2009 Winter Retreat:
Fostering Theory-Savvy Teacher Intellectuals
Friday, February 6, 2009 -- MSU Writing Center, 300 Bessey Hall, 9:00 to 4:00.
Goal:
Sharpen language arts methods courses by effectively integrating theory into instruction and fostering teachers as independent and critical thinkers who are: knowledgeably creating meaningful curriculum; questioning out-dated, ineffective methods; regularly undertaking research in their own classroom; informed about educational and disciplinary politics; empowered to speak out; and, informed activists addressing classroom, school, and educational issues.
Welcome: Introductions & Announcements
Current English education issues
Presentations and Discussion of Language Arts Methods Courses
"Negotiating Our Syllabi: Exploring What It Means to Educate Democratic Citizens" -- Lindsay Ellis (GVSU)
“Class Wiki as Reflection Tool” -- Troy Hicks (CMU)
“A ‘Solution in Hierogylphic’: Curricular Transmediations and Student Inquiry in the English Methods Course” -- John Staunton (EMU)
“Examining the 'Popcorn Reading' Strategy and Discussing the Need to be Reflective,
Thinkers, Researchers, and Practitioners” -- Cecile Somme (LSSU)
“The Unfamiliar Genre Project: How Do We Teach Empathy?” -- Cathy Fleischer (EMU)
“Teaching Theory: The Big Ideas” -- Nancy Patterson (GVSU)
“Preservice Teachers as Professional Writers: Training Preservice Teachers to Be Institutional and Community Agents” -- Ellen Cushman (MSU)
“Toward Self-Directed Teacher Research” -- Samantha Coughlin (MSU)
"Theory and Practice: Helping Students Develop Metacognitive Awareness" -- Nancy Joseph (Oakland)
“Shaping Beliefs into Theories and Practices” -- Doug Baker (EMU)
“Student-Teacher, Teacher-Student: A Freirian Approach to the Methods Course” -- Allen Webb (WMU)
First and most obviously, we're preparing candidates to become reflective thinkers and teachers, ones who will hopefully continue to build theory/practice frames. What are those key areas in our field? What general frameworks are we employing to orient students to particular ways of thinking about teaching English? By understanding more about what we're teaching and why, we are preparing our students to better talk with others (teachers, policymakers, administrators, etc.) about the theories and practices we introduce to teacher candidates in our methods courses. – Doug Baker
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