DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

University of Puerto Rico
Mayagez Campus
PO Box 9000
Mayagez, Puerto Rico 00681-9000
(787) 832-4040 Ext. 3064

DEPARTAMENTO DE INGLS
Facultad de Artes y Ciencias
Universidad de Puerto Rico
Recinto Universitario de Mayagez
Apartado Postal 9000
Mayagez, Puerto Rico 00681-9000
(787) 832-4040 Ext. 3064

To: Department of English

From: Dr. Mary E. Sefranek
Re: Observation of Jo Anne Hernndez INGL 3104 (Section 032) Class
Date: November 25, 20151
On Monday, February 23, 2015, I had the opportunity to observe Jo Anne Hernndezs INGL 3104 (Intermediate
English II) class from 9:30 a.m. 10:20 a.m. and found that both the content of her lesson and the methods she
employed to teach this content were satisfactory. Jo Annes lesson focused on an introduction to poetry, discussion
and analysis of Robert Frosts poem Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, an interactive activity in which
students were required to interpret possible indirect messages conveyed by poetry via drawing, then share their
interpretations with each other to consider how they each read between the lines.
Organization (the overall organization of the class session and its relationship to previously covered material):
Jo Anne was very well prepared for the class. Not only did she send me support materials in advance of the
observation as required, but when I entered the room, she had already projected a PowerPoint presentation to
introduce the shift to a new unit of study in her class (poetry). This PowerPoint was thoughtfully prepared and
included a series of quotations on varying interpretations of poetry, two formal definitions of poetry, biographical
data on the poet Robert Frost, Frosts poem Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening, images to accompany
the poem, and written instructions for an interactive in-class assignment. She closed the door promptly at the start
of class and immediately took attendance, questioning the students present about the absence of a peer, and
effectively multitasking as she simultaneously reviewed students homework assignments. Jo Anne commenced the
class by writing Poetry at each side of the board and having students individually write down what words pop up
when they hear the word poetry. During this warm-up activity, she strategically had students write on both sides of
the board to save time, clarified that they needed to pass their marker to a peer immediately after they added their
contribution, and, perhaps most importantly, noted that they could not repeat the word another peer had already
posted. She then commenced her PowerPoint presentation, ensuring that unfamiliar, and especially difficult or
abstract vocabulary terms were defined for (and by) students. These included "puny", "aesthetic", and "solstice".
She utilized a variety of instructional strategies during the class session including the sharing of homework
responses on the board, the above-described board activity and PowerPoint presentation, an in-depth question and
answer period to accompany PowerPoint slides, reading aloud, drawing, and the collective sharing of students
interpretations of their drawings.
Content and clarity (A description of the material covered and the strategies used to facilitate student learning):

This observation letter is dated and signed significantly after the original observation due to time limitations on the part of the
observer during the semester in question and through no fault of the graduate student herself. Should it be necessary to verify
any of the reflections in this evaluation, the observer is more than willing to do so.

All material was arranged and discussed in a systematic, organized fashion. Jo Anne kept an even, fluid pace
throughout the lesson and related the days material to both previous class sessions as well as their upcoming
poetry-based explication essay. It is important to note that in doing so, she conceptually created a map of the days
lesson by explicitly making connections between past, present, and future classes. This is an important strategy that
purposefully supports emergent bilingual students in their processing, understanding, and application of content to
familiar and unfamiliar contexts. In addition, as she reviewed Frosts poem, she engaged students in a line-by-line
interpretation, thus modeling what will be expected in their final essay for the unit. Moreover, she demonstrated
various ways students might engage in analysis, pointing to the ways Frosts poem highlights civilization vs. nature
and questioning the students about the location of the author (or narrator) of the poem.
Interaction with students (The extent to which student participation is elicited and the ways in which the
instructor provides feedback and guidance to the students):
Jo Anne engaged well with her students, making familiar connections to popular culture, and allowing them to
freely call out responses to her questions. Indeed, she used frequent questions to engage her students and pushed
them to go beyond literal meanings conveyed by the poem to consider details and deeper meaning that
would lead them to a more profound interpretation. Jo Anne addressed her students by name, established and
maintained eye contact with them, provided appropriate feedback, and circulated around the room, clarifying
doubts and keeping them on track. She did not hesitate to directly address an error a student had made as she
engaged in the in-class assignment (creating a direct illustration of the poem as opposed to a drawing of more
elusive meanings) and getting her back on track.
Delivery and style (A description of the instructors verbal and nonverbal communication strategies and the
rapport he/she establishes with the students):
Jo Annes delivery and style were also quite good. She spoke expressively and emphatically, using appropriate body
movements, gestures, and facial expressions. Her voice was loud and clear, her speech was neither too formal or too
casual, nor too fast or too slow. She clarified concepts in Spanish when necessary, but routinely responded in English
to questions posed in Spanish, thus affirming their Spanish language contributions while providing an excellent
English language model with her own example and through the examples of other students in the class. Her
classroom environment was one in which students learning was cultivated and in which she displayed
professionalism in her teaching.
Recommendations/Suggestions

Jo Anne generally posed questions to the group-at-large and should work on also posing questions to
individuals. She should also prepare more probing questions in advance that push students to go beyond
superficial, one-word responses. This did occur in her classroom, but should occur with greater frequency.
Jo Anne should repeat the responses of students who respond quietly so that everyone can hear and
potentially benefit from their contributions. This also positively affirms the participation of students who are
timid by conveying the value of their responses for the whole group.
JoAnne might work on physically moving to different sides of the room when working with her students to
even out their participation. Her physical presence was predominantly to the (her) left of the room which
was also the side of the room where less students participated. To engage more of her students more often,
she needs to intentionally shift her personal use of space.

Dr. Mary E. Sefranek, Ed.D.

Associate Professor

Jo Anne Hernndez
Graduate Teaching Assistant

Date November 25, 2015

Date