Observation Form for Lesson Plan Delivery Date: 10/16/10
Location:
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Name: Tara Kunesh
Grade: 9 Content Area for Lesson: English
Mentor / Observer Name: Tammy Jackson 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, Instruction met the requirements of the curriculum for the concept being taught in the lesson. Delivery was clear to all students.
© 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 • • • • • • • •
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 Instruction demonstrates informal conversations in which Tara engaged with me concerning the lesson. Instruction demonstrates formative assessments with the table and the group drawing of dynamic characterization. Instruction demonstrates summative assessment in the essays concerning status that concluded the lesson. Instruction actively engaged all students including the two on an IEP.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Provided Explicit Instruction • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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 Anticipatory set: students were told that they would be studying characterization and status during the lesson on “The Necklace.” Teacher read through and briefly discussed types of characterization from a handout she generated and shared with students. Students were encouraged to include this handout with their other materials on short story for the unit. Teacher worked with whole class on the character analysis table using the familiar Cinderella. Teacher instructed the class to work in pairs to complete the character analysis table for Mathilde, the main character in “The Necklace,” and walked around the class to answer questions, clarify concepts, and listen to student responses while they worked. Teacher collected student work to assess student understanding of the lesson.
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 • Vocabulary was a review of terms needed to understand the concept of characterization. • Vocabulary was clearly stated on the handout, and students’ questions were answered in an understandable fashion. • Lesson was very creative and engaging. • • • • •
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. Provided scaffolding to students when needed. Elicited group responses when feasible.
© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009
Observation Notes • • • •
Instruction showed understanding of Quantum Learning teaching methodology: whole group, small group, individual work in that order as is best practice. Teacher realized after reading the student work on the characterization analysis charts that most of the class did not understand the concept of internal conflict as it applied to the main character in “The Necklace” and made a plan to start with that idea the next day during review. The concept of dynamic characterization was reinforced with a very creative method of having students work in small groups using bulletin board paper to draw a life-size model of Mathilde, draw a line down the middle of the model, and decorate her person before she lost the necklace and after. Students were highly engaged and showed excellent understanding of the concept. The activity was a little loud for the venue (hallway), so teacher may want to determine an alternate venue the next time she uses this activity; however, the activity was very effective for teaching the concept, so she should continue to use it in the future.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Engaged Students in Meaningful Interactions During Lesson • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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 Provided background information on both characterization and the story itself. Used both pairs and small group cooperative learning instruction. Interacted with individual students and small groups in each part of the lesson. Redirected student attention when small side conversations threatened to draw attention away from instruction. This was a small area of concern at first, but Tara is taking positive steps to improve here by trying different techniques to redirect student behavior. As she becomes more comfortable with the class, her abilities in this area improve. Both the character analysis chart and the life-size character model were effective visuals to teach the intended concepts. Students were enthusiastically engaged throughout the lesson.
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Encouraged Student Effort and Provided Corrective Feedback • • • • •
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 • • • •
After each student response, gave positive feedback, i.e. “good,” “right,” “exactly.” Each student response was acknowledged. Redirected incorrect answers in a positive, nonthreatening manner. Actively engaged with students while they were creating their life-size models, reinforcing ideas that had direct evidence from the story and redirecting students whose ideas deviated from the story or asked why students made the choices they did, allowing them to explain their choices. Hung up the life-size models in the hallway outside the classroom so that other students could see the class’s work.
© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009
Teacher Candidate / Instructor Exhibited Age & Culturally Appropriate Professional Dispositions • • • • • • • •
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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. Respected the richness of contributions from diverse cultures and utilized the resources of other specialists and families from diverse backgrounds. Observation Notes Said, “Rewind; let’s try this again,” when teacher realized that students were not understanding the direction of the lesson at first. Used students’ names as part of teacher examples when opening the lesson. Made reference to names students said they preferred on their student surveys from the first week of class. Humorous moment ensued with Kasey’s choice of name to which teacher referred. The moment engaged the class. Redirected class from side comments when Katie was providing an answer to question teacher asked. Gentle but firm and effective. Seated class in a big circle when reading the story. Allowed for teacher to see every student and kept students honest in their attention to the task.
Notes Refinements Next Steps
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Review the internal characterization during next class to reinforce understanding of the concept as it applies to Mathilde. Be conscious of looking to teacher’s dominant side when seating the students in a circle to read and discuss the story. Continue to work on redirecting student behavior when discussion devolves into side conversations. In my opinion as the supervising teacher, Tara’s lesson was excellent. As it progressed over the course of three days, her abilities to relate to and manage the class grew. She shows great potential for becoming an effective high school English teacher.
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© 2009 Adapted from the Center on Teaching and Learning
|| University of Oregon || Version Date: July 6, 2009