SED 406: Observation Assignment III

As his student and now as an observant, I have always admired Mr. Lefort’s ability to combine a lax atmosphere with effective classroom management. As I am now a more informed observer as a result of taking Dr. Kraus’ course, however, I did notice that some aspects of classroom management were “managed” better than others. The time from when students entered the room until instruction began lasted roughly five minutes, with students moving around and talking amongst themselves freely before making their way to their seats. As they entered the door, they made sure to grab a copy of the handouts printed out and placed on a desk by the door. Mr. Lefort had advised me before the class to have all materials that the students would need readily available for them and always in the same spot, as it occupies student attention and generally brings them to their desks faster. It was interesting to watch exactly what he had predicted unfold- the handouts really did grab student attention and bring them to their seats faster in comparison to the first class of the day I had observed. It was definitely a piece of advice I will hold on to. 

When everyone was seated, Mr. Lefort glanced around the room before quickly taking attendance and then starting off the class by playing a youtube video. As it played, he walked around and collected any late assignments that students wished to pass in; I assumed that their had been no homework assigned earlier that had been due that day. After the video had ended, Mr. Lefort announced to the class his intentions for that day’s class, telling students that they would review previous material in order to retake a previous exam that a number of students had performed poorly on. Throughout all this, I was impressed with the behavior of the class as a whole, and Mr. Lefort’s ability to disarm those few “problem” children who would occasionally disrupt classroom instruction with a smile and a quick joke. He allowed for momentary lapses in concentration, but always seemed to be able to get everybody back on task; in the four classes that I observed him teach, he only had to call for the class to quiet down once, which stood in sharp contrast to my memories of middle school. Everybody seemed to like him, to listen to him, and he in turn listened. With my memories of struggling to get second graders to focus on math fresh in my mind from FNED, it really made me respect the careful balance of fun and focused that Mr. Lefort had managed to achieve. 

The only thing that struck me as something that could be worked on was Mr. Lefort’s lax approach to end-of-class behavior. After completing the lesson with some 5 minutes to spare, he allowed students to pack up and gather around the door; compared to the low chatter when they had first entered the room at the start of class, they were being particularly loud, and I personally would have been concerned with them disrupting nearby classrooms, but Mr. Lefort seemed to shrug it off with a grin before preparing for next class. “They’re kids,” he said, “not robots. They gave me their time, I don’t care what they do now as long as it isn’t anything too crazy.” When one adventurous student attempted to wander into the hallway, Mr. Lefort was quick to call him back inside, but aside from this, he continued to allow students to congregate by the door until the bell rang. When it finally did, I was caught in a flood of students as I made my way towards the exit, noticing that there were no teachers in the hallways to make sure no one was running, as there had been in my middle school. This added to the relaxed atmosphere of the school; from the front desk to the cheerful reading of the announcements, everything seemed conducive to learning in a way that was not as strict as I remembered school. All in all, I enjoyed the way Mr. Lefort, and Kickemuit Middle School at large, managed their classrooms and their students.

SED 406: Observation Assignment II

Part 1: Planning
Teacher Candidate: Christopher Costa
Subject: Social Studies
Grade(s): 8
Name of Lesson: 
Colonial Insurrection prior to the American Revolution and Analyzing Legitimate Government
Learning Objective(s), including Bloom's taxonomic level (Label A, B, C, D): 
Students, forming groups, will trace the growth in colonial anger prior to the American Revolution by studying key terms, while analyzing legitimate government to review for a re-take of a previous exam.
A: Students
B: Tracing the growth of colonial anger by studying key terms and analyzing legitimate government.
C: In groups
D: NA
Bloom's Taxonomy: Knowledge and Analysis
Student Standards:
Rhode Island Grade Span Expectations (GSEs) for Social Studies: Grades 5-8.
Civics and Government 1 (7-8) –1
Students demonstrate an understanding of origins, forms, and purposes of government by…
c. explaining what happens when political structures do or do not meet the needs of people
C&G 1 (7-8)–2
Students demonstrate an understanding of sources of authority and use of power, and how they are/can be changed by…
c. defining and identifying the nature of authority and sources of power
Historical Perspectives 1 (7-8) –2
Students interpret history as a series of connected events with multiple cause- effect relationships, by…
a. investigating and analyzing historical and visual data in order to draw connections between a series of events.
Teacher Standards:
NETS:
1. Facilitate and inspire student learning
and creativity
Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning, and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning, creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face
and virtual environments.
b. Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic problems using digital tools and resources
RIPTS: 
4. Teachers create instructional opportunities that reflect a respect for the diversity of learners and an understanding of how students differ in their approaches to learning.
Teachers...use their understanding of students (e.g., individual interests, prior learning, cultural background, native language, and experiences) to create connections between the subject matter and student experiences.
Rationale: 
The question of what constitutes legitimate government- where does it come from, how should it be enforced, etc.- has been asked repeatedly throughout history, and is still culturally relevant today, as evidenced by the abuse of authority by police officers in Ferguson, MO. This question fits into the context of the American Revolution, resting at the very center of the principles for which it was fought for- namely, against unjust rule. It appears to be at the end of a unit of instruction, right before we leap into the unit concerning the American Revolution.
Materials/Resources needed:
Smartboard and Internet Connection
Accommodations and Modifications:
Students with IEP's are provided with an assistant during class hours and are sat in groups in the front of the room to foster greater involvement in the exam review; students who did well on their first attempt of the exam are allowed to work quietly in their groups on newer material.
What content resources support this knowledge base?
The internet, primary sources made available to students by the teacher, and the textbook.
How confident are you in this topic as you start this lesson?
Very confident.


Part 2: Action
Bell-ringer: How will you get students seated, and ready for academic work? (without using your voice?)
Mr. Lefort stood at the front of the room. A student desk by the door had hand-out's placed upon it; students would walk in, grab a copy of the hand-out, and would sit down looking at it. Mr. Lefort waited until everyone was seated before starting.
Anticipatory Set: How will you introduce the material, interest the students, show relevance of topic?
A youtube video was played of Gordon Fox being interviewed about his recent resignation as Rhode Island's Speaker of the House. This was then related to class discussions of what really constitutes legitimate government- how "legit" is our own government?
Intro: 
Previously mentioned youtube video followed by discussion of how this relates to other things in the news (Ferguson) and how this idea of "unjust" rule plays into colonial complaints against the British prior to the Revolutionary War.
Presentation:
Provided an explanation for why they would be reviewing previous material today before explaining why they needed to re-take the test, stating,"We really need to cover tho setter if we want to move forward; this lays the foundation for everything we're going to be covering from now on." Explained the planned classroom activity before diving into the guided practice.
Guided Practice:
Encouraging student collaboration to correct mistakes on their first attempt of the exam, as well as conducting a class-wide vocabulary review by using online-generated flashcards via quizlet.
Closing:
Covered what will be on the exam as well as tools students could use in order to be prepared.
Homework/Application:
Students were told to study for their exam next class.
Review and Reflection: How will you review for students who are still having trouble?
Mr. Lefort uploaded videos of himself further clarifying the material to the school website and encouraged students to watch them to aid them in their studying.
Extension: What will you offer to students who have mastered this?
Students who performed well on the previous exam were not obligated to retake it.


Part 3: Reflection
What went well?
The review for the exam was generally positive; students who appeared to be ill-prepared improved noticeably as the review progressed. Advice on how to study and teacher-provided tools helped to visibly increase confidence.
What areas of weakness need addressing?
I thought having the students who had done well on the exam could have been provided with something more challenging to do while Mr. Lefort worked with those who had been struggling with the material. They were behaving well, but they didn't appear to be focused, and it just felt like it was a waste of a lesson for them.
What objectives were met? What is the evidence?
Students definitely connected the youtube video of Gordon Fox with instances of injustice and corruption related to Michael Brown and the Ferguson riots before connecting it back to colonial protests, demonstrating that they had a fair understanding of what constitutes just and unjust power, as well as what happens if such injustice is allowed to continue.
Which students did not meet objectives?
Three students were withdrawn from the class to work independently with the teacher assistant- as a result, it is difficult to assess if they met the objectives or not.
Was time managed appropriately?
No; the lesson ended rather early, and students had too much free time at the end, crowding the door minutes before the bell rang.
Did any teacher mannerisms or action detract from the lesson?
No.
What were the strengths and weaknesses of classroom management?
I thoroughly enjoy Mr. Lefort's lax style, as it encourages all students to feel included and to participate, although it allows some unwanted behaviors to go away unpunished (i.e crowding the door before being dismissed).
Was the lesson engaging?
As a review for the exam, engagement with the lesson varied. For those who did well, it was severely lacking, as could be expected.
What did I learn from my peer observation?
I learned a great deal about effective classroom management and a lot about what goes on with being a teacher outside the classroom. Getting to see a day of school through a teacher's perspective for the first time was definitely interesting.
How will this experience influence your professional identity?
Very positively; I have always highly respected Mr. Lefort and this experience has done little to change my opinion. I hope to imitate a lot of what he does in the classroom and how he relates to students.
How will it influence how you plan/teach/assess in the future?
I admired Mr. Lefort's ability to improvise on the fly, but I could definitely see myself needing a detailed plan as to what I would need to be doing for the day if I were in his shoes- middle school students need constant stimulus to stay engaged, and I doubt I'll be able to manage a classroom as effectively as he can within my first year of teaching.

SED 406: Observation Assignment I

It was with sweaty palms and a stomach full of butterflies that I first set off to observe one of my former high school history teachers, Mick Lefort, teach an eighth grade class at Kickemuit Middle School. Mr. Lefort (it feels weird to address him by his first name even now, two years after I graduated from East Providence High, where he used to teach before moving on to the Bristol-Warren school) had been kind enough to arrange for me to come and watch him, getting back to me promptly and generally making the process as pain-free as possible. Until now, I thought as I sped down I-195 towards exit two, phone in hand with my GPS calmly spouting directions. When forced into the kinds of "sink-or-swim" situations someone finds themselves in any time they do something out of their usual routine, I find that I generally can keep my head above the waves, but it doesn't stop me from dreading the moment I'm thrown into the deep end. All I have to do is sit there and watch, I thought, but the actual classroom was not really what I was worried about. It was going through the office, dealing with the paperwork, talking to people whom I would be meeting for the first time at a place I had never been to before. My grip on the steering wheel tightened, not letting ago until I had pulled into the parking lot and had to step out of the car and into the unknown.

In retrospect, I feel silly having ever felt that nervous. When I was buzzed in through the main entrance, I was met by a friendly, supportive staff who had been expecting me and who were eager to help. I filled out all the paper work before the school's police officer walked me to Mr. Lefort's class, where his first period of the day was about to kick off at 8:30 am. Walking down the halls, I was struck by how new everything felt in comparison to the schools I had attended- how well maintained, how bright everything seemed. Slogans calling for academic success rained down from the walls, clocks that actually said the right time were situated everywhere. It felt so...friendly. Perhaps not incredibly warm, but sanitary, generally positive. I didn't want to leave as soon as I walked through the halls. I walked into Mr. Lefort's class. He shook my hand, sat me down at his desk, pushed off to the far back corner completely opposite from the door, and assured me that we would have plenty of time to discuss any questions that I probably had during the following period, in which he was completely free. As students filtered in, many cast curious glances towards me, but Mr. Lefort quickly had them turn their attention towards his lesson, and I was left more or less to myself, the desk sitting far away from the center of student-teacher interactions, seemingly placed away from all action, almost as if its location was an afterthought. The desks were grouped haphazardly, distributed unevenly across the room, with another teacher desk stationed at the front of the class. It appeared organized, as did the desk I sat at, sitting before the whiteboards and the smartboard at the front of the class.

Mr. Lefort darted in between each group as he routinely wandered around before making his way back to the front of the class. The walls were adorned with various things- student work, historical posters and images, a Pink Floyd "The Wall" poster, and an image of Bob Marley, dreads and all, followed by some quote that escapes me now- I remember wanting to ask Mr. Lefort if he had ever been asked by nervous parents to remove Marely's smiling face from his class, but I forgot to do so until I found myself driving home a few hours later. The decorations felt cool, almost youthful, as if Mick had invited me over to hang out and talk about social studies instead of sitting in Mr. Lefort's class to review last week's exam. This particular class had 18 students, 10 of whom had IEP's as I would find out later, and had a single teacher assistant attempting to help them; the only black student in the room was receiving the lion's share of her attention. Despite this, it felt like everyone was participating. I was struck by Mr. Lefort's ability to always bring students back to task, no matter how far a tangent they went off on, and get them to talk about the material at hand. A dry wit and patience allowed him to incorporate even the more "difficult" students into the general discussion, disruptive behavior quipped by a funny remark and general laughter. It was enjoyable to watch this flow between student and teacher, at times disjointed but generally positive. It screamed of amicable student-teacher relations, which is exactly how I remembered being a member of Mr. Lefort's class; the freedom made me remember how I enjoyed being his student, and I'm sure his students, and Kickemuit's student body at large, feel the same way now.

Microteaching I Reflection

After I sat back down from teaching my lesson to my group, I immediately second-guessed everything that I had done, from talking way too much to wishing that I had worn a better pair of shoes. It was a frustrating experience to have realized that I had devoted so much time and effort into crafting something that ended up not meeting the high standards I set for myself. I slept on it, still feeling incredibly let down in myself, and awoke the next morning recognizing that, hey, this was my first time out. Mistakes were bound to happen. The important thing was to learn from those mistakes so that I would be better off the next time. And as pessimistic as I had been earlier, I also realized that there were a handful of positives to extract from the experience.

The people in my group were extremely supportive, offering me both praise and friendly criticism after I sat down, and were extremely attentive and non-disruptive while I was teaching. I had drafted a set of objectives to be met, and although it appeared that I had conveyed these to my "students," the structural problems of my lesson- not having an in-class practice assignment for them to demonstrate their comprehension of these objectives- meant that I don't have any quantifiable evidence as to how effective my lesson really was. I felt that I was relatively confident while teaching, and I thought that my timing of when and how to introduce new information was actually quite good. I felt like I was effectively emphasizing the parts of the lesson that needed it. Although the overall timing of my lesson was not up to par- I believe it fell a minute short of its intended target- it was nice to see that I was comfortable while I was up there, and that I didn't feel utterly boring. I also thought how I introduced the lesson was creative and effective.

I'm sure that I would not have felt this way had I seen things not go nearly as smoothly with actual middle school-high school students in place of my fellow classmates. I definitely talked wayyyyy too much, something that Dr. Kraus had addressed before I implemented it and that I did not effectively address in my edits. In a college lecture hall, that is fine, but trying to talk through the whole lesson is definitely not going to keep young teens interested in what I'm trying to teach. In retrospect, I would definitely produce an in class assignment asking students to analyze the primary documents I passed out via a series of written questions after I had introduced the lesson to the class. I would go through the powerpoint concurrently in-between analysis of each document rather than try to cram it in all at once; I felt bored teaching the material that way, so I could only imagine how bored my classmates must have been. I would also try not to spoon feed what I was trying to illustrate while teaching my lesson, and would further encourage students to ask questions rather than drone on myself. This would allow students to actually demonstrate their grasp of the material rather than leaving me clueless as to how effective I really was, which was how I felt after teaching my lesson.

This was definitely not my best work, which I guess can be expected under the circumstances- my first time constructing a lesson plan and implementing it. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement and, as much as I feel that I did so many things wrong, I feel like I learned so much more about what I can do to make things better. Who knew studying to educate others had so many learning curves.