MEGAN SUTHERLAND
My Master's Pathway
Take a walk with me as I look back upon the steps taken in my learning journey. Here you will find an explanation of the classes I took during my master's studies at Michigan State University. Allow me to share with you the many things I learned along the way.
Summer
2015
Under construction. . . coming soon!
TE 848
Writing Assessment and Instruction
Instructor: Dr. J. Vanderheide
ED 870
Capstone Seminar
Instructor: Dr. M. Koehler, S. Keenan, S. Greenhalgh, C. Seals
Summer
2015
Writing is one of the most popular forms of human communication and its academic value is understood by educators all over the world. As an indroduction to the course we examined the different discourses on how we learn to write and what details are involved. We explored a variety of effective writing activities for genre study and even practiced using them in a group portfolio project where we created a collective writing portfolio. We also compared assessment methods such as rubrics, student talk alouds and written feedback. As a final project I examined the positive aspects of Writer's Workshop and Interactive Writing as two methods of writing instructional.
The Capstone Seminar is the culminating course of my master's program. Here we design a personal website which highlights the many aspects of our masters studies as well as our professional and personal experiences. We work closely with our peers to provide and receive feedback on our product and work through the reflective process together in order to create an effective overview of our learning journey. This course has expanded my technological knowledge as it is the first time I worked with website design.
Spring
2015
CEP 810
Teaching Understanding with Technology
Instructor: E. Stone
Our world is changing at an ever increasing rate, especially in terms of technology. What are the implications for our teaching and how can we better prepare our students for this techno-centered world? In this class we studied 21st century literacy skills and explored educational tools that are effective for technology integration within the classroom. We also explored the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) framework and the importance of developing an understanding of how the different content areas are inter-connected.
Fall
2014
TE 861 B
Inquiry and the Nature of Science
Instructor: S. Stapleton
Scientific discoveries all began with a wondering, a curiosity or a question. These questions then incite a process called the scientific method. In this course we learned of the cyclical nature of the scientific process. We created a Unit of Inquiry for our students using the Next Generation State Standards and our new understanding of the scientific process. We explored the various aspects of STEM and how we can effectively include these four subjects in our lessons.
Summer
2014
TE 842
Elementary Reading Assessment and Instruction
Instructor: M. Peltier
Reading is one of the building blocks of literacy development. In this course we looked at how to effectively assess our students' reading fluency and comprehension by using Informal Reading Inventories. We reviewed effective strategies for teaching vocabulary to English Language Learners, such as creating vocabulary quilts and drawing upon and making connections to background knowledge and previous learning. We also looked at ways to effectively differentiate our instruction in order to reach all learners.
Spring
2014
TE 857
Teaching and Learning Mathematical Problem Solving
Instructor: S. Sweeny
This course was divided into two major projects. First we used Carol Dweck's research on brain growth instruction for students in order to create a lesson sequence for our students which teaches them about brain's functions and how the brain grows when confronted with new tasks and challenges. This helps our students to develop an attitude of perserverance. Secondly we created a second lesson sequence using Max Ray-Riek's Powerful Problem Solving: Activities for Sense Making with the Mathematical Practices. The activities included in this book focus on teaching students a variety of problem solving strategies for completing mathematical tasks.
Fall
2013
TE 849
Methods and Materials in Teaching Children's and
Adolescent Literature
Instructor: B. Roue
Spring
2013
ED 800
Concepts of Educational Inquiry
Instructor: Dr. S. Weiland
ED 800 is a self-paced foundational course for the Master of Arts in Education program. This course dives into the many aspects of educational inquiry, philosophy of education. It challenges us to think about how we learn, the goals of our instruction and the many influences that play a role in our learning outside of school. Much of our learning in this course centered around John Dewey and his theory of learning by doing. We took a look at how globalization, technology and knowledge of other cultures affect educational inquiry.
This course offers a perspective on which books are representative of quality childrens literature and the characteristics that make up these books. We took a look at children's picture books over the past 70 years and compared their similarities and differences. How to select and utilize multicultural literature in the classroom was an important piece for this course. We studied African American and indigineous literture in order to deepen our understanding of multicultural literature. We also explored graphic novels and how to use them in a way that is relevant for our students.
Fall
2012
CEP 832
Educating Students with Challenging Behavior
Instructor: Dr. J. Aupperlee
Most teachers have experience with children with challenging behaviour and at times we feel lost and do not know where to turn for help. This course offers information on strategies to effectively manage student behavior in the classroom. My favorite method is using homenotes and goals sheets with my students to increase communication between school and home and to help my students take ownership of their behavioral goals. Offering choices and responsibilities to students encourages independence and self worth.
Summer
2012
TE 846
Accomodating Differences in Literacy Learners
Instructor: L. Elden
This course introduced best practices for literacy instruction and ways to accomodate academic, cultural, neurophyscological linguistic , and motivational differences in literacy learners. We explored various methods such as, peer-mediated instruction, cooperative learning environments, and word work for building literacy skills. This course was not centered around diagnosing deficits but rather using varied instruction to meet the needs of all types of leaners. My favorite activities involve word work by building words.