1. Attendance and Participation (15%).

Students are expected to attend all classes (if taking the course face-to-face) and to participate in all class discussions and activities. Both face-to-face and online students are expected to participate in the 3 scheduled online class sessions. See the class schdule for the dates.

For both face-to-face students and those taking the course online through WebCT, each chapter will have a Response Form which will be submitted to the Main Discussion Area for Feedback in WebCT. This response will summarize your reading for the particular week and chapter.

Unscheduled absences must be discussed with the teachers. More than two absences, whether planned or unplanned, will result in a lower final grade.

Required: A computer account at AU or with another ISP (Internet Service Provider); proficiency in working in a Windows environment; ready access to a computer with Microsoft Internet Explorer ( the recommended browser to use ) and an adventurous spirit.

2. Reading Critique - Assignment #1 (10%)

Students will be required to critique 1 article chosen from the 3 listed below. These readings are selected to provide valuable insights into the challenges of supervising instruction.

A Personal Vision of a Good School by Roland S. Barth

Teacher Supervision Moving Towards an Interactive Approach by Fredricka L. Stoller

Getting rid of poor teachers can be a matter of years by Thomas B. Pfankuch

Reports should provide a very brief (1 page) synopsis of the content of the article. The 2nd page of the report should be the students analysis of the ideas in the article and a discussion of how relevant those ideas are to the role of the supervisor of instruction.

3. Student Led Discussions of Case Studies- Assignment #2 (20%)

• Each student will lead out in a class discussion (20-30 minutes) on a selected case study related to a current issue that may confront an educational administrator. Your in-class presentation will also include a Powerpoint presentation of at least 20 slides which will serve to demonstrate your competency with technology. For those taking this class online, the powerpoint presentation together with written notes of the case study must be submitted to the instructor.

• You will summarize one or two problems about the case and you will be expected to provide one or two "solutions." for each of the problems which have arisen. You will be expected to provide a precise description of ALL the issues surrounding the problems. We will use the case studies found at the following sites:

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V4-Iss2/index42.htm Get Rid of Incompetent Teachers, Any Way You can!
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V2-Iss2/principalship.html Interviewing for the Principalship

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V5-Iss1/mouth.htm Out of the Mouth of Babes

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V5-Iss1/V5-Iss2/Hunt_case.pdf Turmoil in the Red Rock School District

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V5-Iss1/V5-Iss2/V5-Iss2%20Fall%202002/Howley_Case.htm When Everyone's vulnerable

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V1-Iss1/hardtimes.html Hard Times in Little City: A Case Study

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V1-Iss2/dayswork.html All in a Day's Work

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V2-Iss3/rolling.html Opportunities for Instructional Leadership at Rolling Ridge Middle School

  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V3-Iss1/mercy.html No Time for Mercy
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V2-Iss1/westlake.html Will the Lemons Continue to Dance?
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V2-Iss2/bayou.html A Football Coach for Bayou Sara
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V2-Iss1/mountain.html Changes at Big Mountain High School
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V3-Iss1/liberty.html Out With the Old, In With the New: Principal Succession at Liberty High
  http://www.ucea.org/cases/V4-Iss2/index42.htm Burnout: Steve Watson's First Year As An Inner City Teacher.

• Presentations will be evaluated based on the processes used to work through the particular case study with the class; the overall effectiveness of the presentation and arguments used and the clarity of the Powerpoint presentation.

4. Portfolio of Materials - Assignment #3 (20%)

• This assignment represents the "practical" side of this course. It is a performance task in which you are expected to collect a variety of materials related to the supervision of instruction.
• You will be expected to collect a minimum of two examples of any 5 of the following policies and provide a one page comparison/contrast of the two different policies gathered from each of the 5 different areas. In your summary you must name the school or district from which you obtained the policy.
  • school board policies on teacher supervision and evaluation.
  • professional expectations for teachers related to their teaching performance.
  • teacher professional growth plan or individual learning plan expectations
  • teacher evaluation instrument as used by a supervisor
  • teacher evaluation instrument as used by a peer/colleague.
  • evaluation instrument as used by a teacher for self-improvement.
  • a professional assistance plan for a teacher who has been placed on "probation"

• A great place to begin collecting this material is from the Internet. Use the Google search engine found here to begin your search. Begin by looking at the key words contained in each category, such as, "teacher profesionla growth plan", "professional assistance plan, etc.

• Here is one site with all the US State Departments of Education http://mav.net/phil/state.shtml
• Here is another site with similar information . http://ideanet.doe.state.in.us/htmls/states.html
• This Web 66 site http://web66.coled.umn.edu/schools.html is the most comprehensive listing of schools and school districts available.
• Montgomery County Teacher Evaluation System http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/personnel/TE/
• Here are some other sites which are very helpful:
• http://www.esu.edu/psed/psed346/syllabus/evalform.html
• http://www.tcsd.org/Staffdev/staffdev.htm
• http://www.sd01.k12.id.us/forms/forms.html
• http://lightning.stvital.winnipeg.mb.ca/policy/A/afcb_gcnb.html
• http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~ncate/stand1/estgindex.htm
• Teacher Professional Growth Plan http://www.cadvision.com/nowlangd/rtf.html
• Broward County http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/novahrd/ness/professional_growth_plan.htm
• Tennessee Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth http://www.state.tn.us/education/frameval/
• http://www.humboldt.edu/~tpss/forms.html
• http://www.math.colostate.edu/greengold/assess.html
• http://ww2.csusm.edu/HR/formspage.dl.html

5. Mid-Term Exam - Assignment #4 (15%)

• The Mid Term Quiz will be on these common terms and will be given on March - Day 9.

6. Final Project - Assignment #5 (20%)

• This Final Take Home Project will be distributed on April 25. It will be due on May 9.