Foundations of Education

For the Lesson 5 assignment, you will reflect on the lesson readings and learning activities and write a five- to six-page, double-spaced synopsis paper.  State your reflections on the questions listed below as concisely as possible, using good grammar and correct spelling.  List your references at the end of the paper.  Use headings to identify the topic you are addressing.

Note: Points will be awarded for adhering to specified length (5 to 6 pages, double-spaced), the use of logical and clear writing, proper grammar and correct spelling, and proper APA format for in-text citations and end-of-paper references.

1. The Purposes of Education: Field Research Report
   In this section of your paper, reflect on the following questions and use two to three double-spaced PAGES to address them. Whenever possible, provide personal examples and reference the readings.

Note: If you are not currently teaching, research information from the district or system where you possibly would be teaching in the future.

Field Research: In the lesson’s learning activities, you were instructed to investigate your school or district’s mission statement(s), goals, and any stated educational purposes. Address questions a through h, below:

1. What is/are the mission statement(s) for your school or district?
2. What are the educational goals?
3. Are the purposes of education addressed in either the mission statements or goals?
4. Which, if any, of the major and national goals listed in your text are supported by your school’s or district’s stated mission or goals?
5. In your opinion, are all these elements aligned? (i.e., do the goals support the stated purposes or mission statements?)
6. Are the goals aligned with the curriculum that you are supposed to teach? (i.e., does the curriculum scope and sequence for your content match and support the stated educational goals?)
7. What type of curriculum approach is advocated in your school? A subject-centered approach or a student-centered approach, or some combination of the two?

1. What are the processes used for developing and reviewing the curriculum at your school and/or district? If given the opportunity to comment on these processes, what, if any, suggestions for changes would you recommend?

2. Curriculum & Instruction: Scenario
   In the learning activities, you were presented with a scenario and asked to consider how you would respond to justify your instruction to an administrator and a concerned parent. Re-read the scenario below and use from two-to-four double-spaced PARAGRAPHS to explain how you would justify your unit activity and your student-centered activity-based approach to both parties.  You would probably use different arguments with each.  You may find it helpful to refer to the SOL descriptions for the LS.12 topic at:

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/standards_docs/science/index.shtml

Scenario:

Your school advocates a subject-centered curriculum, but you have tried to take a more student-centered, activity-based approach in your science classroom, while still addressing the content required for the standardized tests. Your administrator has just learned of your extensive unit activity that requires students to consider their family genealogy, pictures of relatives and family artifacts and stories to determine dominant and recessive traits, and differentiate between characteristics that can be inherited and those that cannot be inherited. She is concerned that students are spending too much time on the activity and will not be sufficiently ready for the standardized tests on the subject (SOL Life Science 12).

In addition, you have been contacted by a concerned parent. He asks, “What does this unit project have to do with what my child needs to know to do well on future standardized tests for college?”

3. Curriculum & Instruction: Instructional Approaches
   You were directed to select two of the instructional approaches discussed in your text. You were to choose one approach with which you are familiar and that you have used or experienced before.  The other approach was to be one with which you are less comfortable but feel you would like to incorporate into your instruction. Use one-to-two double-spaced paragraphs to describe how you have or might go about using each method with your content in your classroom.

4. Curriculum & Instruction: Curriculum Trends
   You were directed to select one of the emerging curriculum trends listed in your text that you feel impacts or could impact your classroom practice (currently or in the future). Use one-to-two double-spaced paragraphs to describe how that trend impacts or could impact your classroom practice (either currently or in the future), and comment on why you think the trend you chose impacts or does not impact your basic philosophy of teaching.

START YOUR PAPER BELOW.  USE HEADINGS TO IDENTIFY EACH SECTION OF YOUR PAPER.