis line or hotline personnel, foster parents, homemakers, recreational program or facility personnel, registered psychologists and assistants working under the direct supervision of a psychologist, members of the clergy.
Mandated reporters who make good faith reports have the same immunity from liability under the law as non-mandated reporters. However, a mandated reporter's failure to report suspected instances of child abuse or neglect to DCFS constitutes a Class A misdemeanor; simply reporting suspicions to a superior does not satisfy legal requirements.
College Policies
Specifications for Written Materials
When working on paper assignments, students must remember to give credit where credit is due. Properly paraphrase and cite, using either the APA or MLA referencing style, everything that originates from the work of others. Use your own words when writing to demonstrate an understanding of the material. Only minimal use of direct quoting will be acceptable.
APA guidelines can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html.
MLA guidelines can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/.
- Unexcused absences exceeding the course credit value will result in a final semester course grade reduction.
Course Deadlines
Course work is expected on the day it is due.
Participation
This is a college course, and as an adult you are responsible for your participation. In this course participation will be measured by the in-class discussions, projects, and various other instructional strategies. I will be looking at what input you provide to determine a portion of your grade.
Incompletes
Incompletes are designed to help a student who is successfully completing a course deal with a personal emergency that arises at the end of the semester. A grade of Incomplete will only be assigned in the case of emergencies such as a death in the immediate family or an illness which requires hospitalization. This is college policy. The student must currently have a passing grade and must still meet the attendance requirements of the course. Official documentation will be required to verify the validity of the student's need for an incomplete.
Incompletes will NOT be given in the case of vacation plans, job conflicts, apartment lease problems, social engagements, missing too many deadlines, or forgetting to take exams. If you need an incomplete, you must speak with me, provide the documentation, and fill out the required paperwork before final grades are due.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life and is essential to the credibility of the College's educational programs. Moreover, because grading may be competitive, students who misrepresent their academic work violate the right of their fellow students. The College, therefore, views any act of academic dishonesty as a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion from the College.
Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding or suborning cheating or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and misrepresentation of data, falsification of academic records or documents and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems. Definitions of these violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism is defined in section 16.2 of the Code of Conduct: “Representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own. Plagiarism includes claiming credit for assignments completed by someone else.” All instances of intentional plagiarism on any major assignment for this course will lead to the immediate failure of the course with no opportunity for the student to withdraw. The instance of plagiarism will be reported to the Dean of Student Development. If the student has a second instance of plagiarism reported to the Dean of Student Development, the student may be suspended from the institution.
Plagiarism is the presenting of others' ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper, create a project, do a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work, except for that which is attributed to another author or creator, is your own. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic offense and may take the following forms:
1. Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2. Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3. Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own
4. Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source
5. Paraphrasing someone else's line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were your own.
6. Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were your own.
The penalties for plagiarism are at minimum failure on the particular piece of work to failure in the course.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association's MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
- Withdrawals
When it is necessary to withdraw from a course or from the college, a student may do so on or before the withdrawal date stated on the syllabus without receiving a punitive final grade. Students should use Change of Schedule forms which are available in Student Services. Students may submit Change of Schedule forms to Student Services or through the mail, but they must be postmarked no later than the withdrawal date.
Email Policy
To ensure a student's privacy under all applicable education laws and to facilitate timely interactions, two College-authorized methods of electronic communication exist: KCC-issued student email accounts (using the domain name of .student.kcc.edu) and the Canvas Learning Management System. Students are expected to regularly check their KCC email accounts and Canvas for important incoming communication from the college or from individual instructors. Students understand that emails they send from personal email accounts (other than those listed above) may not be delivered to the KCC recipient, and students should have no expectation that such messages will be answered.
Code of Conduct
Students need to adhere to the Code of Conduct located in the college catalog.
College Resources
Tutoring assistance is free to all currently enrolled KCC students. Our tutor program is certified by the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). For schedules, resources, and other helpful information, go to www.library.kcc.edu/tutoring.
Miner Memorial Library
The Miner Memorial Library provides a variety of services free to students. For the services they offer, their hours of operation and other helpful information, go to www.library.kcc.edu
Course Deadlines
Course work is expected on the day it is due.
Participation
This is a college course, and as an adult you are responsible for your participation. In this course participation will be measured by the in-class discussions, projects, and various other instructional strategies. I will be looking at what input you provide to determine a portion of your grade.
| Module | IPTS | Lecture Topics | Assignments and Projects |
| One | Standard 2- Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
| History of Public Education – Where did we begin and how has the American Public Education landscape changed?
ICTS – What you should know about becoming a certified teacher. |
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Standard 8 - Collaborative Relationships
Standard 9 - Professionalism, Leadership, and Advocacy | How is a teacher a diplomat?
What is a “typical” day for a teacher?
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| Two | Standard 3- Planning for Differentiated Instruction
Standard 8-Collaborative Relationships | Introduction to Lesson Planning – The Foundation
Are all Illinois schools created equally? Schools: Haves vs. Have Not’s
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Standard One – Teaching Diverse Learners
Standard 3 - Planning for Differentiated Instruction
Standard 5- Instructional Delivery
Standard 8 - Collaborative Relationships | Do all students learn the same way? Learning Styles – how to develop learning strategies to reach your students.
Can Howard Gardner’s MI Theory help you connect learning with a specific intelligence?
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Standard One – Teaching Diverse Learners
Standard 5 - Instructional Delivery
Standard 7 - Assessment | Illinois Learning Standards, Measurable Objectives and Assessment Types-the important pieces of the educational puzzle.
Authentic Assessment and Rubrics – What resources are available to develop meaningful assignments for students? |
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| Three | Standard 4- Learning Environment | Classroom Management Plan – Rules, Consequences and Rewards. |
Teach Like Your Hair is On Fire/GSTP |
Standard 2 - Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
Standard 6 - Reading, Writing, and Oral Communication | MI Theory Lesson Overview – What you need to know.
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| Standard 2 -Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge | When is the Midterm Exam? How do you prepare to do your best on a formal assessment?
Read the ILS Read your objective statement, correct them! 1. Students will be able to 2. Blooms 3. Make it measurable 4. Explain how they will achieve
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| Four | Standard One – Teaching Diverse Learners | Standardized Testing – What are the assessment types and how are Illinois teachers helping students succeed? |
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Standard One – Teaching Diverse Learners
Standard 3-Planning for Differentiated Instruction | Curriculum Planning – The overall structure of the K-12 instructional plan.
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| Five | School Report Cards – What can they tell us? |
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| Standard 4- Learning Environment | Leadership Styles in the Classroom – What type of teacher will you be? |
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| Six | Standard One – Teaching Diverse Learners
Standard 2- Content Area and Pedagogical Knowledge
Standard 3- Planning for Differentiated Instruction | Multicultural Education – Is it all about food and music, or is there more to it?
Video: ELL Students
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| Legal Issues in Education – Tort Law, Immunities and Defenses |
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Legal Issues NCLB and the reauthorization of the ESEA – how has the Federal Government influenced K-12 Public Schools? |
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College Policies, Resources and Supports
For information related to the Student Code of Conduct Policy, Withdrawal Policy, Email Policy, and Non- Attendance/Non-Participation Policy, please review the college’s Code of Campus Affairs and Regulations webpage, which can be found at catalog.kcc.edu under the Academic Regulations & Conduct Guide.
KCC offers various academic and personal resources for all students. Many services are offered virtually, as well as in person. Please visit Student Resources - Kankakee Community College to access student resources services such as:
- Clubs and organizations
- Counseling and referral services
- Office of disability services
- Student complaint policy
- Transfer services
- Tutoring services, etc.
The materials on this course are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for purposes associated with this course. Further information regarding KCC's copyright policy is available at https://kcc.libguides.com/copyright.
|Course syllabus/calendar is subject to change.