Professor: Thomas R. Anderson
Textbook: Johnson, et. al., Foundations of American Education, 12th. ed., Allyn and Bacon, 2002
Prerequisites: None
This course is an exploration of teaching as a career. The general purpose is to help answer the question, "do I want to be a teacher"? "Teacher" is defined as someone who teaches children, adolescents, or young adults in K-12 (Kindergarten through twelfth grade) settings.
Description: An overview of public k-12 schooling in the United States. An examination of the social, financial, philosophical and curricular issues facing today's educators. An opportunity to reflect upon teacher attributes and skills needed for success in modern schools.
Scope: Each participant in the educational process should feel they have every opportunity to maximize their personal impact upon the public school system. To do this, one must be versed in the basic tenants upon which public education is built. It is to this end that this course has been designed. It is meant to interest both those who want to teach and those citizens who are directly or indirectly concerned about educational issues and policies in this country. It should provide education majors with a foundation on which to build their later professional curriculum, and non-education majors with a broad background of educational ideas. Hopefully, it will also provide a frame of reference for understanding the important problems and aspects of the past, present, and future in the field of education.
Evaluation and Grades: There are three categories within which students earn points toward a possible two hundred (200) in total. These categories are: Four one-half hour exams, one final exam and field experience. A grading scale is available to help determine the relative weight of each of these components.
andersot@ferris.edu
530 Bishop Hall
(231) 591-2705 FAX 591-3792