Observation #2 (SED 406)

SED 406:  Observation Assignment #2

In this observation assignment, your goal is to reverse-engineer a lesson plan. Watch the class, and write the lesson plan that teacher is using.

Do this by OBSERVATION, even if the teacher is willing to share their lesson plan with you. This is about improving your observation skills, not getting ‘the answer’.

Lesson Plan Template for SED 406 and 407 part 1 = planning
Teacher: Jaime	Subject: Literacy	Grade(s): 9
Name of Lesson: Death with Dignity
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level: (label A, B, C, *D) *optional Evaluate – to rate the Death with Dignity Law
Student Standards (GSE or/GLE or Common Core-in draft for math/science- list which):
Teacher Standards (professional society and/or NETS  and RIPTS-list which):
Rationale: Why this lesson? How does it fit into the curriculum and context? Is this the introduction, conclusion, or somewhere in the middle of the unit of instruction? I believe Jaime chose this lesson in order for the students to develop their own beliefs regarding death, to rate a controversial law, and to get the students to think about why it’s controversial.
Materials/Resources needed, including technology: A printed copy of the article for each student and index cards.
Accommodations and Modifications (special needs and learning styles) For example:  Dr. Kraus has poor vision and needs written material to be at least 12 pt. font.  He also reads two grade levels higher and needs appropriate reading material.  Jaime actually printed the article with a larg font for all the students and “chunked” the material for easy reading.
What content resources support this knowledge base? (list at least 2) --
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson? --

(Boxes expand as you type)   Lesson Plan Template part 2 = action
Bell-ringer: How will you get students seated, and ready for academic work? (without your voice)
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic?
Phase (change as needed)/Time	Teacher action	Student action	Questions/Assessments
Intro	-Jaime wrote 3 words on the board. “dignity,” “terminally ill,” and “suicide.”	-Raised hands to answer the question and add to the definitions on the board.	-What do these words mean to you?
	-Jaime picked different students to read each chunk	-Students read aloud, while others listened.	-After each chunk, Jaime asked the students to summarize what was read.
Presentation or Open-ended	-It was a very open and fluid conversation between teacher and students.
Guided Practice or Convergent	-The discussion was convergent.
	-After finishing the article, Jaime gave each student an index card.	-Students wrote down an idea they got from the article that they either agreed or disagreed with.	-Do you agree or disagree with the Death with Dignity law? What evidence supports your decision?
Closing	-Jaime read each index card aloud anonymously.	-Students responded.	-Does anyone have a comment?
Application	-Jaime introduced a law that most students didn’t know about that may apply to them or their family in the future.	-Students applied the possibility of this law affecting their families and responded reflectively.	-Would you want to have the option to die with dignity? Or someone in your family to have the choice?
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble? A student actually wrote a question on the index card instead of a statement and they clarified it as a class.
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this? Jaime suggested that those who were interested in the law to do research on those fighting for and against it.
*Closing: How will you review the material, and draw conclusions? (may be listed above) Jaime concluded the lesson by asking how students would feel about this law applying to their families.

	Lesson Plan Template pt. 3 = reflection
WHAT?	What went well?   All the students responded well to this lesson. Lots of them raised their hands to read aloud, everyone listened to the reader carefully, and every one of them participated in the discussion either verbally, with body language or by writing down an idea on the index card.
	What area of weakness needs addressing? --
	Which objectives were met? What is the evidence? The objective to rate the law was met. The evidence was in the arguments each student chose.
	Which students did not meet objectives? --
	Was time managed appropriately? Jaime estimated 60 minutes for the lesson and her time management was perfect.
	Did any teacher mannerisms or actions detract from the lesson? No, Jaime’s actions only helped to engage students.
	*What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management? The strength was that the lesson took the estimated time. No weaknesses.
SO WHAT?	Was the lesson engaging? Very engaging!
	*What did I learn from my peer observation (address at least one aspect)   I learned the teacher doesn’t always have to dictate the discussion. Jaime was very comfortable letting the students express their thoughts and feelings in order to direct the conversation.
NOW WHAT?	How will this experience influence your professional identity?  It will influence my personal identity as a teacher because I witnessed a teacher help students weigh a controversial law in our society, and I will be encouraged to do the same. I’m sure we have plenty.
	How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future? It will influence me to plan more discussions around current events in order to foster critical thinking instead of using old literature all the time. Also, how I assess learning, because speaking out loud as you develop ideas about yourself definitely is evidence of learning.

Observation #1 (SED 406)

          I observed a 10^th grade English class at Hope High school in Providence.  I signed in at the main office and headed to the 2^nd floor to find Ms. Fandino’s classroom. I walked into Ms. Fandino’s class at 7:55am, five minutes before 1^st period. I chose to sit in the back of the class so that I could have a view of the entire room. Looking around I noticed that the windows were decorated with bright sheer curtains that Ms. Fandino obviously brought from home.  There were huge ornamental butterflies placed around the windows. The walls were covered with neon-colored poster boards, motivational posters, reminders, rules, definitions, and assignments. It smelled sweet like perfume and a YouTube music playlist played quietly in the background as students began to arrive.

            The desks were organized into four columns of six. As students took their seats, Ms. Fandino pushed a cart full of laptops into the room from the hallway with the assistance of a student. By the time class started, 12 students had arrived as well as a teacher assistant.  Each student took a laptop and for 50 minutes they worked on a computer based literacy program silently. Some students used headphones to listen to music as they worked. Ms. Fandino sat at her desk, which was located at the front of the classroom to the left, and graded student work. I realized at this point that I felt like I was in someone’s house because of how comfortable the room made me feel.

            At the end of the 50 minutes there was a total of 14 students (2 arrived late).  With 2 adults and 14 students, the ratio in the classroom seemed balanced. There was a mix of white, black, and Hispanic students with boys being the majority versus girls. There were no visibly disabled students but I did not discuss this with Ms. Fandino so I don’t know if other types of disabilities (such as learning) described students in this group.

            Next, after putting away the laptops, each student grabbed their textbook. Ms. Fandino turned on the smart board and projected the relevant page of the textbook on the board. She read the first paragraph out loud twice and then asked the students to annotate the paragraph in their books. She gave them 3 minutes before asking them to share as she copied their responses on the smart board. Most of the class contributed to the lesson by sharing or discussing other responses. The 2 or 3 students who did not to participate remained quiet and undisruptive. The students who shared the most sat in the front.

            The power in the room belonged to Ms. Fandino. When the teacher assistance tried to get the students to pay attention they were unresponsive to her demands. They definitely respected Ms. Fandino more than to ignore her when she spoke. The students also shared this power when they took the chance to share. The class lasted for 90 minutes and as I walked down the hallway during the transition to 2^nd period, the school reminded me of the 1990’s. It was dark, dated, and plain. It seemed that life only existed within the classrooms.