Course Syllabus
Download the file: Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Purpose
The course focuses on the organization of U.S. schools in addition to some coverage of the history, relationships, functions, present status, and trends in local, state, and national education agencies. Also, some consideration will be given to the places which professional educational associations, citizen's committees and other influential groups have in relation to schools. Some attention will be given to the administrative hierarchy in schools and the special functions of each level. The course will consider some of the diversity and multicultural aspects of schooling in the U.S.
Program Area Mission
The mission of the Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision (EACS) Program Area is to promote critical inquiry that addresses important issues relating to teaching, learning, Page | 2 and leadership in order that service and collaboration among colleagues and the professional communities may be enhanced.
Relationship to Program Area Philosophy
This course is intended to initiate discourse into the complex nature of school leadership. School leaders must be knowledgeable of leadership styles associated with their profession. The awareness of these aspects is crucial for planning and working with teachers, students, and staff. This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of administrative hierarchy and various leadership styles and their functions in schools.
College of Education Mission
The mission of the college of education is to promote inquiry that fosters democratic life and is fundamental to productive activity in the interrelated areas of teaching, research, and service in a multicultural society.
EACS Mission
The politics of education course is aligned with the Educational Administration, Curriculum and Supervision (EACS) area beliefs that PK-12 schools are complex organizations that need leaders who understand: 1) the theoretical and conceptual aspects of schools, their people, and programs for both children and adults who are constantly learning from the context of the organization; 2) the technical knowledge of the content areas and areas of specialization found within the EACS knowledge bases; 3) the integration of theory, research, and practice as a means of grounding new best practices.
Course Prerequisites
Graduate Standing.
Course Materials
- Horton, Michael (2020). Excellence: Every Classroom, Every Lesson, Every Day. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.
- Martin, Josh (2020). Turning a School Around. New York: Rowman & Littlefield.
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment 1: Attend School Board Meeting | Attend one school board meeting and make minutes of what happens and write a short (one page) account of what takes place at the meeting. Make sure you address any issues raised at the meeting and their resolution. Be sure and submit an agenda with your paper. Listen to see if comments are made about school improvement and address those in your paper | 50 |
| Assignment 2: Documentary Viewing Reflection | View the documentary, The Principal Story. Write a reflection about what you saw and heard. What stood out to you in the film? Why? What do you discern as the central attributes of administrative leadership in the schools that were showcased? Why are these attributes central? The reflection should be approximately 2 pages. Use standard APA formatting. | 50 |
| Assignment 3: Leadership Interview | Identify someone who is recognized as an effective instructional leader in a school and interview that person. Write a paper that summarizes your interview and reflects on the impact of those findings on your personal and professional goals. | 100 |
| Assignment 4: Vision Performance Activity | As a prospective instructional leader, create a vision for a school that will guide you in your work with teachers. This vision should serve as a pathway for you to follow as you lead teachers in the improvement of instruction that leads to greater depths of student achievement Your vision must demonstrate that you have the capacity to collaboratively evaluate, develop, and communicate your vision. Make sure your vision has a core set of values and priorities that enhances teaching and learning. | 200 |
| Assignment 5: Book Review | Read Michael Horton’s book Excellence: every classroom, every lesson, every day. Discuss in class what you have learned from his book that will help you become a better instructional leader and developer of teachers. Write an 8-10-page summary that addresses the following seven points: Use APA 7th edition for formatting purposes. Make sure you support what you say with relevant references. | 100 |
| Attendance | Fifty (50) points will be deducted for each class night unattended unless excused. | -50 for missing |
| Total | 500 |
Course Policies
Course Attendance
This is a graduate class and all students are expected to attend every class session in order to actively participate in class discussions and activities. Please come to class on time. Student absenteeism and tardiness affect the whole class. Student absenteeism and tardiness will affect student class participation grade; hence a student who is absent or tardy is subject to receive no points or fewer points for the daily class participation based on instructor discretion. Students with known/scheduled commitments that conflicts with a class session should discuss his/her absence in advance of a missed class session with the professor. Emergency situations will be addressed on an individual basis. Fifty (50) points will be deducted for each class night unattended, unless excused.
Communication
The best way to communicate with me is through Canvas or email. I will respond as quickly as possible.
Late Policy
No late work accepted unless student notifies me of an emergency.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Course Catalog
Search the OU Course Catalog.
Student Handbook
Please familiarize yourself with the OU Student Handbook.
Online Library
Access digital materials and other resources at OU Libraries.
Academic Misconduct
In addition to the course conduct policies outlined by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook.
It is the responsibility of each student to be familiar with the definitions, policies, and procedures concerning academic misconduct. The Student Code is available from the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs, and is contained in the Student's Guide to Academic Integrity.
This site also defines misconduct, provides examples of prohibited conduct, and explains the sanctions available for those found guilty of misconduct.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is basically no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
Reasonable Accommodation for Disabilities
The University of Oklahoma is committed to providing reasonable accommodation for all students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require accommodations in this course should contact their professor as early in the semester as possible.
Students with disabilities must be registered with the Disability Resource Center prior to receiving accommodations in this course.
If you have a disability and you would like to make a request for reasonable accommodation, please see the Graduate Student Handbook or get in touch with the Accessibility and Disability Resource Center.
Adjustments for Pregnancy/Childbirth Related Issues
Should you need modifications or adjustments to your course requirements because of documented pregnancy-related or childbirth-related issues, please contact me as soon as possible to discuss your options. Generally, modifications will be made where medically necessary and similar in scope to accommodations based on temporary disability. Learn more about the rights of pregnant and parenting students by consulting the FAQ sheets provided by the Institutional Equity Office.
Title IX Resources
For any concerns regarding gender-based discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, stalking, or intimate partner violence, the University offers a variety of resources, including advocates on-call 24/7, counseling services, mutual no contact orders, scheduling adjustments, and disciplinary sanctions against the perpetrator. Please contact the Sexual Misconduct Office at 405-325-2215 (8-5, M-F) or OU Advocates at 405-615-0013 (24/7) to learn more or to report an incident.
Religious Holidays
It is the policy of the University to excuse absences of students that result from religious observances and to provide for the rescheduling of examinations and additional required classwork that may fall on religious holidays without penalty. It is the responsibility of the student to make alternate arrangements with the instructor at least one week prior to the actual date of the religious holiday.
Copyright Policy
It is illegal to download, upload, reproduce, or distribute any copyrighted material, in any form and in any fashion, without permission from the copyright holder or his/her authorized agent. The University of Oklahoma expects all members of its community to comply fully with federal copyright laws. If such laws appear to have been violated by any user, the university reserves the right (1) to terminate that user’s access to some or all of the university’s computer systems and information resources and (2) to take additional disciplinary actions as deemed necessary or appropriate. Repeat offenders will be sanctioned and their privileges terminated.
Registration and Withdrawal
If you choose to withdraw from this course, you must complete the appropriate University form and turn the form in before the deadline. If you stop attending the course and doing the coursework without doing the required paperwork, your grade will be calculated with missed homework and examination grades entered as zero. This could result in receiving a grade of F in the course. Deadlines are shown in the Academic Calendar, which is available from the Office of the Registrar.
Student Grievances
In addition to any policies outlined related to submitting an informal or formal grievance by your professor in the Course Syllabus in the online classroom, please review the Graduate Student Handbook for more information about the process of submitting a formal grievance.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|