Post Observation Self-Reflection

Post Observation Self-Reflection

As I reflect on the lesson, activity or interaction to what extent were the students actively engaged?  How do I know?

The students were very engaged in the topic. It is a topic that they have been working on and they were conversing back and forth about the lesson.

Did the students learn what I had intended?  Were my instructional goals and objectives developmentally appropriate?  What is my evidence?

After conferencing with the kids on the topic, I was able to observe which students understood the idea of an All About paper and a One Time paper. The children were able to understand the lesson as well as meet the goals for the lesson by showing the understood the difference between an All About paper and a One Time paper and were able to independently choose their topic and write their paper.

Did I alter my goals, strategies or activities, as I interacted with the children or as I taught the lesson?  If so, what changes did I make and why did I make these changes?

I did not alter the lesson but it was customized to the conversation so even though the lesson was planned, the conversation was not. I did have to ask the students to change their behavior because of the materials in their hands, which I should have done at the beginning of the lesson.

 Were my strategies and activities effective?  What is my evidence?

As a small group, we talked about our weekends. At this age and definitely with these specific children, they love to talk and chat with each other constantly. The strategies I used for this was to talk about their weekends as well as mine in a small informal circle. They responded well to this technique. They also know how to write weekend webs and draft ideas for writing so the activity lined up with what they already knew.

To what extent did the classroom environment contribute to student learning?  What is my evidence?

The four students were in the classroom while the other kids in the class were in art. It was helpful to have the class to ourselves so they were not distracted by other students or loud noises in the hallway. We sat on the rug in a small circle which made it feel very comfortable and relaxed. The students talked the entire time about the lesson and topics at hand.

Was my assessment effective and useful to my students and me?  Describe an instance in which my feedback positively affected a student’s learning.

I was able to observe their drafts and writings after they were done picking a topic and they all were able to grasp the concept of All About and a One Time paper. While conferencing with one child, I was able to give him some ideas about his topic he chose. I was able to help him by saying “what do you want the reader to know?”

If I had the opportunity to teach this lesson again, what might I do differently?  Why?

As I had mentioned before, I would have had the children leave their materials on the ground in front of them so they would not be distracting and if they did not put them on the ground I would have ust taken them away until we started our independent writing. I also would have chosen a different topic as an example for myself but it still worked as an example for their lesson.

The Responsive Classroom Approach

The classroom (and school) I am doing my student teaching in use the Responsive Classroom Approach. I am new to this approach. As per the website, “Responsive Classroom is an evidence-based approach to teaching that focuses on engaging academics, positive community, effective management, and developmental awareness.” (https://www.responsiveclassroom.org) In the second grade classroom I am in, the kids are very chatty. They love to talk and are a very feisty bunch. The teacher uses this approach and it suits them very well.

            In terms of classroom management, which is something I am very interested in, the teacher rings a chime and the students know to stop and listen to her directions. She counts down quietly to have them sit at the rug when it is time for meetings and directions. She uses a very soft voice and uses different strategies when speaking to the students. She does not yell and is always consistent and follows through with what she says.  She is very respectful of the students and you can see that the strategies she uses are intentional and effective. Social and emotional development is very much a part of their curriculum and they believe the students will respond positively inside and outside of the classroom.

            She plays games with the kids every day. They also have a quiet time everyday after lunch and recess before they start the rest of their day. These are activities you do not typically see in every classroom and it is nice to see these 7 and 8 year olds still playing in school as well as quieting their mind and body.

            In my classroom we use very respectful calm voices as well. We have strategies we use with the 3 and 4 year olds that should continue through elementary school, middle school and high school. We use phrases like “When you do this, then you can do this” or we give choices “you can come eat your snack in 1 minute or 2 minutes.” In a way, when the students get older, they should be using the same strategies. We also do a morning meeting and a closing circle. We always say hello to each individual child as they do in the morning meeting in second grade.

            I really like the Resposive Classroom approach and would use this if I end up in an elementary classroom and will also look into it for ideas for my younger children. It is always important to create safe and joyful learning communities.

Parent Associations raise money for schools

PS 234 is located in the West Village of Manhattan. It is a school that boasts a great arts program with music classes, art classes and dance. Their curriculum is based on inquiry. They study themes in depth in all grades focusing mainly on social studies and science. It is a highly sought after school and many families in the neighborhood are very proud of their school as well as the teachers at the school.

This being said, this is one of those rare public schools in the city where most of the zoned parents send their children to their neighborhood public school instead of sending them to a private school. I believe the reason for this is the Parents Association (PTA or PA). In a school like this one, the Parents Association raises close to a million dollars to fund many programs in the school. Another example is where my children go to school, PS 87 William Sherman located on the Upper West Side. According to the New York Times, 87% of families in the neighborhood chose to send their children to the their zoned school rather than a private school. This school also raises one million dollars a year to fund art programs, dance, chess, assistants for Kindergarten and First Grade teachers, Wellness programs like healthy cooking classes for the children as well as Fitness nights for the school families, and many more.

Because of the money fundraised, these schools are given opportunities that other schools in lower income neighborhoods do not get. The children in those schools are getting the bare minimum provided by the DOE. Some schools are without any enrichment activities, libraries and school outreach programs.

The rezoning attempts that have been made by the DOE in the last several years are to try and even out the money raised in these neighborhoods and to attract more families to these schools. Hopefully with these attempts, the academic achievement levels of these schools will increase. As a teacher, it would be so wonderful to work in a school that has extra funding and extra activities for the children in class to break up the day and energize their minds for other academic subjects. It could be something we think about as teachers in the future. What kind of fundraising can we help with in areas that need our help?

What are you expectations for the semester? What do you hope to get out of this experiences? Why?

I know now I was meant to be a teacher. I got my undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education but at the time I was 18 when I decided and at that age I had no idea what I REALLY wanted to do. After I graduated at 21 years old, I taught two years in third grade. I loved the kids and I loved to teach them but I did not like the politics involved with my teaching and my curriculum. I had to hide my voice in my classroom. I had to compromise my beliefs even though I had no idea what my beliefs were. After moving to New York, meeting my husband and having two children of my own, I can see clearly I want to be an educator, or as Ann S. Epstein says, an "Intentional Teacher". ( 2007)

In this class, I am really looking forward to working with a small group of educators and discussing experiences in teaching over the next few months. I believe I will take with me many lessons, ideas and deeper thoughts to education and grow to be an intentional teacher. I hope to have the “repertoire of instructional strategies” (Epstein, 2007, pg.3) As I look at the topics we will discuss in the course, I hope to learn the best way to plan and build a meaningful curriculum, learn the best ways to assess children at all developmental levels, and have a better understanding as to why I will do the pedagogy I choose to do in my own classroom.

I look forward to stepping into another classroom in a new school and observing a new teacher and his/her strategies for teaching. I look forward to meeting new students and observing how they learn best. I am hoping to absorb all of the information and take it with me to my current job or a new job in my future. The deeper I get into the educational world, I hunger for the knowledge of research and the intellect from the wealth of experience. I am excited to become the best teacher that I can be and to grow with children and other teachers in the world of education. It is important the most important job.

Retrieved from: http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/Members_Only_Excerpt_Intentional_Teacher_Rev_Ed.pdf