Observation #1

Course: Children’s Literature

Environment: 17 students in class sitting in clustered desks

Time What Teacher is Doing What Students are doing Tech/No Tech

9:15 Professor is giving a lecture regarding Students are sitting down in No tech
a review of the last lesson. Prof clustered groups at tables listening
occasionally is calling on students to and answering questions.
answer questions or to fill in the blanks
on a few things for review.

9:25 Professor passes out a handout for Students are quietly listening at No tech
the lecture for the day and begins their desks, some are taking notes,
lecturing on the subject. No questions but the majority of students are
are asked, purely lecture occurs. listening and looking at the prof.

9:35 Professor open the floor for discussion
and includes references from
handouts and calls on several
students to hear their thought on a
book that was read for homework.
Students participate in discussion, No tech
ask questions to other students and
to professor

9:55 Professor closes the discussion and Students listen and prepare to pack No tech
calls on one last student to comment up to head to the back table. They
about the book. Professor then look at the back of the handout.
explains what is going to happen for Lots of shuffling is occuring.
the rest of the class. There are books
on the back table that we have to
compare and contrast to the book that
we read for homework. He gives
examples and talks about most of the
books at the table. He continues to
explain that this will be an individual
assignment and we must compare and
contrast at least 2 books to the one
done for homework. There is room to
complete this assignment on the back
of the handout. This will be the exit
ticket.

10:15 Professor rounds up students and tells
them to pack up. He stations himself
at the door to check on the
assignments as each student walks
by.
Students pack up, put the books No tech
away and line up with the
assignments in hand. When
prompted, we explain our
comparison of the books.
Reflection:

I have always loved this class. I’m a verbal processor who love literature so I love the opportunity to discuss
and ask questions concerning the subject matter. I had never really paid any attention to the fact that
absolutely no tech is used. Most Westmont classes at least incorporate powerpoint, but this was purely
lecture and discussion without technology.

I have learned a lot about technology from Computers for the Classroom, but this is a class where I don’t think
that it is necessitated. I saw many ways that even without tech, this classroom was still serving as a class
engaged with the MLE. In a lot of ways this course follows a flipped classroom model. This way, discussion is
the core of the course and this is where we spend the most time. This allows for the 5E’s to be deepend and
fleshed out more. I don’t think I would change this class to add tech. However, I might add other aspects from
the MLE into the classroom. I would most likely get the students out of the classroom a little bit more.
Although it was not observed in this class period, there are times where we go outside to have class. Our prof
does a wonderful job at playing into multiple intelligences and catering an education to the individual, rather
than the majority. He tends to call on those who don’t typically speak up and frame questions as an
encouragement to share opinions and thoughts. He often strays away from the ideas of right and wrong as we
are talking about literature, something often so gray.