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Ecse 352 Williams Hoffman f2018 Syllabus
Ecse 352 Williams Hoffman f2018 Syllabus
Instructors:
TOWSON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION MISSION: To inspire, educate, and prepare facilitators of
active learning for diverse and inclusive communities of learners in environments that are technologically advanced.
CATALOG DESCRIPTION: Supervised clinical internship in the primary classroom is a beginning practicum
experience in a kindergarten, first, second or third grade inclusive classroom in a public school setting. Interns are
required to participate two days per week. This course is taken concurrently with ECSE 351. Prerequisites: Open only to
ECSE majors; compliance with admission standards; consent of department chair.
REQUIRED TEXT: All interns enrolled in ECSE program coursework are required to have an active Tk20 by Watermark
account. TU’s College of Education uses Tk20 by Watermark as a comprehensive online data management system for all
activities in programs leading to certification for teachers or other school personnel. All signature assessment
assignments, internship evaluations and other identified documentation must be submitted through the student’s Tk20
account.
CONCENTRATION STATEMENT: When completing projects and/or assignments in this course, TU students should
select or will be assigned topics/observations which focus on the educational level of P-12 students in their declared area
of special education concentration, e.g., infant/primary, elementary/middle or secondary/adult.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES: The purpose of this course is to apply and practice the knowledge and skills
necessary to plan and implement developmentally appropriate curriculum in the primary inclusive classroom. Topics will
include developmentally appropriate practice, small group activities, group activities, organizing the learning
environment, assessment.
6. Professional Learning and Ethical 9. Professional Learning and 2. Building family and community
Practice Ethical Practice relationships
Listed below are the specific course objectives and the specific alignment to the professional standards that are addressed
by the course.
Upon completion of this course, students will have knowledge of and be able to demonstrate behaviors and competencies
as described below:
Implement lesson plans in different subject areas that incorporate diverse learning experiences in the inclusive
primary classroom (CEC 1, 3 & 5; InTASC 2, 4 & 7; NAEYC 1 & 5)
Reflect on your own experiences as a teacher/learner as a means to better develop your own beliefs about
becoming an early childhood professional. (CEC 6; InTASC 9; NAEYC 6)
Use resources to seek to understand how primary language, culture, and familial backgrounds interact with the
individual’s exceptional condition in the primary inclusive classroom. (CEC 1; InTASC 2; NAEYC 1 & 3)
Implement long-range individualized instructional plans anchored in both general and special curricula in the
primary inclusive classroom. (CEC 1, 3 & 5; InTASC 2, 4 & 7; NAEYC 1 & 5)
Modify instructional plans based on ongoing analysis of the individual’s learning progress. (CEC 1, 4, & 5; InTASC
2, 6, & 7; NAEYC 1 & 3)
Use a range of assessment strategies, both formal and informal. (CEC 4; InTASC 6; NAEYC 3)
Attendance/Participation: Interns are expected to participate in every internship day. Absences will only be
considered for extreme emergencies (e.g. death in immediate family, natural disaster, medical emergency requiring
hospitalization, and/or medical emergency with doctor’s note). In the event of an emergency, interns are expected to
contact their university supervisor via email and mentor teacher, via telephone and email, IMMEDIATELY to determine
an appropriate course of action. Absences require documentation upon the day of return to the school placement.
In the event of illness or an emergency that will result in an absence, interns are responsible for delivering all lesson plans
and materials to the school. Arrangements need to be made in advance for delivery of lesson plans and materials to the
mentor teacher in the case of illness or emergency. Interns should consider identifying a network of colleagues for such
situations.
Interns are expected, at minimum, to follow the teacher work hours for the schools in which they work. If an intern is to
be delayed arriving to school, the mentor teacher and principal is to be contacted immediately and notified of (1) the cause
of the delay and (2) the approximate time of arrival to school. The intern will also notify the university supervisor on the
day of the late arrival of the situation by email.
Early dismissals will not be granted except in the case of extreme emergencies. An intern must have permission from
the mentor teacher, school principal, and university supervisor if leaving before teacher duty hours. Missing one or more
internship days (without being excused and accompanied by appropriate documentation) will result in a lowering of the
course grade and possible removal from the internship. Please refer to the Academic Undergraduate Catalog to view
university policy for excused absences which can be viewed at http://catalog.towson.edu/undergraduate/academic-
policies/class-attendance-absence-policy/. Below are specific grade deductions that will be administered as per unexcused
absence(s).
Attendance will be logged on Tk20 and will be reviewed by the mentor teacher by the end of each
placement rotation.
Web-Enhanced Course: All students will be required to maintain a Tk20 by Watermark account. Students will log
on to the account to log hours and complete necessary course requirements as outlined in this syllabus. Students will be
required to access Blackboard frequently throughout the semester to obtain updates, handouts and resources.
Email Communication: All electronic communication regarding this course will be through the student’s Towson
University email account only. All email communication to the instructor will be written in a professional format.
Emails will contain a professional greeting and complete sentences which will be free of spelling errors
and grammatical mistakes. Unprofessional emails will not be addressed by the instructor.
1. Dress appropriately at all times. When you are participating in the internship, you are representing Towson
University and professionalism is expected in your dress, attitude, and manner.
2. Arrive at school on time and do not leave early. On your internship days you have one objective: to successfully
fulfill all responsibilities to your classroom. This objective takes precedence over all other activities or
commitments.
3. Develop a cooperative spirit with your mentor teacher. He or she is a wealth of experience, information, and
insight. Since you have much to learn, use the school-based personnel in a manner that will make your experience
productive and successful. Ask questions and listen carefully to answers.
4. Respect the privacy of teachers, staff, and pupils in school relationships and refrain from disclosure of confidential
information.
5. Establish good interpersonal relationships with all school personnel. Learn the names of the administrative
assistants and other school personnel. Become a team member and learn how the school works as a community.
Look for ways you can take initiative and offer help.
6. Respond to constructive criticism in a positive manner: as an educator, you will spend a lifetime giving
constructive criticism to your students and receiving it from your peers and supervisors.
Academic Integrity Policy - Honesty & Behavior Policy: All students are expected to adhere to the Student Code of
Conduct which can be accessed via this link - http://www.towson.edu/studentaffairs/policies/conduct.html
Students in this course are expected to exhibit academic integrity at all times. Plagiarism and cheating are unacceptable
behaviors. Plagiarism is defined in the TU Student Academic Integrity Policy as “presenting work, products, ideas, words,
or data of another as one’s own. Indebtedness must be acknowledged whenever:
1. One quotes another person’s actual words or replicates all or part of another’s product. This includes all
information gleaned from any source, including the Internet.
2. One uses another person’s ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories, even if they are completely paraphrased in
one’s own words.
3. One borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials.” (p. 03-01.00 – 2).
In addition, the Policy states that “[a]s responsible members of the academic community, students are obligated not to
violate the basic standards of integrity. They are also expected to take an active role in encouraging other members to
respect those standards. Should a student have reason to believe that a violation of academic integrity has occurred,
he/she is encouraged to make the suspicion known to a member of the faculty or university administration. Students
should familiarize themselves with the university’s policies, procedures, and definitions of types of violations” (p. 03-
01.00-1). The TU Student Academic Integrity Policy can be found online at
https://inside.towson.edu/generalcampus/tupolicies/documents/03-
01.00%20Student%20Academic%20Integrity%20Policy.pdf
Course Repeat Policy: In accordance with university policy, a student may not repeat this course more than once
without prior permission of the Academic Standards Committee.
Writing Standards: The standard format for any written work in the College of Education is APA (6th ed.), unless
otherwise indicated by the instructor. If you are unfamiliar with APA, it would benefit you to purchase the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.) and to access the Towson University Library site which
provides a summary of this referencing information. You can access tutorials to learn APA format at
http://apastyle.apa.org/learn/. Also, the Cook Library has helpful resources related to APA available on their website at
http://cooklibrary.towson.edu/. All work produced outside of class must be typed and in APA (6th ed.) format, unless
otherwise noted.
You are also expected to use person first language, (Correct: “student with a disability;” Incorrect: “disabled student”).
See http://www.inclusionproject.org/nip_userfiles/file/People%20First%20Chart.pdf
APA Statement: American Psychological Association (APA) Formatting and Style: The standard format for any written
work in the College of Education is APA, unless otherwise indicated by the instructor. If you are unfamiliar with APA, it
would benefit you to purchase the Publication Manual of the APA (6th ed.).
While the additional resources may be helpful, they should not be considered a substitute for directly consulting the APA
manual (6th ed.).
The Department of Special Education at Towson University recognizes the importance of diversity in the development of
the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required of professional educators. Each course within the department provides
students in teacher preparation programs with various information, activities, and assignments to guide them in
developing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions that will enable them to work within diverse communities.
MSDE Institutional Performance Criteria for Diversity: Programs prepare professional educators to teach a diverse
student population (ethnicity, socio-economic status, English Language Learners [ELL], giftedness and inclusion of
students with special needs in regular classrooms).
a. The program provides instruction to, and assesses proficiency of, teacher candidates in developing and implementing
integrated learning experiences for diverse student
b. The program provides instruction to, and to assesses proficiency of, teacher candidates in planning instruction,
adapting materials, implementing differentiated instruction, and to provide positive behavior support for students with
disabilities in an inclusive classroom
c. The program provides instruction to, and assesses proficiency of, teacher candidates in how to differentiate instruction
for English Language Learners (ELL)
d. The program provides instruction to, and assesses proficiency of, teacher candidates’ in how to differentiate instruction
for gifted and talented students
e. The program provides instruction to, and assesses proficiency of, teacher candidates in how to collaboratively plan and
teach with specialized resource personnel
Within ECSE 352, ways of developing the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions are reflected in course content
related to supports and services designed to support students of varying needs and through emphasis related to the types
of support provided.
Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance: Towson University is committed to providing equal access to its
programs and services for students with disabilities, in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and
the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Disability Support Services is the office designated to provide reasonable
accommodations to students with disabilities. Students seeking accommodations must identify themselves to
DSS, request an appointment to discuss their needs, and provide DSS with up-to-date and complete
documentation of their disabilities. DSS determines what accommodations are reasonable on a case-by-case basis,
taking into account the student’s disabilities and needs, nature of learning tasks, course standards and essential
requirements of the program of study, and educational environment. Students seeking accommodations: A memo
from Disability Support Services (DSS) authorizing your accommodation is needed before any accommodation can be
made. Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with DSS, 7720 York Road, Suite 232, 410-704-2638 (voice) or
410-704-4423 (TDD). Students who expect that they have a disability but do not have documentation are encouraged to
contact DSS for advice on how to obtain appropriate evaluation – http://www.towson.edu/dss/. Students are
encouraged to register with DSS as soon as possible after admission to the University to ensure timely
provision of services.
DSS Statement for Field Experiences/Internships: If you are a student with a disability, please be aware that you
may request accommodations for a field experience. A field experience accommodation may more closely resemble a job
accommodation rather than an academic accommodation. Field experience accommodations require advance
planning. If you will be participating in a field experience, plan to discuss whether accommodations will be needed by
contacting the DSS office as early as possible.
To summarize: If you are a student with a disability and believe you may need accommodations for this course, please
notify me with a memo from Disability Support Services (DSS). Since accommodations are not retroactive, it is strongly
recommended that you provide me with notification as early as possible in the term. To register with DSS, or if you have
questions about disability accommodations, contact Disability Support Services at 410-704-2638, or visit the DSS office in
the Administration Building, Room 232.
Instructor/Student Conferences: It is assumed all students will be successful in this course. The university supervisor is
available for individual conferences with students during the time indicated on this syllabus or by appointment. If you feel you
Course/Instructor Evaluation Procedures: Student evaluations play a crucial role in the delivery of this course. All
course evaluations will be administered online during the last two weeks of the course. You will receive an email with a
link to the website with directions on how to access the survey. It is vitally important that you complete the survey, as the
results are used to modify the course and assess our teaching. The University also uses the results to address technology
and facility needs. You can be assured that your responses will be confidential. The results will be transmitted to me after
the grading period and will not include any identifying information. Any questions regarding these procedures governing
its distribution and completion may be directed to Dr. Betsy Neville, Chairperson, Department of Special Education, 410-
704-4984.
GRADING POLICIES
Withdrawals: Withdrawals must be done by the date designated in the Towson University undergraduate catalog. The
dates for Add/Drop and Withdraw for the current semester can be found at http://www.towson.edu/registrar/calendars/.
Failure to withdraw by the designated date will result in a grade of “W” on you permanent academic transcript.
Incomplete (I): Please note that the grade of (I) is assigned at the end of the term because of verifiable medical reasons
or for other documented circumstances beyond the control of the intern. Unless the course is completed within the 180
days, the grade becomes an F unless changed to another letter grade. It is the responsibility of the student to make
arrangements to complete course requirements to change the grade of I. Please refer to the Towson University
Undergraduate Catalog.
Due Dates: Students are responsible for preparing and sharing all lesson plans and lesson related materials 48 hours in
advance with the mentor teacher for approval.
Late Work: Students are responsible for submitting all lesson plans and lesson related materials on time. The mentor will
document the submission of materials on the Mentor Weekly Checklists.
Concentration Statement: When completing projects and/or assignments in this course, TU students should select or
will be assigned topics/observations which focus on the educational level of PreK-12 students in their declared area of
special education concentration, e.g. infant/primary, elementary/middle or secondary/ adult.
work with mentor to discuss and write IEP Progress Reports and 3rd Party Billing
actively participate in all grade level and collaborative planning meetings with mentor
attend faculty meetings that occur on internship days
attend parent-teacher conferences
attend internship on a consistent basis
dress appropriately according to the TU dress code every day of the week
arrive at placement at a mutually agreed upon time with mentor
demonstrate honesty at all times
demonstrate a positive attitude
communicate needs, responsibilities, concerns and ideas in a professional manner
demonstrate the ability to collaborate with faculty and staff
demonstrate initiative in all aspects of the internship
interact with students in a friendly manner and demonstrate general caring and respect for students of all
abilities and backgrounds
Weekly Mentor Checklists: Attached to this syllabus is a recommended course schedule outlining the professional
expectations of the intern. Each intern needs to share and discuss this schedule with the mentor. The recommended
course schedule will assist with outlining teaching and planning responsibilities throughout the semester. Strict adherence
to the schedule should occur. If the intern does not demonstrate the ability to fulfill the expectations as stated on the
schedule, the university supervisor needs to be notified and, in turn, will hold an initial pre-assistance plan meeting with
the intern and mentor. A formal assistance plan will be written if improvement is not observed. To provide detailed
feedback to the intern and the university supervisor, mentor teachers will complete the Weekly Mentor Checklist on each
Wednesday on Tk20.
On the Weekly Mentor Checklists, interns will receive a rating for dispositions and classroom content. Becoming a
competent teacher is a developmental process; therefore, there is no expectation that interns will start or even end the
internship with the highest rating in every area. See the Weekly Mentor Checklists on Blackboard.
Informal Observations (Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory): Informal observations will occur each time an intern is
visited by the university supervisor. Feedback will be provided to the intern via Tk20. Feedback will focus on planning
and preparation, classroom environment, instruction and professional practice. An assistance plan will be developed for
an intern who is not meeting the expectations of the internship.
Formal Observations (100% of overall grade): Interns will develop and implement four formal lesson plans in their
special education placement using the provided lesson plan format in this syllabus and/or an approved HCPS lesson plan
format specific for each subject. The intern will plan and teach two formal lessons observed by the mentor teacher and
two formal lessons observed by the university supervisor. Once lesson plans are developed, they must be submitted to the
mentor teacher at least 48 hours in advance of actual teaching so the mentor teacher has time to review and approve the
lesson. The lesson plan and copies of all materials including flip charts will be provided in hard copy to
the TU Supervisor and mentor on the day of the formal observation. Identical to the university supervisor, the
mentor teacher will document the formal observation by completing a scoring tool located on Tk20.
In developing the lesson plan, the intern should work closely with the mentor teacher to determine a topic, objective, and
time frame for the lesson. The intern should also consult with the mentor teacher on appropriate activities and curricular
resources before ultimately developing the lesson plan independently.
After each formal observation conducted by the university supervisor, a conference consisting of the intern, supervisor,
and mentor will occur. The intern will be asked questions about the lesson and will be expected to be able to process the
lesson and the students’ formative assessment data. The following are examples of possible questions:
o What did the children learn during this lesson and how do you know this?
o How did the children react to the lesson?
o What information did you gain from the formative assessment?
o What were the most successful elements of the lesson, and why were they successful?
o How did you promote active engagement?
o How did you make this lesson accessible to all students?
o How would you change this lesson if you were to teach it again? Why?
Updated: 8/20/2018 Page 8
Tk20 by Watermark Account
Interns, mentor teachers, and university supervisors will utilize Tk20 to complete and update documents related to the
internship process. All interns are responsible for maintaining required course documents in Tk20 based on the timelines
outlined by the university supervisor. Within Tk20, a variety of templates have been created to allow for ease in
completing these requirements. In some instances, students may also be required to scan and upload forms, if there is not
a template available.
Interns are encouraged to support their mentor by providing support in navigating the Tk20 system. Interns who find
their mentors having difficulty with the process are encouraged to offer a quick tutorial or contact Diane Mello who can be
of assistance.
Interns are expected to log onto Tk20 each week to review the forms completed by the mentor and university supervisor.
Common Core List the standard you will cover in this lesson.
Standard
Modeling Teacher demonstrates the new skill and thinks out loud
Guided Practice Teacher and students practice the new skill together
Differentiation How will you modify the lesson to meet the various needs of your students?
Accommodations What accommodations were given? What IEP Goals were addressed?
IEP Goals
Closure Teacher and students review the objective and what was learned today.
Materials What materials (teacher and student) will be used for this lesson?
Bentzen, W.(2008). Seeing young children. (6th ed). Clifton Park, NY: Delmar Cengage
Learning.
Bowe, F. (2007). Early special education: Birth to eight. (4th ed). Clifton Park, NY: Thomas
Press.
Brett, A. (1995). Technology in Inclusive Early Childhood Settings. Day Care and Early
Education, Spring.
Campbell, N.J., Dobson, J.E. and Bost, J.M. (1985). Educator perceptions of behavior problems
in mainstreamed students. Exceptional Children, January.
Conroy, M., & Clark, D. (1999). Building competence in the use of functional behavioral
assessment. Preventing School Failure, 43, 140-144.
Fuchs, D. & Fuchs, L.S. (1994). Inclusive Schools Movement and the Radicalization of Special
Education Reform. Exceptional Children, 60, 294-309.
Gersten, R., Chard, D., & Baker, S. (2000). Factors enhancing sustained use of research based
instruction practice. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(5), 445-457.
Groark, C. (2008). Evidenced based practices and program for early childhood. Thousand Oaks:
Corwin Press.
Linan-Thompson, S., & Jean, R. (1997). Completing the parent participation puzzle: Accepting
diversity. Teaching Exceptional Children, 30(2), 46-50.
Ramsey, P. (1987). Teaching and learning in a diverse world: Multicultural education for young children. New York:
Teachers College Press.
Smith, T., Polloway, E., Patton, J., & Dowdy, C. (2001). Teaching students with special needs in
inclusive settings. (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Vaughn, S., Klinger, J., & Hughes, M. (2000). Sustainability of research based practices.
Exceptional Children, 66, 163-171.
Suggested Websites
The Division for Early Childhood, www.dec-sped.org
National Early Childhood Technical Assistance System, www.nectas.unc.edu.
Association for Childhood Education International (ACEI), http://acei.org/
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), http://www.naeyc.org/
Program for Infants Toddler Caregivers, www.pitc.org
Technology & Young Children, http://techandyoungchildren.org/index.shtml
Universal Design for Learning, http://www.udlcenter.org/
Council for Exceptional Children, https://www.cec.sped.org/