Post Observation #4- March 27, 2014 1.

Did the lesson unfold as you (or your CT) had planned? If not, what changed and why? If yes, what was the #1 aspect of the lesson that went well? Cite specifics from your TeachScape video to affirm your response. The lesson did unfold as I planned. We had been working on simple fractions all week and today we were adding a new fraction to our schema. I thought that the number one aspect of the lesson was that students were exposed to other countries flags while learning about fractions (2:00). I thought that this lesson was challenging for the students. It was not something that they already had mastered so it really made them think about what they were doing. They had a little trouble understanding how to write the fractions at first, but the next several lessons, were application lessons allowing students to practice applying these fraction skills. This was helpful because they get to actually practice using fractions. I also thought another part of my lesson that went really well was having students to write answers in their journal so that I could come by and check their answers (6:57). 2. Did the students learn what you had established as the essential understanding(s) of the lesson? How do you know? Refer to any data or students' work on the video that helped you to determine the students' progress. The students did learn what I wanted them to in the essential understanding. I wanted them to be exposed to different types of fractions (1/2, 1/3, and ) and be able to explain them. In this lesson, we reviewed how to work with s and s and discussed those types of fractions even further. I also introduced students to 1/3s. As we were going over the lesson and reviewing the different fractions, I would walk around to check to see if students were writing down the correct answer in their journals, and them listen to the students explain how they got their answer. (8:57, 11:01). Later on in the lesson I allowed students to go to the floor with their math partner and work on more of the fraction flags. While students were going this I walked around to each group and asked them to tell me what fraction that part of the flag represented, how they knew, and what each number in the fraction represented. While I was doing this I noticed that most students were grasping the information very well and with the additional practice from the next few lessons, most students will be able to understand and apply fractions. 3. Briefly describe (include evidence from your TeachScape video ) the extent of your students engagement during the lesson. If you were not satisfied with the level of student engagement, what could you have done differently to improve the engagement of the students? Refer to any classroom management changes/strategies that could have improved the engagement of the students. I think that students engagement was okay during my lesson. I know that at the beginning of my lesson I was doing a lot of the talking because this was something new for the students and it involved a lot of explaining and modeling for the students. I did offer several opportunities for students to be engaged in the lesson, even though I was doing a lot of the talking. I gave them opportunities to write their answers in their journal, so I could come by and check for understanding (3:32, 5:26, 8:19, 16:20) A couple of times I had them hold up their hands to show me a number that corresponded with a part of the fraction. (5:26) I also used turn and talk a few times to keep students engaged (12:13, 14:32). I probably could have used this a little more at the beginning of the lesson to have students be engaged in the lesson because it is

something they really enjoy hearing and it lets me hear them explain their thinking. Also later in the lesson when they got with their math partner to complete their fraction flags, they were engaged creating and developing fractions that correspond to the flags. 4. At what point during your lesson did you realize the students were/were not understanding your instruction? What did you do to compensate? Cite specifics from your TeachScape lesson. Earlier on in the lesson I felt like students were having a hard time understanding how to write the fractions (5:26). After I noticed students were struggling with doing this, I stopped having them write in their journals and re-explained the question and I gave a little bit more information to help students solve the problem. Once I stopped and explained a little bit more, I walked around again and check for students understanding. This time they were getting the information a little more easily. After that every time I walked around and checked students answers, for the most part they were writing down the correct answer. Also when I walked around during small group time and got to talk to students about their answers I could figure out with ones understood it and which ones still needed some additional instruction. There were only about three students who I wanted to go back and reteach to and I was able to get the opportunity to do that the next morning. 5. If you could teach this lesson again to the same group of students, what changes would you make and why? Include specifics from your TeachScape video with your answer. If I could go back and reteach this lesson I would provide more opportunities for students to turn and talk with their partner about their answers early on in the lesson. I would also have had some type of visual for students to have at their desk, especially the students who were struggling with this concept earlier on. The day before we all folded paper into fourths and this was a great visual representation for all students. I wish that I would have had them pull that back out to refer to, or have some other type of fraction visual for them. If I could have made the first part of my lesson a little more hands on I think this would have connected all students to the lesson a little better. I also could have utilized the students white boards to check for understanding. When I have them write in their journals, I have to walk around to check and see their answers When they jot things down on the white board, they can hold it up and I can check everyone at once. I could have got through the first part of the lesson quicker this way and possibly had more time to do review problems. 6. Based upon your reflections, and your post-conference with your university supervisor/cooperating teacher, what have you learned about your teaching strengths and weaknesses? What are some steps that you could take before your next observation that could strengthen your teaching skills? List specific North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards in your answer. I think that my strengths are that I continue to ask questions that make students really think about the answer. As I am asking my questions and allow students to answer, most of the time I continue to probe the student to give me more information about their answer. I do this so I can see what the student really knows and what they still need to work on. I had been doing this in my lesson to begin with and recently I started working on asking those types of questions in small group as well. I usually go through me lessons the night before to review and jot down a few quesitons I could possibly ask to the students during small group time. During this lesson I think that I was able to ask the tougher questions during whole group as well as small group

time. I think that I also do a good job of keeping students engaged during the lesson. I try and use different strategies to mix things up. During this lesson I had them writing in their journals, turning and talking and hold up the correct number of fingers. I think that I did an okay job of planning for differentiating during small group lessons, but not enough during whole group instruction. During small group time, I had my higher leveled students come up to the computer and look through several different countries flags and look for fractions in them. For my lower level students I had planned to spend some extra time with them going over the next few problems. There were only a few students who completely did not understand fractions and they were not engaged during instruction time. I could have had something in place to keep them engaged during this time. The standard I want to continue working on is 2d. Teachers adapt their teaching for the benefit of students with special needs. I want to continue to think of my students with special needs and think of ways to accommodate them in whole group instruction. I can do this by preparing things ahead of time and giving them more opportunities for hands on learning.