Supervisor Observation 2 Reflection

Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORIfWQnNXco&feature=youtu.be

*Discuss student learning. What did students learn? Provide evidence for this learning (discuss student work, observation data, video, etc.). How do you know that students learned?

During this language arts lesson, students learned how to make inferences. We worked as a class to make a chart about inferences during the book Curious George’s Dinosaur Discovery. Students also communicated evidence they found to support their inferences. At 21:53 after a turn and talk, students made the inference, “George could use tools.” When asked how they made that inference, one of my students raised his hand and pointed at the picture, and with help, he identified that the illustrations helped him. Along with inferences, students learned about dinosaurs as well, which connected science and language arts in one lesson. A picture is included to show student learning from the inference chart.

*Select several questions from the USF lesson plan reflection sheet based on content.

If you were going to teach this lesson to the same group of students, what would you do differently? Why? What would you do the same? Why?

If I were to teach this lesson again to the same group of students, I would not use the T-chart on the same day. I would first introduce inferences and read the book to them while we make inferences throughout. I would then bring in the T-chart on the second day after they have become familiar with inferences from day 1. If time didn’t permit for this, I would incorporate sticky notes into this lesson. Instead of writing each inference myself, I would ask my students to draw or write it on a sticky note. I say this because every time I turned to write on the chart, the majority of my students were off task. For example, at 21:47, many of the students are not paying attention and it is clear by their body language. If I were to teach this lesson again, I would keep the interactive read aloud part the same. My students were all very engaged during the questions on each page and turn and talks, so I could tell they liked the interactive part of the read aloud.

What aspects of your lesson were implemented differently than you planned? Why did that happen?

One area of my lesson that was implemented differently was my T-chart. I expected to write several inferences, but I could tell that my students were off-task while I worked on the chart, so I felt a need for an adjustment. When we came to the last two inferences in the read aloud, I chose not to take the time to write them on the chart after discussing them because I wanted to keep the momentum with the book going.

What surprised you in your lesson?

I was surprised that all of my students were so intrigued with dinosaurs and the Curious George books. My students had a lot of background knowledge about dinosaurs; for example, at 5:30 one of my students surprised me by saying talking about fossils. This helps me understand my students’ interests so I can better connect lessons to things they are interested in.

*What did you learn from engaging in this lesson?

I learned that my students enjoy engaging in interactive read alouds, but interrupting the book with a chart can be difficult if the teacher is the only one writing on the chart. I also learned that I need to be careful when managing behaviors to take a close look at who might be instigating other behaviors in the classroom.

*What are some of your goals based on what you learned from this lesson?

I have a goal to continue working on managing behaviors on the story floor. My kindergarten students have a difficult time staying on the floor listening to a story for too long, so it is important that I provide engaging and interactive lessons to help with my students’ stamina.