Observation Form for Lesson Plan Delivery Date: 10/16/10
Location:
Grade: 9
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Name: Tara Kunesh
Content Area for Lesson: English
Mentor / Observer Name: Renee Myers JIU Professor Name: Renee Myers
To the Mentor / Observer: The Observation Form for Lesson Plan Delivery provides mentors / observers with (1) a structure for observing lessons, and (2) a tool for recording formative feedback. Features of effective instruction and classroom management are outlined in each section of this tool. These features are provided as examples of instructional elements to think about when providing formative feedback to teacher candidates or instructors. Mentors / observers are not required to comment on each of the features outlined in this tool. For each section, please use the open space to take notes as you observe the lesson, and the statements above as guidelines of what to look for in that area. Mentor teacher feedback is very important to us. If you have suggestions for how we might improve the Observation Form, please contact Mary Spencer at mspencer@international.edu. Thank you! Teacher Candidate / Instructor Aligned Instruction with State Content Standards for Students Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Delivered instruction using evidence-based practices. Differentiated instruction to fully meet the needs of diverse students including those that are identified as: at-risk, gifted, developmentally delayed, and English language learners. • Integrated the use of technology and informational resources. • Integrated mathematical concepts, where appropriate. • Delivered instruction that integrated Colorado Model Content Standards / state PK-12 content standards. • Delivered instruction that is achievable, meaningful, challenging and motivating for students at various developmental levels. Observation Notes This lesson aligns with Wyoming Reading Content Standard one, and more specifically with: LA11.1A.1: Students demonstrate understanding in their reading of grade-appropriate texts based on a variety of text features, such as evidence presented, text format, and use of language including: a. Literal comprehension (main idea, summarizing, paraphrasing) and b. Inferential comprehension (prediction, cause/effect, compare/contrast, drawing conclusions). And LA11.1B.2: Students understand elements of literature including: a. Character development (character's actions, beliefs, motives, reactions, and feelings); b. Point of view including underlying author purpose; c. Setting including historical/cultural context; d. Universal themes including the philosophical assumptions and underlying beliefs of author's work; and e. Complex elements of plot development including time and sequence elements such as flashback and foreshadowing. • •
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Lesson was designed to include all of these standards Instruction was achievable, meaningful, challenging and motivating for students. Did not use technology with the students. May have in planning the lesson. Lesson did not seem to be differentiated, as far as what I saw.
© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Aligned Instruction with Assessment Results and the Needs of Students • • • •
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Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Designed instruction to meet the needs of the group as indicated by various assessments. Designed instruction that was responsive to input from specialists and building leadership teams. Designed instruction that was based on ongoing formal and informal assessment results. Delivered instruction that was appropriate to the needs of students who are culturally diverse or have exceptional needs. Observation Notes Short unit is basically designed as the next thing in the curriculum. We could have done a pre-assessment. Said teachers would judge the plot summaries (in the lesson plan it said the one that was the shortest and still had all of the elements would win). I told them they had to decide what was important or not. Most of them were pretty good. Some of them missed some names of characters. The ones that won got a brownie. The others got a smaller prize.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Provided Explicit Instruction • • • • • • • •
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Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Set the purpose for instruction and stated the objective of the lesson explicitly. Modeled new tasks (e.g., “I do. We do. You do.”). Made eye contact with all students, and spoke clearly while modeling skill. Made connection to previously-learned material. Provided instructions that had only one interpretation. Limited language to demonstration of skill. Taught in a purposeful, step-by-step fashion (e.g., through the use of routines). Monitored pacing of lesson delivery. Observation Notes
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Revised Written Objective was: Given a short story to read and analyze, (Condition and Content) students will be able to identify within the gift of the magi; plot, setting, theme, characterization, irony and point of view (Behavior), as evaluated by formative class assessments and a final essay evaluated by a rubric. (Criteria) Asked students to turn to p. 151 in book. You should see the gift of the Magi. Asked what is Henry talking about. Asked questions about O’Henry and gave students information. Reminded students there will be a lot of figurative language. Reminded students they would be looking at plot, setting, theme, irony and point of view at the end Started reading the book to students. Had a student write the figurative language on the board (smiley face trick). Determined which statements are ironic. Asked who are the Magi? Asked why is that ironic. Played the song “Isn’t it Ironic” by Alanis Morrisette. Looked at the lyrics to find ironic, unexpected situations. Had to answer some of them for the students and explain why. Led students to the answers. Divided students into groups of five and work on a summary of the plot. Said teachers will judge the summaries
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Had the spokes person in each group read the plot summary for each group.
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Teacher Candidate / Instructor Facilitated Comprehension and Vocabulary Development Relative to Content Areas Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Facilitated student summarization / retell and student oral language development. Utilized multiple research based strategies (e.g., visualization, comprehension monitoring, question generation, asking questions, etc.). Differentiated his/her responses to extend student learning or clarify information. Utilized direct and indirect teaching of vocabulary (including the teaching of word parts and affixes), where appropriate. Used student friendly definitions and used new vocabulary in context. Observation Notes • Were supposed to go over ten vocabulary words. Did not do that at the beginning. Did not do their LINCs cards either. • Lesson was very ambitious to try to fit all of the standards identified into one lesson. • Lesson was very creative. • • • • •
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Provided Multiple Opportunities for Students to Practice Instructional Tasks to Mastery Teacher Candidate / Instructor: • Provided more than one opportunity, for each student, to practice each new skill. • Provided opportunities for practice after each step in instruction.
© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009
• Provided scaffolding to students when needed. • Elicited group responses when feasible. Observation Notes
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Went over the lyrics of “Isn’t it ironic” to determine which statements are really ironic. Asked students if they could write an essay on Irony. Then said they weren’t going to do that. Varied instruction a great deal. Used large group instruction, cooperative learning and I think later some independent work (final activity was to write about their most prized possession).
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Engaged Students in Meaningful Interactions During Lesson • • • • • • • • • •
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Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Gained student attention before initiating instruction. Paced lesson to maintain attention. Maintained close proximity to students. Used behavioral routines to foster a disciplined learning environment. Provided and elicited background information. Used visuals, manipulatives and technology to teach content as necessary. Made relationships among concepts overt. Engaged students in discourse around new concepts. Engaged all students through skilled questioning and use of wait time. Engaged cooperative learning. Observation Notes Used groups of five to summarize the plot in as few words as possible. Engaged students in discourse around new concepts Used cooperative learning Provided background information Gained student attention with each transition.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Encouraged Student Effort and Provided Corrective Feedback • • • • •
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Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Provided feedback during and after task completion that was positive and substantive. Provided affirmations for correct responses and for student contributions. Promptly corrected errors with provision of correct model / information. Promoted students caring for one another and encouraged self advocacy. Celebrated or displayed examples of student success. Observation Notes Asked a question about expecting what happened. When one person did not know the answer, moved on to others (dignify the incorrect). Asked a lot of questions about the lyrics of “Isn’t it Ironic” to determine which ones were really ironic. Gave students major clues like facial cues, etc. They were learning by non- example.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Exhibited Age & Culturally Appropriate Professional Dispositions • • • • • • •
Teacher Candidate / Instructor: Provided feedback through use of humor and friendly interventions. Treated students with dignity, while maintaining age appropriate interactions. Created a culture which values learning, hard work and intellectual risk taking. Set behavior standards that are age-appropriate, well communicated and consistently applied. Responded appropriately to inappropriate student behaviors. Prepared materials that were well chosen, developmentally appropriate and accessible. Maximized the use of classroom space to enhance learning.
© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009
• Respected the richness of contributions from diverse cultures and utilized the resources of other specialists and families from diverse backgrounds. Observation Notes • •
Provided feedback mostly by giving the students the answers or giving obvious clues to the answers about irony. Gave a lot of positive feedback in all of the activites.
Notes Refinements Next Steps
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© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009