Video Observation

Notetaking Tool
Observers name: Sumter Barbour Lesson observed Emily Lavender
Purpose: To provide a framework for reection and collaborative conversations about
teaching and learning.
Directions: Read over the guiding questions below. As you view the video, jot down notes
about what you see and hear. Note any examples or evidence to support answers to the
questions.
Student Engagement/Classroom
Involvement
Notes
1. How are students involved in the
lesson?
What is the extent of student
involvement?
The students are involved in the lesson because
Emily asks them questions about the Statue of
Liberty.
The students are very involved.
1. Were there opportunities for
students to
ask questions? What kinds of
questions
were they asking?
How did the teacher help students
make connections to what they
were learning?
She helped them make connections to the
Statue of Liberty by showing them a coin of the
statue on it and a picture of a statue of liberty
in Birmingham. They asked her questions about
the Statue.
She wanted them to connect the details of the
story to the main idea.
1. Describe the interaction in the
classroom.
Emily does a great job of walking around the
room and interacting with the students. The
students also read out loud some of the story.
She asks them if they liked the story.
She allows the students to turn and talk.
Student Learning Notes
1. What evidence do you see that
indicates student learning?
2. Was the learning outcome explicitly
conveyed to the students?
Emily asked them what the main idea of the
story was. After reading the book, she told
them they were going to talk about the main
idea. She asked them what a main idea is.
1. What evidence did you see that the
learning goals were achieved?
2. How did the teacher monitor
student progress?
The students tell her what they think the main
idea was.
She asks them to support the main idea and
give examples.
While the students were working in the groups,
she walked around and answered questions.
She also checked to see how they were doing.
Instruction
1. What is the teacher doing?
(Facilitating, lecturing, co-learning,
etc.)
2. How was content/concepts
presented to students? Was there
adequate explanation of the
concepts to ensure student
learning?
Emily is facilitating/lecturing.
The concepts are presented through a book
and a PowerPoint.
I liked that she gave the students an
opportunity to read the story out loud.
1. What kinds of questions did the
teacher ask?

What questions provided

opportunities for students to
explain, defend, compare,
evaluate?

Did the teacher wait for

responses? Probe for deeper
understanding?
Where are some places you have seen the
statue of liberty?
She waited for responses and wanted them to
answer before she told them an answer.
She wants the students to defend their
thoughts.
1. What tasks are students doing? Did
the students have the opportunity
to practice their new knowledge or
skill? Did the practice help support
the learning outcome?
2. How did the teacher manage the
learning environment? (Procedures,
securing attention, time on task,
etc)
The students read a story about the statue of
liberty. They turned and talked about what they
thought the main idea was.
She was very good at controlling the room.
At one point the students started calling out
and she told them to be quiet and listen
Feedback
3-2-1
3 A!rmations based on the observations and evidences above
The engagement was very good! I loved that you showed them pictures.
Loved that she incorporated vocabulary words into the lesson!
The activity was great because they could work in groups and it was
sessions. I liked the di!erent stations. (Love your enthusiasm for writing)
!
2 Questions for Consideration
Maybe write down the vocabulary words and denitions.
Ask the students why knowing the main idea of the story is important.
1 Recommendation
It took awhile to explain the stations. Maybe have directions written out?
Or less stations?