Week 1 (Jan.23, 2007)
Agenda for today
Learning community building
Course overview
Next week
Top 10 reasons why taking EDU651
Reason 1: I have to
 Reason 2: I have to
… …
 Reason 10: I have to
……
Gee, do I have to!!!

Wish List
Get an A if not an A+
 No stress
 No readings.
 No lectures…
 Writing? Tell me what to write and show
me how, or you write it for me

Why this course
My Teaching Philosophy
What do I believe
The goals of College Education
Broaden students’ intellectual horizons
 Provide a moral compass
 Develop critical thinking
 Develop both hubris and humility
 knowledge and skills to earn a living
 Promote character and integrity

Why this course
Asking questions about education in general
Asking questions about your own classroom
teaching in specific
Brainstorming…
Hot Topics
School Homework?
 Constructivism?
 High-Stakes Assessments?
 Full Inclusion of Disabled Students?
 Computers
 Home Schooling
 Bulling, school Violence, Zero-Tolerance
Policy?

My Teaching Philosophy

I strongly believe the social-cultural
perspectives of learning. Instruction is
more effective when it takes form in
discussions or dialogues in small groups
wherein learners interact with peers and
teachers who challenge, support, and
scaffold their learning.

I expect you participate in both small
group discussion and whole class
discussion.
My Teaching Philosophy (cont.)
I measure the value of a student not by
aptitude, but by a desire and motivation
for learning.
 I measure my success not by popularity,
but by the progress of my serious
students. I will consider myself a
successful teacher if these students know
that they are more knowledgeable and
better thinkers because they have taken
my course.

Developing a Goose Sense of
Community

The Goose Story
This spring
when you see geese
heading north for the summer
flying along in a "V" formation, you
might be interested in knowing what science
has discovered about why they fly that way. It
has been learned that as each bird flaps its
wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately
following. By flying in a "V" formation,
the whole flock adds at least 71%
greater flying range
than if each bird flew on
its own.
People who share a common direction and sense
of community can get where they are going
quicker and easier, because they are traveling on
the thrust of one another.
Whenever
a goose falls out
of formation, it suddenly
feels the drag and resistance
of trying to go it alone, and quickly
gets into formation to take advantage of the
lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If
we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay
in formation with those who are headed the
same way we are going.) When the lead goose
gets tired, she rotates back in the wing and
another goose flies point. (It pays to take turns
doing hard jobs - with people or with geese
flying north.) The geese honk from behind to
encourage those up front to keep up their
speed. (What do we say when we honk from
behind?)
Finally
(Now I want
you to get this),
when a goose gets sick,
or is wounded by gun shots
and falls out, two geese fall out of
formation and follow him down to help and
protect him. They stay with him until he is
either
able to fly or until he is dead, and then they
launch out on their own or with another
formation to catch up with the group.
(If we have the sense of a goose, we will
stand by each other like that.)
Classroom Guidelines and Expectations
Bring with you a positive attitude and
enthusiasm to the class every Tuesday
evening.
 Be punctual (3 points bonus).
 Refrain from side-conversation.

Shufang Shi
Homepage
http://web.cortland.edu/shis
EDU651 Course Website
http://web.cortland.edu/shis/651
Course Overview
Syllabus
 Outcomes: EDU652 Master Theses and
EDU651 Research Proposal
 Assignments and Due dates

For next week

1.
2.
Lib time and WebCT
Bring one article
Post a bio on WebCT next Tues.
Bio posted to WebCT




Your full name, where are you from? Your
major.
Where do you teach or substitute teach
or work?
Who are the significant others in your
life? (Pets are people too)
Your strong point and weak point
Readings for next two weeks