Sara Williams

6th period
Standard 15
On February 19, 2016 I observed Mrs. Elizabeth McDonald, the honors biology
teacher, for the first time. On that day the teacher started off with a bell ringer and
a review from the day before. Then, throughout the day they went through a series
of notes and video over the topic of Mitosis. The students asked very valuable
questions, and Mrs. McDonald gave valid and specific answers back. The next few
days were very similar to this day in the sense that they spent the days reviewing
and taking notes. Then on February 25 , they were all tested over the Mitosis unit.
The students were confident and eager to complete the tests. As the test was in
session, the teacher walked around and observed the students. During the time that
I was in Mrs. McDonalds classroom, I learned a lot about what it is like to be a
teacher. I learned that the students will work with you, if you work with them just as
much. When a student was struggling, she made sure to answer any and all
questions that they had for her. This characteristic made all the students
comfortable about their classroom experience, and it also helped them build a
relationship with the teacher.
After observing Mrs. McDonald, I was reassigned to observe Mr. Skau an
economics teacher. The first day that I observed, March 7 th, was a review day for the
students. The bell ringer was on the board and the students were working when I
walked into the classroom. After the bell ringer, Mr. Skau reviewed the answers to
the bell ringer and answered all questions the students had. Next, they watched a
short video and took notes from the power point. The next day that I observed Mr.
Skau was testing day. The students were slightly nervous but overall confident. The
teacher walked around throughout the testing period and was able to watch their
behavior. The next two days were once again testing and worksheet days. The
students seemed to be worn out and bored through most of the class. My
experience in Mr. Skaus class was also very rewarding in understanding how the
student learns best. I recognized that after two to three days of nothing but
worksheets and tests the students became uninterested in the classroom. They all
completed their work, but they were just doing it for the grade and not really

grasping the topic. I believe that if the students had at least one activity or review
game they would have been more comfortable with the tests and assignments.
Overall, my experience observing teachers was excellent. I learned a lot
about different things that teachers must do, and also how students react to the
content and strategies. I am still confident that I want to become a teacher and Im
excited to have more observation time in the future.