Naturally, much of this course content is in the cloud and accessible via your syllabus and Laulima.
Strongly and Highly Recommended Text (for anyone interested in being an effective teacher):
Wong, H. (2009 or any edition) The First Days of School: How to be an Effective Teacher.
*Note the text can be purchased online by selecting this link.
Before you buy this book ask yourself one question: "Do I want to be an effective teacher?" If the answer is yes, buy this book. This "textbook" is really a "workbook", "professional guide", and "idea maker." It was given to me on my first day of teaching (though I wish I had read it earlier!). Most teachers respect this text as an "easy read" that is "full of great ideas." If you want to become a good classroom manager and effective educator, this is the place to start! Just pick it up for a couple of minutes a day and read just a couple of pages, and I promise your knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for classroom management will change.
Assignments are accepted ONLY via Laulima. No emailed assignments will be accepted. Assignments must be able to be opened by the instructor. That means an acceptable file format or a working link or hyperlink. All assignments unable to be opened by the instructor will be returned for no credit. You are always allowed to resubmit.
YOU ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT A VARIETY OF SUBMISSION FORMATS. YOU CAN CREATE BLOGS, PPT, YOUTUBE VIDEOS AUDIO, AND SCREEN CAPTURES, TO ACCOMPANY YOUR WRITTEN DOCUMENTS AND TEXT. THAT SAID, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A TOTAL OF 4,000 WORDS TOTAL ACROSS THE CURRICULUM.
Be a self-disciplined “active listener and learner”. Belong.
Being prepared with written work and completed reading assignments and participating reflectively in discussions and activities. Know something.
Respecting and supporting other people. No one exists alone.
Understanding that in everything you do or say, you are modeling values, attitudes and behaviors that impact the lives of others. Community spirit.
Persevering to achieve personal mastery. Become Yoda.
Demonstrate professional development. Evolve as a professional.
Demonstrate commitment to intellectual pursuits. Enjoy learning.
Attendance is the key to learning anything from an instructor. These commitments should not be taken lightly. Be present in your life.
Be a good student. Don't forget the basics.
If you are feeling lost or overwhelmed…
Speak up or reach out - You may not be the only person with the same concern, and we all benefit from working questions out together.
Contact me - You are welcome to email me anytime, or better yet, call me. Many questions and issues can be resolved this way.
Get to know the Campus Community - There are many people who get paid by the state to help you succeed. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Use the Writing Center - The Writing Center is a free and valuable resource for students. Writing Center consultants can help you with writing and reading assignments and study skills, including time management, organization, and note-taking. The Writing Center also offers workshops and handouts to help you succeed in college. You can visit the Writing Center on the 2nd floor of the Learning Commons or call 455-0409 to make an appointment.
You need to complete one assignment and one forum per week.
All assignments should be in .pdf file format. I will accept doc or .docx. Go to "save as" and you should have an option to save as .doc or .pdf. (Feel free to be creative and use youtube, .mp4, or .jpg if the assignment can be better done using technology.)
We do not accept assignments via email. Please submit all the assignments through Laulima.
Get organized. This course requires some time, focused attention, discipline, and commitment. We want you to be successful, but you will have to earn it.
Be efficient with your assignments.
I do my best to send out weekly reminders, so please read weekly reminders. This usually occurs on a Monday and a Friday. It might be a motivational message, and it might just be a simple to-do list. Either way, it's just to encourage you to set aside some time for learning. As a manager, I know that this little bit of encouragement can increase my student's opportunities to learn, and so, I choose to do it. I also know that routines will increase learning, so please start to get yourself into one!
As we begin this course, take some time to understand how things are structured (i.e. Read the Syllabus) before you go into the modules. Once you become familiar with how you operate in this class, much of the disorientation and confusion will go away and you can channel your enthusiasm, energy, and efficiency towards the work and learning. As you begin, please read the following. Remember, a little more time invested up front with understanding and planning can go A LONG way to increase learning and success.
Be Prepared - Please be prepared to regularly commit time to this class. This class is not "HARD", but it is "CONSISTENT". Some people say it’s kind of like a slightly downhill marathon. Long, but not overwhelming. Becoming "EFFICIENT" with time and procedures can make all of the difference. This is one of the most important skills as a manager.
You are encouraged to begin a weekly routine for this course which will consist of learning some content, and then completing a forum and completing an assignment. In most weeks, you should expect 8-12+ hours of work for this course. That said, you will find you can complete tasks in less time as you become efficient and use all the tools at your disposal. But you may also find that engagement and certain tasks may take you a little more time.
Be Independent - In our own teaching, we want our future students to be independent and take time to navigate through a learning process on their own. Have you ever heard a classroom teacher say to students "ask 3 before me"? Meaning, ask three others and if you still donʻt know the answer - ask the teacher. This is to build independence in our young learners.
Let that be a reminder to the value of independent learning and modeling that behavior. We know this is week one and we expect there to be lots of questions. Before you ask though, please make sure to read through Syllabus, guides, modules thoroughly before you check in. Continue to explore, you may surprise yourself that you can answer your own questions if you take the time to read the syllabus, the modules, and the rest of the Laulima site.
Navigate Consistently and Regularly - When navigating the course, please make sure to start with the MODULES. This includes the home page, syllabus, schedule, and scoring guide. Make sure you know how to navigate the course website, and then check out the Modules page. This inevitably makes the course "easier" when you have a routine of how to approach it. Recognize that after the first couple of weeks, you will have your approach.
Be mentally prepared - Your commitment will create an opportunity for your success.
Communicate with the instructor as issues arise.
We do not accept assignments via email. Please submit via Laulima, as only these submissions will be graded.
Be prepared to learn. Learning is about exploring or setting up opportunities. Your brain will do the rest!
Read the syllabus and scoring guide to know your responsibilities (one forum AND one assignment per week).
Check your emails regularly, as well as Homepage and Announcements for relevant information.
Always thoroughly read the modules and text. Your text is extremely relevant to course content and will help you grow.
Complete the weekly forum in the Forum tab and read all directions.
Complete the weekly assignment in the Assignments tab and read all directions.
Submission Format - All assignments should be in .pdf file. Go to "save as" and you should have an option to save as .doc or .pdf. (Alternatively, we will accept .doc or .docx, youtube link, .mp4, or .jpg) If the assessment is not
Submission Location - I DO NOT ACCEPT ASSIGNMENTS VIA EMAIL. Please submit all the assignments through Laulima.
Course Commitment - This course requires time, focused attention, discipline, and commitment. Get organized. We want you to be successful, but you will have to earn it. Plan on 8-12 hours per week for this class. ONE ASSIGNMENT AND ONE FORUM PER Module!
Course Routine - Be efficient with your process and work. Create a routine for yourself.
Read the syllabus and course assessment schedule to figure out what needs to be done.
Check Week 1-5 for access to content, forums, and assignments.
Check the webpage for introductions, concepts, and content.
Complete the forum.
Read the instructions and rubric for the assignment.
Read the rubric for the assignment.
Complete the assignment.
Submit the assignment.
Read the Directions - This one's a classic and for good reason. I do try to make sure that the directions are thorough. This way when you read them, you should know what to do.
Consult the Rubric (when available) - Rubrics should provide you with information about what we I am looking for or expecting you to do. I usually write mine linked to the actionable items in the assignment description. Therefore, you will know exactly what it is we are assessing you on. Learn how to read them. You will be able to "grade yourself" before you turn work in. Finally, the feedback you receive from me on your performance will be directly related to the rubrics, and I will continue to refer you to them.
Use detail over length (when appropriate) - Explain exactly what you mean when you say something, as this is often referred to as getting to the point. It will often be easier and shorter. Try not to be vague or general in your communication. There is no need to be long-winded, just accurate and think about adding some supporting evidence or details and learn to use the words FOR EXAMPLE.....
Vague and unclear (Example) - I saw a movie yesterday afternoon at the theater with a friend. Or, I will donate money to charity.
Clear and concise - Yesterday around 2:00 pm, I went to go see X-men: Days of Future Past at Ward Center with my cousin Angela. Or, I would like to donate $2,000,000 to UNICEF so that they can keep the TAP clean water project going.
Assessment Design & Submissions - Forums are very much focused on identity and concept development. They are the best place to start most Modules. They are often a gateway into the weekʻs assignment.
Course-based assignments focus on identity and concept development, practical skill development, critical analysis, and field based-observations. These assessments are linked to the course outcomes, the learning characteristics, and directly to the content in the modules.
All Assignments should be submitted in pdf. (whenever possible).
All must be in a universal file format .docx, .ppt, .pdf (preferred), .mp3, .mp4, working www link, etc.
You are encouraged to create your work in a variety of submission formats. You may create blogs, ppt, youtube videos, audio files, and screen capture, websites, mind-maps, pictures, and models when appropriate.
Assignments are accepted only via Laulima.
We do not accept emailed assignments.
Assignments via email or in an unacceptable file format will be returned for no credit with an opportunity for resubmission.