Instructor: Amy Owen Neeb

Email: Owenag@lamarpa.edu

Phone: 409-718-7479 (Cell)

Office Hours: Online. Call for a physical appointment

Additional Contact Information:

aneeb@pngisd.org

If you have an urgent need while on a campus, please text. I will be in class M-F from 7:30-3:30. If it's not urgent, please email me.

EDUC 1301: Provides an overview of schooling and classrooms from multiple perspectives, including language, gender, socioeconomic status, ethnic and academic diversity, and equity. Emphasizes factors that facilitate learning and includes early field observations. 16 contact hours of field experience is required. 

EDUC 2301: An enriched pre-service course emphasizing diversity, equity, and pedagogy with required 16 contact hours of field experience in P–12 classrooms with special populations. Students must pass a criminal background check to participate in field experience. Failure to provide documentation during the first week of class will result in being dropped.

Teachers, Schools, and Society, 10th Edition

• David Miller Sadker, University of Arizona, Professor Emeritus, American University
• Karen R. Zittleman, Ph.D., American University

Textbook Purchasing Statement: A student attending Lamar State College Port Arthur is not under any obligation to purchase a textbook from the college-affiliated bookstore. The same textbook may also be available from an independent retailer, including an online retailer.

• EDUC 1301: None
• EDUC 2301: Successful completion of EDUC 1301

Students will be able to:

• Identify current issues influencing the field of education and teacher professional development.
• Analyze the culture of schooling and classrooms from perspectives of diversity and equity.
• Provide examples from classroom observations and activities that demonstrate understanding of pedagogy and professional responsibilities.
• Evaluate personal motivations, philosophies, and career decision-making factors.
• Recognize multiple intelligences and learning styles to apply instructional practices that meet diverse needs.

• Communication Skills: Effective written, oral, and visual communication.
• Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others and consider multiple perspectives.
• Social Responsibility: Engagement with intercultural competency and civic knowledge.
• Personal Responsibility: Connecting choices, actions, and consequences to ethical decision-making.

EDUC 1301: (8 weeks starting in Aug and ending in Oct ): Chapters 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11 (1 week per chapter)

Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher

Chapter 4: Student Life at School and Home

Chapter 6: Curriculum, Standards, and Testing

Chapter 9: Financing and Governing American Schools

Chapter 10: School Law and Ethics

Chapter 11: Teacher Effectiveness

EDUC 2301: (8 weeks starting in mid Oct to Dec): Chapters 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12 (1 week per chapter)

Chapter 2: Different Ways of Learning

Chapter 3: Teaching Your Diverse Learners

Chapter 5: Purpose of America’s Schools and the Current Reform Movement

Chapter 7: History of American Education

Chapter 8: Philosophy of Education

Chapter 12: Your First Classroom

EDUC 1301 Calendar and Assignments: Fall 2026: August 24 – October 16 (8 weeks)

Week 1: Aug 25 – Aug 30

Topic: Course Overview

To Do:

• Get textbook and review Blackboard course info
• Print course documents
• Email Mrs. Neeb the district you want to observe in for district approval
• Email HR of the school district to set up your background check *If you already work on a campus, you do not have to redo your background check.
• Begin setting up classroom observations

Week 2: Aug 31 – Sept 6

Topic: Chapter 1: Becoming a Teacher

To Do:

• Read Chapter 1
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #1
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Sept 6 by midnight)
• Review, define, and understand educational vocabulary and terms (not due, but on exam)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Begin working toward 16 observation hours

Week 3: Sept 7 – Sept 13

Topic: Chapter 4: Student Life at School and Home

To Do:

• Read Chapter 4
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #2
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Sept 13 by midnight)
• Vocabulary review (not due)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Keep teacher log signed, take notes, and create seating charts

Week 4: Sept 14 – Sept 20

Topic: Chapter 6: Curriculum, Standards, and Testing

To Do:

• Read Chapter 6
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #3
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Sept 20 by midnight)
• Vocabulary review (not due)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Continue observation hours

Week 5: Sept 21 – Sept 27

Topic: Chapter 9: Financing and Governing American Schools

To Do:

• Read Chapter 9
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #4
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Sept 27 by midnight)
• Vocabulary review (not due)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Continue observation hours

Week 6: Sept 28 – Oct 4

Topic: Chapter 10: School Law and Ethics

To Do:

• Read Chapter 10
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #5
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Oct 4 by midnight)
• Vocabulary review (not due)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Continue observation hours

Week 7: Oct 5 – Oct 11

Topic: Chapter 11: Teacher Effectiveness

To Do:

• Read Chapter 11
• Use PowerPoint to guide readings
• Read Case Study #6
• Answer Focus Questions (Due Sun, Oct 11 by midnight)
• Vocabulary review (not due)
• Respond to Blackboard discussion prompt
• Finish observation journal

Week 8: Oct 12 – Oct 17

Topic: Final Exam Week / Observation Completion

To Do:

• Submit Observation Journal (Due Thurs, Oct 15 by midnight)
• Final Exam (Chapters 1, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11) opens Mon, Oct 12 at 8:00 AM and closes Fri, Oct 16 at noon
• Complete all outstanding observation requirements

EDUC 1301: Oct 16 (Friday before noon)

EDUC 2301: Dec 10 (Thursday before noon)

Grading Scale: A=90–100, B=80–89, C=79-75, D=74-70, F=69 and below

• Observation Journal: 50%
• Final Exam: 30%
• Assignments / Discussions/ Teaching Philosphy: 20%

Policies while on campus include:

Dress Code and Appearance

Follow professional dress standards: Wear business casual clothing like slacks, collared shirts, blouses, or professional dresses. Do not wear jeans with holes, sweatpants, yoga pants or graphic t-shirts.

Cover visible tattoos: Keep tattoos covered by long sleeves or pants while on a school campus.

Keep piercings minimal: Remove facial piercings or switch them to clear retainers, except for standard ear piercings.

Professional Conduct on Campus

Arrive early and check in: Sign in at the main office immediately upon arriving at the school. Always wear your visitor badge.

Stay out of the way: Sit in the designated observation area. Do not disrupt the teacher's lesson or interrupt student activities unless invited to join.

Limit cell phone use: Keep your phone on silent and completely put away. Never use your phone for personal texting, social media, or phone calls during observation hours.

Communicate absences properly: Notify both your host teacher and your college instructor immediately if an emergency forces you to miss a scheduled observation day.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Protect student identity: Never use real names of students

No photos or videos: Do not take pictures or record videos of the classroom, the teacher, or the students under any circumstances. Never post students on social media. 

Keep observations private: Do not discuss classroom incidents or student behavior on social media or with anyone outside of your college course.

Interacting with the Community

Remain neutral: Avoid engaging in school politics, gossip, or arguments with staff, students, or parents.

Follow campus rules: Adhere strictly to the specific school district's safety, security, and health guidelines.

Show gratitude: Thank your host teacher for their time and hospitality at the end of every visit and upon completing your 16 hours.

EDUC 1301 & EDUC 2301 are online classes. Check Blackboard daily for updates and announcements

Be sure to check your campus email and Course Homepage using MyLSCPA campus web portal. You can also access your grades, transcripts, academic advisors, degree progress, and other services through MyLSCPA.

Academic honesty is expected from all students, and dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. Please consult the LSCPA policies (Academic Dishonesty section in the Student Handbook) for consequences of academic dishonesty.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Coordinator, Room 119, in the Ruby Fuller Building. The phone number is (409) 984-6241.

No food or tobacco products are allowed in the classroom. Only students enrolled in the course are allowed in the classroom, except by special instructor permission. Use of electronic devices is prohibited.

This syllabus is part of LSCPA's efforts to comply with Texas House Bill 2504.

As per Texas law and LSCPA policy, all LSCPA employees, including faculty, are required to report allegations or disclosures of child abuse or neglect to the designated authorities, which may include a local or state law enforcement agency or the Texas Department of Family Protective Services. For more information about mandatory reporting requirements, see LSCPA's Policy and Procedure Manual.

LSCPA is committed to establishing and maintaining an environment that is free from all forms of sex discrimination, including sexual harassment, sexual violence, and other forms of sexual misconduct. All LSCPA employees, including faculty, have the responsibility to report disclosures of sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment, sexual assault (including rape and acquaintance rape), domestic violence, dating violence, relationship violence, or stalking, to LSCPA's Title IX Coordinator, whose role is to coordinate the college's response to sexual misconduct. For more information about Title IX protections, faculty reporting responsibilities, options for confidential reporting, and the resources available for support visit LSCPA's Title IX website.

For more information about the Clery Act and crime reporting, see the Annual Security & Fire Safety Report and the Campus Security website.

If you have a grievance, complaint, or concern about this course that has not been resolved through discussion with the Instructor, please consult the Department Chair.