Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion
New York Campus

PD139	Seminar in "Teaching"
Sherry H. Blumberg


I.  Goals and Objectives

l.  To refine the teaching skills of the participants

Students will be able to review basic teaching skills such as set induction, transitions, closure, giving instructions, planning, stimulus variation, classroom management, communication skills and questioning techniques.

Students will select the skill or skills to be improved and develop (and carry out) a plan for improvement.

2.  To introduce the families of models and the various models of teaching.

Student will be able to read and discuss various methods of presenting a lesson and organizing material.

Students will be able to observe the various methods being used.

3.  To explore one or more of the models in depth and make it their own.
Students will select a model or models to research and present to the class.

Students will be able to critique themselves as they use the model.

4.  To utilize text and other Judaica materials (from their other HUC-JIR courses) in their presentations.

Students will be able to reinforce their studies by using the materials in new ways as they present their models.

Students will be able to synthesize the teaching and Judaica content.

5.  To enjoy the process of teaching and learning in a safe, seminar environment.


 II.  Course Outline


Session 1:  Introduction: How the seminar will work.  What is good teaching?  Is teaching a skill or an art?
Why is a variety of teaching styles necessary?

Joyce and Weil, Chapters 22-25

Session 2:  Basic Teaching Skills Reviewed
Set Induction, Transitions, Closure, Planning, Giving Instructions, Stimulus Variation, Questioning, Communication Skills, Classroom management. Classroom presentation.


Joyce and Weil Chapter l and Skim book

Session 3 and 4: Teaching for Understanding:  Constructivism
Content Analysis intensification
Models of Teaching and Family of Models, Exploring your choices for presentation.

#Plan for improvement of Your Teaching due
*Joyce and Weil Cognitive Processes family

Session 5: Cognitive Family of Models
I will do a model presentation of Concept Attainment,
Advanced Organizer $$

*Joyce and Weil Cognitive Processes family
or book appropriate to model

Session 6: Cognitive Models Continued,
Inquiry Model $$ Inductive Thinking model $$ The Developing Intellect Model $$ or Biological Sciences Inquiry Model $$

Joyce and Weil or Specific book related to Personal models

Session 7: Personal family of models
Confluent Education (my demonstration), Classroom Meeting $$
or Increasing Awareness Model &&

Brown, Introduction and Skim
Appropriate chapters in Joyce and Weil

Session 8: Personal family continued, Synectics $$ and Non-directive learning $$

Appropriate chapters in Joyce and Weil
begin Group Processes, Social Interaction Model

Session 9: Social interaction models, Groups Investigation $$ , Laboratory training $$ or Social studies inquiry model $$

Joyce and Weil appropriate chapters


Session 10:  Social Interaction Models continued, Role playing $$, Jurisprudential model $$

Joyce and Weil behavioral family

Session ll: Behavioral models, Behavior Modification $$, Self Control Model $$

Joyce and Weil appropriate chapters

Session 12: Behavioral models continued, Assertiveness model $$, Mastery Learning/Programmed Learning $$, Simulations $$

Joyce and Weil concluding chapters (26-28 if you did the additional reading earlier or 22-28)

Session 13: Concluding session, The courage to Teach


III.  Assignments

l.  Written 1-2 page analysis of yourself as a teacher with your strengths and weakness (to be included with your
plan for improvement or explored in your journal.

2. Either....
Written plan for improvement of the teaching skill you would like to improve.  Written form should include:
a.  skill's name
b.  How you need to improve
c.  Proposed dates to be observed
d.  Reading you will do
e.  Practice (in class or in your teaching)
or
Journal/Log of Teaching and Observations
3.  Oral presentation of a model or models to the class, using Judaica materials to teach the topic (approx. 20 min.)


4. Written Paper

a.  Written 5-10 page in depth explanation of one teaching model (can be what you did in class) with examples of how you would use the model with different Judaica materials.                      or

b.  Written 5-10 page paper in which you choose a Judaica topic and discuss its presentation in a model from each of the families of models.




IV.  Grading

20% classroom participation and attendance
30% oral presentation of model or models
10% written analysis, plan and evaluation of teaching
30% written project
10% final exam


V. Texts and Reading List

Bloom, Benjamin Mastery Learning.

Brown, George Isaac. Human Teaching for Human Learning.

Bruner, Jerome. A Study in Thinking.

*Cooper, et al. Basic Teaching Skills

Gage,  The Scientific Basis of Teaching

Glasser, Wm. Schools without Failure. 1969 any ed.

*Joyce and Weil.  Models of Teaching.

Levin, Tamar and Long, Ruth. Effective Instruction ASCD, 1981

Parker, Palmer, The Courage to Teach,  1997

Rogers, Carl.  Freedom to Learn.

Shaffel and Shaffel. Role-playing for Social Values Prentice Hall, 1967.