Guiding a Practicum in Language Arts and Mathematics

During the fall semester of their senior year, interns took TE 401, which provided an introduction to methods of teaching language arts and mathematics to diverse learners. In language arts and mathematics, they were introduced to:

Depending on the grade level and classroom, they likely had some opportunities to begin to use the information learned. For example, seniors typically plan and teach one lesson in both subject areas. Some spend time working individually with children, while others begin to help with classroom routines. Others work with small groups or try out assessment tasks. With limited time spent in the classroom, irregular interaction with their collaborating teachers, and varied learning opportunities, seniors still have much to learn about teaching language arts and math by the end of fall semester. During spring semester of the internship, TE 803 and TE 804 will help them recall, extend and apply their prior learning.

During fall semester of the internship year, CTs and interns, with advice and direction from the field and course instructors, will create "practicum" experiences that will gradually support interns in planning, teaching and assessment in language arts and math. The practicum activities (described below) will be completed during a portion of the 3 hours per week of field time allocated for the 10 weeks that TE 801 and TE 802 meet. Interns may use up to 2 hours per week (of the 6 hours available) for math and literacy practicum activities.

The practicum experiences should be designed to serve as a bridge between the experiences gained in last year's TE 401 and those to come in this spring's TE 803 and TE 804. Since language arts is such a vast subject area, the CT and intern will decide jointly what will be the primary focus during the fall months. In math, the topics that are taught during the fall months and the topics likely to be taught during the spring semester guided lead teaching will be the focus of practicum work.

The practicum experiences will focus on three areas (not necessarily in this order):

Focus Area # 1: Guided observations. Interns will make guided observations of their CTs teaching language arts and math, as well as observing for ways in which language arts and/or math are integrated into teaching of science and social studies. These observations may focus on the teaching of lessons and/or implementation of assessments. The elements that should be included in guided observations are listed below:

• During a pre-lesson conference the CT will describe his/her goals for the lesson (or purpose of assessment), choice of materials and strategy, thoughts about learners at this developmental level, specific adaptations for individual students, and so on.
• The CT and intern will also decide on a particular focus for the observation and the intern will take notes during the observation. The following are available in the Guide to the Elementary and Middle School Internship to assist making choices about a focus for observations and formats for taking written notes. CTs and interns may also create their own format for taking notes.
  • You Know You are Teaching for Understanding When (see Co-Planning in Mentoring Practices section)
  • Frameworks for Planning and Conducting Classroom Observations (see Focused Observations and Debriefing in Mentoring Practices section)
  • Providing Written Feedback (see Mentoring Practices section)
• The CT and intern will set aside a time to debrief about the content and skills being taught, teaching strategies used, children's thinking, and so on. The intern's written notes will be used as one possible focus for the debriefing session. (Also see "Focused Observations and Debriefing.)

The purpose of these observations and conversations is to discuss an experienced teacher's thinking and reasoning behind the observed practices, and see what the practices look like in action. For instance, during their senior year, interns learned about ways to facilitate discussions about literature and mathematics that incorporate open-ended questions that stimulate higher level thinking. This year, they need additional experiences in observing such discussions conducted by their CT to hear the types of questions asked, and how the CT uses students' ideas to promote further discussion.

Focus Area #2: Gradual involvement in teaching and assessment. CTs and interns will also identify and carry out a planned sequence of experiences that will gradually get the intern involved in teaching and assessment. For instance, seniors learned in TE 401 about various strategies for teaching phonemic awareness in the lower grades and teaching reading comprehension strategies across the grades (e.g., activating prior knowledge; identifying main ideas and themes; creating visual and sensory images; drawing inferences; retelling and synthesizing; using fix-up strategies). In mathematics, seniors learned in TE 401 about how to develop math lessons that have children experience mathematical ideas in concrete, bridging and abstract forms. The interns' fall semester practicum involvement should extend and build upon their previous TE 401 experiences.

A key part of planning for and reflecting on teaching is assessment. Interns learned about a variety of approaches to assessment during their senior year (pre-assessment, ongoing assessment, and formal assessment), but it is unlikely that they will come to their internship with experience implementing various assessments at their current grade level.

• CTs and interns will identify specific lessons (or brief series of lessons) to be taught, specific strategies and materials the intern wants to try using. The intern will pre-assess, develop written plans using the Lesson Planning Guide, and teach the lessons(s). Similarly, they will identify particular assessments that the intern wants to learn to administer and the intern will make necessary preparations for them.
• The CT will make guided observations of the intern's teaching (or administration of assessment), following the same process the intern engaged in when observing the CT: have a pre-conference; select a focus for the observation and a format for taking notes; debrief after the lesson is over, using the written notes to focus the conversation.
• Based on the intern's readiness, additional lessons, assessments, and guided observations will be scheduled.

When the intern is not teaching selected language arts and math lessons or assessing, s/he should continue to assist in the classroom as necessary and conduct and discuss focused observations of the CT's teaching.

Focus Area #3: Learning about the language arts and mathematics curriculum. While CTs and interns are using the Unit/Lesson Planning Guide to co-plan units for science and social studies, they will discuss the "big picture" for those subject matter areas and familiarize themselves with the district curriculum. Interns need to do the same investigation of the math and language arts curricula and resources so that they are ready to take the lead in co-planning and co-teaching units for spring semester guided lead teaching.

• Interns will look at language arts and math textbooks, teacher guides, library and technology resources, and so on to understand how their practicum teaching and guided lead teaching fit within a year-long curriculum.
• CTs and interns will identify target areas for the intern's January planning in preparation for spring semester Guided Lead Teaching, and use that information to make decisions about experiences the intern should engage in for Focus Areas 1 and 2 (above).

College of Education | MSU | Department of Teacher Education | Team 2 |