Classes

ECI 659: Instructional Problems in Junior High/Middle School

Instructor's name

Dr. Yuri Karamov

Office hours and location

Available in person by appointment. Online office hours are held in Blackboard Bb Vista (vista.nau.edu) Thursday afternoons at 4 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (23:00 UTC/GMT).

Telephone

928-523-1234

E-Mail

Yuri.Karamov@nau.edu

Class prerequisites

Admission to the teacher education program. Contact the College of Education for more information.

Class meeting times & location

This is an online class, but we do have one in-person meeting near the beginning of the term. The class will meet face-to-face at the Flagstaff Mountain Campus on Saturday, September 9, 2007 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Room 174 of the Eastburn Education Building (building 27; see the campus map). We also have one live chat session in Bb Vista on Saturday, October 21, 2007 at 10 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (17:00 UTC/GMT).

Class description

This class examines the role of the junior high school and middle school in American education, focusing on philosophy, functions, curriculum, guidance, instructional problems, activities, personnel, and administration of the junior high or middle school.

Student learning outcomes for this class

At the conclusion of this class, you will be able to demonstrate the following skills:

Identify and explain the characteristics and components of middle grades curriculum, considering, accommodating, and integrating the intellectual, physical, emotional, psychological, and social developmental characteristics of middle-grades students. Create curricula that challenge students, demand higher-order thinking skills, are culturally sensitive, and integrate subject matter while also considering the following:

• Instructional concerns
• Students needs, especially for students at risk
• Learning theory
• Teaching and learning in middle grades education
• Grouping practices and classroom management
• Advisory programs and the use of educational technology to enhance middle grades curricula
• Assessment of middle-level instruction
• Historical development and future of middle-level education
• Rationale for middle-level education
• Scheduling middle level instruction and the future of middle grades education

Required textbooks and materials

Evans, D.L. (Ed.). (2005). Taking sides: clashing views on controversial educational issues, expanded. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin. ISBN 0073191531.

Jackson, A.W. & Davis, G.A. (2000). Turning points 2000: Educating adolescents in the 21st century. New York: Teachers College Press. ISBN 0807739960.

Posner, G.J. (2004). Analyzing the curriculum. New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0072823275.

You can purchase these materials directly from the NAU bookstore (1-800-426-7674) or NAU Online Bookstore. You can also order the required textbook from a web source such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, or others.

Recommended textbooks and materials

Benjamin, A. (2002). Differentiated instruction: A guide for middle and high school teachers. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education. ISBN 1930556934.

Jacobs, H.H. (1997). Mapping the big picture integrating curriculum & assessment K-12. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. ISBN 0871202867.

Class policies

Class participation requirements

Participation is defined as posting two substantive discussion comments per week and replying substantively to two of your classmates' discussion postings. Posts should introduce new ideas or elaborate on ideas already under discussion. Posts that simply say "I agree" or "I disagree" are not substantive.

Late assignments

All assignments are due on the designated due dates. You may submit assignments up to 10 days past the due date, but you will lose 10% of the available points per day.

Retests and makeup exams

In extreme situations, such as family emergencies, I will allow students to make up a missed exam. However, makeup exams are allowed only at my discretion, and I decide on a case-by-case basis.

Academic integrity

You may collaborate with classmates on group projects. You may also collaborate with classmates on individual assignments, meaning you can exchange ideas and review each other's work. However, you may not copy each other's work or anyone else's and all quoted or paraphrased material from outside sources must be properly cited according to APA style. You may not collaborate with anyone on exams, and all exam responses must be your own.