Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 746: Professional Learning and Literacy Leadership – Fall A 2016

Credits - 3

Description

This course will focus on the leadership skills that the professional will need as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach. Specifically, this course will explore the coaching relationship and how to work collaboratively to plan, implement, and supervise literacy programs. Focus will be on facilitating a literate environment, working with literacy in a diverse society, and developing leadership skills. This course will also fulfill the requirements that many states have for course work in Administration and Supervision of Reading and Language Arts Programs.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Materials

Bean, R. M. (2009). The reading specialist: Leadership for the classroom, school, and community. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. ISBN 9781606234068

Additional required reading and viewing materials are provided within the weekly course modules.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

For each course in this program there are overall program goals. Below is a chart of how the overall program goals match the key assessments for this course. In addition, in each module there are smaller learning objectives. These will be specified at the beginning of each week’s introduction along with how these match the broader program goals. This chart will detail the following:

Course Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
Key Assignments
IRA Standards for Reading Professionals 2010: These standards sets forth the criteria for developing and evaluating preparation programs for reading professionals.

Course Objectives	Student Learning Outcome	Key Assignments	IRA Standards for Reading Professionals
Students will effectively communicate as active and contributing members of a learning community in order to deepen understanding of the Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach role.	Communicate and reflect on current school structures surrounding literacy. Discuss options for involving parents as partners in literacy development. Utilize research and peer feedback to revise each section of his/her school wide plan in order to create a comprehensive plan which will provide a pathway to school-wide literacy achievement.	Discussion Board Participation	Standards 1 & 6
Students will formulate appropriate instructional plans based upon individualized student needs.	Create action plan goals for differentiating reading and writing instruction across content areas. Create individualized action plan goals for differentiating reading and writing instruction in a target population of struggling learners,including those who are ESL, from lower SES backgrounds, and those whose culture and/or environments impact learning.	Action Plan Goals for Literacy Development across Grade Level or Content Areas Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers	Standards 2 & 5
Students will demonstrate the ability to serve as literacy leaders who are able to coach teachers in a variety of formal and informal situations for a variety of purposes.	Create action plan steps for a differentiated coaching model which will support all teachers toward improved classroom instruction. Outline professional development, including coaching, to support this plan. Create effective, engaging and authentic professional developmental experiences for a variety of staff members.	Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction	Standard 6
Students will serve as literacy leaders who use their expertise to bring parents in as parters in their chlidren’s literacy development	Discuss options for involving parents as partners in literacy development.	Action Plan Goals for School Policies, Structure, and Culture	Standard 6
Students will address the various components of literacy when planning for instruction.	Create action plan goals for differentiating reading and writing instruction across content areas. Use research to justify components of an action plan as a pathway to success for all learners. Use research to justify components of action plan as a pathway to success for struggling learners. Review and assess existing infrastructure at his/her school including: literacy structures, teaching practices, community opportunities, and policies. Use research to justify the goals, action steps, resources, and evidence of success found within the literacy action plan.	Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers Action Plan Goals for School Policies, Structure, and Culture Action Plan Goals for Literacy Development across Grade Level or Content Areas	Standard 2
Students will address student needs through individualized instruction and model instructional approaches for teachers in a coaching situation.	Create action plan goals for differentiating reading and writing instruction across content areas. Create individualized action plan goals for differentiating reading and writing instruction in a target population of struggling learners,including those who are ESL, from lower SES backgrounds, and those whose culture and/or environments impact learning. Create action plan steps for a differentiated coaching model which will support all teachers toward improved classroom instruction. Integrate professional sources and collegial interaction to adapt and to modify plan. Describe and critique existing professional development models. Create effective, engaging and authentic professional developmental experiences for a variety of staff members.	Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers Action Plan Goals for Literacy Development across Grade Level or Content Areas Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction	Standards 2 & 6
Students will act as literacy leaders and agents of change at the schoolwide level.	Reflect on how and when to adapt infrastructure to best meet the needs of learners. Outline professional development, including coaching, to support a schoolwide literacy action plan. Use research to justify components of an action plan as a pathway to schoolwide improvement.	Action Plan Goals for School Policies, Structure, and Culture Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction Data-based Literacy Action Plan	Standard 6
Students will collaborate with others in order to effectively solve problems related to literacy	Communicate and collaborate within a learning community to share and problem solve. Integrate professional sources and collegial interaction to adapt and to modify plan. Utilize research and peer feedback to revise each section of his/her school wide plan in order to create a comprehensive plan which will provide a pathway to school-wide literacy achievement.	Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction	Standards 1 & 6
Students will create effective, engaging and authentic professional development experiences for a variety of staff members within a district.	Create effective, engaging and authentic professional developmental experiences for a variety of staff members.	Professional Development Assignment	Standard 6
Students will be reflective learners who are able to self-evaluate and self-direct their own learning.	Utilize research and peer feedback to revise each section of his/her school wide plan in order to create a comprehensive plan which will provide a pathway to school-wide literacy achievement.	Discussion Board Participation Professional Development Assignment	Standard 6

Assignments

Weeks 1-8: Class and Grade Level Group Discussions:

Engage with your classmates in an initial discussion about literacy assessment while also introducing yourself. Once you post your response to the prompt you are to respond to posts made by at least two classmates.

Week 2: Action Plan Goals for Literacy across Grade Levels and Content Areas (Visual Representation and Reflection)

Create a visual and reflect on the process of creating researched-based Action Plan Goals for Literacy Development across Grade Levels and Content Areas.

Week 3: Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers (Visual Representation and Reflection)

Create a visual and reflect on the process of creating researched-based Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers.

Week 4: Infrastructure Proposal

Use information about your school’s current infrastructure in the creation of an proposal to suggest changes in infrastructure.

Week 5: Action Steps for a Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction

Utilize course readings and research in the creation of an action goals template and reflection of process.

Week 6: Mini Professional Development Assignment

Develop one of the areas of your emerging Data-Based Literacy Action Plan in the creation of a research-based professional development for professional educators in your school.

Week 7: Data-Based Literacy Action Plan

Making sure to make use of instructor and peer feedback, bring together all of your research and weekly assignments in the creation of a large-scale Data-Based Schoolwide Literacy Action Plan.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Week	Assignment	Points
Weeks 1-8	Class or Grade Level Group Discussions (8 discussions @ 4 Points each)	32
Week 2	Action Plan Goals for Literacy Development Across Grade Level or Content Areas	10
Week 3	Action Plan Goals That Target Struggling Readers and Writers	10
Week 4	Infrastructure Proposal	10
Week 5	Action Plan Goals for Supporting Teachers to Improve Instruction	10
Week 6	Mini Professional Developmentn	10
Week 7	Data-Based Literacy Action Plan	18

	Total	100 POINTS

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00

Schedule

Week

Topic

Activities & Assignments

Dates

8/31-9/4

Introductions and Sharing

Whole Class Discussion

Discussion Due: Sun., 9/4 at 11:59 PM ET

Assignment Due: Sun., 9/4 at 11:59 PM ET

9/5-9/11

Action Plan Goals across Grade Levels and Content Areas