Domain Evaluation 1
1a - Applying knowledge of content and pedagogy. Distinguished.
The teacher has a mastery of chemistry and molecular science. The teacher also has a firm grasp on a variety of effective teaching methods. The teacher provides content in a way that encourages independent learning from the students. The teacher uses a wide variety of methods to display and give content to students. These methods appeal to visual, audio, and kinesthetic learners. For instance, the teacher takes extra time to incorporate strong visuals into her lessons. Powerpoint slides are highlighted with the most important pieces of information that should be written down. Pictures and videos are also used to illustrate microscopic concepts that are too small for students to otherwise try and imagine. Kinesthetic learners benefit from science lab activities in which they can use their hands and move around the room. Verbal learners will benefit from engagement in discussion and frequent popcorn style questions. Clear communication and review of information allows students to process what they just heard. Connections to the real world are also used to help students cement information.
Another method that is used throughout classes is the âI do, we do, you doâ method. The teacher presents and walks through the content, then has the class go over it as a whole, before having students individually. She then gauges how they are responding to this by circulating the room. The teacher then provides feedback and or guidance to students during their individual work. This incorporates multiple learning methods.
I think this has helped me grow in seeing how to handle teaching a class in general. I strive to have as much of a grasp on what Iâm teaching as my cooperating teacher does. I would try my best to provide my students with the methods and materials to help learn. I attempted this with my own lesson that I gave the class on Density. It was a lab that provided learners a visual and kinesthetic experience. I also attempted to mirror my cooperative teacherâs methods by utilizing color highlighted information on the powerpoint. I will utilize multiple types of pedagogy strategies to engage learners in the future.
1b - Knowing and valuing students. Distinguished
The teacher knows her students and has knowledge even of students in neighboring classes. The teacher works closely with students based on their individual learning needs and personalities to ensure a comfortable learning environment.The students respect the teacher and see in her a trusted figure of authority and guidance.
An example of this is how the teacher knows each studentâs personality, and can see when a student needs extra time or assistance. The teacher has many ESL students. She navigates this by going out of her way to ensure the students understand what she is saying to them. She speaks slowly yet clearly.
The teacher also assigns seats on the seating chart based on how the individual student is generally performing in class and whether they are easily distracted by those around them. The teacher can also see when a student is withdrawn or less social than normal and can take a read on whether the student needs The teacher takes extra time to ensure that she knows her students and their needs. In particular, a student wanted to switch to a lower intensity class. The teacher has responded by communicating with her directly and has gone out of her way to give her tutoring before class begins. Another student was having trouble with behavioral issues during class and talking back. The teacher has learned that this student has trauma and responds well to being spoken to gently and slowly. The teacher has taken this well into consideration and the student has responded by behaving much better in class.
I think this sets a good example on how to develop meaningful relationships with students. I aim to know each student that I would have in my class to best help them succeed. I have begun room circulation as well as guiding students in the lessons themselves to help them follow along. I also strive to know my future students and their learning needs. A feedback that I received when I taught my lab density lesson was that the students had a hard time following me during the powerpoint portion. I had to respond to students' needs by understanding that I needed to communicate with them more clearly and be aware of the extra time English learners need.
1c - Setting instructional outcomes - Distinguished. The teacher gives students the opportunity to work with an agency. The educational goals for students are clearly defined at the beginning of each class period. The content matches the standards for New Jersey standards for science, HS-PSI: Matter and its interactions. This translates to students being clearly expected to understand groups on the periodic table and their properties. HS-PSI standards also encompass chemicals, molecular structures, and scientific properties of matter such as gasses. The outcomes for students are related to mastery of basic molecular science. One way this can be illustrated is by how students should also understand how electrons, protons, and neutrons come together to form molecules.
A more in depth example of this is how students have been tasked with learning how to balance chemical equations. Students are expected to solve somewhat complex mathematical problems to be able to do this. Critical thinking and problem solving appropriate to the high school level or above is also necessary to approach stoichiometry. Students will be expected to show a mastery of these concepts.
Witnessing this helps me understand how to navigate the guidelines for whatâs required in teaching. I will follow the guidelines strictly according to New Jersey education standards. Seeing labs in action has been helpful in translating the standards into practice. During my own lesson plan and lab, I tried my best to adhere to the New Jersey standards for HS-PSI. I created a basic Density lab that set an outcome for students to demonstrate an understanding of the difference in densities between substances. I will create lesson plans with regards to the standards in the future.
1d - Using resources effectively - Distinguished
The teacher uses a variety of materials in ways thatâs visually helpful. Distinctions are made in PowerPoints via color to highlight the most important information for students. Handouts are given with information on them to which students just fill in blanks. This helps slow writers or students who need to process the information keep up with the rest of the class. Binders are kept in a cabinet and are utilized by students to keep their materials both in the classroom and organized. Around the room, labels are placed in both English and Spanish for ESL learners to navigate the room and materials. Videos, pictures, and models are used to visualize microscopic concepts. Pictures are used in tandem in powerpoint lessons or on handout sheets. Molecular model kits have been used to help students create various structures to better understand them. Programs are used to illustrate processes like chemical reactions, or how valence shells hold electrons. Classroom space is also used productively by the teacher- an example of this is that she ensures that seating is not crowded or disruptful during labs. Labs themselves provide a plethora of resources that the teacher manages effectively. These materials include glassware and measuring equipment such as beakers and graduated cylinders as well as numerous chemicals. These materials are utilized safely and productively by the teacher. Safety resources include procedures and equipment that is stored within the room.
This has helped me understand how important it is to have multiple materials ready for different types of learners. I realized how important having these materials ready when I did my simple density lab. Over the course of my day of teaching, I became more organized and routine with my use of the materials in the lab and how to set up students for the lab. This specifically has been helpful in giving me ideas on how to utilize educational objects and space. The teacher has inspired me to creatively and effectively utilize specifically binders as organizational methods for the students. It helps ensure that work does not get lost or go missing for those that are easily distracted or tend to lose things. It also ensures that the teacher has the work available to grade at the end of the class period.
1e - Planning coherent instruction. Distinguished.
Lessons follow a coherent structure. The material itself is introduced in a meaningful and logical way. The teacher generally bases lessons around the âI do, we do, you doâ model. Independent practice and assessment is generally âjust rightâ in terms of difficulty. Lessons will typically be based on knowledge built upon from previous lessons. For example, students learning about the process of molecular decomposition and synthesis have prior experience with chemical balancing. The teacher also carefully plans classes to ensure all students' needs are met. IEPS are taken into account when making lesson plans. Tests for IEP students require only three options on multiple choice portions of tests. In group work, students are commonly paired based on their academic âabilityâ. In some cases, it is a good idea to pair a student that âgetsâ the material, with a student that is struggling, to make sure everyone will be at the same pace. Scaffolding is used to support students at different points of content mastery while in the same room. Lessons themselves are built upon instruction from previous lessons. For example, the teacher provided a lesson on a shortcut on how to solve a mole. The students were able to quickly catch on due to the previous lesson having explained a more thorough problem solving process.
Witnessing this has given me insight into how to navigate teaching a class with multiple types of learners. With my density lesson plan, there was a bit of trial and error. I definitely needed guidance in the aspect of planning and executing the lesson itself. My slideshow was rushed and I learned that I needed to walk through slide information more slowly for students. Feedback was given to me that I needed to speak in a clear and slow way so that students who are learning English can understand me better. I would try to give each student careful consideration even with regards to their personal struggle.
1f - Designing and analyzing assessments. Distinguished
The teacher is clear with what she expects from students. Rubrics are clear and provide guidance to students in completing assignments. The teacher uses both formative and informal assessment.The teacher provides her students with many ways to show their mastery of content. One way teachers evaluate students is with discussion. The teacher will call on students throughout and after a lesson to gauge their understanding as well as allow the students to show their comprehension.Testing is frequently used as a means for students to demonstrate their proficiency. End of unit tests work as a marker of how well a student understood the content. Activities are also commonly used as a creative way for students to show their expertise. An example of this is when the students are shown that they understood a lesson on molecular structure by building simple models to represent various atoms. Exit tickets are also used to assess a student's mastery of a lesson. This feedback is used by the teacher to gauge future lesson plans and the pace of the lessons themselves. The teacher also looks at the grades of the class as a whole as a marker of whether a student or class needs extra help.
This has been helpful in establishing a means of gauging student engagement. I realize that assessment is occurring constantly. Even just asking a student about a concept learned previously in the course is a way of assessing how firm the information has been learned. Working at a preschool, I would assess students just by speaking with them. Their pronunciations and grasp of simple english words was always being evaluated. Their ability to interact and play with other classmates was also assessed. As a teacher, there are a few things I would do to measure students' progress. One strategy is that I would throw in intentionally difficult questions in my assessments to gauge whether weâre moving too fast or not as a class. I would have open ended answer sections on exams and tests. I would also try and have students measure their own progress but that seems difficult to have happen in practice unless they are motivated.