1.   Knowledge of Student
2.   Content Knowledge, Educational Theories and Instruction
3.   Classroom Management and Assessment of Instruction
4.   Personal Reflection and Growth
5.   Life-Long Learning and Collaboration

NATIONAL BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS (NBPTS):

INTERSTATE NEW TEACHER ASSESSMENT AND SUPPORT CONSORTIUM (INTASC) STANDARDS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:  

This course includes an examination of a wide variety of children's literature, across cultures, ethnicities and genres. Students will read, analyze and share pieces of children's literature. The emphasis is to help the student develop an understanding of the literary and curricular value of children's literature, as applied to knowledge of child growth and development, children's interests and ways to motivate children to enjoy and appreciate literature.

Back to the top

LEARNER GOALS/COURSE OBJECTIVES:  

The student will:

1.   Read children's literature from countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North and South America.
2.    Recognize sources of children's literature such as libraries, private collections, other teachers, etc.
3.    Develop an understanding of criteria for evaluating children's books:  plot, theme, characters, dialect, style, genre, etc.
4.    Develop an understanding of children's literary needs and interests.
5.    Develop an understanding of varieties of media adaptations of children's stories.
6.    Understand and practice the elements of good storytelling and reading aloud.
7.    Develop an appreciation of the universality of children's literature.
8.    Develop a knowledge of various classifications of children's literature.
9.    Understand how to illustrate a story using props.
10.    Develop an appreciation of the cultural themes of stories from around the world.
11.    Develop an appreciation for the many ways in which children can participate in story and poetry presentations.

Back to the top

LEARNER OUTCOMES:  

The student will:

1.   Utilize varieties of media adaptations of children's stories.
2.   Demonstrate an understanding of children's literacy needs and interests.
3.   Demonstrate elements of good storytelling and reading aloud.
4.   Appreciate the universality of children's literature.
5.   Write reports on books from among various classifications:  fairytales, myths, poems, epics, Caldecott winners, Newbery winners, etc.
6.   Illustrate a story using props.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCEDURES and NEEDS:  Class sessions may consist of lectures, class discussions, guest speakers, class presentations, audio and video presentations, and various other individual and group learning activities. If a student is in need of additional and/or special instruction, he/she is strongly urged to contact the instructor as soon as possible so those needs can be accommodated. Any and all legitimate needs will be taken seriously and kept confidential. Students are expected to be active participants. The role of the instructor is to be the facilitator and conveyor of knowledge and cultural heritage through children's literature.

Back to the top

ATTENDANCE:   The student is expected to attend class each class session. Each student will be allowed one free absence (not to be taken on a prearranged testing date or on a day when he/she is expected to make a class presentation) during the semester. Excessive absences will result in a student being dropped from the class (ex: anyone with 10 absences, anyone who has missed 6 consecutive classes). Excused absences are at the discretion of the instructor. The university's policy in regard to awarding of credit will be followed as it relates to class attendance. Special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, medical emergency) that will cause a student to miss class will be reviewed by the instructor on a case-by-case arrangement. Regardless of the circumstances, a student is expected to complete his/her required course work. If the absence is pre-excused, any work due is to be handed in before the absence. With an excused absence, any work due is to be made up within one calendar week. Points will be deducted for all late work. If you come to class after roll has been taken, you will be counted absent for that day. If there is a valid reason you cannot make it on time (coming across campus does not count) please talk with me after class.

If you are scheduled to do a presentation and you don't come to class that day or come unprepared (barring an emergency), you will not be allowed to make up that assignment.

PARTICIPATION: You are to come to class prepared to participate in discussions, class activities, and lectures.

TEACHING METHODS: Lectures, class discussions, written assignments, demonstrations, group work, readings, one-on-one assistance, etc.

COURSE ASSESSMENTS: Assessments will include written and oral book reviews, incorporating children's literature into teaching lessons, written tests, class presentations, participation, and attendance.

Back to the top

Projects:

Book reviews                                               150pts

Read aloud story                                           10pts

Caldecott oral report                                    10pts

Tell a story                                                    10pts

Illustrated story                                            20pts

Newbery oral report                                     10pts

Chapter project                                             80pts

Challenged book review                               10pts

Field experience                                            20pts

Class attendance                                           10pts

Class participation                                        10pts

Final Exam                                                     80pts

A = 378 - 420

B = 336 - 377

C = 294 - 335

D = 253 - 293

F = 252 and below

Plagiarism: This is a very serious offense and will be taken seriously in this class. One definition of plagiarism is: "taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own. This includes such violations as submitting someone else's paper or presentation as your own work, not providing adequate citations and references for the ideas of others, or misquoting the words of an author." From Ryan Watkins & Michael Corry, E-Learning Companion: A student's guide to online success., New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2008, p.44. You are to do your own work at all times. This includes your book review summaries. If your summaries are taken from a classmate, you will both receive a zero on those reviews for the first offense. If it happens again, you will both receive a zero for all reviews. If you take your reviews from the web, you will receive a zero for the first and a zero for all reviews if it happens a second time. The excuse that there is so much on the web that your review will match one of them will not work!!!

Back to the top

ASSIGNMENTS:

You MUST register at the library no later than the beginning of the second week of class.

During this course I will be using Moodle to make assignments, send messages, and record grades. MAKE CERTAIN YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN MOODLE IS CORRECT!

You will be required to complete a total of 30 book reviews. The form of how to set up your book reviews as well as the information required can be found on the Children's Literature webpage (http://oak.oak.edu/childlit/kidlit.htm) and Moodle. You are to choose stories that fit the Genres listed in the Book Review Guide, stories submitted under the wrong Genre will receive a zero. Book reviews will be due throughout the semester to help relieve the pressure of handing them all in at one time, both for your benefit and mine. The due dates for these reviews can be found on the class schedule. Any review submitted late will lose one point for each day it is late (You may turn them in early). To help insure that you will receive full points for all of your reviews, have someone check them for errors before you submit them. Each review will be worth 5 points for a total of 150 points and are to be submitted in Moodle.

A total of five book presentations are required. One read aloud story, 10 points; one Caldecott oral report, 10 points; one tell-a-story, 10 points; one illustrated story, 20 points; and one Newbery oral report, 10 points. If you are unable to give your reports on their scheduled day, unless you have an excused absence, 1 point will be deducted for each day you are late. If you have an excused absence and you do not give your report on the day it was rescheduled, you will lose 2 points for every day it is late. Information on these presentations can also be found on the Children's Literature webpage and in Moodle.

As a class, we will create two groups that will have the job of giving a recommendation for a challenged book. This project will be worth 10 points.

Everyone will be required to teach one chapter from the text, The Riverside Anthology of Children's Literature. This project is worth 80 points. If you are unable to teach on your given day, you MUST notify me two days prior to your lesson. Failure to do this will result in your not being able to make up this portion of your grade.

Everyone will be required to complete at least one field experience which will be worth 20 points.

There will be a final exam, worth 80 points.

The final 20 points, for a total of 420, will be divided into 10 points for attendance and 10 points for participation.

Throughout this class we will also be doing group projects and activities that are aimed at helping to familiarize you with ways to incorporate Children's Literature across the curriculum as well as demonstrate different teaching methods.

Updated August 15, 2011

Back to the top