Northeastern State University

College of Liberal Arts

 

Fall 2008 syllabus for

COMM 5133 Strategies for Teaching Speech

COMM 4503 Speech Methods

MC 4503 Teach Mass Communication Techniques in Secondary Education

(last updated 08.20.08)

 

Instructor: Amy Aldridge Sanford, PhD         

Office:  351 SH (Tahlequah Campus)                Ext.:  3608

E-mail: aldridga@nsuok.edu (This is the best way to contact me)         Office Hours:  See Contact Info on webpage.

Facebook:  Amy Aldridge Sanford

 

Class Meetings:  12:30-1:45, TTh, SH 204

 

Your professorÕs philosophy of education:  I am a facilitator of learning.  The participants in any given classroom enter with different paradigms and truths.  I aid in the exploration of those truths.  I do NOT believe that the instructor is THE holder of Truth; therefore we must all participate to co-construct knowledge and create synergy.  When a student starts to feel uncomfortable in his/her existing paradigm that means s/he is growing as a scholar.   My desire is that all of my students feel the joy of discomfort from time to time.

 

Grading Philosophy:  I prefer intrinsic motivations, and therefore, am not a fan of letter grades.  I believe this extrinsic reward is too often the only motivation for students to complete assignments.  A college education should be viewed as a privilege and an opportunity to become learned and scholarly.  However, until there is a better system, grades will be assigned in this class.  Work that meets the minimum requirements of an assignment, is completed on time and displays average involvement with the course content is deserving of a ÒC.Ó  Higher grades are awarded to work that goes above and beyond the minimum standards to produce papers and presentations that reflect superior intellectual effort, excellence in critical analysis and overall creativity in the approach towards any given assignment.  In other words, grades are earned in this class.  An ÒAÓ is attainable but will require more than minimal effort.

 

Catalog Description for COMM 5133:  Recent trends in teaching speech communication.  Includes a description of the units that may be included in a speech communication course and various methods that may be employed in presenting these units.

 

Catalog Description for COMM 4503:  Problems and methods of teaching speech in secondary schools.  Examines curriculum development, lesson planning, and instructional strategies with special emphasis on the building and directing of a speech extra-curricular activity program.

 

Catalog Description for MC 4503:  Familiarizes students with various techniques (including new and contemporary approaches) used to teach mass communication skills in secondary schools.  Prerequisite:  6 hours of mass communication or permission of instructor.

 

ATTENTION PRE II CANDIDATES:  You must be observed by a member of the speech faculty (preferably twice) during your Pre II internship.  Please see me about arranging this.

 

Documents of Interest:  Language Arts PASS Objectives and Oklahoma Competencies

 

First Day of Class: What Can/Should We Do? Can be found at http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/firstday.htm

The Most Important Day: Starting Well can be found at http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/dayone.htm

101 Things You Can Do the First Three Weeks of Class can be found online at http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/101thing.htm

Learning Outcomes:

      Consider options for curriculum development and requirements in communication studies and/or mass communications;

      Develop goals and objectives appropriate for secondary education students;

      Explore options for classroom presentations, discussions, activities and assignments;

      Examine assessment and evaluation techniques; and

      Explore options for professional development.

 

The learning outcomes will be realized through a variety of instructional strategies.  Those strategies include, but are not limited to, the following:  discussion, demonstration, inquiry and group activities.

 

Required Text for speech credit:

Marrs, Carol.  (1992).  The Complete Book of Speech Communication:  A workbook of ideas and activities for students of      speech and theatre.  Colorado Springs: Meriwether Publishing Ltd.  ISBN:  0-916260-87-9.

 

**IÕm still looking for a good text for people taking this for mass communication credit.  If you find one, please let me know.

           

Supplies:

1.      Portfolio—three-ring binder, tabbed dividers, and plastic sleeves;

2.      Crayons, markers, and/or colored pencils


 

Attendance:

An attendance sheet will be passed out at the beginning of every class period.  NOTE:  You are absolutely, positively 100% responsible for signing the attendance sheet each class period.  If you are late, you must get the sheet and sign it after classÉ ÒI forget to sign itÓ or ÒIÕm sure I was thereÓ will not be sufficient to document your attendance at the end of the semester.

 

The emphasis on performance and participation in this class requires close attention by students and the instructor to attendance.  You are allowed three hours of unexcused absences (i.e., three unexcused absences for a MWF class, two unexcused absences for a T Th class, or one three hour session in the summer or with an evening class).  For every hour of unexcused absence over the limit, 2% will be deducted from your final grade.  Absences will be excused only under the following circumstances:

      Absence while under a doctorÕs care (written documentation required).

      Absence due to participation in an authorized college activity (advance notification and written documentation required).

      Absence due to attendance at legal proceedings requiring your presence (advance notification and written documentation required).

      Absence due to the death or serious illness of an immediate family member (written documentation required).

I consider an excused absence one in which the absence is beyond your control. (For example, the time of a check up or a dental appointment can be controlled).  I will not excuse an absence in which you have to take somebody else to the doctor, hospital, dentist, court, etc.  That is why I give you the three unexcused absences.  Use them wisely.  I think good attendance is very important.  Documentation is due by the last day of classes before finals week.   An excused notes will only excuse one day of absence unless a memo is attached explaining why multiple dates should be excused.

 

Outline of Course:  I will model the type of behavior and instruction that I expect you to exhibit as teachers.  I will often share with you lesson plans that I have used in my own secondary and post-secondary classrooms.  I invite you to use these materials in your own classrooms.  You will have opportunities to act as students, teachers and mentors as you take this course.  After I share lesson plans, you will exhibit your comprehension of the material with presentations, discussions and written assignments.  Most major assignments are worth 100 points each.

 

Section 1:  First days of school

Expected activities:  name tents, letters, Legos

Expected assignments:  icebreakers, Me Maps, essay

 

Section 2:  Organization and delivery of speeches (a lecture to steal)

Expected activities:  brainstorming, mindmapping, and outlining; some hand-outs IÕve collected over the years; maybe a video or two

Expected assignments:  grading rubric, VA lessons and quizzes based on those lessons

 

Sections 3:  Syllabus/Unit plans

Expected assignments:  syllabus and presentation of unit plans

For those of you who are education majors, I strongly urge you to use the lesson plan and unit plan templates supplied by the College of Education at http://www.coe.nsuok.edu/lesson_plan_guide.htm

 

Sample Lesson Plans:  Color Poems and Proverbs

 

**guest lecture on classroom management/discipline:  local administrator

 

Section 4:  Job Search (another lecture to steal)

Expected assignments:  rŽsumŽ and cover letter

 

**guest lecture on OSSAA:  Jessica Matthews?

 

Section 5:  Portfolios

Expected assignments:  philosophies, portfolios

 

Quizzes: There may periodically be quizzes over the reading assignments and lectures.  Quizzes are typically worth 10 points.  Your lowest quiz score will be dropped.  Quizzes cannot be made up—no matter the reason for the absence.  If a student misses the quiz as a result of a university-authorized absence, the missed quiz will not be calculated in the studentÕs final grade.  This policy is in compliance with Section 10.242 in the NSU Faculty Handbook.

 

Grading:

Your grade for this course is based on a point system.  Each assignment is worth a set number of points.  To determine a letter grade for each assignment, calculate 10% of the points and subtract accordingly.  For example, on an assignment worth 75 points, 67.5-75 is an ÒA,Ó 60-60.44 is a ÒB,Ó etc.

 

Missed/Late Assignments:

Written Work:  If I allow you to turn in late work, there will be a penalty.  For each class session that an assignment is turned in late, you will be assessed a penalty of 10 points for that particular assignment.

E-mailing assignments/computer problems:  You will need to submit most of your assignments in hard copy.  On occasion, it will be possible to submit assignments via e-mail.  Please note:  your computer breaking, printer not working, etc. will never be accepted as an excuse for late work.  It is your responsibility to begin work early enough to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.  In addition, e-mailed work is recorded as Òturned inÓ according the time stamp in the introduction to your message.  ÒI got your address wrongÓ or Òmy e-mail wasnÕt workingÓ will not be accepted as reasons for late assignments.

Presentations:  If you miss an assigned speech, we may not have time to allow you to present it later.  If you know you are going to miss an assigned speech, trade speaking dates with someone in the class, and let Amy know about the change.  Failure to make a presentation will result in a zero for that assignment.

 

Plagiarism:  According to WebsterÕs New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (1983, 2nd Ed.), to plagiarize is Òto steal or pass of ideas or words of another as oneÕs ownÉto use created productions without crediting the sourceÉto commit literary theftÉto present as new and original an idea or product derived from an existing sourceÓ (p.1371).  Students in this course will be responsible for authenticating any assignment submitted to the instructor.  If asked, you must be able to produce proof that the assignment you submitted is in fact your own work.  Therefore, it is recommended that you engage in a verifiable working process on assignments.  Keep copies of all drafts of your work, make photocopies of research materials, write summaries of research materials, keep logs or journals of your work on assignments and papers, learn to save drafts or versions of assignments under individual file names on computer diskettes, etc.  In addition to requiring a student to authenticate his/her work, the instructor may employ various other means of ascertaining authenticity—such as engaging in internet searches, creating quizzes based on student work, requiring students to explain their work and/or process orally, etc.

 

NSUÕs policy on Academic Misconduct (from http://www.nsuok.edu/policies/academic/misconduct.html): Academic misconduct includes cheating (using unauthorized materials, information, or study aids in any academic exercise), plagiarism, falsification of records, unauthorized possession of examinations, intimidation, and any and all other actions that may improperly affect the evaluation of a studentÕs academic performance or achievement, or assisting others in any such act or attempts to engage in such acts. Academic misconduct in any form is inimical to the purposes and functions of the University and therefore is unacceptable and prohibited.  Any faculty member, administrator or staff member may identify an act of academic misconduct and should report that act to the department head/college dean, Vice President for Academic Affairs or administrative supervisor.  Students violating the standards of academic honesty are subject to disciplinary action including reduction of a grade(s) in a specific course, assignment, paper, or project; a formal or informal reprimand at the professorial, dean, or academic vice president level; expulsion from the class in which the violation occurred; expulsion from a program; or expulsion from the University.

 

Class Grievances:

I am willing to meet with you to discuss our class and/or particular assignments.  I ask that you please wait 24 hours after you have received a graded assignment to come see me.  Before we discuss your work, you are required to type out a document detailing what particular elements of your work you feel merit discussion. 

 

Students with Disabilities: If any member of the class feels that he or she has a disability and requires special accommodations, of any nature whatsoever, I will work with you to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in this class.  Please advise me of such disability and the desired accommodations at the close of the first class period.  Students with disabilities who need accommodations to achieve course objectives should visit the Office of Student Affairs, Ext. 2120.

 

Class Participation: You are expected to attend class regularly and be prepared so that you may intelligently discuss assigned material.  Proper preparation means reading the assigned chapters and completing daily assignments.

 

Classroom Climate:  This is not a classroom where you will go comfortably unnoticed.  This is a dynamic learning environment.  Amy will know your name and you will know your classmates.  In order to foster this, it is encouraged for you to sit in different areas of the room and with different people.  This is especially important during the first few week of class.  The success of this course is directly related to the sense of community that we will develop in this classroom.  Participation is essential to this process.  I encourage you to share your views and listen to those of others.  Debate and discussion are an important part of the learning process.  While there will no doubt be disagreements, I expect the members of this community (including myself) to challenge ideas in a manner that reflects respect and recognition of opposing viewpoints without attacking individuals.   

Inclement Weather/Disaster Policy:  The following are basic premises for the inclement weather policy at Northeastern State University:

1. Classes are expected to be held if at all possible.2. It is the student's responsibility to receive the information when weather is questionable.3. Neither students nor faculty are expected to risk life or limb.4. Faculty members are obligated to hold classes if the University is not closed, unless the faculty member is unable to get to campus.

Policy: During times of inclement weather, decisions concerning day classes will be made by 6:00 a.m. in order for the media to be notified and for students to receive the announcement before they leave home. Decisions concerning night classes will be made by 3:00 p.m.

The following media will be notified regarding closing of the campus: 



Radio Stations

Television Stations

KRMG 740 AM Tulsa

KJRH Channel 2 Tulsa

KAYI 107 FM Tulsa 

KOTV Channel 6 Tulsa

KTLQ 1350 AM Tahlequah

KTUL Channel 8 Tulsa

KEOK 102 FM Tahlequah

KFSM Channel 5 Fort Smith

KBIX 1490 AM Muskogee

Cable Channel 96 Tahlequah

KMMY 97 FM Muskogee

 

KVOO 1170 AM Tulsa

 

The automated attendant message on 918-456-5511 will be modified to include information concerning campus operations during inclement weather.

 

Common Courtesies:

      Please turn all cell phones/pagers on silent while you are in class.  Check your messages AFTER class and return the calls then.

      Do not pack up before I dismiss you.  You never know when I may say something important or give a last minute assignment.  YouÕre going to want to have that pen and paper handy.

 

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