Constructing your own Course Path

There are so many exciting ways to nibble at this course until you personalize it to meet your own needs.

First of all, you will get an opportunity to evaluate your own learning styles and look at strengths in the way you learn and remember facts and ideas.

Second, you get an opportunity to choose a book that offers the best format for learning. The Blackhurst text is very straightforward with few distractions from pictures, inserts, case studies, or personal stories. It is professional and businesslike. The Turnbull book has a very friendly and caring feeling. It is about people, and it provides a sense of how to be a teacher who builds community, supports and nurtures students and the family. The Smith book is based on a more social and humanities perspective. It has a professional and cultural feel to the material. And, of course, no matter how many supports we use, there are some students who buy the text but just can't wade through the density of a text, so there are two workbooks that summarize the information and provide a quick, hands-on approach to understanding the material. If you don't read directions, seldom read a text and feel like you never get much out of long readings, you may want to choose the Smith or Turnbull workbook

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Third, you may be a person who works well in a group or you may really hate group. If you learn best by chatting with others, there are numerous opportunities for chatting, socializing, getting a buddy or two who is also taking the course and really making a nice network. If you want to work alone - do not want group work and do not like trying to do activities together, you may choose to take the Linear Lou or Pensive Pat persona and minimize community building over the web.

Fourth, there are several ways to take exams, including an option where you contract one on one, with the professor, on how you will provide evidence of expertise. You can take an objective test, write essays, do on-site visits, provide video streamed visits to schools. As long as you check with the professor first and get agreement, the sky is the limit.

Fifth, if there are assignments that are not acceptable to you, negotiate to change them so that they are a better learning experience.

Of course, it is crucial that you get your money's worth, that you be prepared to take the next course and able to give students a great learning experience. It is also important that you be able to past state and national teaching exams. But --- there are many ways to gain that expertise, many ways to put rigor into your studies. In this course, we can work together to individualize the learning process and make this a wonderful experience.

Remember:

1. Read the syllabus thoroughly

2. Recognize and utilize your personal learning strengths

3. Negotiate for changes in assignments or testing prior to turning in a changed assignment or test.

4. Assume that the answer from the professor will be some kind of "YES"

5. Get creative and excited about the course

6. Keep track of your assignments, changes and points.

Go back to Frequently Asked Questions

Have a great idea for a new way to bell the cat? E-mail J'Anne Affeld at Janne.Affeld@nau.edu

Course developed by J'Anne & Martha Affeld

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