EDUC 5312/3315-Curriculum and Instructional Design

Classroom Observation Assignment

Observation Form 1

Observation Date: 6/10/2017 Observation Time: 12:00 PM-2:00 PM

Teacher Observed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDdv3JXJ2nU

Subject/Grade Level: Social Study Class/High School Class (Possible 9th Grade)

School Observed: Unknown Observer: Abdulkadir Ciplak

1-What was/were the learning objectives/outcomes of the lesson? (Add state objectives if
known, for example, TEKS 111.4. Grade 2.b.)

A high school social studies class was learning Continuity & Change and the role of belief
system in America. (There was not any state objective, TEKS or grade on the board or in the
teacher explanations). On a small board, there was the level of learning that she was expecting
from students. Students will be able to read, write analyze and evaluate the topic as an outcome
of the lesson

2-How did the teacher begin and end the lesson?

The teacher began by showing the guiding question from the previous class and then talked
about the discussion that they had as a classroom. After that, she explained what they are going
to do today and then gave two guiding questions for the topic as a starter and asked students to
write those questions into their notebooks. After that, the teacher started to explain the topic by
asking related questions to see students knowledge about the topic.

She mostly lectured and asked questions during the classroom. She also measured students
understanding and involvement with formative assessment methods called Thumbs up or down
and Give five methods.

After finishing the lecturing and questions she asked students to write sentences in their
notebooks.

3-What did the teacher use for teaching materials or instructional aids/equipment?

The teacher mostly used the classroom board for the instruction. She also used a worksheet, a
poster to demonstrate the level of understanding and once a projector to show guiding questions.
So she did not use too many materials or instructional aids in the classroom.
4-Which instructional methods and strategies did the teacher use? ( lecture, inquiry,
discovery learning, discussions, games or simulations, demonstrations, cooperative learning,
integration of technology, socrative questioning, etc)

It was mostly lecturing because of the teacher was explaining and asking questions during the
most of the time in the classroom. Students were mostly sitting and listening to the teacher
explanations. Also, each student paired with another student for short period of time like 40
seconds to share their ideas. Thats why there was a little bit cooperative learning in the
classroom.

5-How did the teacher assess learning? (informal, formal, formative, summative, oral, open-
ended, quiz, feedback etc) See Chapter 8 for more information on assessment methods

Since the classroom was mostly on the teachers explanations and lecturing there was not any
summative assessment. The teacher was using mostly oral or formative assessments to check
students understanding. There were thumbs up and give one-five formative assessments that
the teacher used mostly in the classroom.

6- What can you say about the teachers philosophy/beliefs and style?
(Traditional/progressive, behaviorist, student-centered vs. teacher centered, authoritative etc)

The teacher is using direct instruction in her classroom. Thats why the teaching style is
obviously traditional, teacher-centered style. She is the main source of information and
instruction. She is doing everything in the classroom and students are just sitting and listening to
the teacher and some of them sometimes answer her questions and participate in the classroom.

7-How does the teacher manage classroom? Can you identify classroom management
techniques used?

The teachers classroom management is good because of not having discipline issues or students
who are chatting or randomly talking. I believe that she has already implemented her
expectations from students behaviors and how students need to act in her classroom. Students
were raising their hands when they wanted to answer the questions which are a good sign of
having classroom rules and procedures which she mostly likely implemented before.

She also was talking with a nice volume that will be identified as a teacher voice which makes
a positive effect on the classroom management and students behaviors in the classroom.

8-Observe in the classroom setting and determine types of behavior students play when off-
task. What do they do when they are not paying attention? How does the teacher re-direct
them or get them back on task?

There were not many students off tasks throughout 36 minutes that I observed the classroom.
There were some students who seemed to not listening by looking at the classroom floor. After a
while when the teacher saw more students are losing their attention then she asked students to
stand up and pair with a friend to discuss what they think about the concept.

9-How does the teacher communicate with students (verbal, vocal, meta-verbal or non-verbal
communication such as facial, body language, use of space, motion and time?)

She mostly was communicating with students verbally. The whole lecture, explanations, and
questions were verbal. When she asking questions she was giving hand signs and facial
expressions as well. Overall, she was a good communicating verbally and non-verbally with
students during this classroom.

10-Who were the students in the class? What did you notice about them? (Background,
diversity, attitude, motivation, interaction, participation, etc)

It was a diverse classroom when you check the students with different attitudes and level of
participation in the classroom by answering questions and sharing their ideas with the classroom.
There were some students who did not answer any questions or join the discussion at all. On the
other hand, there were a couple of students who always raising their hands and answering
questions throughout the class.

11-What did you see that is effective in engaging students? What do you see that is
ineffective in keeping students engaged?

Asking questions that took students attention and kept students engaged during the classroom.
Lecturing for a long time was not effective for keeping students attention and engages them for a
long time in the classroom. She was walking around the classroom which helped to keep
students attention as well.

12-What are the two instructional strategies you observed and would like to apply in your
classroom?

The guiding question strategy was a good starter for the classroom. I might use the guiding
questions strategy for my classroom. Going over the previous class lesson by using guiding
questions is a good strategy to use in the classroom.

Another strategy that will try in my classroom will be the formative assessment that the teacher
used in the classroom for checking students understanding. Thumbs up or down and Give me 1-
5 are the ones I observed from the teacher.

13-What are two important classroom management strategies that you observed and would
like to apply in your classroom?

I could see too many strategies that the teacher used for classroom management other than
walking around and knowing students names and asking specific questions. I walk around in my
classroom while teaching or during an experiment. Also, I try to memorize my students by end of
the second week of the school which is a very effective strategy for classroom management.