Observation Reflection 3

3a: How do students demonstrate that content has been explained in a way that enhances their understanding?

Open ended response questions on assignments and tests help students demonstrate their understanding of information. In discussing the content, students are verbally able to answer questions that expand upon their reasoning and understanding. An example of a question such as this would be, “is there a time when this would not be true?”. In the classroom next to the one I am observing, there was a group kahoot game being played where students showed general knowledge of concepts in a quick and cooperative manner. This group game pushed students to remember information in a way that promoted cooperation and solid understanding of the topic.

3b: In what ways do students respectfully and productively engage each other in dialogue ?

Peer to peer instruction is commonly used to complete in class assignments. Students commonly pair up to complete daily assignments or problems. Other times there are groups larger than two or three and require the students to focus on their work and not sit idly and chatter or procrastinate. An example of this is that the students have been assigned to groups of four to create a presentation on chemical properties. I have witnessed the students effectively and respectfully brainstorm and then collaborate to complete this assignment. Part of highschool is to prepare students for college and the workforce and that includes being able to interact with other people in a respectful manner.

3c: What are ways instructional materials and resources are used to support deep learning by all students?

Spanish speaking students were offered material and instruction in Spanish. Instruction was also given in Spanish to these students. This resource helped students achieve equal learning opportunities as English speaking students. Special consideration was also given to ensure certain students with attention issues were placed where they wouldn't be easily distracted by other students during a test. Each class is sorted by honors or normal classes, based on their placement, students may receive homework or extra worksheets. The extra worksheets for the struggling class gives them extra time and material to absorb information.

3d: How do students receive and utilize high quality feedback to advance their learning?

Some students are learning English as non native speakers. They receive regular feedback on their pronunciation and use of English words to improve fluency. Students are also asked for answers during group lectures “pop-corn” style. They are more generally more confident during the “you do” portion of the “i do, we do, you do” of lessons if they receive corrective feedback during the “we do” lecture. The teacher also walks around the room while assignments are being worked on in class. Students often benefit from being shown where they went wrong in math problems and redo the assignment in the correct way. One example of this is when during a math assignment, a student was given guidance that he needed to be multiplying on certain problems instead of dividing. After this feedback he was able to erase his previous work and then give answers quickly and correctly

3e: What are some ways that teachers and students demonstrate a commitment to success when they experience difficulties?

The teacher is able to navigate unplanned or disruptive events. One student did not mark anything on an exam problem so the teacher had her stay in the class to reattempt the problem. This cut into the teacher’s lunch break time, but the teacher was dedicated toward the student receiving at least partial credit for attempting the problem.

Another instance of a commitment to success is how the students speak up and ask for help when they are stuck on a particular problem or question. The honor students particularly show a drive to genuinely understand the course material and lessons.