Dante Yacobucci

Instructor Engelhardt
EDUC 450 and 486E
28 January 2017

Tour De Rocky

1. What strategies were used that you would like to incorporate into your instruction practice?

I noticed a variation of the Socratic seminar that I would like to use with my students. It
was someone simplified compared to other versions that I have seen, which was actually
beneficial, because it allowed the teacher to set clear expectations and manage the class better. I
have seen Socratic seminars diminish into talking over one another or only a few students
participating in the past, so this was a refreshing success to witness.
In a science classroom, student worked in groups to find out the contents of various foods
using the nutrition labels. Each group member has a specific task, which likely kept everyone
accountable for their work. I enjoyed this strategy of exploratory and collaborative learning,
because students found the information on their own and contributed their findings to the greater
good of the group. The class seemed like it was engaged and on task the entire time I observed.

2. How was instruction differentiated to meet the needs of each learner?

When students did not fully understand a question during the Socratic seminar I
observed, other students would help clarify the question by rephrasing them. The teacher gave
the students praise for helping one another and for finding creative ways to rephrase the question.
Also, the instructions for the seminar were given verbally, as well as left on the projector during
the seminar. This was helpful, because it accommodated different learning styles and allowed
students to clarify the expectations without having to interrupt the seminar.

3. What does the teacher do to establish and maintain relationships with students?

One of my favorite parts of observing was when a teacher kindly greeted every student as
they walked in. She started the class by handing out index cards and asked students to write their
names on them. Then, she got a hat from a student and put all of the cards in the hat. After
having every student draw a card from the hat, she asked them to rate their day on a scale of one
to ten, and give the person they drew from the hat a complement on their character. This was
clearly something that the students enjoyed doing and it encouraged me to see that this teacher
took the time to make her students feel valued as a part of the classroom community.

4. How does this program of study benefit students?

This program of study benefits students, because the community aspect of learning is
truly emphasized. I say this, because many schools say that they have a community of respect
and empathy, but in my experience, the reality of living up to that standard is less than ideal. So
far, Rocky Mountain High School has lived up to its claims about community. I have not only
seen this in the classrooms I visited, but also in the halls, where I asked students what they
thought about the community at Rocky. Every single student I asked had positive things to say
about the community, explaining that students look out for one another and want each other to
succeed. If students feel like their school community cares about their learning, I believe that
they are much more likely to succeed.

5. What do you see as the education benefits of this program?

I believe that students need to feel invested in their learning communities in order to gain
the most meaningful education. As stated earlier, Rocky has lived up to its values as a
community of learners. When students are invested in one another, then they are also invested in
each others academic success. In the classroom, I have seen students help each other with
confusing concepts and the groups of students I spoke with in the halls seemed to be very
supportive of one another. The skills gained from this kind of learning community can be carried
on into college and eventually into their careers.

6. What evidence do you see of good classroom management?

In the AP class I visited, I was astonished by the classroom management. The students
were all engaged in what the teacher was saying and the level of respect for the study of
literature was comparable to four-hundred level college classes. I am not sure how he developed
this level of engagement and cooperation, but I would love to find out! I also was impressed with
the classroom management of band class, because the teachers were able to give students
feedback that allowed them to keep dozens of students on track. If a portion of the song needed
adjustments, students took the feedback seriously and tried again. I was very impressed with this
level of synergy and the classroom management required to make it possible.