ELE 420 Section 3

Practice Teaching in Elementary Education 2017-2018 Spring

Tuesdays, 08.40 – 10.30

Instructor: Instructors of other sections

Dr. Işıl İşler Dr. Çiğdem Haser (Sec 01)
Department of Mathematics and Science Education Mondays, 13.40-15.30 EFA-13
E-mail: iisler@metu.edu.tr, EF 212 Dr. Mine Işıksal Bostan (Sec 02)
Mondays, 13.40-15.30 EFA-32
Office Hours: By appointment

Teaching Assistant
Ayşenur Yılmaz
Department of Mathematics and Science Education
E-mail: akubar@metu.edu.tr, EFA-39
Office Hours: By appointment

Course Aim
Field experience and teaching practice including class observation, adaptation to classroom condition,
planning and preparation for teaching. Guided teaching practice of mathematics in middle schools.

Course Objectives
Practice teaching is a means of providing opportunities for student teachers, under typical conditions in
selected cooperating schools, to obtain experience in observing and participating actively in all the diverse
educational activities in the school.

At the end of the course, you will be able to:

 Demonstrate knowledge regarding different techniques of teaching mathematics.
 Develop and implement mathematics lessons for the elementary school students and be familiar
with classroom management techniques.
 Select and use appropriate instructional strategies and equipment.
 Design and implement activities which promote the development of concepts and problem solving
skills in mathematics, as well as promote positive attitude toward mathematics.
 Understand how elementary school students learn mathematics.
 Be aware of specific mathematics topics taught in each of the grades 5-8 and know where to gather
resources to aid in the teaching of those topics.
 Be familiar with how to assess progress of elementary school students who are learning
mathematics and be able to adjust instruction for students with special needs.
 Use different technological tools to develop elementary school students' understanding of
mathematics concepts.

Required Texts:
Öğretmenlik Mesleği Genel Yeterlikleri: http://oygm.meb.gov.tr/www/ogretmenlik-meslegi-genel-
yeterlikleri/icerik/39
Talim ve Terbiye Kurulu Başkanlığı (2017). Matematik dersi öğretim programı (İlkokul ve ortaokul 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
ve 8. Sınıflar). Retrieved from http://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/Dosyalar/2017717175055350-
02MATEMATIK%201-8.pdf
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Online components
You can find some of the additional course information in ODTU-Class. During the semester I will post
additional information regarding the assignments or other announcements about the course. You may log
in to ODTU-Class system using your METU Id and passwords. Please do not forget to update your profiles
(esp. your e-mail addresses). Please do NOT use Turkish characters in your file names.

https://odtuclass.metu.edu.tr

Grading and Assignments:

Student(s) Report 15 pts

Self-improvement paper 10 pts
Questioning report 10 pts
Student-Teacher Orientation Checklist MUST Attendance to the School MUST
Teaching Process Report 15 pts Attendance to the Class MUST
School Teaching (Including lesson plans 40
In-class participation 10 pts
and reflections)

Participation: You are expected to demonstrate energetic, high quality participation in all aspects of this
course. Your participation in our class activities and discussions is extremely important, not only for
your own learning but also for the learning of others. You are expected to be in class on time and
participate in every class. There will be readings assigned in the class, you are required to have read
them and come to class prepared for the discussion. There will also be in-class activities including
presentations and micro-teaching, you will be asked to take part in these activities.

Course attendance: You may miss the meetings only if you have an official excuse that explains your
absence. Each unexcused class session (2 class hours) absence will result in a reduction of the
student's final course grade by 1 point. After 4 sessions of absence, each unexcused absence will result
in a reduction of 5 points from final course grade. If you miss more than 7 sessions, you will fail.

School attendance: Full attendance is expected to all required classroom visits in schools. The purpose
for field experience is to give you an opportunity to observe and reflect upon teaching. Successful
completion of ELE 420 includes completing a minimum of 6 hours of classroom observation/
participation per week. Teaching at school is obligatory and will not be tolerated and will result in
failure of the course.

Self-Improvement Paper: We expect you to identify three issues about your teaching that you want to
improve and reflect on why and how you are going to improve them through this course. Write an
analysis of the existing situation with this aspect of your teaching behaviors. Your self-improvement
paper should include a clear description of the issues that you identified. Then, write a plan of self-
improvement for this issue in detail. State all necessary information by citing suitable references. (File
name: Surname_Self, 2-3 pages, due date: Feb 18th)

Student Teacher Orientation Checklist: You will be asked to fill in a checklist that helps you get familiar
with the school staff and resources. This will be asked due after the first meeting with the school. (File
name: Surname_Checklist, due Feb 25th)

School Teaching (including lesson plans and reflections): You are recommended to teach at least 24 hours
in school. We will observe two of them to score your teaching and planning. Your master teacher in
the school will also observe you and score your teaching through MEBBİS. Your school teaching will be
evaluated out of two teaching sessions. It will include your lesson plan, your teaching as evaluated by

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 me and the master teacher, and your self-reflection. Details will be determined based on your teaching
opportunities. You are required to meet me and discuss your teaching after you write your reflection.

Questioning Report: You will be asked to note down the questions asked by the teacher(s) you observe and
the responses by the students for a month. Then, pick three of the questions that you think that
exemplify quality questions which lead students to thinking deeply about the content. For each
question, provide evidences of students’ thinking from the responses that they give to the question.
Discuss how the questions lead the students for thinking deeply about the mathematics. (File name:
Surname_Questioning, 2-4 pages, due date: March 25th)

Teaching Process Report: You will be asked to write a report that focuses on teaching after observing a
series of lessons being taught. You will be provided with guiding questions. Please reflect thoroughly
on what you have observed and you will be asked to write a summary about what you have learned
from this experience. (File name: Surname_Teaching, 3-4 pages, due date: April 8th)

Student(s) Report: You will be asked to write a report that focuses on students. You will be provided with
guiding questions. Please reflect thoroughly on what you have observed and you will be asked to write
a summary about what you have learned from this experience. (File name: Surname_Students, 3-4
pages, due date: April 22nd)
Rules:
Format for all your work: In all of your written assignments please follow the following format
specifications:
Font size: 12
Font: Times New Roman
Alignment: Left
Spacing: 1.5
Your student name will appear on the top- left side of the first page.
Under your name you will write the title of the homework.
Academic Ethics: The METU Honor Code is as follows: "Every member of METU community adopts the
following honor code as one of the core principles of academic life and strives to develop an academic
environment where continuous adherence to this code is promoted. The members of the METU
community are reliable, responsible and honorable people who embrace only the success and
recognition they deserve, and act with integrity in their use, evaluation and presentation of facts, data
and documents."

All assignments you hand in should be the result of your effort only. Academic dishonesty, including
any form of cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in failure of the course and/or
formal disciplinary proceedings usually resulting in suspension or dismissal. Cheating includes but is
not limited to such acts as; offering or receiving unpermitted assistance in the exams, using any type of
unauthorized written material during the exams, handing in any part or all of someone else’s work as
your own, copying from the Internet. Plagiarism is a specific form of cheating. It means using someone
else’s work without giving credit. Plagiarism is a literary theft.

Information for Students with Disabilities:

To obtain disability related academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids, students with disabilities
must contact the course instructor and the ODTÜ Disability Support Office as soon as possible. If you
need any accommodation for this course because of your disabling condition, please contact me. For
detailed information, please visit the website of Disability Support Office: http://engelsiz.metu.edu.tr/

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 Tentative Course Assignments and Activities

Weeks
Week 1 Introduction to the course. Overview of rules and regulations.
February 13th Self-Improvement Paper due Feb 18th
Week 2 Orientation to the school. Discuss the issues with your cooperating teacher and fill out
February 20th the checklist. Decide on your teaching schedule with your cooperating teacher.
Student Teacher Orientation Checklist due Feb 25th
Week 3 Discuss with your cooperating teacher about the duties and responsibilities of the
February 27th teachers in the school.
Note down the questions asked by the teacher(s) you observe and the responses by
the students.
Week 4 Note down the questions asked by the teacher(s) you observe and the responses by
March 6th the students.
Week 5 Note down the questions asked by the teacher(s) you observe and the responses by
March 13th the students.
Week 6 Note down the questions asked by the teacher(s) you observe and the responses by
March 20th the students.
Questioning Report due March 25th
Week 7 Observe your teacher and attend to the questions in the Teaching Process
March 27th
Week 8 Observe your teacher and attend to the questions in the Teaching Process
April 3rd
Week 9 Observe your teacher and attend to the questions in the Teaching Process.
April 10th - Teaching Process Report due April 8th
Week 10 Pick one of the class you teach. Observe the students and take detailed notes.
April 17th
Week 11 Pick one of the class you teach. Observe the students and take detailed notes.
April 24th Students Report due April 22nd
Week 12 NO CLASS
May 1st
Week 13 We will reflect on our teaching experiences in school and in what sense they might
May 8th have helped us improve this semester.
Week 14 Say goodbye to your teacher, the students and the school administrators. Thank them
May 15th for all their efforts.
Overview of the course activities. Wrap up and evaluation.