Teaching III

Course Name: Teaching III

Prerequisites: Successful Completion of Teaching II

Description:
Teaching III provides students with opportunities to apply teaching skills learned in Teaching I & II through practical field experience. Students work closely with Meredith Manor instructors to further develop skills and competencies. Emphasis is given to teaching at the beginner and intermediate level in the riding disciplines of Western, Dressage, and Jumping. Students elect to complete projects, which may include assisting with barn management, a research project, and/or projects that students create to meet their individual professional goals. During this course students also have the opportunity to become certified in adult CPR and First Aid.

Weekly Topics:

Week 1: Developing a portfolio. Developing a lesson plan from observations of effective lessons; advanced lesson design.
Week 2: What makes a successful riding instructor? What content, skills, and dispositions make an instructor in the horse industry successful? Includes observations, interviews, discussion
Week 3: What makes a successful lesson? What are some of the barriers to learning that an instructor might have to deal with? What are some strategies for dealing with barriers?
Week 4: Advanced lesson planning: connecting the theory to practice and implications for lesson planning. Developing lesson plans for lessons that you will teach.
Week 5: Sequencing lessons and making lesson modifications to accommodate learners. Discussion and sharing of lessons.
Week 6-7: CPR and First Aid Training
Week 8-11: Students will complete three projects during the quarter. Projects goals will be presented and discussed early in the quarter. Projects will be designed, developed, and implemented (if appropriate) throughout the remainder of the quarter. The three projects are:

• An internship to develop a personal portfolio
• A research project of the student’s choice or position as co-manager of a barn
• Plan and teach two lessons outside of class time; computerized log book project

Some class time will be used for projects. Projects will be presented to other students in the class.
Week 12: Portfolio sharing and project sharing

Performance Objectives:
Following successful completion of the Teaching III course, the student will be able to:

• Describe the general characteristics of successful instructors in the horse industry
• Identify barriers that affect the learning of concepts, skills, and dispositions
• Demonstrate a greater understanding of the role of professional; demonstrate ability to meet standards of the industry for instructors
• Identify connections between theory and practice and explain how these connections inform lesson planning
• Describe several types of modifications that can be made to accommodate learners
• Analyze a lesson and be able to suggest modifications to meet the instructional needs of a learner
• Describe how his/her educational philosophy has changed with additional experience and insight

Methods:
In order for students to acquire the knowledge and skills of Teaching III, the instructor will use a variety of teaching methods including: expository learning, discussion, demonstration including the demonstration of proper first aid and CPR skills, & guided practice. Individualized instruction will occur through the student projects. In addition to classroom work, students will make observations of professional educators in the school program; students will observe students of a variety of levels in all riding disciplines; students will plan and teach lessons.

Evaluation:
Students will be evaluated on their knowledge & skills through the following projects and products:

• Portfolio and journal checks
• Internship & weekly lesson plans
• Lesson plans for instructed lessons
• Lesson deliveries
• Elected project
• CPR and First Aid

Grading will also be based on attendance and class participation. Informal assessments will be used to guide the teaching/learning process. Quality of projects, lesson plans, and lesson techniques, class work, and participation will be used to evaluate student performance.

Level One Certification:
With the completion of Teaching I, II, and III, a minimum 3.0 grade point average in Teaching, a Riding Master III certificate, 60 hours of supervised teaching under a qualified and experienced instructor, and satisfactory completion of a written and practical examination, the student can receive Level One Certification. The 60 hours of supervised teaching will be completed on campus during the students regular course of study and will be documented in the student's teaching log book.