Classroom Observation Form

Candidate: Keydareon Graham

Cooperating Teacher: Anna McLendon
Date: 10-18-16 Content Area: Math Lesson Topic: Rational Numbers
Time: from 7:30am to 3:45pm School: William J. Clark Middle School
Domain 2: Instruction Day 1 Content 1
APS 4: ESTABLISHING AND MAINTAINING HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR LEARNERS
AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER ESTABLISHES, CLEARLY COMMUNICATES, AND MAINTAINS
APPROPRIATE EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENT LEARNING, PARTICIPATION, AND
RESPONSIBILITY.
A. What did the teacher expect the students to learn from the lesson? How did the teacher convey the

purpose and relevance of the lesson to the students? In what ways did the students demonstrate that
they understood what the teacher expected for them to learn?
She wanted them to understand rational number and how to find them in actual word problems that
they would have to look through the information and pull out what they needed.
B. How did the teacher help the students take ownership of the learning (e.g., by making the learning

relevant to the students, using scaffolding, providing opportunities for students to engage in selfassessment and reflection, teaching compensatory strategies when necessary)?
For the Do Now assignment, they had to complete 5 problems on items they learned before. They
were then forced to use prior knowledge to answer the Do Now problems.
APS 5: USING INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE LEARNING
AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER PROMOTES STUDENT LEARNING THROUGH THE
EFFECTIVE USE OF APPROPRIATE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES.
A. What instructional strategies did the teacher use during the lesson?

Pairing, Ticket-to-Leave, and Think Pair Share.

B. In what ways did the teacher vary the instructional strategies during the lesson, and why?

Some of the strategies were for small groups, where others were for the larger or entire class.
C. What evidence suggests that the instructional strategies wereor were noteffective in terms of

promoting student learning and success?

When discussing how to find and solve rational numbers, they were able to use the think pair share
method. This method worked because some of the students did not understand what was going on or
how to solve what the question was asking them.

Updated March 2009

Candidate: Keydareon Graham

Cooperating Teacher: Anna McLendon
Date: 10-19-16 Content Area: Math Lesson Topic: Rational Numbers
Time: from 7:30am to 3:45pm School: William J. Clark Middle School
Domain 2: Instruction - Day 2 Content 2
APS 6: PROVIDING CONTENT FOR LEARNERS
AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER POSSESSES A THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND
UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISCIPLINE SO THAT HE OR SHE IS ABLE TO PROVIDE THE
APPROPRIATE CONTENT FOR THE LEARNER.
A. What evidence suggests that the teacher didor did nothave a thorough knowledge and

understanding of the content? If content errors were made, did the teacher recognize and correct
them?
When teaching about rational number, and how to solve them, Mrs. Mclendon was very thorough in
her explanation and teaching. She made sure the students understood. She provided the class with
numerous examples for direct instruction and guided practice.
B. What was the content of the lesson, and how did the content relate to the learners and the learning?

The content of the lesson was being able to identify what rational numbers were and how you could
solve real world problems using rational numbers. The content is relatable because students will need
this if they have money, percent, or averages.
C. How did the teacher organize and present the content in order to make it clear and meaningful to the

students and to promote higher levels of knowledge, skills, and/or cognitive processing?
She was very clear and deep in her teaching. Before moving on, she made sure everybody was
comfortable. She gave more than enough examples before the class did work together. She would have
the students explain how they came up with that certain answer. This is important because we are
using Blooms Taxonomy and really have the student think critically.

Updated March 2009

Candidate: Keydareon Graham Cooperating Teacher: Anna McLendon Date: 10-20-16

Content Area: Math Lesson Topic: Rational Numbers
Time: from 7:30am to 3:45pm School: William J. Clark Middle School

Domain 2: Instruction - Day 3 Content 3

APS 7: MONITORING, ASSESSING, AND ENHANCING LEARNING
AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER MAINTAINS A CONSTANT AWARENESS OF STUDENT
PERFORMANCE THROUGHOUT THE LESSON IN ORDER TO GUIDE INSTRUCTION AND
PROVIDE APPROPRIATE FEEDBACK TO STUDENTS.
A. How did the teacher monitor student engagement, understanding, and performance during the lesson?

The teacher allowed the class to come up to the white boards and work out the problems to see if they
understood how rational numbers worked. If there was an error made, she was sure to fix it and made
sure the student was aware of the minor error.
B. What adjustments, if any, did the teacher make during the lesson, and why?

So this week was full of adjustments. The students had benchmark testing. Nevertheless, the teacher
was able to teach and the students received what was being taught.
C. What types of instructional feedback did the teacher provide to the students, and how effective was the

feedback in terms of enhancing student learning?

When the students didnt grasp how rational numbers worked, she showed them a different way to
remember how they worked, and which of the four computations to use.

Domain 3: Environment
APS 8: MAINTAINING AN ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES LEARNING
AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER CREATES AND MAINTAINS A CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT
THAT ENCOURAGES AND SUPPORTS STUDENT LEARNING.
A. Describe the physical environment of the classroom.

The room is setup where everyone can see the board clearly. The desks are arranged in rows. By doing
this, the teacher is able to move around the classroom freely.
B. What type of affective climate did the teacher create for the students?

She constantly speaks positive words and gives good feedback to the students even if they got a
problem wrong. She motivates and uplifts them. Every moment that is presented for real life examples,
she takes advantage of it.
C. In what ways did the teacher establish a culture of learning in the classroom (e.g., by facilitating

inquisitiveness, motivation to learn, cooperation, teamwork)?

The classes are very different. They like to laugh and play. So once she is done with direct instruction
and guided practice, she uses unique techniques to motivate the class and to ensure they understand
and remain on task. There is never a moment where she lets them be idle to do whatever because she
know that they will become off task.

Updated March 2009

Candidate: Keydareon Graham Cooperating Teacher: Anna McClendon Date: 10-24-16

Content Area: Math Lesson Topic: Rational Numbers
Time: from 7:30am to 3:45pm School: William J. Clark Middle School
Domain 3: Environment -- Day 4 Content 4

APS 9: MANAGING THE CLASSROOM

AN EFFECTIVE TEACHER MAXIMIZES INSTRUCTIONAL TIME BY EFFICIENTLY
MANAGING STUDENT BEHAVIOR, INSTRUCTIONAL ROUTINES AND MATERIALS, AND
ESSENTIAL NONINSTRUCTIONAL TASKS.
A. What were the teachers expectations for student behavior? In what ways did the students demonstrate

that they understood the ways in which they were expected to behave? How did the teacher address
inappropriate student behaviors, if any, during the lesson?
She made it clear that when she is teaching, they are listening. And if they are speaking, she listens to
them. She does not tolerate disrespect in her classroom. She respects the students, and it is reciprocated
back to her. They have yet to become disruptive or out of hand.
B. In what ways did the teacher maximizeor fail to maximizeinstructional time?

The entire class time, the students are engaged and responding back to her questions that she ask them.
They know that they are to raise their hand in order to answer the question. They just cant blurt the
answer out.
C. How did the teacher manage non-instructional routines and transitions between activities and/or
classes?
She found an interesting way to tie the items together without having any downtime. She would also
constantly walk around to makes sure they were on task.

Additional comments: (optional)

Ms.Bryant is an amazing educator. She has taught me so much since I have been inside her class. She has
even restored my love for science back.

Updated March 2009