Using This Course

Organization

This course was developed by teaching it; each week, the instructors met to plan, reflect and prepare. As a result of actually teaching the material and soliciting student feedback, the content was modified and improved. In other words, this content is student-driven, tested and approved. We encourage you to use the same process to make the material relevant and student-centered for your classroom or school.

Throughout the course you will find quotes in purple from DuBois students from our end-of-semester Focus Group.

The modules and topics are listed on the home page and as links in the navigation bar to the right. Simply open each one to access a wealth of resources at your fingertips.

You are welcome to modify the content in any way that meets your needs. It is organized in a way that lends itself to be used in its entirety or as separate modules. You can use the communication content and eliminate the technology component, for example. You may use the Rituals, or any other material that will help you enhance your own classroom instruction, regardless of content. We ask only that you credit the source, as we have done.

Backward Design

This principle is extremely important as you begin to develop and organize your class. As Stephen Covey would say, “Begin with the end in mind.” Know exactly what you wish students to know or be able to do by the end, and then work backwards to build a curriculum that will achieve those goals.

Consider the format of the class: How many students will you enroll? How often do you meet? Will you have a co-teacher? Who gets to take the class?

Consider what you want students to be able to know and do, while being realistic: Where are the students’ skills now? What is reasonable to expect in terms of growth? If you are introducing a new technology, how much time will it take for them to learn the basics and then move to higher levels of mastery?

Consider how you will create a community of respect and support: Who do students respect and why? How do those people act, talk and conduct themselves? What struggles have they overcome? How can students help each other achieve desirable ways of acting and speaking toward each other? Where did they learn ways of behaving that aren’t in line with how they really want to be? What will you do to model respect at all times (with students and teachers)?

Consider how you will assess and assign grades, and give feedback: Will you use rubrics? How will you track and communicate grades to give ongoing feedback about performance? Will you have quizzes or exams? Is your class project-based? Will you assess phases of completion or only the final product?

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