Sammi Salter

Class Observation Notes

Possible Questions to Consider

Instructor- Anonymous
Class Agenda:
 Start off with the question of the day: What are you most looking forward to once
quarantine is over? 5 minutes for everyone to share 
 TA leads class- starts off with classroom criteria- how to have a safe inclusive classroom-
TA is leading this discussion - how should we implement this criterion? The students are
eager to interject and answer TA- TA has been leading the class so far, Professor
allowing TA to take the lead- talking about an inclusive classroom which is very
important- pass over the class to Professor
 12:10- begin talking about the summary assignment 
 12:20-12:27- small group work in breakout rooms
 12:27- 12:40- a class discussion of what was talked about in breakout rooms 
 12:40-12:47- back to lecture on an effective summary (summary strategies) 
 12:47-12:50- final questions (Professor’s cat comes to say hi)
The following questions are meant to inspire you, not direct you. I want this observation to be
useful to you, which may mean that the types of things you're most interested in aren't going to
show up in the questions below.
Environmental questions

1.  How is the room set up?

 everyone has their camera’s on 
2. How does the room "feel”?

 the room feels warm because of the introduction and question of the day and
everyone has their cameras on

Pre-class questions: 

1. Who's there first--the instructor or the UTA? - 

 I was in the waiting room until the beginning of class
1. Do they interact with each other when the second one enters the room? Do they
interact with students before class officially begins? 
 I love how willing the students are to participate in classroom discussion- I think it is
because of how safe and friendly the “classroom” environment is-- Props to
Professor and TA for creating such a student-friendly and inclusive environment!
Brings the point home with the fact that TA started off the class asking the students
how they can better create an inclusive classroom environment 
1. Do they seem prepared for class? 
 TA began the class with a discussion and Professor takes over at 12:10- TA seems
like a very organized TA and it seems that the students really trust her as a
companion and teacher to ask and answer questions 
 1. Do students seem prepared for class? 
 Students have their cameras on - and willingly interact and interject into the
classroom discussion 
1. Are students totally in their own worlds until the second the UTA or the instructor starts
the class, or are they getting their books/ notebooks/ laptops out in preparation for the
next 50 or 75 minutes of their life? 
 Students are more than willing to interject in discussion- I LOVE THAT!!! (“let’s hear
from one to two more people, then we will almost have heard from everyone!”-
Professor) 
 Professor over the lecture while TA takes over control of the chat- if the students
have questions, they put them in the chat and TA will answer 

 
Student engagement questions: 

1. How do students know that class has officially begun?

 TA began class with a discussion then turned it over to Professor for a lecture about
the summary assignment 
1.  How do they know what's going on for the next 50 or 75 minutes? 
 Professor then outlines that they will be focusing on the summary assignment and
the details of it and then says they will get to group work after 
1. How does this tie into what they did for homework/ the last class/ the larger assignment
they're working on?
 This class is dedicated to going over the summary assignment and making sure the
students know what they are doing- their first big assignment   
 Professor: “I assigned these articles because they tie to the bigger class theme of…”
explains why she assigns the work, it is not just busy work, it is all for a bigger
purpose 
1. Are students nominally engaged? Lost? Eager? Confused? Asleep? On Mars 
 I like how all the students have their cameras on- they interact with TA in the chat
and if TA is not able to answer the question it will be brought to Professor
1. Are they comfortable with each other? Do they interact with each other? Do they
interact with the UTA and/ or the instructor? When the UTA/ instructor asks questions,
do the students respond without too much pain?
 In the beginning discussion, they were turning off their mute buttons and
interjecting and talking with TA- made the classroom seem safe 

 
Facilitation questions: 

1. What's the objective of today's class? How is that realized? 

 Going over the summary assignment- Professor introduces it then shares her screen
to a PowerPoint about the necessities and requirements for the summary
assignment 
 1. Are they responsible for any homework/ readings? What teaching strategies are
employed? Lecture? Presentation? Discussion? In-class independent work? Partnered
work? Does Group work? What kind of group work? Groups from a previous class, or
on-the-fly groups? Think/ pair/ shares?
 The class begins with discussion then transitions to lecture-based then transitions
back to discussion and group work style (small group work in breakout rooms) 
 The students have their first peer review in a week and on Monday they have a small
assignment due- encourages students to get started on their work due Wednesday  
UTA questions: 

1. What is the UTA doing throughout the class? Where is s/he sitting? Is s/he taking
attendance? Interacting with the instructor? Interacting with students? Is his or her
laptop out? 
 The UTA began class with a discussion of the day and then transferred the class to
Professor- when Professor was lecturing, TA took control of the chat, so Professor
did not have to worry about it 
2. How would you characterize the relationship between the instructor and the UTA?
Formal? Informal? Comfortable? Stilted? 
 It seems that Professor trusts TA to have the class in her own hands- Professor let TA
begin class and control the chat- it seems as though they have a very friendly
relationship 
3. Is the facilitation shared, or is it the instructor's room unless the UTA is specifically called
on? How would you characterize the relationship between the students and the UTA? 
 I think that the students really trust TA because of how willing they were to talk and
chat with her in the beginning- usually if I am more comfortable with a TA or
professor, I am more willing to chat with them or interject in the discussion 
4. Is the UTA an authority figure like the instructor? A fellow peer like the rest of the
students? Somewhere in-between? What does that look like?
 I would characterize TA as a trusted leader of the students- the students trust her,
and so does Professor and TA seem on top of all of her responsibilities- I do not even
know TA and I know I could ask her a question and she would help me out- she
seems like she is that nice of a person! The same goes for Professor (even though I
know her from ENGL 388V!) 
 One of the students talked about how he is a first-generation college student in his
family and how he relates to one of the summaries in the rhetorical analysis bank--
one of the best parts of this experience was being able to meet with new students
and see how they relate to the world of English and how these writings inspire them
 He talked about how navigating the college application process has a first-
generation college student is so incredibly difficult and needs to be changed
 Professor makes an announcement that students are allowed to eat during class
because the class goes through lunch- it is a relaxed and safe classroom space-
reminds me of my time with Professor during my first time as a UTA in English 388V