Future Educator's Pathway - Foundations of Education CP

A comprehensive exploration of the dynamic world of pedagogy and learning. Throughout this engaging journey, we will delve into the history of education in the United States, tracing the evolution of teaching methods, philosophies, and institutions from colonial to modern times.

Regarding practical application, this course will equip you with the fundamental principles of effective lesson planning. Discover the art of crafting engaging and impactful learning experiences that cater to diverse learning styles and foster meaningful comprehension.

Explore the relationship of curriculum development, instructional strategies, and assessment techniques that form the backbone of successful pedagogy. We will also incorporate field trip experiences to help expand our lesson-planning repertoire!

NEW OPPORTUNITY: Students who are enrolled in this course are eligible to enroll in the NEW Teaching Internship course offered ONLY at Westlake HS. Want to learn more? CLICK HERE!

This class is the intermediate course of the pathway. It is open to 10th-12th graders. The recommended prerequisite is Child Development. However, other courses that prepare students for this class include CP Psychology/Sociology and AP Psychology.

Foundations of Education

Course of Study

Unit 1: Teaching as a Profession

Credentialing Requirements
TPEs
Soft Skills
History of Public Education
Guest Speaker(s): District Administrator, Induction TOSA, Credentialing Specialists, Student teacher (new teacher)

Unit 2: Regulations & Codes

Mandated Reporting
CPR/First Aid Certifications
Structure of a School District - Career exploration
Significant Laws Affecting Teachers
- FERPA
- Ed Code
- ADA - Section 504; IDEA
Guest Speaker(s): District Administrator, Special Educator, School Psychologist

Unit 3: Theories of Development & Learning

Review of child development domains - physical, cognitive, social-emotional
Cognitive Theories
- Piaget’s Theory of Cognitive Development
- Vygotsky’s Theory of Sociocultural Development
- Bloom’s Domains of Learning
- Jerome Bruner’s Theory Of Learning And Cognitive Development
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Theories of Intelligence
  - Sternberg
  - Gardner
- Kolb’s Experiential Theory
Behaviorist Theories
- Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning
- B.F. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning

Unit 4: Early Childhood Education - Preschool/TK

Standards & Regulation
History of Early Childhood Education
Observation of Children
Schools of Thought
- Montessori
- Waldorf
- Reggio
- Importance of Play
Planning and Developing Lessons for Preschool
Guest Speaker(s): Preschool Teacher/Director, CLU Professor - Teresa Nunez

Unit 5: Basics of Lesson Planning

Learning Objectives
Role of Assessments
Age-appropriate instructional strategies
Incorporating social-emotional learning
Guest Speaker(s): SEL TOSA, Elementary TOSAs, Teresa Nunez, Elementary Teacher

Unit 6: Standard-based Education - ELA Standards (K-2)

Introduction to Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
Science of Reading Instruction
Reading Standards - Literature, Informational Text, Foundational Skills
Writing, Speaking & Listening, and Language Standards Explored
Creating an ELA Lesson plan for K-1st students
Guest Speaker(s): Teresa Nunez, Reading Interventionist, Elementary Teacher

Unit 7: Standard-based Education - Math Standards K-2

Introduction to the CCSS Math Standards
K-2 Math instructional strategies
Create a K-2 math lesson
Guest Speaker(s): Retired Math teacher - Bobbi Wooldridge, Math interventionists?

Unit 8: Content Standards (K-5)

Introduction of NGSS and Social Studies/History Standards
Integrating content standards with CCSS
Create a lesson in a content area integrating CCSS
Guest Speaker(s): elementary teacher, high school teacher

Unit 9: Secondary Education

Middle School vs. High School Education
Single-Subject Credentialing
Teaching Adolescents
Partnering with a High School Teacher - developing a lesson plan in a single-subject class