Intern/Student: Michelle Thinh Date Observed: 10/4/13

School Site: Taft Middle School Supervisor/CT: Rachel Millstone

Class/Course: Life Science Class Period: 3:00-4:00
UCSD Education Studies Program Classroom Observation
Observable Classroom Instructional Practices
Instruction Observations Level
3
Level
2
Level 1
Clearly communicates objectives and directions.
(TPE 4, 5, 7)
Explains content in multiple ways. (TPE 4)
Clear transitions during lesson and activities. (TPE
10)
Use of questioning that builds student understanding
and engages in learning. (TPE 1, 2, 5)
Monitors learning during instruction. (TPE 10)
Use of wait time. (TPE 6)
Management & Monitoring Observations Level
3
Level 2 Level 1
Establishes positive learning environment. (TPE 11)
Appropriate movement in the room. (TPE 2, 5)
Establishes a "teacher presence".
Reinforces Limits of acceptable behavior. (TPE 6,
11)
Acts on classroom disruptions. (TPE 11)
Re-engages off-task behavior. (TPE 5)
Classroom Environment and Management
On front white board:
Unit of Inquiry, Essential Quetsion, purpose for the day, expected outcome, and
agenda: problem solving, SaveFred, Conclusions, Bird Buck Drawing.
Script of Lesson: 35 students present
Students are quite rowdy after bell rings. You use your signal and they get a little
quiet. You remind them of the purpose of the signal. You use it again and add 5
seconds to their time after class. You end up using it again and adding another 5.
It gets quiet. Good- I am so glad to see you following through with this. I would
recommend trying to use more proximity when you play the class signal take a
lap all the way around the classroom. You have a great walkway for this!
Save Fred: Again, as you are reading the story and giving the directions, walk around
the classroom and use your body as a management tool.
You choose 3 stuents to go over the rules of the activity. Many students volunteer, but
as the first student shares, it is loud. I would follow through with 5 more seconds.
You shouldnt have to keep warning them about staying quiet. Do not keep
repeating if you are not quiet, I will add 5 seconds, because this sends a
message that you are reluctant to use your system and are stalling to do so.
After students write their six steps down to save Fred, you play your class signal.
Students do not get quiet. You add 10 seconds. Great! (not great that you had to
add 10 seconds, but good for you for following through with what you said you
were going to do).
The students are very excited about this activity. As I walked around, all groups but
one had completed the task. Three minutes leftI like how you are using the
online stopwatch to help keep track of time.
You add more time because students do not get quite when you use your signal after
the transition. Review of Save Fred: you are using hand raise to take questions.
Discussion about what the different groups did to Save Fred. Conclusion: Fred lives
because we all worked together.
Bird Buck Drawing. As soon as you announce this, I hear a lot of bustling.
Remember to say: In a moment, we will be drawing for Bird Bucks. We are not
moving yet, or doing anything until I tell you to. In a moment, you will have a
chance to add any Bird Bucks that you would like to before the drawing. Again,
tell them what your expectations are for the noise level, movement, etc You tell
them that there is a maximum of 3 times their name can be drawn before they
cannot win any more.
Students put their chairs up. They owe you time after class: 30 seconds. You tell them
you will start when the talking stops. The class starts creeping over to you as you
keep the time. I believe you should hold them to staying in their seat area, since
that what you told them to do. They are still pushing the limits.
What is Working Well:
1) Pleasant, calm teacher presence.
2) Pacing of lesson is good- not too slow, not too fast.
3) You are using a timer to hold the class accountable for an activity within a certain
time frame (although, if you see that everyone is finished, do not feel like you
need to use all of the time on the clock. Feel free to tell them that it looks like
they are all finished with time to spare and move on).
4) You are almost always following through with your system of keeping them 5
seconds longer after class when they do not respond to the class signal.
Goals to Work On:
1) Transitions once you get the class quiet and give directions, give them
expectations for what you should be hearing and seeing students doing during
the transition and how long it should take.
2) Circulate around the classroom as you are doing reading, giving directions, and
when you have a chance to move away from the doc cam. Try to stay away from
teaching only from the front of the room.
3) State expectations (for noise level and movement in the classroom) before you
release students to do any activity or task.
4) Hold them to staying after class, in their seating areas. Tell them what you
expect (see #3 above) before you start the time. Then, if they don't do it, start
the whole thing over again. I think that this is the only way that it will matter to
them to stay after, and also it makes them realize that you mean business.