Observation Lenses 5-8

Lens 5: Engagement
Engagement techniques I see being modelled in the classroom:
- Competitions for table points
- Comprehension checks (summary, main idea, characters, connections)
- Scaffolding with questions
- Equity sticks
- Use of technology (Youtube, Google Earth)
- Tells stories
- Use of humor
Lens 6: Look for Higher Thought Processes and Performance Outcomes
There are some higher-level thinking processes which I have observed in my classroom. During
one English Language Arts lesson, the cooperating teacher asked students to have a
conversation with tablemates regarding finding the main idea of a text. Students worked
collaboratively and discussed their different ideas. During a Science lesson, students engaged in
higher thinking when working in groups to predict the outcome of a paper flower put into
water. Students then discussed what they learned and what they were surprised by. During a
read aloud, the cooperating teacher asked students to reflect on how they might compare their
lives to the lives of the main character (what similarities and differences stand out).
Lens 7: Assessment
I have seen different forms of assessment used in the classroom. Most of the assessments I
have seen used have been formative. The cooperative teacher and I often check for
understanding throughout the lesson by observing individual and group work/discussions,
asking clarifying questions of students, and monitoring student participation in activities. There
have been two spelling tests and one test about science definitions, which would be considered
summative assessments. Additionally, we will check students’ subject notebooks to see if
classwork is completed and whether they are understanding the tasks.
Other methods I would like to use in the future would include presentations, either individually
or in groups, of written/artistic/etc. work so that I get more opportunities to hear about each
students’ thinking and processes.
Lens 8: Differentiation
Unfortunately, I am not seeing a lot of differentiation happening in the classroom I am
observing. In fact, a lot of lessons are structured so that struggling readers and ELLs are falling
behind. This most recently occurred just last week when the students had their first math test.
Instead of having a test that was pre-written, the teacher had the students write out each math
problem including instructions on lined paper. I walked around the room to see how each
student was doing in terms of getting the writing done and several of them didn’t have enough
written down to do the math problems once the test began. I helped them write the main
point of the directions and math problems down so that they could focus on the math portion
of the test. I later explained to my cooperating teacher why I helped them, and he didn’t say
whether I should or should not have done that, so I’m assuming it was okay.
The cooperating teacher and I have discussed doing stations where each of us can sit at one
station and help struggling students. I think this would be a big help to those students who
need more attention. If this were my class though, I would change a lot more than that. I think
the structure of lessons should allow all students to demonstrate understanding in some way. I
wish I were seeing more think/pair/share and small group work. I also wish I were seeing more
oral and artistic presentations of understanding.