COURSE TITLE:
TOTALLY POSITIVE TEACHING
NO OF CREDITS:
2 QUARTER CREDITS
[semester equivalent = 1.33 credits]
WA CLOCK HRS:
OREGON PDUs:
INSTRUCTOR:
MARY ANN JOHNSON, M.ED ADM.
maryajohnson-advisor@comcast.net
206/367-8058
20
20
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
This course requires assignment responses to be posted in a password-secured ONLINE website hosted
by The Heritage Institute.
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
“A great teacher is never forgotten.” So begins the challenge to each teacher in the profession. In
Totally Positive Teaching: A Five-Stage Approach to Energizing Students and Teachers, Joseph Ciaccio
has developed a list of five ways the great teacher lives a positive and effective life in the classroom.
While there are places that are simply over the top in the notion of how positive you can be, you wonʼt be
disappointed in the substance and strategies of this book. The five focuses are: Meeting mutual needs;
Changing counterproductive feelings; Ending behavior problems; Helping underachievers, and Using
active-learning strategies. Each focus is deceptively simple; some people would disbelieve the power of
these strategies but each is based on emerging brain-based research. It addresses classroom
management, lesson strategies, and emotional intelligences.
The real agenda of Ciaccoʼs book is to show the power we all have to deal with the discouragement of
ineffective results, classroom meltdowns and student and teacher boredom. He illustrates how to think
creatively and effectively to open different possibilities in tough situations. You will wonder, at first, if such
methods are really as good as they sound, but with plentiful examples, solid research and a huge
collaborative resource bank, the author may just help you shift from a former strategy in favor of a much
more exciting, humane and dynamic one. Unlike most other methods-oriented books, this work puts a
major emphasis on meeting both student and teacher needs simultaneously. It sometimes makes the
assumption that we, as teachers, are experiencing problems due to our own negative perceptions, but
very positive and creative teachers will find much validation and inspiration in this book.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of this course, participants will:
1. Have learned how to develop strategies that meet the needs of their students as well as
themselves.
2. Have learned how to prevent student behavior problems and build student leadership.
3. Have learned ways to use more active teaching strategies to help underachievers.
4. Have learned how to develop personal skills for dealing with negative situations.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
Participants will complete assignments and post responses online to specific questions outlined for each
assignment. Completion of all specified assignments is required for issuance of hours or credit. The
Heritage Institute does not award partial credit.
HOURS EARNED:
Completing the basic assignments (Section A. Information Acquisition) for this course automatically earns
participantʼs their choice of 20 Washington State Clock Hours or 20 Oregon PDUs. The Heritage Institute
is an approved provider of Washington State Clock Hours and Oregon PDUs.
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UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT INFORMATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
Continuing Education Quarter credits are awarded by Antioch University Seattle (AUS). AUS requires
75% or better for credit at the 400 level (Upper Division) and 85% or better to issue credit at the 500 level
(Post-Baccalaureate). These criteria refer both to the amount and quality of work submitted.
1. Completion of Information Acquisition assignments
30%
2. Completion of Learning Application assignments
40%
3. Completion of Integration Paper assignment
30%
CREDIT/NO CREDIT
Antioch University Seattle (AUS) Continuing Education (CE) Quarter credit is offered on a Credit/No
Credit basis; neither letter grades nor numeric equivalents are on a transcript. 400 level credit is equal to
a “C” or better, 500 level credit is equal to a “B” or better. This information is on the back of the transcript.
AUS CE quarter credits may or may not be accepted into degree programs. Prior to registering determine
with your district personnel, department head or state education office the acceptability of these credits.
ADDITIONAL COURSE INFORMATION
COURSE MATERIAL and/or TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
You will need high-speed (DSL) Internet access in order to view online resources. Some of the reading
materials may be provided in the online environment as PDF documents, a format readable by with
Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may download a free copy of Acrobat Reader from our website.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK:
• Totally Positive Teaching: A Five-Stage Approach to Energizing Students and Teachers, by Joseph
Ciaccio. 185-page, ISBN 0-87120-880-6. ASCD, 2004. Available used at Amazon for about $12.
• For additional reading access an annotated Master Bibliography for this course that enhances any
teacherʼs toolbox. The Bibliography can be downloaded where you got this syllabus on www.hol.edu.
GETTING STARTED:
• After registering for the course, you will be sent an email with the website address, password and
course key you need to access your online course, along with log in instructions.
• Access each assignment listed here in the online course environment and enter your responses.
• Write your responses in a WORD document and then ʻcopy/pasteʼ them into the Responses box.
• When all assignments are completed, CLICK the 'ALL ASSIGNMENTS COMPLETED'. The instructor
will be notified that you have completed all assignments.
• After the instructor reviews your work and enters his responses you will be notified by email. You will
be instructed to log in and view those responses. SAVE a copy of assignments and responses.
NOTES TO ALL PARTICIPANTS:
• You are not required to be present (i.e. online) specific days or times. You will work at your own pace.
• All responses will be posted online. Large documents, files, photographs or PowerPoint presentations
may be attached as part of your response by using the “Share A File” option.
• You may work collaboratively and submit similar responses on all assignments except the Integration
Paper, which must be individually authored.
• To maintain privacy, please do not refer to students in your papers by their actual names, but rather
use an alias or designation such as “Student A.”
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ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOR HOURS OR UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
A.
INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Assignment #1:
From “Introducing the Totally Positive Approach”
a) Please briefly introduce yourself and tell why you chose this book.
b) Looking at the five (5) techniques introduced, which of these resonate with your current approach to
teaching? About which are you most interested in learning more?
Assignment #2:
The author says that on the surface, this book appears to be about achievement.
But what does he say it is really about?
What are the four (4) components of that?
Assignment #3:
From “Chapter 1: Meeting Mutual Needs”
Even though the examples of bringing enthusiasm and talent to a lesson were from elementary teachers,
can you provide an example when you used one of your own talents, interests or life experiences to
increase the effectiveness of a lesson?
Assignment #4:
What have you observed about the effects of state-mandated testing? What changes in thinking are
necessary to see mandated tests as an opportunity rather than an adversity?
Assignment #5:
From “Chapter 2: Changing Counterproductive Feelings”
What is the difference between an internal and an external obstacle?
Why does the author suggest focusing on internal obstacles in a teaching situation?
Assignment #6:
Given the list of suggestions for overcoming counter-productive feelings, which do you consider the most
insightful and useful?
Assignment #7:
From “Chapter 3: Ending Behavior Problems”
The need for power is a serious problem for students because they perceive themselves as powerless.
What do you think would be the benefits of increasing opportunities for leadership and positive attention?
Assignment #8:
The author identifies four (4) basic student needs that must be fulfilled.
What are they?
Why is it crucial to fulfill these needs from the first day of school?
Can you give an example of how you have effectively helped a student meet one of these fundamentals.
Assignment #9:
From “Chapter 4: Offering Total Acceptance”
The goal of total acceptance is to increase the power of the teacher and bring about a self-disciplined
child. You can increase your effectiveness with students by widening the range of disciplinary
possibilities. When a student misbehaves, use a positive approach suggested in this chapter. Which of
these strategies would fit your style best? Comment on the effectiveness of the approach you selected.
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Assignment #10:
Some of the strategies in this chapter are unlikely to be embraced by all teachers. What did you find in
the authorʼs underlying philosophy that differs from most models of behavior management?
Assignment #11:
Provide an example of a way you have, or could, reframe a negative comment you felt like making into a
constructive comment that might help a student become more effective/self-disciplined in your class.
Assignment #12:
From “Chapter 5: Helping Underachievers: Whole Class Strategies”
A teacher or principal who has experienced failure might be more empathetic to students who do not
succeed. Think about times in your life when you did not succeed. What impact did failure have on you
and on your confidence? What happened to help you regain your self-confidence?
Assignment #13:
What are six ways to bolster studentsʼ confidence that you would like to try? Which one of these
strategies have you used (or could use) with positive results?
Assignment #14:
From “Chapter 6: Helping Underachievers: Strategies for Individual Students”
Answer one (1) of the following questions:
Explain how you have used a self-fulfilling prophesy (or the Pygmalion Effect) with a student, and explain
the results.
OR
What did the author suggest was desirable in the preparation of students for peer tutoring?
Assignment #15:
From “Chapter 7: Using Active-Learning Strategies”
When the author suggests that students become “workers,” which active-learning strategies were
described that make students play an active role in their own learning?
Assignment #16:
From “Chapter 8: The Totally Positive Approach in Action”
Of the subtopics in this chapter, which one (or ones) were most valid, or validating, for you? Why?
This completes the assignments required for Hours.
Continue to the next section for additional assignments required for University Quarter Credit.
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ADDITIONAL ASSIGNMENTS REQUIRED FOT UNIVERSITY QUARTER CREDIT
B.
LEARNING APPLICATION
(Required for 400 and 500 Level)
In this section you will apply your learning to your professional situation. This course assumes that most
participants are classroom teachers who have access to students. If you are not teaching in a classroom,
please contact the instructor for course modifications. If you are a classroom teacher and start or need to
complete this course during the summer, please try to apply your ideas when possible with youth from
your neighborhood, at a local public library or parks department facility, (they will often be glad to sponsor
community-based learning), or with students in another teacherʼs summer classroom in session.
Assignment #17:
Option A) Create at least one lesson plan that you could use based on an idea you learned from the text.
Describe the idea or essential question(s) you are employing, the grade level and subject for which the
lesson is intended, specifics for introducing the lesson, steps of the content, student work requested, and
expectation for gauging effectiveness.
OR
Option B) Reflect on the results of use of a strategy from this book that you have tried. Start by
describing the strategy you employed and analyze the outcomes with specifics.
OR
Option C) Analyze what reservations you think a teacher, administrator, parent and/or student might have
about using a one of the strategies advocated in this book. Describe why you think there is a
reservation(s). Create a response which acknowledges the reservation and presents information you
have found in this book or in additional reading you have done on this subject. (If you have reservations
yourself, describe them.
500 LEVEL ASSIGNMENT
Assignment #18:
(500 Level Only)
In addition to the 400 level assignments, complete one of the following:
Option A) Create a presentation that could be given for a group of colleagues, based on your reading. It
can be in the form of a Power Point, or a “lesson plan.” The presentation should include a copy of any
handout(s) you will use. (If you ask for feedback, follow the “Peer Response as Part of Assignment
Response” directions in Choice #3.)
OR
Option B) Compare and contrast the material in this book with information you find in another book or
online research of articles. For online research, quote any important URL, write a summary of information
you found, and then compare/contrast with information in the book for this course.
OR
Option C) Do first hand interviews, including peer responses, of teachers/administrators in the district or
parent(s), student(s), or some other appropriate individual(s), and determine things like policy issues,
personal points of view, other important sources of information, and what does or doesnʼt work currently
in the area involved. Each interview event or individual response is rated as equivalent to three-four hours
of your work. How to do peer or interview response(s): -- use the following format:
a) Describe your interview questionnaire or topic you are presenting for peer review, and then
b) Post peer or interview response(s) to that assignment in the same response box. Use the
following format.
PEER RESPONSE or INTERVIEW RESPONSE
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Respondent(s) Name:
Relationship to you:
Date of response:
Comments of respondent (or summary of group response):
OR
Option D) Create an annotated bibliography of five or more books or articles related to the subject of your
course. The annotation should include Title, Author, Publisher (or URL), length of the book or article and
your review of information contained. Add your opinion of the value or your criticism of the contents of
each book or article, and rate the importance of the material in contrast to the subject of your course.
C.
INTEGRATION PAPER
(Required for 400 and 500 Level)
Assignment #19:
Complete the requirements for university quarter credit by submitting a final Integration paper (1-2 pages).
A heading is required; please use the following format.
Your Name:
Date:
Course Name:
Course Number:
Number of Credits:
Level: (400 or 500)
Advisorʼs Name:
Respond online to each of the 5 questions below. (First list the question and then write your answer)
1. What did you learn vs. what you expected to learn from this course?
2. What aspects of the course were most helpful and why?
3. What further knowledge and skills in this general area do you feel you need?
4. How, when and where will you use what you have learned?
5. How and with what other school or community members might you share what you learned?
INSTRUCTOR COMMENTS ON YOUR WORK:
Be sure to mark the “All Assignments Completed” section in the online course environment to
notify the instructor that you have completed the course.
Upon receiving notification of your completion of all course assignments, your instructor will provide final
written comments in the HOL online environment.
QUALIFICATIONS FOR TEACHING THIS COURSE:
Mary Ann Johnson, M.Ed., Administration., has worked with students of all levels, from alternative high
school to gifted classes. She has also been a junior high vice principal and is now working with teachers
for continuing education in classes, distance learning and building leadership groups.
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