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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

DYS 5043

Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

Joshua L. Broadway

Arkansas Tech University

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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

Lesson

The practicum teacher I observed was Mrs. Trina Mckenzie, a second grade teacher

at Center Valley Elementary School in Russellville, Arkansas. She had over 34 years of

experience in elementary education. I observed her on the 27th of November 2018. The time

I observed was 9:30-10:15am. She taught from her two books of topics she had marked

and labeled. One was on double vowels, another was on compound words and last was on

beginnings/endings, similar words and adjectives/determiners.

Her multimodal approach was using a touch screen for information, desk projector

of sentences, and dry erase markers for students to write on desk. She used voice aural

communication on top of for the students to explain their answer and assist other students

with their issues. Scaffolding was present in many different levels from students of similar

level to different level and including the teacher. Passages were also read by students

individually, as examples by the teacher, and in groups.

Many opportunities were given for guided practice. Students as one example wrote

days and dazed use in a sentence and she randomly called on a student. She also did the

same thing with double vowels and the explicit use of IA, AI, IE, and EI. The students

followed along and wrote examples down on their desk with dry erase. The class was

broken up with strong, mild, and weak students in reading throughout. She had 3 different

groups of desks together that could all see the front where the touch screen was.

Her multifaceted approach to teaching material utilized screen, dry erase desks,

voice aural communications in sustaining attention of the classroom. The positioning of her
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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

desk in conjunction with projector allowed her to maintain eye contact and constantly use

withitness or rather awareness of the class. Her use of withitness showed she cared which

helped her maintain the attention of her students. She was quick to correct deficiencies or

even incorrect behavior for the duration of the classroom. When it was needed she repeated

herself a few times. Strong visuals were used on everything presented on Touch screen.

New information was built off of what she started with. At the beginning she started

with double vowels IA then she flowed into other double vowels. After use of double

vowels she worked on words that had double vowels and the use of their beginnings and

ends. Next she followed similar words that were used in beginning and ends. Lastly, she

utilized adjectives/determiners that could modify the similar words. In the process she

constantly built on what they were learning from prior application.

Poor working memory was addressed through the reemphasizing on the meaning of

words used. This was especially done on similar sounding or spelled words. Semantics

were used often during the class to help addressed poor working memory by allowing

students to store more information into long term memory. Semantics were efficient in

helping students in the class based on my personal observation.

To avoid environmental issues with processing speed the teacher avoided causing

students being anxious. She did this by staying calm and collective. She used a consistent

and steady pace throughout the entire lesson. She kept assistance friendly environment with

peers in order to encourage productive gains in the class by each student. It did not seem
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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

competitive in the class but at the same time it seemed as if students were trying to better

themselves compared to what they were previously.

As far as executive function when new rules were brought up she helped students

differentiate the particulars. She kept pace and built on prior knowledge. She made the

students aware of time management. Shifts were kept at consistent pace throughout the

entire class. Every part of class was step-by-step. Schedules were posted at the beginning of

class and students were aware of how things would happen before they did.
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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

Research Comparison

One of the issues during class was identification if a double vowel or a single vowel

is used. A large majority of the class had issues during the class identifying this.

Throughout the class, in particular situations where one of the other was covered first prior

to identifying the other the class failed. In most other situations where one was covered and

a similar was used they tended to get the correct answer. In an explanation by Mrs.

McKenzie some students lack confidence in their own answer even if they are right more

than most.

In an article by Hedrick students had dominance of using particular vowel and

avoided the double vowel (2009, pg. 695). 6 of 7 times they tried to simplify down towards

one vowel correct. While, in classroom I seen some of the students try this or go with what

type was covered last for the answer. From my observation the simple and the used were

generally the selected option for students. However, Mrs. McKenzie was there to help

distinguish the particulars and from the academic study it was merely evaluated results.

Triple vowels in the article yielded high success by the students. In the class she did

not cover triple vowels and was merely kept towards double/single vowels for distinction

and other practical knowledge that I identified earlier. From the study most of the easy

identifications aligned with sounds and sound changes. I noticed this was similar in the

class but we only covered a limited range of single and double vowel signs because of the

limited scope of the class and the need to cover other skills that were needed by the class in

phonics etc.
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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

Personal Thoughts

The experience with a second grade teacher was far different than what I expected.

The students were nice and really respectful. I think I should have decided to teach

Elementary instead of Secondary. I would only be as lucky to have my students be as eager

to learn as Mrs. McKenzie’s were.

She was efficient at covering a large range of skills during class to meet the needs of

several students. She worked comprehension, phonics, orthographic, and semantics.

However, it was not only those skills she was working it would take a lot longer to identify

the multifaceted particular influences on learning she incorporated. She most of all to me

built their character and their desire to learn. I personally have not started to teach yet so

this was a valuable experience. I seen so many lightbulbs as students figure things out it

made the day worth it.

Actively making a difference in a child is what it’s all about. It’s fairly obvious

more in a second grade class than I would think in a high school setting. The ability to

manipulate the desire of learning in a student is a powerful tool she exhibited. I think as a

future reading specialist I will be able to see this difference for myself. I look forward to

being able to give students the skills so they can succeed in academics or in everyday life

skills.
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Teacher Observation: Lesson, Research and Personal Thoughts

Reference

Hedrick, Mark S., & Madix, Steven G. (2009). Effect of vowel identity and onset
asynchrony on concurrent vowel identification.(Clinical report). Journal of Speech,
Language, and Hearing Research, 52(3), 696-705.