Being as it was my first formal observation at a new school, I feel it went well on most accords. The students seemed engaged in the lesson, and when technical issues came forth, my CT was there to lend a helping hand. After all, it's better to help everyone learn, instead of providing limited real-time feedback. The video gave me insight into how fast-paced I might seem for some Elementary students, however, Corbett Prep is a school for the performance arts and houses gifted students who have been reading before most parents suggest the idea to their child. These students are immersed in a vibrant language atmosphere at home, and have multiple outlets for expressing their physiological needs, promoting healthy brain development. They sure used their brains during the lesson, as it was enough 2nd grade math to have cause for a Brain Break and play Hagoo. Some students were yelling in each others' faces in an attempt to make them laugh as this is what they normally do on the playground, and I as the teacher was able to calmly tell them to find other options for making people laugh. Being calm is one of the number one things you can do for your students as a teacher/mediator in the classroom.
The content of the lesson was of manipulating hundreds, tens, and ones. Student objectives asked them to be able to address three-digit numbers in terms of different requirements. Sometimes they would have to tell how many hundreds there were, then tens, then ones. Other times they would only be able to address the value in terms of tens and ones only. For example, the number 765 could be said as 7 hundreds, 6 tens, and 5 ones. Also, equivalently addressed as 76 tens and 5 ones. Most students were able to grasp this concept willingly, as they have been grappling with fundamental concept work for the past two weeks prior to observation. For the students who struggled with the lesson's content and pace, my CT was able to step in and give quality support to a student who had been in her classroom for 1 1/2 years. The student appreciated her help, and with my CT's guidance, was able to give answers to most of the problem sets and justify her answers. Seeing real learning like that gave me real joy to be a teacher.
My post-conference with my supervisor gave insight into the areas that I should be proud of as a teacher. Also, there was a great tip about keeping real-time data charts to see which students are showing mastery on a formative level. Small groups can and must be pulled in public schools, and this is necessary practice for the future since I plan to be teaching in the public sector, hopefully 4th or 5th grade. Transitions were a main concern of mine, since last semester proved to be challenging in terms of excitement in the classroom and general levels of maintaining engagement from a majority of students on my part. Moving from 5th grade to 1st grade was like taking an ice bath, only instead of water it was behavior management issues. Since the lesson was engaging and challenging, some students who are find boredom in slow transition time found themselves inundated with mathematical cognitive demands (#FEAP3a). The fast pace and fun of the card game provided a rich environment for students to practice their hundreds, tens, and ones.
The content of the lesson was of manipulating hundreds, tens, and ones. Student objectives asked them to be able to address three-digit numbers in terms of different requirements. Sometimes they would have to tell how many hundreds there were, then tens, then ones. Other times they would only be able to address the value in terms of tens and ones only. For example, the number 765 could be said as 7 hundreds, 6 tens, and 5 ones. Also, equivalently addressed as 76 tens and 5 ones. Most students were able to grasp this concept willingly, as they have been grappling with fundamental concept work for the past two weeks prior to observation. For the students who struggled with the lesson's content and pace, my CT was able to step in and give quality support to a student who had been in her classroom for 1 1/2 years. The student appreciated her help, and with my CT's guidance, was able to give answers to most of the problem sets and justify her answers. Seeing real learning like that gave me real joy to be a teacher.
My post-conference with my supervisor gave insight into the areas that I should be proud of as a teacher. Also, there was a great tip about keeping real-time data charts to see which students are showing mastery on a formative level. Small groups can and must be pulled in public schools, and this is necessary practice for the future since I plan to be teaching in the public sector, hopefully 4th or 5th grade. Transitions were a main concern of mine, since last semester proved to be challenging in terms of excitement in the classroom and general levels of maintaining engagement from a majority of students on my part. Moving from 5th grade to 1st grade was like taking an ice bath, only instead of water it was behavior management issues. Since the lesson was engaging and challenging, some students who are find boredom in slow transition time found themselves inundated with mathematical cognitive demands (#FEAP3a). The fast pace and fun of the card game provided a rich environment for students to practice their hundreds, tens, and ones.