Teacher: Elisa Cottingham

Grade Level: 1
Date: November 22, 2017

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CLASSROOM, STUDENTS AND LESSON

Students: 19 students, 6-7 year old

Classroom: Grade One
Lesson: Math
Areas of Focus Identified (if applicable): Language/Questioning

TIME OBSERVATION SCRIPTING OBSERVER COMMENTS

8:20am Students are sitting at desks working Non-verbal cue to move students from
independent on spelling dictionary. Teacher the tables to the mat for whole group
raises hand in the hand, waits for students, instruction was smooth, quiet, and
then students move to mat. calm.


8:21am Students sit in a circle on the mat Community building – getting the
students to say good morning to each
Teacher redirects student behavior, sitting other while giving a high five.
criss cross apple sauce, getting their hands
ready for the morning greeting. Reinforcing Transition from sitting in a circle to
sitting on the mat behaviors by asking the sitting facing the SMART board is quiet
students to model. Students are raising their and smooth – use of non-verbal cue
hand.

8:25am Choral Reading – Morning Message. Teacher Teacher gives students thinking time
models first, then students repeat in chorus. before asking for responses. Another
strategy could be to use turn and talk
“How can we make our class community a for generating ideas while also giving
great place to be?” thinking time.

“What have you done that helps others?
- Students raise hands and teacher
calls on them for their ideas.
Teacher repeats back what the
students’ response is.


8:30am Days of the week Students clearly know non-verbal
cues as they respond appropriately.
Teacher using non-verbal cue to ask students Helps with the flow and calmness of
to respond. the classroom environment.
8:32am Number of the Day
Wondering about the TA speaking
TA pulls two students to back of the Mandarin to the students at the back
classroom at the guided reading table. table?
Speaking Mandarin to the students.

Teacher reviews number of the day from
yesterday (49). Recalls lesson from
yesterday using visual cue (magnetic base
ten blocks) to introduce today’s number (50).

“Turn to a partner and try to explain what
you would do to change 49 to 50” Teacher
non-verbally directly students who their
talking partners are.
8:36am “Who can come up here and show us what Great to see students have time to
happens. Use your words to explain what we discuss with each other before
need to do here to change 49 to 50.” reviewing the answer. I like that you
call on the student to explain, ask the
Student verbally explains how adding a one other students if they agree – and
would switch the ones for 1 ten. Teacher how the students know to respond
gives her a one (visual) and asks her to show non-verbally, so there is nobody
the class. shouting out.

Teacher invites a student to write the word It is also great that you are modeling
form of 50 on the board. the process, the language, and
engaging students in “doing it with
you.” This will set them up for doing it
later independently.
8:41am SMART board – visual organizer for part- The number bond graphic organizer
part-whole. Teacher moves objects (stars) on the SMART board is a great visual
into both parts and asks students “What for students, it also helps them to see
would the whole be?” numbers in a different way. It’s great
you are asking students to extend
“Does anyone know a number sentence we their understanding of the number
can write using this number bond?” bond by representing it in a number
sentence, and encouraging them to
Students have turned the number sentence write the number sentence in
into fact family. different ways.


Teacher uses the teachable moment
of talking about fact families.
8:47am Distributes student whiteboards and
whiteboard markers.
8:49am “Who thinks they can do a number bond if I Having students write on the
give it you?” whiteboards is a great strategy for
Instructs students to draw 3 circles to create formative assessment because it
a number bond. allows you to see who is getting it and
who is struggling during whole group
Students respond to teachers prompt and instruction.
hold their whiteboard in the air when they
are finished. Repeats twice. Teacher is giving a thumbs up to
provide positive instant feedback. I
Encourages students to create the fact family wonder what the cue is to get the
if they complete the number bond and get a student to try again?
thumbs us from her.
8:58am Collects whiteboards & markers. High expectations for students’
Teacher prepares to transition students to behaviors – teacher waits for
Math Centers. everyone to show appropriate
Reminds students to “check your body” and behavior before moving on. Excellent!
waits for all students to show they are ready.
9:01am Introduces Math Centers. Great to have consistency with where
Asks for student volunteers to put the math each Math Center goes. This helps
center in the correct place. students to understand where to go
and what to do once why are there.
Teacher assigns students to work at specific
Math Centers. Students names are written
on the SMART board, teacher gives non-
verbal cues to transition students one-by-
one.

Students transition smoothly, begin working
right away.
9:07am All students are sitting at the tables, working
on centers. They are speaking a mix of
Mandarin and English, but most students are
speaking Mandarin.

Teacher has pulled four students to sit on the
mat with her.

TA has pulled one student to the back of the
room to work with her. Speaking in
Mandarin with the student.



GENERAL COMMENTS:

WELL DONE
Elisa was very organized, had all the materials prepared ahead of time. The number of the day
was already written on the board, and the SMART board was ready to go. Math Centers were
organized into packages and easily available. This helped with minimizing transition time, so time
learning can be maximized.

Student engagement is very high. Classroom routines and structures are clearly in place.
Students know what to do, how to respond, and what is expected of them. All students are
engaged during the whole group instruction, are participating by raising their hand or giving a
thumbs in the air.

The use of non-verbal cues creates a calm learning environment. Elisa uses a calm voice, with
minimal talking. Her pacing and choice of language is appropriate for the age group.

GROWTH RECOMMENDED
Have manipulative on the tables while students are doing Math Centers. Often students at this
age need concrete materials to work with when working with numbers. The Math centers were
very pictorial, but I think including concrete materials to students to work with would help them
with their learning.

When asking questions, ask “why” or “what makes you say that?” to deepen students thinking.
Also check out visible thinking routines for different strategies to extend, represent, and challenge
student’s thinking.
http://www.visiblethinkingpz.org/VisibleThinking_html_files/VisibleThinking1.html

Integrate PYP Language into instruction – things like the IB Learner Profile, PYP attitudes, and
transdisciplinary skills (ATLs) can be applied across all subjects and situations. Have it become
part of the language you use with students, so you are modeling and reinforcing these elements
as well.

Observer Signature: