Monday, October 28
Today began my observation of groups three and four for Social Studies Methods. I first was able to observe group three's direct instruction lesson that focused on the Declaration of Independence, followed by group four's direct instruction lesson focused on the major battles of the American Revolution. Both groups decided to present their information in a PowerPoint format with a corresponding worksheet.
+1 - I enjoyed the presentation of your material and that you included "stop and check" slides. This allowed the teachers to make sure everyone comprehended the information and was caught up with the note sheets.
+2 - I like that you pre-assessed student knowledge based on pictures before you began your lesson. This captured the students attention and got them ready to learn.
+3 - I like that you were able to jump in and help each other if a fellow teacher forgot a word or lost their train of thought. This is really important to be able to do while co-teaching. It worked very well and you seemed to work well together.
One wish: I wish you spoke a little louder and more enthusiastically at times. Direct instruction lessons can tend to be a little boring because it is just facts being taught. Try to make it more interesting by showing that you are interested in the lesson. By giving your lesson a positive connotation, students will look at it in a more positive manner.
Group 4:
+1 - I liked that when students were unsure of what you were asking them, you were able to rephrase your word choice and question to make it easier to understand. You seemed to really know your topic well and it showed!
+2 - I really liked the folders that you had for each student. This saved time so you did not have to stop and pass out the various papers in the middle of the lesson. I also think that this lets students take ownership of their work. If we had more time, it would have been fun if students could decorate the folders to really make them unique.
+3 - I like that you had slides in your presentation to stop and check for understanding. These slides are key in the presentation to make sure that all students are on track and paying attention to the lesson.
One wish: I wish that you spoke a little louder and not directly from your presentation. I think that this had to do more with your nerves and the time factor, but besides that, you did awesome!
Both groups did a great job for their first lesson. They were both a little nervous at first, but as the lessons progressed, they were able to gain confidence and follow through with ease.
As an observer, I noticed how obvious the little things are to people who are watching. I cringed every time I heard a group use the word "guys" and noticed the use of "gonna" and "wanna" frequently. I think that having groups observe is great for both the teachers and the observers. It lets you know what you should and should not do when you yourself are teaching.
Wednesday, October 30
Today was the current event presentation by Alex, Lindsay, and myself. The current event strategy that we focused on was listening for details. We decided that this would be a good lesson to teach because listening an important skill for students to have.
Starting off the presentation, Alex, Lindsay and I first reviewed the 5 W's, who, what, when, where, and why, through our Google Presentation that were covered in one of the previous presentations. These W's were things that we wanted the students to listen for during our lesson. For our presentation, Alex read through the article twice, having students listen only the first time, and allow for note taking during the next reading. Our students then had to use their notes to answer a few specific questions from the article.
At the end of our presentation, we provided our classmates with more links to use for current event lessons, as well as a way to apply our lesson to a whole class setting. We talked about assigning roles within small groups and having students read the article to their peers, as well as having students listen to the news and write down what they hear.
Overall, I think that our lesson went fairly well. The only major thing that our peers mentioned during our three positives, one wish feedback was that our article was a little long. We did not realize how long it was, but once the reading began, we noticed that we should have shortened it. Next time, I would like to choose a shorter article that students would not grow tired of halfway through.
Today we were able to observe Group 3 & 4 for their second lesson, the inquiry lesson. For their lessons, group three created a scavenger hunt activity based on missing statues at a museum, using the internet as a source to find out information for the missing items. Group 4 used artifact bags for their lesson and had students become historians to find out what artifacts were used for.
Group 3:
+1 - I really liked your activity and the use of technology. I think that the students really liked to use the computers and work together in small groups.
+2 - I liked that you modeled what you were expecting from the students with a sample "missing statue." It is very important to model for your students.
+3 - I liked that you reviewed a few concepts from your previous lesson. It helps students to keep on track, especially when they are participating in a different lesson beforehand or afterward.
Wish: I wish you were a little more organized. At times it seemed like you did not know what was going on. Practice makes perfect! Make sure you practice and do a run through with your group members before you bring the lesson into a classroom.
Group 4:
+1 - I loved your artifacts! They looked so real and authentic. Great job making/finding them! I especially liked the map of the major battles that you had.
+2 - I like how you modeled the activity for the students so they knew what to expect from the activity. Modeling is a key part if a smoothly executed lesson.
+3 - I enjoyed the worksheet that you created for the class. It was a great way to keep the students on task and let them know what they were supposed to be doing.
Wish: I wish that you would have walked around the classroom when another teacher was talking. All teachers "bunched up" in the front of the room makes it easier for students to act out or misbehave.
At the end of our presentation, we provided our classmates with more links to use for current event lessons, as well as a way to apply our lesson to a whole class setting. We talked about assigning roles within small groups and having students read the article to their peers, as well as having students listen to the news and write down what they hear.
Overall, I think that our lesson went fairly well. The only major thing that our peers mentioned during our three positives, one wish feedback was that our article was a little long. We did not realize how long it was, but once the reading began, we noticed that we should have shortened it. Next time, I would like to choose a shorter article that students would not grow tired of halfway through.
Friday, November 1
Group 3:
+1 - I really liked your activity and the use of technology. I think that the students really liked to use the computers and work together in small groups.
+2 - I liked that you modeled what you were expecting from the students with a sample "missing statue." It is very important to model for your students.
+3 - I liked that you reviewed a few concepts from your previous lesson. It helps students to keep on track, especially when they are participating in a different lesson beforehand or afterward.
Wish: I wish you were a little more organized. At times it seemed like you did not know what was going on. Practice makes perfect! Make sure you practice and do a run through with your group members before you bring the lesson into a classroom.
+1 - I loved your artifacts! They looked so real and authentic. Great job making/finding them! I especially liked the map of the major battles that you had.
+2 - I like how you modeled the activity for the students so they knew what to expect from the activity. Modeling is a key part if a smoothly executed lesson.
+3 - I enjoyed the worksheet that you created for the class. It was a great way to keep the students on task and let them know what they were supposed to be doing.
Wish: I wish that you would have walked around the classroom when another teacher was talking. All teachers "bunched up" in the front of the room makes it easier for students to act out or misbehave.
Overall, both groups did great this week! It's difficult to go from a seemingly perfect written lesson plan to it's implantation. Nothing ever goes 100% the way you want it to. As a teacher, you have to learn how to handle certain situations and always have a back up plan. Whether it's a different way to teach the same lesson, a different lesson entirely, or extra work, a teacher should always be prepared for it all.
Ericka,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your current event presentation! Choosing to have students listen for details was great. I agree with your statement of listening for details as an "important skill for students to have". Students will always need to be attentive listeners in the classroom. Additionally, your form of presentation, reading twice with listening first and taking notes second, is frequently used for state testing. This is an appropriate skill to practice at any time and any subject in the classroom.
Your execution of the lesson was excellent. Your attitude towards the material was engaging and drew me in to what you were saying. You did a great job at waiting for students to answer your class-directed questions before providing an answer. I like that you provided us with resources for more current event lessons and application to a whole classroom setting. This will definitely by useful in the future, so thank you!
Great presentation and post!
-Madison Turner