Special Course Notice - In your best interest, this website and resources are being compiled by two teachers, researchers, and teacher preparation professionals, Dr. Michael Cawdery & Dr. Brina Domingo. We have worked together for several years. We can bring you relevant and valuable knowledge and information through our combined efforts, knowledge of local schools, the broader national educational landscape, and classroom experiences. 

We are excited to share with you what we see as the Foundations of Education in American Society, with an unapologetic Hawaii-centric viewpoint, because we know it best having lived and worked in Hawaiʻi, but also because we deeply respect the land and people. Any information shared in this course can be used to draw connections to other places and social structures. And we very much hope you do so if that is your worldview and reality. 

Brina Domingo, Ed.D - WWW - Spring 2025

Assignments & Assessments - All Assessments have scenarios, instructions, learning prompts, requirements, expectations, guidelines, and rubrics aligned with course SLOs.

Modular & Assessment Calendar - The following calendar shares important information about each week for this semester. Additional information can be found on the course website. 

Module 1 - Respecting Students Lives & Community 

Module 1, Week 1 - The History of Education 

• Framing Question - How has the history of education impacted schools today?

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 1.1 - Me & My History of Education - Due 01/19

Module 1, Week 2 - The Sociology of Education 

• Framing Question - What do we know about students' sociodemographics, socioeconomics, and school inequality? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 1.2 - School Case Study Part I - Community Profile - Due 01/26

Module 1, Week 3 - The Modern and Contextually Bound Student 

• Framing Question - What contextual aspects of society influence students and their learning?

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 1.3 - School Case Study Part II - Student Profile - Due 02/02

Module 2 - Purpose of Education & the Learning Environment 

Module 2, Week 4 - School Values - The Purpose of School

• Framing Question - How are schools developed, for whom, for what purpose, and leading to what outcomes? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

  • Weekly Assessment 2.1 - School Values - Due 02/09
    
    

Module 2, Week 5 - School Values - Nā Hopena A'o & General Learner Outcomes 

• Framing Question - What values are most important to public schools in Hawaiʻi? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

  • Weekly Assessment 2.2 - Hā & GLOs - Due 02/16

Module 2, Week 6 - School Values - Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

• Framing Question - In what ways does students' SEL contribute to academic learning? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 2.3 - School Case Study Part III - School Profile - Due 02/23

Module 3 - Classroom Aims & Pedagogical Decisions

Module 3, Week 7 - Standards & Curriculum

• Framing Question - How and why do standards inform the curriculum in our classrooms? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 3.1 - Classroom Decisions - Part I - The Purpose of Instruction (Academics & Standards) - Due 03/02

• Extra Credit - Mid-Semester Evaluation - Due 03/02

Module 3, Week 8 - Instruction

• Framing Question - Why do we use diverse instructional strategies in the classroom? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 3.2 - Classroom Decisions - Part II - Diverse Instruction - Due 03/09

Module 3, Week 9 - Student Behavior 

• Framing Question - What are some classroom management strategies, why do we choose them, and how do they support learning? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 3.3 - Classroom Decisions - Part III - Managing Behavior - Due 03/16

Module 4 - Professionalism, Ethics, Reflection & Evaluation 

Module 4, Week 10 - Ethics of Student Support 

• Framing Question - What do we do, as teachers, when we find a student struggling with learning? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 4.1 - Professional Learning - Part I - Supporting All Students - Due 03/30

Module 4, Week 11 - Professional Expectations & Reflection

• Framing Question - What am I responsible for doing and demonstrating as a teacher and professional, and to whom? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 4.2 - Professional Learning - Part II - Professional Expectations - Due 04/06

Module 4, Week 12 - Teacher Growth and Professional Learning

• Framing Question - How and why should I consider improving my systems and practices? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 4.3 - Professional Learning - Part III - Instructional Observation - Due 04/13

Module 5 - Expressing A Working Educational Philosophy 

Module 5, Week 13 - Developing A Sense of Purpose

• Framing Question - What foundations of education influence my practice? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 5.1 - Your Educational Philosophy - Part I - Purposeful Service - Due 04/20

Module 5, Week 14 - Developing Intentional Instructional Practice

• Framing Question - What instructional strategies do I use, and why? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 5.2 - Your Educational Philosophy - Part II - Effective Instruction - Due 04/27

Module 5, Week 15 - Committing to Professional Learning

• Framing Question - How do I plan to learn professionally? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Weekly Assessment 5.3 - Your Educational Philosophy - Part III - Becoming a Professional - Due 05/04

• Weekly Assessment 5.4 - Educational Philosophy Paper (Put all 3 parts together) - Due 05/04

Module 6 - Final Evaluations 

Finals, Week 16 - Peer, Course, & Self Evaluations

• Framing Question - How did I perform, and what can I learn from my experiences? 

• Reading - Online Support Materials

• Final Assessment 6.1 - Peer Analysis - Due 05/07

• Extra Credit - Course Evaluation - Due 05/07

• Final Assessment 6.2 - Self Evaluation - Due 05/07

• Final Assessment 6.3 - Professionalism - Due 05/07

Module 1 - Respecting Students' Lives & Community (Focus on Students) 

CLO 1 - Describe the diversity of students and its impacts on schools.

Module 2 - Purpose of Education & the Learning Environment (Focus on School Environments)

CLO 2 - Examine various educational models and the role of schools in communities and with government. 

Module 3 - Pedagogical Aims & Classroom Decisions (Focus on Curriculum & Instruction)

CLO 3 - Analyze teacher practice and decision-making.

Module 4 - Professionalism, Ethics, & Reflection (Focus on Evaluation & Learning)

CLO 4 - Explore the professional and ethical complexities of teaching. 

Module 5 - Expressing An Educational Philosophy (Focus on Theory into Practice)

CLO 5 - Synthesize foundational elements of education into a personal philosophy of education and teaching. 

Module 6 - Final Learning & Evaluations (Focus on Continuous Improvement & Metacognition)

CLO 6 - Evaluate professional learning of pre-service and in-service teachers and educators. 

Submission Format - All assignments should be in the .pdf file. Go to "save as," and you should have an option to save as .doc or .pdf (Alternatively, I will accept .doc or .docx, youtube link, .mp4, or .jpg, but PDF is preferred).

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 succeed, but you must earn it. 

Read the Directions: - This one's classic, and for good reason.  I make sure that the directions are thorough. This way, you should know what to do when you read them.  

Consult the Rubric (when available) - Rubrics should provide information about what I want or expect you to do.  I usually write mine linked to the actionable items in the assignment description. So you will be able to know exactly what I am assessing you on. You can learn how to read them. You can "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) - Please try to explain exactly what you mean when you say (or write) something. This is often called being clear and concise or getting to the point. It will usually be more accessible and shorter than being longwinded. Your communication will be more straightforward to your audience when you are clear and specific. There is no need to use too many words, but you want to be sure to be accurate and think about adding some supporting evidence or details as you learn to use the words to explain your perspectives and experiences. 

Vague and unclear 

• Example 1 - I saw a movie with a friend yesterday afternoon at the theater. 

• Example 2 - I will donate money to charity. 

Clear and concise

• Example 1 - Yesterday at 2:00 pm, I saw X-men: Days of Future Past at Ward Center with my cousin Angela. 

• Example 2 - I would like to donate $2,000,000 to UNICEF so that they can keep the TAP clean water project going and consider encouraging the US NAVY to thoughtfully and effectively address the Red Hill situation.  

Contact Info - Please contact your instructor with the information on their syllabus or on the Laulima site.