O
MON
FRASER UNIVERSITY Q
Intersession 1999 ?
EDUC 497 - 4 ?
H McAllister
Special Topics: Kids at Risk ?
Office TBA
NOTE: In addition to seminar requirements, students will spend ?
Tel: ?
291-3395
four
olacement.
hours
?
each week at their assigned
Thursday:
classroom
17:30 -21:20
field
MPX
?
8620
E1
PREREQUISITE
Educ 401/402 or permission of instructor
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Four 'Big Ideas" or major concepts underlie the content and the design of this course.
1. Children at risk may be empowered in their learning only after there is systematic attention to their
social and emotional development needs.
2. Teachers will gain in their ability to empower children at risk through in-depth case study within a
theoretical framework, and through opportunities to apply new skills training in the field.
3. New specialty skills are best developed in a learning cycle of: understanding practice; application;
reflection; reapplication.
4. Examining "teacher as person" factors that arise when working with children at risk will enhance teacher
effectiveness.
OBJECTIVES
Through their work in this course participants will:
*clarify and articulate values and beliefs related to teaching children at risk, and to perspectives regarding
children's healthy social and emotional growth.
-establish understanding of human growth and behaviour principles and emotional needs theory, and their
application to children at risk.
•
develop diagnostic skills and resources - toward specific competency in observing, analyzing, and responding
to the social, emotional, and behaviour difficulties of children at risk, in planful ways.
*increase understanding of the facility of teacher interactions and relationships with children, and their significance
in promoting a child's healthy development.
-train in effective therapeutic interaction skills that promote social/ emotional growth and create opportunity for
children's successful learning.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Attendance and
Participation
The course consists equally of: (1) on-campus study and training, and (2) in teams of 2, 3, or 4 students, a field placement
in a school setting in direct association with children at risk. (See Note *** below). Students will participate
fully in their fieldwork, including collaboration with other student members of their field placement team.
Similarly, during seminar time students will work and train collaboratively, contributing to discussions and to the
professional growth of others in the class.
2. Readings
You will read the course text, Human Relations Development. Other readings will be chosen from the list of
Recommended Readings, and articles may be assigned in preparation for campus sessions and seminar discussions.
Other, optional readings, can be undertaken and described in a Readings Record.
3. Instructional Tasks
-
An Action Research format will provide the framework to complete tasks that taken as a whole comprise a study
of the factors associated with students at risk.
- A sequenced series of skill development tasks will advance students' interpersonal, or interaction, skills.
- Students will complete one taped sample and transcript of their work to demonstrate their interaction skills
development.
4.
Journal, Field Notes, and Reading Record
Students are encouraged to maintain an up-to-date professional journal for reflection on theory and skills
development. The composition and structure of field notes and reading record will be described in class.
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Educ 497
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EVALUATION
Final grades will be based upon equal weighting of the Action Research; the Interactions
Skills tasks; Attendance and Participation (clinical practicum plus training and seminar
activities). Another equally weighted category, Reflection and Analysis, incorporates
Readings-Record, Journal, Field Notes, and Self-Evaluation.
REQUIRED READING
Gazda, G.M., Asbury F.R., Balzer, F.J. et al (1999). Human Relations Development: A Manual for Educators
(Sixth Ed.) Boston: Allyn and Bacon. ISBN 0-205-28902-9
RECOMMENDED READINGS
Brendtro, L, Brokenleg, M. and Van Bockern, S. Reclaiming Youth at risk: Our hope for the future. Bloomington,
IN: National Education Service. ISBN 1-879639-05-X.
Raths, L.E. Meeting the Needs of Children. Creating Trust and Security. (ON RESERVE AT SFU LIBRARY)
*** All course work occurring in the field placement will be conducted under the supervision of the course
instructor and/or suitably qualified school district personnel - who have made the necessary arrangements for
such fieldwork with participating schools, teachers, and children.
